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Episode 466: Is Your Martial Arts School Still Working for You?

Podcast Description

In Episode 466 of School Owner Talk, Duane and Allie have a real conversation many school owners need to hear: Is the school you built still working for you—or are you working nonstop to keep a version of it alive that no longer fits your life?

The conversation began with Allie considering whether to end Saturday classes after looking closely at attendance, revenue, time commitment, and the personal cost of being at the dojo six days a week. From there, it opened into a bigger discussion about simplifying your schedule, auditing your programs, communicating changes as real benefits to families, and creating a business that supports the life you want to live.

This is not about becoming lazy, doing less just because you can, or abandoning your responsibility to students. It is about being honest about what is working, what is draining you, and what needs to change. As Duane says, if your business is no longer pleasing you, it is worth taking a serious look at why.

Key Takeaways

• Do not keep doing something just because it is how you have always done it. Duane shares the classic “ham story”: one generation cuts the ends off a ham because the previous generation did it, only to discover the original reason was simply that the pan was too small. Your schedule, programs, pricing, and policies may have started for a good reason—but that does not mean the reason still applies.
• Your class schedule should work for students and for you. Allie looked at Saturday attendance and realized he was regularly driving in early for small, inconsistent classes. Meanwhile, Duane has run a Monday–Thursday class schedule for years, using Friday for makeups and private lessons while protecting weekends for family time.
• Look beyond a single number when making a decision. Do not only ask, “How much revenue will I lose if I close a class?” Consider the time required, the energy it takes, the program’s growth potential, the alternatives you can offer, and what it costs you personally to keep it going.
• A membership is not the same as a coffee shop transaction. Martial arts families join a program, not individual drop-in classes. If your annual calendar, closures, and training options are communicated clearly from the beginning, families can decide whether the program works for them.
• Frame changes around genuine benefits for families. If you move a class, adjust training days, or close on weekends, do not use fluff. Explain the real upside: a more convenient weekday option, fewer trips to the school, greater schedule consistency, or more family time.
• Inventory your programs regularly. A program may be meaningful to you and still not be financially or operationally wise as a standalone offering. Allie describes helping a school fold a small Haganah program into its Black Belt Club, freeing time for stronger classes and creating more value for members.
• Your time is an asset. Allie encourages owners to track how they actually spend their days. A two-week time journal can reveal time drains, old habits, and low-value activities that pull focus from marketing, leadership, family, health, or rest.
• Advice needs to fit the season of life you are in. What worked for another owner—or what worked for you ten years ago—may not be right today. Build, work hard, and push when needed. However, do not ignore your health, relationships, or desire to enjoy the life you are building.

Action Steps for School Owners

1. Audit your weekly schedule. List every class, meeting, event, and recurring responsibility. For each one, ask: Who is using it? Is it profitable? Is it growing? Does it support our mission? What would happen if it moved, changed, or ended?
2. Review your 2027 closures now. Decide your holiday breaks, vacation periods, and closure cadence before the new year begins. Then communicate it clearly to families as part of your annual membership calendar.
3. Review low-attendance classes and specialty programs. Do not make a quick emotional decision. First, look at attendance patterns, total revenue, staffing needs, scheduling conflicts, and whether the material could be incorporated into a stronger existing program.
4. Run a two-week time inventory. Track your days honestly from wake-up to bedtime. Then identify activities that are necessary, valuable, draining, or simply habits you have never questioned.
5. Ask the bigger question. Is your school still helping you build the life you want? If the answer is no, choose one practical change that creates more margin without reducing the value you provide.

Additional Resources Mentioned

• Creating an annual school calendar with clear closures
• Reviewing program attendance, revenue, and staffing needs
• Using a two-week time journal to identify time wasters
• Building a schedule that includes room for rest, family, health, and long-term sustainability