martial art club business plan

Martial Arts Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Martial Arts Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their martial arts companies.

If you’re unfamiliar with creating a martial arts business plan, you may think creating one will be a time-consuming and frustrating process. For most entrepreneurs it is, but for you, it won’t be since we’re here to help. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a great business plan.

In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write a martial arts business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is a Martial Arts Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your martial arts business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Martial Arts Dojo

If you’re looking to start a martial arts business or grow your existing martial arts company, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your martial arts business to improve your chances of success. Your martial arts business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Martial Arts Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a martial arts business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for martial arts companies.

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How to write a business plan for a martial arts business.

If you want to start a martial arts business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. The business plan outline below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your martial arts business plan.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of martial arts business you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a martial arts business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of martial arts businesses?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan.

• Give a brief overview of the martial arts industry.
• Discuss the type of martial arts business you are operating.
• Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers.
• Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team.
• Offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Overview

In your company overview, you will detail the type of martial arts business you are operating.

For example, you might specialize in one of the following types of martial arts businesses:

• Boutique-Boxing: This type of fitness studio focuses on practicing boxing techniques as a way to stay in shape.
• Japanese Martial Arts: This type of martial arts studio may teach one or more Japanese styles such as Aikido, Jiu-Jitsu, or Judo.
• Chinese Martial Arts: This type of martial arts studio may specialize in teaching one or more Chinese styles such as Tai Chi or Karate.
• Korean Martial Arts: This type of martial arts studio may focus on one or more Korean styles such as Tae Kwon Do or Hapkido.
• Mixed Martial Arts (MMA): This type of martial arts studio combines full-contact techniques from a variety of different kinds of martial arts and combat sports.

In addition to explaining the type of martial arts business you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of clients served, the number of classes offered, reaching $X amount in revenue, etc.
• Your legal business Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the martial arts industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the martial arts industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends.

The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your martial arts business plan:

• How big is the martial arts industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your martial arts business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your martial arts business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: individuals, schools, families, and corporations.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of martial arts business you operate. Clearly, individuals would respond to different marketing promotions than corporations, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other martial arts businesses.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This includes other types of sports studios, recreation centers, and fitness clubs. You need to mention such competition as well.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What type of martial arts business are they?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you make it easier for customers to acquire your services?
• Will you offer products or services that your competition doesn’t?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a martial arts business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of martial arts company that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you provide MMA, boxing, or Karate classes?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your plan, you are presenting the services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the site of your martial arts company. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your martial arts business located in a busy retail district, a business district, a standalone studio, or purely online? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your martial arts marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
• Reach out to websites
• Distribute flyers
• Engage in email marketing
• Advertise on social media platforms
• Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your martial arts business, including answering calls, planning and providing classes, billing customers and collecting payments, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to acquire your Xth customer, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your martial arts business to a new city.  

Management Team

To demonstrate your martial arts business’ potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing martial arts businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a martial arts business or successfully running a small sports club.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you employ 5 instructors, and will each instructor teach 3 classes of 30 students per day? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your martial arts business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a martial arts business:

• Cost of equipment and studio supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your studio location lease or testimonials from happy customers.  

Writing a business plan for your martial arts business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will understand the martial arts industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful martial arts business.  

Martial Arts Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my martial arts business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily write your martial arts business plan.

How Do You Start a Martial Arts Business?

Starting a martial arts business is easy with these 14 steps:

• Choose the Name for Your Martial Arts Business
• Create Your Martial Arts Business Plan
• Choose the Legal Structure for Your Martial Arts Business
• Secure Startup Funding for Your Martial Arts Business (If Needed)
• Secure a Location for Your Business
• Register Your Martial Arts Business with the IRS
• Open a Business Bank Account
• Get a Business Credit Card
• Get the Required Business Licenses and Permits
• Get Business Insurance for Your Martial Arts Business
• Buy or Lease the Right Martial Arts Business Equipment
• Develop Your Martial Arts Business Marketing Materials
• Purchase and Setup the Software Needed to Run Your Martial Arts Business
• Open for Business

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Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

Martial Arts Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Martial Arts Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your Martial Arts business plan.

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their Martial Arts businesses.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Martial Arts business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Master Mike’s Martial Arts is a new martial art academy located in Spokane, Washington. We teach students of all ages a wide range of martial arts, including judo, karate, and taekwondo. We split our lessons based on skill level, so we have classes for beginners, intermediate learners, and advanced learners. We also divide our classes by age range, offering separate classes for learners ages 9 to 12 and adults 13 and up.

Master Mike’s is founded and run by Mike Conway. Mike has been a martial artist since childhood, having won several tournaments and earning black belts in taekwondo, judo, and karate. He is passionate about teaching martial arts and has already trained dozens of students while working for another local martial arts studio. Mike has the skills, experience, and knowledge to make Master Mike’s the most successful martial arts studio in the Spokane area.

Product Offering

Master Mike’s Martial Arts will provide martial arts lessons for children and adults. The children’s classes will be for young students ages 9-12, and the adult classes will be for anyone 13 and older. We will offer lessons in multiple forms of martial arts, including taekwondo, karate, judo, krav maga, and general self-defense. For each martial art, we will offer separate courses for beginners, intermediate students, and advanced students.

Customer Focus

Master Mike’s Martial Arts offers martial arts lessons to anyone age 9 and older. We have classes designed specifically for kids ages 9 to 12 and adults (anyone 13 and older). Everyone in these age ranges is welcome to try out our martial arts studio, but we expect our customers will primarily consist of adolescents, families, and young adults.

Management Team

Master Mike’s Martial Arts is run by Mike Conway. Mike has been a martial artist for most of his life, having begun his lessons at a very young age. He has a black belt in several martial arts and has won several championships. Though he has never run his own martial arts studio, he has worked at one for several years. Therefore, he understands how to run the general operations of such a business and has extensive experience teaching students martial arts.

Success Factors

Master Mike’s Martial Arts will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Welcoming and family-friendly environment.
• Knowledgeable and friendly staff of martial arts instructors.
• Affordable rates and membership pricing.
• Convenient hours of operation.

Financial Highlights

Master Mike’s Martial Arts is seeking $350,000 in debt financing to launch the business. The funding will be dedicated to securing the studio space, build-out, and purchase of the equipment. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include the payroll of the staff, rent, and working capital. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Securing studio space, build-out, and design: $200,000
• Equipment and supplies: $50,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $50,000
• Marketing & advertising: $25,000
• Working capital: $25,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Master Mike’s Martial Arts.

Company Overview

Who is master mike’s martial arts.

Master Mike’s Martial Arts is a new martial arts studio located in the heart of Spokane, Washington. Our mission is to become the #1 martial arts academy in the area by providing a diverse selection of classes that are trained by fun, compassionate, and highly skilled instructors. We will offer lessons in several forms of martial arts (including taekwondo, judo, and karate) and offer lessons geared towards children (ages 9 to 12) as well as adults (13 and older). Classes will be further divided by skill level (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) so that all students get plenty of experience training with others at their skill level.

  Master Mike’s Martial Arts is owned and operated by Mike Conway, an experienced martial arts champion and master. Mike is a dedicated leader with the ability to effectively manage a team of instructors, build rapport with students, and maintain a fun, safe, and profitable operation. These skills will help him quickly attract customers and employees to the studio.

Master Mike’s Martial Arts History

Mike incorporated Master Mike’s as an S Corporation on July 1st, 2023. Since incorporation, the company has achieved the following milestones:

• Found a studio space and signed a Letter of Intent to lease it
• Developed the company’s name, logo, social media accounts, and website
• Determined equipment and fixture requirements
• Began recruiting key employees

Master Mike’s Martial Arts Services

Master Mike’s Martial Arts offers a wide variety of martial arts lessons, including the following:

• Mixed Martial Arts
• General Self Defense

Our lessons will be divided by age and skill level. We will have lessons for students who are ages 9 to 12 as well as adults who are 13 or older. After that, lessons are divided by skill level depending on if they are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced student.

Industry Analysis

Revenue for the martial arts industry is expected to increase substantially over the next several years. According to Gitnux, the martial arts industry was valued at about $90.25 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach a value of $171.14 billion by 2028.

This growth is affected by multiple factors. First, the increasing popularity of health trends is encouraging millions of people to find new ways to stay active and fit. Martial arts provide a fun way for people to get healthy and make friends.

Second, post-pandemic, many people were eager to find fun ways to interact with others, get fit, and get out of their homes. The martial arts industry suffered during the pandemic years but is seeing a resurgence now that it is safe for people to partake in group indoor activities again.

Finally, the increase in per capita disposable income will help the industry. Many people will use their income increase on sports and similar activities. We expect many people will choose to spend their money on martial arts lessons.

Martial arts studios fare better when they offer lessons to both students and adults. About 50% of martial arts students are under the age of 18, so offering lessons that appeal to all age groups helps martial arts studios stand out against the competition.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market, customer segmentation.

Master Mike’s Martial Arts will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Adolescents
• Young Adults

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Master Mike’s Martial Arts will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Spokane Taekwondo

Spokane Taekwondo is the city’s largest taekwondo academy. It is run by a master taekwondo artist who has been perfecting his skills for several decades. Spokane Taekwondo offers affordable rates, compassionate staff, and a fun setting for students of all ages to learn Taekwondo. Though Spokane Taekwondo will continue to thrive, the studio will only be a minor competitor as it only offers taekwondo lessons, while Master Mike’s will offer lessons in several martial arts.

Lilac City Kids Martial Arts School

Lilac City Kids Martial Arts School is the most popular martial arts studio for children ages 4 to 12. The studio offers classes in several martial arts (judo, karate, taekwondo, etc.) and divides classes into several age ranges. The school is designed for those who want to be lifelong students of martial arts, helping them learn the basics in early childhood and as well as hone their skills as they grow into adolescence and adulthood. We expect Lilac City to be our biggest competitor for young martial artists.

