• #11 | Fight or Fold - Martial Arts Lessons During Economic Downturn
    2025/08/19

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    Economic uncertainty looms large for martial arts school owners, but surviving—even thriving—during downturns is possible with the right approach. Master Lee shares battle-tested strategies that have helped him navigate three major economic crises since 2001.

    At the heart of recession-proofing your martial arts business is delivering exceptional value that makes your service indispensable. When families scrutinize their budgets, you must ensure they see your training as essential to their child's development. Master Chan emphasizes creating genuine excitement in students while demonstrating clear developmental benefits to parents. This combination of enthusiasm and tangible results makes families reluctant to cut your program, even when finances tighten.

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    • Email us at jimmyhong@blackbeltbanter.com
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    34 分
  • #10 | How to Create Sustainable Staff Pipelines That Prevent Burnout
    2025/08/05

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    🗓️ Mark your calendars for October 3–4, 2025—because the ASA Martial Arts Summit is throwing down in Las Vegas at the iconic Paris Hotel & Casino, and you don’t want to miss it.

    Only a few weeks left to lock in the $399 early access rate—offer ends August 15th.

    Register now at theBlackBeltBanter.com

    Preventing instructor burnout might be the most critical challenge you face as a martial arts school owner. How do you build a staff culture that's sustainable while delivering exceptional training? This episode tackles this challenge head-on with insights from three martial arts business veterans.

    Master Tony Kook (president of BC Taekwondo Federation with 2,100 active students across multiple locations) and Master Tony Chung join host Jimmy Hong to share battle-tested strategies for developing unbreakable staff teams. Their conversation reveals the critical difference between treating leadership development as "free help" versus creating true apprenticeships that benefit everyone involved.

    Whether you're struggling with instructor turnover or looking to expand your martial arts business sustainably, this episode provides concrete strategies you can implement immediately. The insights apply across all martial arts styles and business models. Connect with this community of school owners at the upcoming ASA Summit this October in Las Vegas—details in the show notes.

    🗓️ Mark your calendars for October 3–4, 2025—because the ASA Martial Arts Summit is throwing down in Las Vegas at the iconic Paris Hotel & Casino, and you don’t want to miss it.

    Only a few weeks left to lock in the $399 early access rate—offer ends August 15th.

    Register now at theBlackBeltBanter.com

    Contact Black Belt Banter

    • Email us at jimmyhong@blackbeltbanter.com
    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ASAmartialarts

    Please rate and review our podcast! Thanks for listening!

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    1 時間
  • #9 | Connect and Conquer: Building Your Martial Arts Empire
    2025/07/24

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    ✅ Register now at https://theblackbeltbanter.com/

    🗓️ Mark your calendars for October 3–4, 2025—because the ASA Martial Arts Summit is throwing down in Las Vegas at the iconic Paris Hotel & Casino, and you don’t want to miss it. This is the business event for martial arts entrepreneurs ready to evolve, scale, and sharpen their competitive edge.

    🔥 It’s a full-throttle experience designed for passionate martial arts professionals who refuse to settle. Only a few weeks left to lock in the $399 early access rate—offer ends August 15th.

    ✅ Register now at https://theblackbeltbanter.com/


    Master Lee shares the fastest way to build a martial arts business through strategic networking and learning from successful peers rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.

    • Success leaves clues – learn from those who have already achieved what you want
    • Having the right mindset is critical – be open to new ideas and changes
    • Take immediate action on what you learn through networking
    • Surround yourself with people more successful than you to grow faster
    • Networking provides accountability, motivation, and friendship with like-minded owners
    • The American School-Owners Association (ASA) Summit in Las Vegas brings together successful school owners
    • Learn both business strategies and teaching techniques from industry leaders
    • ROI from networking events can be substantial through implementing just one good idea
    • Staff development is crucial – bring your team to learn professionalism and career pathways

    Join us at the ASA Summit this October in Las Vegas to connect with the best minds in the martial arts business.


    🗓️ Mark your calendars for October 3–4, 2025—because the ASA Martial Arts Summit is throwing down in Las Vegas at the iconic Paris Hotel & Casino, and you don’t want to miss it.

