This episode is part 3 of the series on the 4 Phases Of Martial Arts Schools. This episode is focusing on the transition to the CEO phase ($83K+ / month). They emphasize the importance of hiring and developing leaders, understanding the challenges of management, and creating a team vision. The conversation also covers the significance of metrics tracking for success and the potential profit centers that can enhance revenue. Throughout the discussion, they highlight the need for continuous improvement and adaptation in the martial arts industry.

In this episode of the Black Belt Business Podcast, Matthew Brenner interviews Donovan Rider, owner of Charleston Taekwondo, who shares his journey from a competitive martial artist to a successful school owner with multiple locations.

Donovan discusses the challenges and strategies involved in scaling his business, including instructor recruitment, operational management, and real estate considerations.

The conversation provides valuable insights for anyone looking to grow a martial arts school or similar business.

Before joining the Double Your Dojo program, Master Michael Mertens was already at the top of the martial arts industry.

His five Taekwondo schools in Western New York were serving over 1,700 active students, with a proven team, decades of experience, and a reputation as one of the region’s most established operators. But despite that, Michael knew there was more potential, especially with organic marketing.

“We were doing pretty well… but I knew there was still more juice in the lemon,” he said.

Although his schools had tried school and daycare programs before, they never found a consistent, scalable system that worked across all five locations without burning out the staff.

Yes, he got new students from doing school programs, and working with some daycares, but he knew there was more potential.

It’s not about changing everything, it’s about small adjustments. Small hinges swing big doors.

That’s when Michael scheduled a discovery call to learn more about the Triangle Codex.

Together, we helped his team:

✅ Build a fresh “Hit List” of overlooked daycares, afterschool programs, and third-party providers ✅ Simplify his outreach and program setup to avoid exhausting his team ✅ Refine his white belt graduation flow to increase conversions ✅ Train his staff (across all five schools) to enroll students consistently, without relying on leads from ads

The result?

📈 400+ new leads (worth $20,000+ in ad spend value) 📈 61 new students enrolled and counting 📈 $146,000+ in projected new revenue THIS YEAR 📈 26 school programs set up through a single third-party partnership 📈 51 New Strategic Partnerships in the education system.

And they’re just getting started.

If you're tired of hearing “we're doing the best we can with the leads we have,” this is your sign to start giving your team the tools to create their own.

Should you run ads for your school? Yes, but that shouldn’t be your only source of new students. A strong team knows how to go out and recruit new students, even if the pipeline is dry.