Spokane Martial Arts Academy

Spokane Martial Arts Academy is the largest martial arts studio in the city. It offers lessons in multiple forms of martial arts, including krav maga, judo, jujitsu, karate, and mixed martial arts. They target a wide demographic base, offering lessons for children 4 and up as well as adults. Since Spokane Martial Arts Academy is the most popular studio in the city, we expect that it will be our biggest overall competitor.

Competitive Advantage

Master Mike’s Martial Arts will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• Affordable pricing : Master Mike’s Martial Arts will offer its services for a more affordable rate than the competition.
• Friendly staff : Master Mike’s Martial Arts will only hire martial arts instructors who are friendly and compassionate. All of our instructors will positively encourage our customers to train harder and improve their skills.
• Management : Master Mike’s Martial Arts is run by a professional martial artist who is famous in the industry. Mike’s presence and popularity will entice many novice and professional martial artists to visit Master Mike’s Martial Arts.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Master Mike’s Martial Arts will offer a unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Large, clean, spacious, and well-equipped studio.
• Family-friendly atmosphere.
• Dedicated team of martial arts instructors.
• Affordable membership pricing plans.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Master Mike’s Martial Arts is as follows:

Social Media Marketing Strategy

Master Mike’s Martial Arts will invest in advertising the martial arts studio on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. By using targeted social media marketing, Master Mike’s Martial Arts will be able to reach the appropriate target audience in Spokane. Before opening, Mike will hire a marketing manager to develop the branding and photography needed to create captivating social media posts.

Mike will invest in two billboards strategically located at busy intersections that receive thousands of traffic daily. The Marketing Manager will develop the print for the billboard design.

Website/SEO Marketing Strategy

Master Mike’s Martial Arts will invest in a strong SEO presence so that when someone enters “Spokane martial arts” or “local martial arts near me” in their Google or Bing search bar, Master Mike’s Martial Arts will show up at the top of the list. The website will list Master Mike’s Martial Arts’ services, location, pricing, and contact information.

Word of Mouth

Word quickly spreads around town, and once a few people experience the fun lessons and professional staff at Master Mike’s Martial Arts, more people will come in to experience our lessons for themselves and sign up for a membership plan.

The pricing of Master Mike’s Martial Arts will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive value when attending classes and purchasing memberships.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Master Mike’s Martial Arts. Operation Functions:

• Mike Conway will be the sole owner of Master Mike’s Martial Arts. He will oversee the general operations of the studio and teach several martial arts lessons. Mike will spend the next several months hiring the following:
• An Accountant who will provide all budgeting, accounting, tax payments, and financial reporting.
• A Marketing Manager who will provide all sales, marketing, and PR campaigns.
• Several instructors who will teach martial arts to students of all ages.

Milestones:

Master Mike’s Martial Arts will have the following milestones completed in the next six months.

• 8/1/2023 – Finalize contract to lease studio space.
• 8/15/2023 – Begin build-out and studio design.
• 9/1/2023 – Order all equipment and supplies.
• 9/15/2023 – Hire staff and martial arts instructors.
• 10/1/2023 – Begin marketing campaign.
• 10/15/2023 – Grand opening of Master Mike’s Martial Arts.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Master Mike’s Martial Arts are the rates charged to students to sign up for our classes and the membership fees we will charge to each student who wants to become a member. Memberships can either be paid monthly or annually.

The cost drivers will include the payroll for the staff, rent, utilities, supplies, and equipment. In the initial years, the company’s marketing spending will be high as it establishes itself in the market.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and pay off the startup business loan.

• Number of students per month: 100
• Average monthly membership fee: $150
• Average class drop-in rate: $30
• Annual lease: $50,000

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, martial arts business plan faqs, what is a martial arts business plan.

A martial arts business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your martial arts business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your Martial Arts business plan using our Martial Arts Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Martial Arts Businesses? 

There are a number of different kinds of martial arts businesses , some examples include: Boutique-Boxing, Japanese Martial Arts, Chinese Martial Arts, Korean Martial Arts, and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

How Do You Get Funding for Your Martial Arts Business Plan?

Martial Arts businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a Martial Arts Business?

Starting a martial arts business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Martial Arts Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed martial arts business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast. 

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your martial arts business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your martial arts business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Martial Arts Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your martial arts business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your martial arts business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms.

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations.

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events.

7. Acquire Necessary Martial Arts Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your martial arts business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation.

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your martial arts business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

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How to Write a Martial Arts Business Plan With Examples

Are you a martial artist dreaming of starting your school with control over the curriculum? The profitability in this industry ranges from $50,000 to $250,000 , making it a rewarding venture.

However, not every martial arts school succeeds; careful planning is the key. And by careful planning, we mean a comprehensive business plan with a 5-year financial and operational forecast.

Crafting a business plan may seem time-consuming, but fear not – with our martial arts business plan guide with examples, the process becomes easy and smooth.

Let us explore the vital elements of a martial arts business plan together.

Free Business Plan Template

Download our free business plan template now and pave the way to success. Let’s turn your vision into an actionable strategy!

• Fill in the blanks – Outline
• Financial Tables

How to Write a Martial Arts Business Plan?

Writing a martial arts business plan is a crucial step toward the success of your business. Here are the key steps to consider when writing a business plan:

1. Executive Summary

An executive summary is the first section planned to offer an overview of the entire business plan. However, it is written after the entire business plan is ready and summarizes each section of your plan.

Here are a few key components to include in your executive summary:

Introduce your Business

Start your executive summary by briefly introducing your business to your readers.

This section may include the name of your martial arts business, its location when it was founded, the type of martial arts business, etc.

Market Opportunity

Summarize your market research, including market size, growth potential, and marketing trends. Highlight the opportunities in the market and how your business will fit in to fill the gap.

Martial Arts Training

Highlight the martial arts training you offer your clients. The USPs and differentiators you offer are always a plus.

Marketing & Sales Strategies

Outline your sales and marketing strategies—what marketing platforms you will use, how you plan on acquiring customers, etc.

Financial Highlights

Briefly summarize your financial projections for the initial years of business operations. Include capital or investment requirements, associated startup costs, projected revenues, and profit forecasts.

Call to Action

Summarize your executive summary section with a clear CTA, for example, inviting angel investors to discuss the potential business investment.

Ensure your executive summary is clear, concise, easy to understand, and jargon-free.

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2. Business Overview

The business overview section of your business plan offers detailed information about your business. The details you add will depend on how important they are to your business. Yet, business name, location, business history, and future goals are some of the foundational elements you must consider adding to this section:

Business Description

Describe what kind of martial arts business you run and the name of it. You may specialize in one of the following martial arts businesses:

• Traditional martial arts
• Mix martial arts (MMA)
• Kickboxing studios
• Self-defense classes

Describe the legal structure of your martial arts business, whether it is a sole proprietorship, LLC, partnership, or others.

Explain where your business is located and why you selected the place. Because location plays a vital role in the success of the business. For example,

Business description of ZenFit Studios

Welcome to ZenFit Studios, your premier destination for holistic well-being and fitness. Nestled in the vibrant heart of Los Angeles, ZenFit Studios has chosen Silver Lake as its home. Silver Lake, renowned for its artistic spirit, cultural diversity, and health-conscious community, aligns seamlessly with the ethos of ZenFit.

At ZenFit, we believe in the transformative power of a balanced mind and body, and our mission is to provide a sanctuary where individuals can embark on their wellness journey.

Our state-of-the-art studio is not just a mixed martial arts fitness facility; it’s a haven for those seeking harmony in their lives. Whether you’re a seasoned fitness enthusiast or a beginner, ZenFit Studios welcomes you with open arms.

We understand that each person’s wellness path is unique, and our inclusive environment encourages individuals of all fitness levels to thrive.

Beyond fitness classes, ZenFit Studios is a hub for wellness events, nutritional guidance, and personalized training.

List the names of your martial arts business’s founders or owners. Describe what shares they own and their responsibilities for efficiently managing the business.

Mission Statement

Summarize your business’ objective, core principles, and values in your mission statement. This statement needs to be memorable, clear, and brief.

Business History

If you’re an established martial arts business, briefly describe your business history, like—when it was founded, how it evolved over time, etc.

Additionally, If you have received any awards or recognition for excellent work, describe them.

Future Goals

It’s crucial to convey your aspirations and vision. Mention your short-term and long-term goals; they can be specific targets for revenue, market share, or expanding your services.

This section should provide a thorough understanding of your business, its history, and its plans. Keep this section engaging, precise, and to the point.

3. Market Analysis

The market analysis section of your business plan should offer a thorough understanding of the industry with the target market, competitors, and growth opportunities. You should include the following components in this section.

Target market

Start this section by describing your target market. Define your ideal customer and explain what types of services they prefer. Creating a buyer persona will help you easily define your target market to your readers.

Market size and growth potential

Describe your market size and growth potential and whether you will target a niche or a much broader market.

For example, the market size in terms of revenue of the martial arts studios industry in the United States was $16.1 billion in 2022.

Competitive Analysis

Identify and analyze your direct and indirect competitors. Identify their strengths and weaknesses, and describe what differentiates your martial arts business from them. Point out how you have a competitive edge in the market.

Market Trends

Analyze emerging trends in the industry, such as changes in customer behavior or preferences or something else. Explain how your business will cope with all the trends.

For instance, boutique experience has a booming market; explain how you plan on dealing with this potential growth opportunity.

Regulatory Environment

List regulations and licensing requirements that may affect your martial arts business, such as business licensing, health & safety regulations, insurance requirements, employee regulations, etc.