    Only a few weeks left to lock in the $399 early access rate—offer ends August 15th.

    Register now at theBlackBeltBanter.com

    Contact Black Belt Banter

    • Email us at jimmyhong@blackbeltbanter.com
    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ASAmartialarts

    Please rate and review our podcast! Thanks for listening!

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    41 分
  • #8 | One Powerful Ingredient Your Martial Arts School Can't Afford to Ignore
    2025/07/08

    Send us a text

    ASA Martial Arts Business Summit 2025

    ✅ Register now at https://theblackbeltbanter.com/

    🗓️ Mark your calendars for October 3–4, 2025—because the ASA Martial Arts Summit is throwing down in Las Vegas at the iconic Paris Hotel & Casino, and you don’t want to miss it. This is the business event for martial arts entrepreneurs ready to evolve, scale, and sharpen their competitive edge.

    🔥 It’s a full-throttle experience designed for passionate martial arts professionals who refuse to settle. Only a few weeks left to lock in the $399 early access rate—offer ends August 15th.


    What separates thriving martial arts schools from struggling ones? Master Lee draws from his family's 50-year legacy to reveal the powerful role culture plays in creating an exceptional martial arts business.

    Ever wonder why some martial arts schools consistently grow while others plateau? The secret lies not in marketing tactics or fancy facilities, but in something far more fundamental: culture. Master Chan demonstrates how creating the right environment transforms everything from student retention to parent engagement.

    Whether you run a traditional martial arts program or a modern mixed martial arts school, these cultural principles can transform your student experience. Listen now to discover the one ingredient your martial arts school can't afford to ignore. Then share your thoughts with us—what cultural elements have made the biggest difference in your school?

    Contact Black Belt Banter

    • Email us at jimmyhong@blackbeltbanter.com
    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ASAmartialarts

    Please rate and review our podcast! Thanks for listening!

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    38 分
  • #7 | Why Martial Art Schools Are Dying: A Blunt Wake Up Call to Reality Check
    2025/06/24

    Send us a text

    ASA Martial Arts Business Summit 2025

    ✅ Register now at https://theblackbeltbanter.com/

    🗓️ Mark your calendars for October 3–4, 2025—because the ASA Martial Arts Summit is throwing down in Las Vegas at the iconic Paris Hotel & Casino, and you don’t want to miss it. This is the business event for martial arts entrepreneurs ready to evolve, scale, and sharpen their competitive edge.

    🔥 It’s a full-throttle experience designed for passionate martial arts professionals who refuse to settle. Only a few weeks left to lock in the $399 early access rate—offer ends August 15th.


    There's a crisis affecting martial arts schools nationwide, but it's not what you might think. The pandemic tested our industry's resilience—we taught through Zoom, improvised training equipment, and found ways to survive against impossible odds. Yet now, with that immediate threat behind us, many schools face a deeper challenge: finding purpose beyond mere survival.

    This episode delivers a passionate wake-up call for school owners and instructors in this thought-provoking episode. "If your purpose is to make money, you need to find a better purpose."

    For schools currently struggling, Tony shares practical strategies—including his recent experience helping stunt performers start a school by renting a neighborhood clubhouse for just $900 monthly. This incremental approach allowed them to build to 50 students before considering a permanent location, demonstrating how starting small can create sustainable growth.


    Contact Black Belt Banter

    • Email us at jimmyhong@blackbeltbanter.com
    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ASAmartialarts

    Please rate and review our podcast! Thanks for listening!

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    40 分
  • #6 | WAIT! Don't Open That 2nd Location Until You Listen to This Podcast!
    2025/06/10

    Send us a text

    ASA Martial Arts Business Summit 2025

    ✅ Register now at https://theblackbeltbanter.com/

    🗓️ Mark your calendars for October 3–4, 2025—because the ASA Martial Arts Summit is throwing down in Las Vegas at the iconic Paris Hotel & Casino, and you don’t want to miss it. This is the business event for martial arts entrepreneurs ready to evolve, scale, and sharpen their competitive edge.

