Where to start?

Just to put it out there, I'm one of the least original people on the planet. I love to use other people's ideas. Starting a martial arts school is nothing new so why would I try to reinvent the wheel? In everything I do in life, I look for advice from those that have the results I want. In running my martial arts school, I don't ask my parents for advice because they have never owned a school. I don't ask for marital advice from people that fight a lot or are divorced.

Opening a new martial arts school can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life, it has been for me. You will touch the lives of hundreds and hundreds of people. You might save lives with your self defense teachings or with giving kids a place to go after school instead of getting in trouble with gangs or drugs. You will give people mental and physical health, the best investment anyone can make in their lives.

Here's the catch. Just because you are good at your art doesn't mean that your business will do well. Being a good teacher and being a good businessperson/school owner are two VERY SEPARATE skill sets. I highly suggest you read "The E-Myth" before you go any further with your plans to open a school. You might be horrible at business and that's ok. You can learn just like you were probably horrible when you started your art, you learned. Just make sure you recognize that you will have to train your business skills if you don't already have them.

Ok. You read E-myth. You are mentally ready to open your own business. Now what?

Start with the end in mind. You have to give yourself an ultimate vision of what you want for your new school. That way you can work backwards and plan efficiently how to get there. No one ever plans to fail, but we very often fail to plan. Imagine what your school will look like. What color are the mats, the walls, the bathrooms. Do you have an office? How is it decorated? Sketch out your ideal floor plan. Don't be afraid to dream big. Is every class packed with tons of students? Or do you have multiple sessions with smaller more intimate classes? Form a vivid mental image and also write all these things down in a notebook you can reference later. You can change your mind as you go of course, but when you do, make it a conscious decision and write it down.

With your plan in hand you can start making decisions that bring you closer and closer to your goal.