Here are a few tips for writing the market analysis section of your martial arts business plan:

• Conduct market research, industry reports, and surveys to gather data.
• Provide specific and detailed information whenever possible.
• Illustrate your points with charts and graphs.
• Write your business plan keeping your target audience in mind.

4. Products And Services

The product and services section should describe the training that will be offered to customers. To write this section should include the following:

Describe all available training

Mention the martial arts training your business will offer. This list may include:

• Basic martial arts
• Advanced classes
• Children’s Classes
• Self-defense courses
• Weapons training
• Sparring and combat training
• Competitive training

Quality measures

This section should explain how you maintain quality standards and consistently provide the highest quality services.

This may include maintaining safety protocols, clean & safe facilities, student progress tracking, student-to-instructor ratio, etc.

In short, this section of your martial arts plan must be informative, precise, and client-focused. By providing a clear and compelling description of your offerings, you can help potential investors and readers understand the value of your business.

5. Sales And Marketing Strategies

Writing the sales and marketing strategies section means a list of strategies you will use to attract and retain your clients. Here are some key elements to include in your sales & marketing plan:

Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Define your business’s USPs depending on the market you serve, the equipment you use, and the unique services you provide. Identifying USPs will help you plan your marketing strategies.

Pricing Strategy

Describe your pricing strategy—how you plan to price your training and stay competitive in the local market. You can mention any discounts you plan on offering to attract new customers to your business.

Sales and Marketing Strategies

Outline the strategies to market your training facilities and maximize your sales. Some of the helpful strategies can be:

• Trial class promotions
• Referral incentive
• Strong digital presence
• Local community partnership
• Free workshops
• Local advertising
• Print marketing

Customer Retention

Describe your customer retention strategies and how you plan to execute them. For instance, introducing loyalty programs, discounts on annual payments, personalized service, etc.

Overall, this section of your martial arts business plan should focus on customer acquisition and retention.

Have a specific, realistic, and data-driven approach while planning sales and marketing strategies for your martial arts business, and be prepared to adapt or make strategic changes in your strategies based on feedback and results.

6. Operations Plan

The operations plan section of your business plan should outline the processes and procedures involved in your business operations, such as staffing requirements and operational processes. Here are a few components to add to your operations plan:

Staffing & Training

Mention your business’s staffing requirements, including the number of employees or trainers needed. Include their qualifications, the training required, and the duties they will perform.

Operational Process

Outline the processes and procedures you will use to run your martial arts business. Your operational processes may include enrollment, class scheduling, training sessions, facility maintenance, member communication, etc.

Equipment Needed

Include the list of equipment required for martial arts, such as punching bags, mats, training weapons, protective gear, training dummies, etc.

Adding these components to your operations plan will help you lay out your business operations, which will eventually help you manage your business effectively.

7. Management Team

The management team section provides an overview of your martial arts business’s management team. This section should provide a detailed description of each manager’s experience and qualifications, as well as their responsibilities and roles.

Founders/CEO

Mention the founders and CEO of your martial arts business, and describe their roles and responsibilities in successfully running the business. For example,

Founder/CEO of ZenFit Studios

Alexandra Tran – Head Instructor and Founder Alexandra, a black belt holder with over 15 years of experience in martial arts, is the driving force behind ZenFit Studios. As the head instructor and founder, she brings a deep understanding of various martial arts disciplines and a passion for teaching. Alexandra is committed to creating a positive and inclusive training environment.

Key managers

Introduce your management and key members of your team, and explain their roles and responsibilities.

Compensation Plan

Describe your compensation plan for the management and staff. Include their salaries, incentives, and other benefits.

Advisors/Consultants

Mentioning advisors or consultants in your business plans adds credibility to your business idea.

So, if you have any advisors or consultants, include them with their names and brief information consisting of roles and years of experience.

This section should describe the key personnel for your martial arts business, highlighting how you have the perfect team to succeed.

8. Financial Plan

Your financial plan section should provide a summary of your business’s financial projections for the first few years. Here are some key elements to include in your financial plan:

Profit & loss statement

Describe details such as projected revenue, operational costs, and service costs in your projected profit and loss statement. Make sure to include your business’s expected net profit or loss.

Cash flow statement

The cash flow for the first few years of your operation should be estimated and described in this section. This may include billing invoices, payment receipts, loan payments, and any other cash flow statements.

Balance Sheet

Create a projected balance sheet documenting your martial arts business’s assets, liabilities, and equity.

Break-even point

Determine and mention your business’s break-even point—the point at which your business costs and revenue will be equal.

This exercise will help you understand how much revenue you need to generate to sustain or be profitable.

Financing Needs

Calculate costs associated with starting a martial arts business, and estimate your financing needs and how much capital you need to raise to operate your business. Be specific about your short-term and long-term financing requirements, such as investment capital or loans.

Be realistic with your financial projections, and make sure you offer relevant information and evidence to support your estimates.

9. Appendix

The appendix section of your plan should include any additional information supporting your business plan’s main content, such as market research, legal documentation, financial statements, and other relevant information.

• Add a table of contents for the appendix section to help readers easily find specific information or sections.
• In addition to your financial statements, provide additional financial documents like tax returns, a list of assets within the business, credit history, and more. These statements must be the latest and offer financial projections for at least the first three or five years of business operations.
• Provide data derived from market research, including stats about the industry, user demographics, and industry trends.
• Include any legal documents such as permits, licenses, and contracts.
• Include any additional documentation related to your business plan, such as product brochures, marketing materials, operational procedures, etc.

Use clear headings and labels for each section of the appendix so that readers can easily find the necessary information.

Remember, the appendix section of your martial arts business plan should only include relevant and important information supporting your plan’s main content.

This martial arts business plan sample will provide an idea for writing a successful martial arts plan, including all the essential components of your business.

After this, if you still need clarification about writing an investment-ready business plan to impress your audience, download our martial arts business plan pdf .

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Frequently asked questions, why do you need a martial arts business plan.

A business plan is an essential tool for anyone looking to start or run a successful martial arts business. It helps to get clarity in your business, secures funding, and identifies potential challenges while starting and growing your business.

Overall, a well-written plan can help you make informed decisions, which can contribute to the long-term success of your martial arts business.

How to get funding for your martial arts business?

There are several ways to get funding for your martial arts business, but self-funding is one of the most efficient and speedy funding options. Other options for funding are:

• Bank loan – You may apply for a loan in government or private banks.
• Small Business Administration (SBA) loan – SBA loans and schemes are available at affordable interest rates, so check the eligibility criteria before applying for it.
• Crowdfunding – The process of supporting a project or business by getting a lot of people to invest in your business, usually online.
• Angel investors – Getting funds from angel investors is one of the most sought-after startup options.

Apart from all these options, there are small business grants available, check for the same in your location and you can apply for it.

Where to find business plan writers for your martial arts business?

There are many business plan writers available, but no one knows your business and ideas better than you, so we recommend you write your martial arts business plan and outline your vision as you have in mind.

What is the easiest way to write your martial arts business plan?

A lot of research is necessary for writing a business plan, but you can write your plan most efficiently with the help of any martial arts business plan example and edit it as per your need. You can also quickly finish your plan in just a few hours or less with the help of our advanced business plan software .

How do I write a good market analysis in a martial arts business plan?

Market analysis is one of the key components of your business plan that requires deep research and a thorough understanding of your industry.

We can categorize the process of writing a good market analysis section into the following steps:

• Stating the objective of your market analysis—e.g., investor funding.
• Industry study—market size, growth potential, market trends, etc.
• Identifying target market—based on user behavior and demographics.
• Analyzing direct and indirect competitors.
• Calculating market share—understanding TAM, SAM, and SOM.
• Knowing regulations and restrictions
• Organizing data and writing the first draft.

Writing a marketing analysis section can be overwhelming, but using ChatGPT for market research can make things easier.

About the Author

Vinay Kevadiya

Vinay Kevadiya is the founder and CEO of Upmetrics, the #1 business planning software. His ultimate goal with Upmetrics is to revolutionize how entrepreneurs create, manage, and execute their business plans. He enjoys sharing his insights on business planning and other relevant topics through his articles and blog posts. Read more

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How to Write a Martial Arts School Business Plan [Free Template to Edit]

Ashley Mann

October 4, 2023

So you’ve decided to open a new BJJ gym or other martial arts school in your town, and you’re needing a business plan to present to your business partners, bank, or other investors.  How to go about writing one?  You’ve come to the right place!

In this article, we’ll go over the key elements a Judo, Karate, or Jiu Jitsu business plan needs to have, and I’ll also provide a free sample martial arts school business plan template that you can edit and download to create your own business proposal.

Section 1: The Executive Summary

This section should give a high level overview of your business and its goals.  The first paragraph should include the name of your martial arts school, your mission statement, and a brief description of what services you plan to offer, and to whom.

In the second paragraph, you might go into a bit more detail about what unique value your business offers and how you are differentiated from any competitors. Finally, summarize your business strategy and goals, including revenue projections and any funding requirements.

FREE ​ Sample Martial Arts Business Plan

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Section 2: Company Overview

In this section, provide a detailed description of your business model, including its legal structure (for example, LLC or Sole Proprietorship), location, history, and ownership.

Explain the reasons behind starting (or expanding) your martial arts academy, and what experiences or credentials make the owner(s) qualified to run the business.  In this case of a BJJ gym, this could be the head instructor’s rank of black belt, or it could be experience owning or managing a completely different type of business – anything that will help show that the martial arts business is likely to succeed.

Also be sure to mention any significant achievements of the business so far.  For example, maybe you’ve been training with a group of friends in your garage.  In this case, you could mention that the gym already has X number of students who have been training under the instructor for X number of years.

Customer Analysis

This section needs to detail thorough research you’ve done to understand your customers and the demand for martial arts in your area.

Start by outlining the categories of students you hope to have at your martial arts school, and what your business will offer to each of these types of students.