    🔥 It’s a full-throttle experience designed for passionate martial arts professionals who refuse to settle. Only a few weeks left to lock in the $399 early access rate—offer ends August 15th.


    Should you open a second martial arts school location? This question haunts ambitious school owners looking to expand their impact and income.

    The path to successful expansion requires meeting several critical conditions. Your first location must be truly thriving, not just surviving. Your staffing structure needs depth beyond just one or two good instructors – you need "bench strength," a pipeline of talent ready to step up without compromising your flagship location. Never move your primary instructor or yourself to the new location.


    Contact Black Belt Banter

    • Email us at jimmyhong@blackbeltbanter.com
    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ASAmartialarts

    Please rate and review our podcast! Thanks for listening!

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    42 分
  • #5 | Can Small Schools Generate Mega School Revenues?
    2025/05/27

    Send us a text

    ASA Martial Arts Business Summit 2025

    ✅ Register now at https://theblackbeltbanter.com/

    🗓️ Mark your calendars for October 3–4, 2025—because the ASA Martial Arts Summit is throwing down in Las Vegas at the iconic Paris Hotel & Casino, and you don’t want to miss it. This is the business event for martial arts entrepreneurs ready to evolve, scale, and sharpen their competitive edge.

    🔥 It’s a full-throttle experience designed for passionate martial arts professionals who refuse to settle. Only a few weeks left to lock in the $399 early access rate—offer ends August 15th.


    "Too much month, not enough money?" This might be the reality for many small martial arts school owners, but Master Tony Chung proves it doesn't have to be. In this eye-opening conversation, Tony shares how he generates over $2 million annually with multiple locations that are all under 2,000 square feet - a stark contrast to the 7,000-12,000 square foot "mega-schools" often showcased as the industry standard.

    With average class sizes of only 8-10 students and a curriculum designed for quality over all else, Tony has created a system where martial arts excellence drives financial success rather than marketing tricks or sales tactics. His closing ratio remains deliberately modest at 30-40%, because as he puts it, "We're not for everyone." Yet this approach supports eight full-time employees, 30-36 part-timers, and provides benefits.

    Contact Black Belt Banter

    • Email us at jimmyhong@blackbeltbanter.com
    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ASAmartialarts

    Please rate and review our podcast! Thanks for listening!

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    44 分
  • #4 | The Retention Game: Keep Your Students Fired Up and Showing Up!
    2025/05/13

    Send us a text

    ASA Martial Arts Business Summit 2025

    ✅ Register now at https://theblackbeltbanter.com/

    🗓️ Mark your calendars for October 3–4, 2025—because the ASA Martial Arts Summit is throwing down in Las Vegas at the iconic Paris Hotel & Casino, and you don’t want to miss it. This is the business event for martial arts entrepreneurs ready to evolve, scale, and sharpen their competitive edge.

    🔥 It’s a full-throttle experience designed for passionate martial arts professionals who refuse to settle. Only a few weeks left to lock in the $399 early access rate—offer ends August 15th.


    The secret lies in creating a paradigm shift in how families perceive martial arts training. Rather than allowing parents to view classes as "just another activity" alongside soccer or baseball, Master Lee positions the black belt journey as an essential component of childhood development—akin to education itself. This philosophical foundation changes everything about how students approach their training.

    The proof is in the results: an astounding 30% of Master Lee's student base consists of black belts, with recent testing events featuring over 160 black belt candidates. By creating purpose, direction, and transformation, he's built not just a successful business but a community where martial arts becomes a life-changing journey rather than a passing interest.

    🗓️ Mark your calendars for October 3–4, 2025—because the ASA Martial Arts Summit is throwing down in Las Vegas at the iconic Paris Hotel & Casino, and you don’t want to miss it.

    Only a few weeks left to lock in the $399 early access rate—offer ends August 15th.

    Register now at theBlackBeltBanter.com

    Contact Black Belt Banter

    • Email us at jimmyhong@blackbeltbanter.com
    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ASAmartialarts

    Please rate and review our podcast! Thanks for listening!

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    27 分