Advice You Need When Opening a Martial Arts Studio

by NEXO Team
October 22, 2021

When you're considering opening a martial art studio, it's an exciting time. You have big plans and dreams. You want to share your knowledge of and love for martial arts with others. However, there's a lot involved in opening your own martial arts studio.

You need to make a lot of decisions before you can start teaching students. First, you need advice to help you make the best decisions for your personal circumstances. Here's some advice for opening a martial arts studio for your consideration.

The Right Location Makes a Difference

You need to rent or buy a spot to open your martial arts studio. While the price does matter, you need to find an ideal location, where there are many prospective students passing it each day.

It's a good idea to spend a little more on a location that sees a lot of traffic than a cheaper one in a more obscure area. In the beginning, you'll need to sign up many members for your martial arts classes to be able to start making money.

The right location can work as advertising for your new martial arts studio. If you're signing a lease, you might opt for a year's rental the first time. This way if the location doesn't offer enough traffic, you can look for another one.

A Little Room to Grow

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When you're looking at properties, you'll either look for the right amount of space you need now or look for properties with entirely too much room. You'll need studio space for the classes, a place for parents and visitors to watch, restrooms and changing areas, a reception area, and an office for administrative work.

It's tempting to sign a lease for a rental property with space for multiple classes. You hope that you'll be able to fill multiple classes in the same time slot since most of your classes will be at night and on the weekends.

However, you don't want to spend more than you need to on rent in the beginning. It's okay to choose a location with room for one extra class but shy away from spaces that are too large.

If you're working with a real estate agent or leasing agent, be very clear about the size you need. These professionals make money on commission, and they'll want to get you to sign a lease for a larger place.

The Right Insurance

Your martial arts studio will probably have many children and adults enrolled that aren't familiar with your style of martial arts. This can lead to accidents and injuries. No matter how careful you are, you might find yourself at the center of a liability lawsuit.

The right insurance can protect your business, cash reserves, and personal assets. A judgment can run into the tens of thousands, and without insurance, you'd need to pay out of your bank accounts. This could sink your new business.

Learn more about gym insurance and how to start a gym business »

You also need to consider the costs of damages to your rental property. From water damage to a shattered front window, you might be on the hook to pay a lot of money for repairs. The right insurance policy covers these damages for you.

Another consideration is the things that your employees say and do. You want to do a background check on any employees you hire to ensure the safety and well-being of your students.

If an employee makes an inappropriate remark or touches a student in an offensive manner, you can find yourself in the middle of a lawsuit. Look for an insurance policy that protects you from this type of allegation and covers any settlement or judgment.

Build a Website

Even before you open the doors of your martial arts studio, you need to have a website in place. In the modern world, people don't consult a phone book when they're considering taking a martial arts class. They go online.

A professional website can be an introduction to your martial arts studio and provide valuable information. You can use your website to offer more information about your martial arts discipline and display the times of your classes.

You can even provide the membership paperwork on your new website, so prospective students can print it and bring it with them. The sooner you launch your website, the sooner people can find your studio.

Create a Social Media Presence

It's always a good idea to build excitement for your new martial arts studio. One way to do this is to create a social media presence. You want to create both Facebook and Instagram accounts for your gym. Add routine posts of photos and videos.

It's also beneficial to tag your students in the photos and videos, so they appear on the student's page as well. This can help to get your studio name out there. You might also consider a YouTube channel to post videos of important events or tips to position yourself as an expert in your field.

Check on Licensing Requirements

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There are many types of martial arts taught around the world. In many cases, there will be a governing body to ensure that the martial art is taught in the correct way and only by a professional who met the requirements.

You need to check with the governing body for your branch of martial arts to learn the requirements for licensing and apply for the license before you actually open your studio. If you don't, you may find yourself in an uncomfortable position.

Assuming that you've already reached the highest level in your branch of martial arts, you should be able to check with your own instructor to get more information about the governing body. They might also be able to help walk you through the licensing process.

At Nexo Fit, we want to partner with you to ensure that your new martial arts studio is a success. We can offer you background checks for employees along with the insurance you need to protect your investment.