At first you might be thinking that you’ll be offering the same thing to all your students: martial arts classes.

But beyond the obvious service students will be paying for, think about the unique ways in which you will make training at your school attractive to different types of students.  For example:

• Kids – What will make your kids classes so much fun that kids look forward to coming and beg their parents to keep paying for classes?  What will make parents value these classes as something they want for their kids?  How will you make it easy for parents to involve their kids in your classes?
• Professional Adults – People with jobs and families may not have the same amount of time to devote to training as single young adults, but they are more likely have something that younger students may not have: money to pay for classes.  How will you make training convenient for them?  For example, will you offer showers so that they can go directly from class to work?  Will you offer classes at multiple times per day?
• Women – Brazilian Jiu Jitsu especially is a sport where men still outnumber the women who train, but this martial art is becoming increasingly popular with women, and gyms that go out of their way to make sure they offer an environment that is welcoming to women will have an advantage in an untapped area of any market.  What can you offer that would make women more likely to train at your gym?  Maybe it’s a woman-led self-defense class, or even childcare during adult classes to make it easier for couples with kids to train together.

Competitor Analysis

In this section, you’ll want to address any competitors in your area, including gyms offering the same type of martial art as you, as well as alternative martial arts and activities that people could choose instead of training at your academy.  For each competitor or competing activity you list:

• Detail their success (including numbers if possible) to show how that means that a market exists for what you are offering.
• Will you offer more affordable pricing?
• Will you offer a no-contract option?
• Will you have nicer facilities?
• Are your classes safer or more welcoming?
• Are your classes more accessible to a wide variety of people?
• How will what students gain from your academy impact their lives outside of class?

Marketing Strategy

In this section, outline in detail your plan for marketing your business, including how you will make your target audience aware of your business, including advertising channels (including Google and Facebook as well as local marketing opportunities) and how you will use them to attract new students.

Include detailed estimates of how much you plan to spend on marketing, how fast you plan to grow, and how much revenue new students will generate for the business.

If you need help creating and implementing a martial arts marketing strategy, get in touch with us to learn how we can help!

Operations & Management

This section explains the day-to-day operations of your business.  Introduce the members of your team and their qualifications.  (If you are the only staff member, you could mention professionals you hire for services such as a bookkeeper or marketing agency.)  Explain who will teach classes, who will clean the gym, who will answer phone calls and emails, who will handle finances and bookkeeping, and who will be in charge of marketing (such as running advertising campaigns and promotions, nurturing leads, and maintaining an email newsletter).

Financial Plan & Projections

This is part that requires math.  The goal of this section is to demonstrate when and how your business will be profitable, and, if you are applying for a loan, that the business will produce enough income to sustain itself and repay the loan.

The first section should list All sources of revenue, how much income these generate per month, and how much income you predict they will generate by the end of Year 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.  In addition to class tuition, think about other ways you might generate revenue for your gym, such as offering private lessons, hosting special events, or selling uniforms and gear with your logo.

The second section should list ALL forecasted expenses, including:

• Construction and renovation costs
• Signage / branding
• Website design
• Gym equipment
• Gym furnishings and decor
• Technology and office supplies
• Building lease
• Loan repayment
• Utilities, phone, and internet
• Liability insurance
• Building cleaning and property maintenance
• Website hosting
• Staff salaries

Forecast when your gym’s income will be able to pay for its monthly expenses (and explain the reasoning behind your forecast).  Then detail your plan to cover startup costs, including personal investment and/or the funding you’re requesting.

Finally, provide a calculation of the number of students you’ll need to break even, and how much profit you’ll make in Year 1, 2, or 3 (with funding) if your gym grows at the projected rate.  Include an explanation of your assumptions about the rate of growth, for example, using data from other martial arts schools in cities of a similar size to yours.

Funding Request

In this final section, be very clear about your request for funding,  Include:

• How much money you are requesting.
• How the funds will be used.
• When the loan will be repaid.

The appendix to your business plan would be any supporting documents you can provide that help explain or detail your martial arts business plan, such as market research data, legal documents, staff resumes, and financial projection tables.

• Be sure to proofread your business plan carefully.
• Ask a trusted friend, colleague, or service professional to read your business plan and provide feedback on its clarity, as well as any concerns they might anticipate.
• Download our free Martial Arts Business Plan Template as a guide to help you with writing and formatting yours.

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How to write a martial arts business plan in 10 steps

Find out what you need to include when you write a martial arts school business plan with our easy-to-follow 10-step guide.

Starting any new business is an exciting time. The prospect of working for yourself, building something new and original, and the journey of taking something that started as merely an idea and turning it into a success can be incredibly rewarding.

As a martial arts instructor looking to become a martial arts business owner, it's no different. You should be excited and rearing to go. But before you go racing off, hold your horses for just a bit and make sure you have all the tools you need in place before you head out on your martial arts adventure.

In this guide, you'll learn the different steps you need to take to easily write an effective martial arts school business plan. From conducting market research and setting your goals, to nailing down your financials and putting together a marketing plan, you'll be well on your way to martial arts success.

What is a business plan?

Put simply, a business plan is a document that anyone who wishes to start their own company puts together in order to plan and organise their business idea. This could be anything from a martial arts school, to a cafe, to a tech startup.

The point of having a business plan is to give you focus and direction for your martial arts business so that you can map out what needs to be done in order to achieve your martial arts business goals. It's also a great way to track your progress and keep on top of things as your martial arts school grows.

Why you need to write a martial arts business plan

For many martial arts instructors, opening a martial arts school , dojo, or martial arts studio comes from wanting to have more control over the style and curriculum they teach. It also gives them the opportunity to hone their own skills in the martial arts style they prefer.

But this and this alone is not enough to guide you through the different paths of turning your martial arts school from a concept into reality. A martial arts business plan serves more than one purpose.

As with any business, there are countless reasons why you should have a business plan before you start a martial arts school . Here are just a few:

• To give you a clear idea of what needs to be done to ensure martial arts business success.
• To give your martial arts business focus and direction.
• To track your business progress as it grows.
• To get business funding from banks or investors.
• To act as a business roadmap.

By having a martial arts business plan in place, you can be better equipped for the challenges and opportunities that come with owning a martial arts school. A martial arts business plan will allow you to focus on your goals, both long and short-term, for your new martial arts school.

Writing your martial arts school business plan

When you start to write your martial arts business plan, it can seem daunting, but by following an uncomplicated business plan template, you'll have all the sections that are vital properly planning your martial arts school.

The sections that you should include in your martial arts business plan include:

• An executive summary.
• A company overview.
• Management and staff.
• Market analysis.
• Primary market.
• Marketing strategy.
• Services and amenities.
• Financial projections.

Each section plays its role in helping you prioritise the tasks needed to get your martial arts school up and running. So without further ado, let's take a look at what each section entails.

1. Executive summary

Your executive summary is essentially the introduction to your business plan. And the key here is, "summary". Keep it focused, keep it brief. The real detail will come later, but at the moment you're explaining to potential investors or bank managers the overall vision you have for your business. It'll also help you keep your goals clear in your mind.

Your executive summary needs to make certain points about your business as clear as possible. These can include subjects such as:

What is your business idea?

Let your reader know what your business idea is. Explain briefly the type of martial arts school you want to start. Is it going to be a school specifically for one type of martial art, such as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school or a Taekwondo school? Or do you intend to offer a variety of classes for different martial arts?

Why are you setting up a martial arts school?

Explain your motivations for setting up a martial arts school. Give a short background of your own career teaching martial arts. Why have you decided that now is the time to start your own martial arts school? Have you taught in many martial arts schools? Do you have a strong martial arts following that you can rely on to come to your new school?

What do you hope to achieve with your martial arts school?

Be clear about what you hope to achieve. Do you want your martial arts school to be a one-location business, or do you envisage your school becoming a franchise in the future? Do you want to instruct a certain age group? It’s important to demonstrate you’ve considered these

2. Company overview

The company overview section of your martial arts business plan should provide the reader with greater detail about your proposed martial arts studio and your business goals. You can now go into greater detail about the style or different styles that you intend to teach at your martial arts school. You should also include:

The martial arts school's mission statement

This is a short paragraph that summarises what your martial arts school is all about. It should be more personal than your brief explanation in the previous section, and your initial mission statement should be succinct. For example, TeamUp's mission statement is:

"To provide the best management software for fitness studios, boxes, and gyms."

It's clear what the goal of the company is. It's direct with obvious intent. Before you go into greater detail about your business, make sure you have a mission statement that clearly states your goal and philosophy for your martial arts studio or school.

Your martial arts school's vision statement

Similar to the mission statement, your vision statement is about what you hope to achieve with your martial arts school. But it should be more future-focused than the mission statement. It's what you hope martial arts will look like in five, 10, or 20 years time thanks to your efforts.

3. Management and staff

If you're the only one running the martial arts school, then this section can be quite brief. You've already shown your credentials and that you have the necessary experience in the martial arts industry.

However, if you have plans to hire staff or instructors, you need to go into more detail about who will be helping you to run your martial arts school. This includes martial arts instructors, receptionists, and any other support staff you plan on hiring.

Show you know how to hire the right person

Make it clear that you know the kind of people you want to hire. Demonstrate you know how to hire the right person by doing your research and writing a detailed job description.

A martial arts instructor is the most important part of any martial arts school. They are the ones who will be teaching the classes and interacting with the students on a daily basis. You want to hire should be experienced and qualified in the martial arts discipline they will be teaching.

But more than that, you want to make sure they share the same values and philosophy as you. It's even worth saying that you're prepared to help train the right person up and help them get certified as they work rather than hiring the wrong person just because they have the right certifications.

Include your plan for training up your staff

You should also include a section on employee training, as it's important that your staff are well-versed in your martial arts school's philosophy and methods. You need to make sure they know how to teach the martial arts style you're offering and encourage them to keep developing their own techniques and credentials. It’s also important that they understand your business goals and want to be a part of achieving them.

4. Market analysis

Your market analysis is when you start to show that you've really done your homework. You want to demonstrate that you've considered the chances of success for your martial arts studio. You need to establish that you've thought about potential blockers as well as identifying a gap in the market.

Who are your main competitors?

This is where you start to really show that you know the martial arts landscape. You need to identify who your main competitors are and what their business does well or where they are lacking. This will help you to learn from them and avoid making the same mistakes.

It's also worth mentioning any potential new entrants into the market. These could be other martial arts studios looking to set up in your area or a new gym that's starting to offer martial arts classes. What will you do differently? How will you stand out from the growing crowd?

What are the trends in the martial arts industry?

The martial arts industry is always changing. There are new styles and disciplines emerging all the time. You need to be on top of these trends so you can make sure your martial arts studio is offering the latest and greatest.

You should also be aware of any shifts in the market. For example, more people might be looking for martial arts classes that focus on self-defense techniques rather than competition. If you can identify these trends early, you can make sure your martial arts studio is ahead of the curve.

5. Primary market

This is when you tell your investors your target clientele. Martial arts studios can be quite niche, so it's important to be as specific as possible about who you're targeting. Are you focused on kids' martial arts classes? Are you catering to adults who want to learn self-defense? Is your martial arts studio aimed at those who want to compete?

The more specific you can be about your target market, the better. This will help you to craft your marketing messages and make sure you're attracting the right kind of students.

6. Marketing strategy

Once you have a thorough marketing analysis and explained your target market, you now need to show that you've thought about your marketing strategy. Prove that you've thought about different avenues for marketing and that the marketing materials you intend to use are appropriate for your target clientele.

Define an online marketing strategy

Online marketing doesn't have to be overly complex. There are a few things you need to have in place to really get your online marketing campaign live and kicking. For example, make sure you know how to build a website or that you have a website developer creating one for you. Your website will become the hub of your operations.

Create social media pages. Engaging social media posts will not only help you in the early stages of launching your martial arts studio. They will be a vital part of your marketing plan as your business grows.

Have a local marketing plan

Having a marketing plan that concentrates on your local area is especially important when you're just about to open your business. Your initial customer base is more than likely to be comprised of people in and close to your local area, so make sure they know you're there.

Local marketing ideas can actually be a lot of fun for your and the community in general. From holding events or competitions at your school or studio to sponsoring local events, there are plenty of ways to get your martial arts studio name out there.

7. Location

The location of your martial arts studio is important for a number of reasons. First, it's important to make sure you're in a safe area with good foot traffic. You don't want your martial arts studio to be hidden away where no one will find it.

Second, you need to think about the demographics of the area you're in. Are there a lot of families? What is the income level? Knowing this will help you to target your marketing messages appropriately.

8. Services and amenities

This is where you'll get to show off everything your martial arts studio will have to offer. Is your facility state-of-the-art? Do you have a wide range of classes and programs available?

Give a thorough rundown of the services and classes you will be offering

Make sure you list all of the services your martial arts studio will offer so potential students know exactly what they'll get when they enrol. Show off all the class types you'll be offering, and consider how you’ll motivate your martial arts students .

Highlight classes for adults or classes for people working their way up through the different belts. If you're going to offer kids' classes , make an effort to sell that after-school spot. Offering after-school classes will be a great way to keep your studio full while most adults will still be working.

Highlight additional services you'll be offering. Whether you're intending to offer one-to-one appointments or online classes and on-demand content , let potential investors know that you've got a thorough plan.

Explain what amenities your martial arts studio will have

Your martial arts studio should have all the amenities that students need to be comfortable and safe while they're at your facility. Making sure that your school or studio is a fun, clean, and enjoyable place to be is one of the primary ways to retain members and students . You can't expect them to return to classes if they're put off as soon as they walk through the door.

Show investors that you've considered the amenities you'll need to install in your martial arts studio, including things like changing rooms, lockers, showers, and a waiting area for those who are accompanying students to their classes. You should also list any other unique selling points that you intend your martial arts studio to offer.

9. Financial projections

Your martial arts studio business plan isn't complete without financial projections. This part of your plan is essential for potential investors who want to know whether or not your martial arts studio will be a viable investment.

Include a break-even analysis in your martial arts school business plan

Your break-even point (BEP) analysis is a crucial part of your martial arts studio business plan. This is where you'll need to learn how to calculate a BEP analysis and do some serious maths to figure out how long it will take for your martial arts studio to start making a profit.

To do this, you'll need to list all of your fixed and variable costs. Your fixed costs are things such as:

Your variable costs are things that include

• Staff salaries.
• Marketing expenses.
• Martial arts equipment.
• Martial arts studio software .

Once you've got all of your costs listed, you can start to figure out how much revenue you'll need to bring in each month to cover those costs. This will give you a good idea of how long it will take for your martial arts studio to start making a

10. Appendix

The appendix of your business plan is where you keep a full rundown of your financial projections, alongside any other supporting documents you may have. The appendix is important because it's where you can provide potential investors with additional information that they may find useful when making their decision.

This could include things like your martial arts resume, letters of recommendation, or even a copy of your black belt certificate if you have one. Don't discount anything in this section. If you feel that adding a relevant document or certification to your business plan will help to enhance your proposal, then include it.

A martial arts business plan is an essential part of planning your martial arts school. It's an important document to take to banks and investors to show you've thought about each part of starting your new business venture. 

But more than that it is a vital roadmap for you as a new business owner. It'll give you the step-by-step instructions you need to follow and keep you on the right track to getting your martial arts school up and running.

Remember to ensure that your martial arts school business plan is well-researched, concise, and easy to understand. Include all the essential information potential investors need to understand your goals. With a thorough martial arts business plan, you're one step closer to fulling your goal of running your own martial arts school.

Start collecting vital information about how to run a martial arts business with management software and find how TeamUp's scalable pricing and intuitive software can help you by booking a call with one of our team today.

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8 Steps to Creating a Winning Martial Arts Business Plan

Your martial arts business plan is your roadmap to success. It guides you on your journey, helps you make better decisions, and increases your chances of securing funding for your business.

Creating a business plan for your gym is a process. It’s easy to think of a business plan as something you build once and then you’re done. But your business plan evolves and changes with your business; it’s not a static checklist. 

So whether you’re starting a new martial arts business or expanding an existing studio, a business plan sets the foundation for success. 

In this article, we break down the core elements of a martial arts business plan and how to build a winning document to attract investment for your martial arts business.

What is a business plan and why do you need one?

So, what is a business plan for your gym? It’s a document that tells the reader—investors, the bank, etc.—what your business is and a realistic idea of where the business is heading. At a basic level, your business plan should answer the following questions: 

• How does your martial arts business work?
• What are your business goals?
• What steps do you need to take to reach your goals?

Research shows that entrepreneurs who write formal business plans are more likely to succeed . With a new business, it’s beneficial to pull your ideas into focus by putting pen to paper. However, even established businesses can leverage a business plan when planning growth and expansion efforts.

The main reason to create a thorough business plan is to obtain startup capital and funding. Potential investors and financial institutions will need concrete numbers with facts and figures to move forward with your business. Without a business plan, there is little to no chance of winning their confidence—or their money.

What to include in your martial arts business plan? 

Ready to create a solid business plan for your martial arts school? Follow these eight steps to cover all your necessary bases. Prefer to work from a template? We recommend this one or this one.

Executive summary 

The executive summary is always at the top of a business plan. It should be an attention-grabbing pitch that’s concise yet interesting. You’ll continue to flesh out the points from your executive summary throughout the document. 

Although the executive summary is the first piece of your business plan, it can be easier to write it at the end. Keep in mind what it should include so that you answer your own questions as you build out your plan. 

The executive summary should explain: 

• WHO – who your business is and what it offers 
• WHY – what you hope to accomplish through your business
• HOW – how you are going to get there

Company overview

The company overview is a more detailed description of your martial arts business. It goes beyond talking about who you are and delves into the specific clientele you plan on serving, how your business stands out from the competition, and the goals for your business. 

Because martial arts business models can differ, now is a good time to explain how you will run your business in more detail. 

Your company overview can include: 

• Expand on the purpose of your business 
• Business model and structure
• Products and services you offer 
• Target market research  
• Founding story 
• Legal structure

Industry analysis

The industry or market analysis is where you investigate your local market. Think about your niche, current trends in martial arts , and how your business aligns with market demand. 

Essentially, this section evaluates the fit of your business in today’s market. Try to include some facts and statistics about the martial arts industry and where the market is headed. 

For example, a martial arts school looking to obtain funding for expansion into new locations would include trends and statistics on target demographics and where to reach them — e.g. how many youth are signing up for martial arts classes and the proximity of existing studios to elementary schools, plus any gaps that exist. 

Customer analysis 

Within the martial arts industry, there are various niches and audience segments. Even within one business, you can have multiple target audience personas. The customer base you choose to target will have a big impact on your business, the types of services you offer, and how you market yourself. 

Start by breaking your target customers down by the following: 

The Top 10 Barriers Slowing Your Fitness Business Growth

DEMOGRAPHICS

PSYCHOGRAPHICS

Competitive analysis 

A competitor analysis investigates businesses that are in direct competition to you. These are martial arts schools that offer a similar service within your niche. 

Although you can mention indirect competitors, this section is mainly for a detailed analysis of your direct competitors. It may be impossible to find out everything about a competitor, but you can usually get a clear idea from your research. 

Break down each of your competitors into the following: 

• Services and products they offer 
• Target audience
• Pricing and business model 
• Strengths and weaknesses

Marketing plan

Martial arts are unique in nature. A successful marketing strategy has to be reflective of the distinctive character of classes you offer. 

The marketing section of your business plan is the place to explain everything you plan to do to get your services in front of your target audience. Be sure to include your strategy, projected startup costs, and who will handle your marketing efforts. 

Your marketing strategy can include: 

• Social media marketing 
• Advertising 
• Email marketing 
• Referral program
• Sponsorships
• Partnerships 

Leadership team 

This section is a great place to highlight the skills, experience, and expertise of your team. In doing so, you’ll demonstrate how specific team members will help you to achieve success

Start by laying out key members of your team. This doesn’t need to be limited to martial arts experts, but other experts who will drive your business — e.g. marketing and sales managers, customer service leaders, and maintenance personnel. 

How you structure your business and the type of compensation and benefits you offer will help to attract and retain high-quality talent over time. Make mention of your plans for compensation in this section of your business plan. 

Financial projections

Depending on where you’re with your business, your financial plan can include current financials for the most recent year in addition to future projections. Your projected revenue should be based on facts and research with supporting numbers. 

Include a five-year projection with detailed breakdowns of monthly and annual earnings. Think about your income, cash flow, costs, and outgoing expenses. 

Your finances are the backbone of your business, so it’s important to be as thorough as possible.

Taking your business further

In order to set up your martial arts business for long-term success, you need a business plan. Doing so also increases your chances of securing external funding, whether from private investors or financial institutions. From here, you need trusted tools to help you manage and grow your business.

Enter ABC Glofox : a software that matches your growth ambitions. 

We’re the #1 fitness management software for a reason. 

• Easily manage all your bookings & payments online
• Build a loyal following with your custom branded app
• Use cutting-edge sales & marketing tools to engage with your customers

Ready to boost your fitness business? Book a demo today!

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How to Write a Martial Arts Business Plan

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Josh Peacock

First and foremost, martial artists open martial arts schools to spread their arts to their communities. But they also, often, open their own schools as a way to gain more control over their curriculum and enhance their own training. While both of these are good things, they do not form the best roadmap for building that school into a profitable, sustainable business. For this reason, it’s important that future martial arts school owners write out legitimate business plans to guide their efforts.

One of the big pitfalls of running any business is to have a vague idea of who your customers are and the direction that the business is headed in. Another major pitfall is to neglect your numbers; to have little to no idea of what you’ll be spending and what milestones you need to hit in order to begin making profit. 

Putting pen to paper, so to speak, is a proven way to get your brain thinking in more realistic terms about your new martial arts business. It helps you iron out what martial arts services you offer, who you offer them to, and how you’re going to reach them with that offer.

It’s for that reason that you should strongly consider writing a business plan for your martial arts school. In this article, we’ll be exploring two different ways to write a good business plan: the traditional way and the “lean” way.

Traditional Martial Arts School Business Plan

Traditional business plans are extremely thorough and very clear. They offer exceptionally concrete guidance to the opening and running of a new business, which can often be a messy affair full of distractions that threaten its profitability.

A typical business plan should include these elements:

Executive & Company Summary

Market analysis.

• Marketing Plan

Operations & Management Plan

Financial projections.

Below, we’ll summarize what each of these business plan sections entails.

The Executive Summary should summarize all the information and insights from the rest of your business plan. It shouldn’t be several pages long, but it also shouldn’t only be a few sentences long. It should give a clear picture of your martial arts school and the business opportunity it is capitalizing on.

Your company summary defines the structure, values, and purpose of your martial arts school. Overall, you should answer these questions:

• Who does my school serve?
• What problems of theirs does it solve?
• What competitive advantages does my company have?

Be clear about who you serve, and then make the case for why you, uniquely, will be successful.

Take a look at the demographics in the town that your school is opening in. Then analyze all the martial arts and related businesses in that area. You want to prove that there is room for your business; and more than that, you want to find, define, and map out what particular market you’re going to target with your martial arts services. If it’s an underserved market, you’ve definitely got a great business opportunity.

Marketing & Sales Plan

Martial arts marketing is a cinch if you have the right knowledge and some budget. The key is to have a plan for how to approach it, adjusting as you gain data, and not burning money on sporadic efforts.

This section should detail all the marketing channels you will be using, a tentative estimate of which you will be your dominant channels, and how you leverage those channels (ads, articles, posts, etc.). Estimate how you will allocate marketing budget between the different channels and if any contractors, consultants, or agencies will be needed to execute these campaigns.

Talk about the legal business structure your martial arts school will have, such as an LLC or a corporation. Clarify who will manage the business, his or her responsibilities, and how other potential employees or contractors will relate to that manager.

For a martial arts school, this shouldn’t be as complicated or lengthy as it would be for more complex business, but it could also cover onboarding new students, supporting current students through customer service, and procedures on hiring help.

Understanding the financial feasibility of your new dojo is one of the main and most important reasons why any school owner should write a business plan. 

Take your fees, your member targets, and your estimates for other income streams (e.g., merchandise sales, events) and place them into a nice graph or tables to show income and profit potentials. Be sure to include estimated expenses, accounting for overhead and emergency expenses. This should all err on the side of cautious conservativeness: be sure to inflate your expense numbers to account for unexpected expenses.

To do all this, you first need to estimate all of your expenses – from one-time startup costs to your projected ongoing costs. Those costs include but are not necessarily limited to:

• CAM/leasing costs
• General liability insurance
• Management software/CRM
• Phone & internet cost
• Electric & utilities
• Marketing budget
• Equipment & gear orders
• Point-of-Sale hardware
• Initial equipment expenses
• Cleaning & maintenance supplies
• Furnishments for the dojo
• Office supplies
• Technology (computer, phone, tablet, etc.)

To learn more, read our article about the cost of opening a martial arts school . Now, moving on the next step, list out your planned income stream and how much money each brings in per unit. We want to calculate how many memberships and product sales you need to make in order to break even. 

Since it’s hard to calculate pro shop sales and event profits, we can simplify this by dividing the projected overhead costs + startup costs with the 12 month dollar value of a membership. So if a membership is $130 a month, the 12 month value will be $1,560. The number you get from this will be the number of active students you need to break even. Growing beyond that is all profit.

To learn more about how to set your prices and design your business in a way that allows you to pay yourself a handsome salary, check out our martial arts pricing article .

Lean Business Plan for Martial Arts Schools

Also known as a “one page business plan,” lean business plans cover more topics than traditional ones, with the key difference being that each is addressed with drastically greater brevity. The plan is divided into four major sections: “strategy,” “tactics,” “business model,” and “milestones.” Overall, it’s a less time-intensive, more agile way to put together a plan for your martial arts school.

Below is a breakdown of the proposed subsection each main section should contain. Since this all should fit on one page, only a sentence or two is used to describe what should be found in each subsection.

• Identity . Write down what your company is all about, including your company values. This is your branding and your culture.
• Service(s) . What services do you offer to the community? One martial art, several, classes for adults and/or kids?
• Target Market . What is the specific group of people you are targeting? As a taekwondo school, your primary market might be children ages 6-12 from homes with a median income of $70,000 a year or more. As a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school, your target market might be adults ages 25-50 with a similar financial situation.
• Competition . Analyze the other dojos in town. What do their services look like? What audience do they seem to appeal to? Figure out what your niche is.
• Marketing activities . Map out all the most important marketing methods you will use, like website SEO, PPC, social ads, and any traditional marketing materials. Our martial arts software can help to streamline this process.
• Partners and resources . Most school owners don’t have business partners; but if you do, be sure to write them down here. Moreover, list out the resources available to you, be it advice from business connections, loans, investments, or anything else.
• Team . If you have help with your school, who’s on staff, and what are their duties?
• Put together an action list of all the most important tasks that need to be completed to open the school and get it operational, including who owns each task (if you have help).
• Plan a schedule to revisit and revise your lean business plan at a later date, as appropriate.
• Map out what the major achievement milestones will be for your business (first 10 students, first 50 students, first belt promotion, etc.).
• Revenue . List all the ways your dojo will bring in money. The main way will usually be monthly tuition, but also incorporate seminars, paid trials (if you plan on using them), and merchandise sales.
• Expenses . List all your projected overhead expenses, including marketing your budget.
• Financial Projections . Project income and profit based on your revenue, expenses, and milestones. Show what your income and profit will look like at different stages of growth of your student body.

While most martial arts school owners are the sole proprietors of their businesses, many still sometimes have business partners or investors. In this case, the sparseness of the one page business plan might not be enough. But for single-operated martial arts schools, it’s sufficient (and much more practical).

Business plans are an indispensable part of planning a martial arts school. While it might seem like a martial arts school doesn’t warrant one, the truth is that you are in danger of wasting money if you don’t have one.

If you’re starting a school with a partner or investors, or you plan on starting a chain of schools, a traditional, full business plan is the right move. If you’re opening one school by yourself, the lean business plan is the most practical and a huge time-saver.

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How To Write A Martial Arts School Business Plan

“Discipline is not a mystery,” says Sensei Leader Movement Founder and Jim Bouchard . “It’s the simple and dedicated practice of aligning your vision and your actions.”

If you’re starting your own martial arts school, you’ve clearly taken the time to perfect the discipline of your practice. You’ve harnessed the drive to make your passion your full-time profession. Great work! But in order to run a successful dojo, you also need to establish and maintain a disciplined business plan.

This plan needs to clearly align your vision and goals with how you intend to achieve them. It’s what you’ll present to your bank to secure loans, to your investors and to your future managers. It’s what proves to friends, family, clients and colleagues that you’re serious – that there’s no going back on your dreams.

Also, when you lay it out for yourself, it’s easier to visualise the next steps and hold yourself accountable to make them happen.

Put simply, you can’t succeed without a kickass business plan. You can find some good fitness business templates online , but to give you the edge beyond the average, we recommend our hot tips for success. 

Start with a clear and succinct overview

What’s your business name, and positioning statement? How will you stand out from the competition? The overview, or Executive Summary as it’s sometimes called, is your opportunity to define who you are and what you stand for. 

It’s also the time to craft you offering. Open strong. Establish your specialty and make it clear what products and services you offer. For example, “We’re a dojo that focuses on Japanese martial arts only – karate, judo and aikido.” 

In your overview you can also outline desired class levels, schedules and times as well as proposed venue(s).

Conduct an industry analysis

It’s crucial your martial arts business plan demonstrates an understanding of the existing market, both in your locally and further afield.

Make sure your business plan explains the perceived demand for martial arts in your area. Perhaps a successful studio isn’t accepting more students or doesn’t provide the particular specialisation you’re offering.

It’s also a smart idea to profile a dojo or martial arts brand you admire and highlight some examples of what they do well in this section. How will you adapt your inspiration to fit within your business model?

Define your target market

It’s absolutely crucial to have a clear idea of who you’re targeting.

Will your martial arts school mainly target young people? Do you have specialist teachers for advanced level classes, or for those who want to start from scratch? Perhaps it’s a combination of all the above.

A great way to highlight this in your martial arts business plan is to attempt some profiling of target clients. Give details on their age, gender, level of martial arts expertise, predicted duration as a client, and so on.

The more detail you can give on your desired clients, the easier it will be to identify their wants and needs to both yourself and potential investors.

Forecast for the years ahead

When you’re writing a business plan, you don’t just want to look at immediate gains, but to work towards a bigger picture. This business is intended to be something strong and to hopefully stand the test of time – not something you’re running for a few months. 

A solid martial arts business plan will forecast predicted growth over the years, based on estimated sign-up figures. Not sure what they’ll be? You can get a picture from your competitor and industry analysis, and target market profiling.

Statements like this are just what investors want to see: “We’re setting up our new martial arts school ‘Ninja Kids’ next to a primary school that’s currently under construction. We wish to capitalise on our close proximity to our desired target market of beginners aged 6-12.”

Outline your proposed operations

In this section, you need to shape your proposed operating schedules and costs for your dojo. 

Here are some things you need to think of:

• Venue cost and contract
• Timetabling
• COVID-safe plan
• OHS and safety
• Council permits

Develop your marketing approach

There’s no point launching a martial arts school if nobody knows about it. This part of your business plan is a chance for your promotional prowess to shine.

So, how are you going to get the word out?

There are free options, such as social media. You could:

• Start a Facebook group
• Show off your shiny new studio on Insta
• Launch some teaser sparring videos on Tiktok.

A local radio station or newspaper might be interested in coverage, or advertising.

If you can tap into existing networks of local martial arts interest areas, or call on the trusted connections of your teachers, a round robin SMS text out can be great to get the initial word out.

The options are endless. Just make sure that whether it’s mail drops in letterboxes or adverts in glossy magazines, your marketing intentions are outlined clearly in your business plan.

Know your finances inside and out

Crunching the numbers for a new martial arts business can be intimidating. But you need to be realistic. Total up all costs and be honest. 

If you’re seeking financial assistance you need to be as transparent as possible – and this means also making sure all your personal debts are in order. There’s no room for skeletons in the closet.

Make your venue hire more budget friendly by sharing a venue with another fitness business to begin with. And start small. You can always grow, but it’s not as easy to go backwards. 

With the right plans in place, your steps to dojo success are well within reach!

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Martial Arts School Business Plan Template

Trusted by 300+ Downloaders

What You Get

• A compelling & detailed pre-written Martial Arts school business plan template in WORD
• A full & automatic Martial Arts school financial plan model in EXCEL you can easily customize
• Customized text tailored to the Martial Arts school business
• The ability to paste advanced charts and tables within a click
• No accounting or specialized financial knowledge needed
• A truly cost-effective solution saving you time and money

Martial Arts School Business Plan Template Description

Are you looking to launch a Martial Arts school? If yes, then a solid business plan is key for the success of your Dojo. Our ready-made Martial Arts club business plan includes a pre-written business plan in Word and an automatic financial plan in Excel tailored to your upcoming Dojo project and thus, is all you need to get a robust business plan in record time. You will only need to customize these documents to make them perfectly fit your own Martial Arts school project. Check the full details below.

Martial Arts School Business Plan Document in Word

Our ready-made Martial Arts School business plan template is in Word format and includes 26 pages. The document is divided into multiple sections. Each section contains the essential points that are necessary to effectively present your Martial Arts School project. Each section and sub-section offer you a sample text that you can easily customize to make your business plan unique. Below is a small sample of our pre-written Martial Arts school business plan in Word.

Automatic Martial Arts School Financial Plan in Excel

Our pre-populated financial model is in Excel format and includes multiples worksheets. You can easily edit the model’s inputs including changing costs and revenue assumptions to generate pro-forma financial forecasts including P&L, Cash flows and Balance Sheets. Below is a small extract of our Martial Arts school financial plan in Excel.

This Ready-Made Martial Arts School Business Plan is For

• Entrepreneurs wishing to start a Martial Arts School business
• Aspiring Martial Arts dojo owners who want to create a business plan fast and easy
• Martial artists who wish to pitch their dojo project to investors
• Fitness professionals who wish to better understand the potential of the opportunity

Immediate Delivery by Email

• Once you complete the order, you will receive an email with links to download your documents
• Your order will contain the full pre-written business plan in Word
• Your order will contain the full customizable financial model in Excel

Your Martial Arts School Business Plan Content

Executive Summary:  Our Martial Arts School business plan template starts with a compelling Executive Summary. This key section is very important as it summarizes in 1 page your Martial Arts School concept. It will introduce your business model, the key people behind the project as well as the unique selling proposition offered by your Martial Arts School concept. This section will also mention how market conditions and consumer trends are favorable for launching your project.

The Problem Opportunity:  Next, your ready-made Martial Arts School business plan will list a number of problems experienced by your prospects in your target market and will show how this presents a unique opportunity for your Dojo project. These can include issues such as the lack of Martial Art dojos in a certain location, undifferentiated offering by current actors in the market…etc.

The Solution:  This section explains how your Martial Arts School will take advantage of the current problems in the market and will detail your innovative solutions.

Mission & Vision:  Your mission will explain in a couple of sentences your Martial Arts School’s philosophy. In other words, it will summarize your unique value proposition and will explain how you are different than the competition. Your vision will explain the long-term plans for your Martial Arts School concept. Are you planning to start with one branch today and expand to a multi-branch business model? Are you looking to transform your Martial Arts School business into a franchise model?…etc.

Business Model:  This section details your Martial Arts School concept using the business model canvas method. In a visually appealing table, we will detail your Martial Arts School’s key partners, activities, resources, value proposition, customer segments, customer relationship plan, marketing channels, cost structure and revenue streams.

Products & Services:  Next, we will talk in detail about your various products and services. We will describe your various types of Martial Arts classes, memberships, ancillary products and services…etc. We will also provide information about your pricing.

Market Analysis:  This important section describes the various market statistics and consumer trends in the Martial Arts industry and explains how they support your own Dojo concept. The purpose of this section is to show that the market conditions are favorable for launching your new Martial Arts School.

Global Market Trends:  In this sub-section of the market analysis, we will discuss the latest general market trends in the Martial Arts industry. We will look at the global industry size, growth rate, growth diving factors and consumer trends.

Local Market Trends:  This sub-section explains the local market trends that are relevant to your specific Martial Arts School business.

Target Customers:  In this section, we will describe your various customer profiles by providing information about their demographics, behavior and purchasing habits.

Competitive Analysis:  We will analyze key competitors active in your target market and provide insights about their strengths and weaknesses.

Competitive Advantages:  After looking at the competitive landscape, we will then show how your Martial Arts School business is differentiating itself from the competition through a number of key advantages.

SWOT Analysis:  This section features a 4-quadrant table with explanations about how your Martial Arts School intends to leverage its key strengths, mitigate weaknesses, capture opportunities and thwart any future threats.

Marketing Plan : This chapter provides detailed information about your go-to-market strategy. It includes a detailed action plan to help you build brand awareness and generate sales.

Branding & Awareness:  We will describe in this sub-section your choice of key marketing channels to build branding and awareness.

Customer Acquisition:  We will describe in this sub-section your choice of key marketing channels to acquire customers and increase sales.

Operating Plan:  This chapter provides information about your Martial Arts School’s opening hours, internal processes and describes the interactions between various key departments and teams.

Management Team:  It is very important to present the key people behind your Martial Arts School project and thus we have dedicated a section for this very purpose. It is also important to talk here about the founder’s vision, his past education and professional experience.

Hiring Plan:  No business can succeed without having on board the right team. This section lists all the key positions you plan to hire with information about their salaries and expected start dates.

Key Milestones:  To be able to launch and execute your Martial Arts School project, you need to follow a set of actionable tasks with target deadlines. This section serves this purpose.

Financial Plan:  Without a robust financial plan, your Martial Arts School business plan would be an incomplete document. This important section provides crucial information about your pro-forma financial projections and shows that you have really done your homework. The data mentioned in this and the following sections will be provided by the dynamic Excel financial model accompanying your Martial Arts School business plan.

Projected Revenue:  This module shows your Martial Arts School’s revenue projections over the next three years.

Projected Profit and Loss:  This module shows your Martial Arts School’s income statement (also called profit and loss statement) over the next three years. Your income statement includes detailed projections about your sales and expenses and shows how your Martial Arts School’s revenue is converted into a net profit.

Projected Cash Flows:  This module shows your Martial Arts School’s cash flow projections over the next three years. The first year of operation is even detailed on a monthly basis. Your cash flow statement will detail the various cash inflows your Dojo will generate from its day to day operations and from funding sources, as well as the various cash outflows required to pay for operating expenses and business investments.

Projected Balance Sheet : This module shows your Martial Arts School’s balance sheet projections over the next three years. The balance sheet will provide a summary of your Martial Arts School’s short term and long term assets in addition to your short term and long term liabilities and capital.

Profitability Analysis:  In this section, we will provide information about your gross margin, net margin and discuss the profitability of your Dojo.

Funding Requirement:  This module states the amount of funding your need to be able to comfortably launch your Martial Arts School business. It also describes the planned allocation of the funds between Opex and Capex.

Conclusion : Finally, we will conclude your business plan by recapitulating the key points that make your Martial Arts School project compelling and reiterate the rationale behind your business opportunity.

Why Use our Ready-Made Martial Arts School Business Plan?

• Speed & Convenience:  Once you complete your order, you will receive the Martial Arts School business plan directly in your mailbox. Since it is already pre-written with fully customizable financials, you will only need to spend a couple of hours to edit it and adapt it to your own Dojo project.
• High Quality:  Your Martial Arts School business plan has been written by our professional team of business plan writers and experts from the Martial Arts industry. You will receive a professional Martial Arts School business plan template ideal for presenting to potential investors or banks.
• Low-Cost:  Our pre-written Martial Arts School business plan template is the most cost-effective solution in case you need to build a solid and professional Martial Arts School business plan. We are confident you will save hundreds if not thousands of dollars by ordering our premium business plan compared to hiring a consultant or subscribing to complicated and expensive software.

If you have any question regarding our ready-made Martial Arts School business plan package,  do not hesitate to contact us , we are here to help.

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Executive Summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. It describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">

Since 1964 City Dojo (a karate school) has been a presence in its community. The dojo, owned and operated by the Shihan (head instructor) since 1975 has seen many changes at both city level and in the Martial Arts industry.

It is estimated that over five million Americans are currently involved in some type of Martial Arts training and while the boom years of the 1960’s has past, a steady flow of new students continue to explore the industry.

The location of City Dojo and its surrounding area (a market of over 250,000 potential members) has traditionally been a hot bed for Martial Arts training. Competition is keen. The dojo is at a turning point in its existence; expansion or closure. Currently the City Dojo is operated on a part-time basis (for the love of the art) offering little, if any income for its owner. The following business plan (the dojo’s first) was developed as a vehicle to identify potential. What was found is that there is tremendous opportunity in the Martial Arts marketplace and that the dojo is in a solid position not only to exist, but thrive in the Martial Arts industry.

The following plan will show how the dojo can increase from its current break-even point of 65 members to 200 members (80% of capacity) in three years. Sales growth, based on an expanded membership would increase from $65,000 in 2001, to $198,000 by year-end 2004. The business plan suggests the dojo can  generate considerable cashflow, if the business is operated on a full-time basis, offering its owner and any investor a healthy income.

In order to accomplish this growth, the dojo requires a $20,000 loan to be repaid over eight years, secured by the owner’s collateral in the form of a house.

1.1 Objectives

• Remodel and upgrade dojo by year-end 2002 including a new computer, new training mat, new store-front and visitor area, dressing room upgrade and repairs to sauna.
• Increase paid membership to 200 by year-end 2004 (equivalent to 80% of dojo capacity).
• Reduce membership turnover by 30% by year-end 2004 (measured by number of students taking belt testing from white to blue).
• Develop a cashflow that allows for an investment build-up to support future expansion. 

1.2 Mission

City Dojo was established to provide a place where one can learn the art of karate, have fun in the experience, make a commitment to that learning and to use the knowledge as a “stepping stone” to an improved self, family and community. Students will leave the dojo, with an experience that will last a lifetime.

1.3 Keys to Success

• Create a unique, modern, clean and safe dojo environment.
• Establishment, implementation and tracking of a budget and business plan.
• Building a solid Board of Advisors base for both karate training and business issues of the dojo.

Company Summary company overview ) is an overview of the most important points about your company—your history, management team, location, mission statement and legal structure.">

City Dojo is one of the oldest karate schools in the Los Angeles County area and has been in existence since 1964. It serves a large area offering group and individual classes in the art of karate and self-defense. The dojo is located in the center of an outlining community near Los Angeles on a major business street with a storefront and ample parking in the rear.

2.1 Company Ownership

City Dojo was established in 1964. In 1975 the Shihan took over the operation and incorporated. The corporation status was dissolved in 1995 and since then the dojo has been a sole proprietorship of owner and Shihan. In the plan, the business will be changing from a sole proprietorship to a limited liability company with the Shihan as principal.

2.2 Company History

City Dojo was first established in 1964 during the Martial Arts boom (the Bruce Lee years). At its height the dojo had an overflow of 300 students (early 1980’s). With the advent of the California Northridge Earthquake (early 1990’s), increased competition, soft economic market and personal family matters of the owner, membership declined but has held steady at 60-70 over the past three years. It is felt that the dojo has a full facility capacity of 250 members.

Over the last three years the owner has operated the dojo more as a hobby then a business, on a part-time basis. Much of his income was derived from sources outside the dojo. The dojo (his first love) provided additional income on a limited basis. The attached table reflects the current position of the dojo over the past three years.

2.3 Company Locations and Facilities

The dojo is located in the heart of a small city near Los Angeles. It is a 3,000 square foot facility with a 1,800 square foot training area, 300 square foot viewing area (lobby) with a receptionist desk, large men’s and women’s dressing areas, showers and a sauna. There are two offices in the dojo, one used for storage, the other for the main office.

The building faces a major street and has considerable foot and drive by traffic. There is some parking on the street and considerable free parking in the rear of the building, with a back entrance to the dojo. The facility had a long-term lease (25 years) which has three more years to go. A 10 year extension is available, but the current $750 monthly rental will go up with that extension.

The dojo is a school where one can train in the art of traditional karate. Similar to a health or fitness club the dojo relies on membership to survive. Products (services) offered are: training in karate, self-defense, aerobics and weapons training.

3.1 Service Description

Services currently provided are:

• An open training facility for members during non-class hours.
• Morning and evening classes, taught by experienced black-belt instructors.
• Private lessons for individuals and groups.
• Outside seminars on self-defense.
• Children’s ninja night (dojo sleep-over) offered once a quarter.

3.2 Competitive Comparison

Martial Arts, specifically karate instruction is a very competitive field. Various styles such as karate, judo, kung-fu, kenpo, tae-kwan-do, etc., all offer the same basic “traditional” Martial Arts training, self-defense, building self-confidence and providing exercise to varying degrees. While we promote our dojo’s style, we fully understand that style is a matter of choice and while style type may offer expertise in kicking, hand to hand, throws, etc., no “one” style can lay claim to being truly better than another. With this in mind, product (service) differentiation as a matter of Martial Arts style is not the key to success, rather we feel that promotion of a clean, modern, desirable facility, with knowledgeable staff that can work with students, at a reasonable price is what sets dojos apart.

3.3 Sales Literature

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3.4 Fulfillment

Trained black belt instructors are our #1 resource. These instructors are well versed in the training of karate and are selected by the Shihan for their karate knowledge and ability to work with students. Instructors are not paid, rather they are members of the inner circle of the dojo, a club of top students (sensei). Instructors are given free membership and access to the dojo and receive payment for private lessons they perform on a contract basis. Instructor materials (gi, belts, weapons) are provided free for their participation in training of students. Currently there are five members of this inner circle of trainers.

Also, under the watchful eye of the Shihan there are several green and brown belts who have shown interest in training. As they move up to black belt status they will be given the opportunity to join the inner circle.

3.5 Technology

We want to maintain a “traditional” sense to the dojo, however we realize that technology will help us better meet our business needs. With this in mind, we are going to upgrade our software and computer system. Included in this upgrade will be two new computers, linked to allow sharing of data. Windows 2000 will be used along with Microsoft Office products.

Currently, the dojo is using a database software product designed especially for Martial Arts schools (Dojo Master) which is utilized for membership data and billing. This software has not been fully utilized for marketing and upon review we are finding that there exists a gold mine of data that will be emphasize in future marketing efforts. For example: the database has names, numbers, ages, belt status, and last testing date of over 250 past members of the dojo dating back to 1999.

3.6 Future Services

The business plan is to get City Dojo up to 80% of capacity and run it as a business, not a hobby. The goal is to establish a “benchmark” school. Once established (2-3 years) we will copy the business model format and move it to other dojo’s in need of similar “makeovers.” Our studies show that over 30% of the independent dojo’s are barely making it because they, like our dojo, have owners who are skilled martial artists, love to teach martial arts, but lack a solid business planning, business savvy or business drive to run a successful dojo.

Market Analysis Summary how to do a market analysis for your business plan.">

There has been considerable outside research and marketing of “Sports” in America, however we find that several categories of sport were seriously overlooked in most analysis. Martial Arts is one of those sports. While basic figures are provided for Martial Arts by the U.S. Census, and other major research firms, most of the available data has been obtained through other sources, such as independent studies and published articles.

Our demographic research has shown opportunity exists in our marketplace and while the market appears saturated, it became clear as we dug deeper that our field is so poorly defined, marketed and organized that we have a tremendous opportunity for growth and expansion. Information has been an eye opener and has led us to believe that our position as a potential leader in our market, and eventually the industry, is not an impossible task.

4.1 Market Segmentation

Extrapolating data from three national sources relating to sports in general and Martial Arts specifically, it is estimated that 10% of the U.S. population have participated in some form of Martial Arts training during their lifetime.

It is estimated that 2 to 4% of the U.S. population are currently active in some form of Martial Arts training (the variation in numbers is a result of some surveys using Tai Chi, Kickboxing and Yoga as a Martial Art form, and some include school programs, where others do not).

City Dojo is located in a city with a population of 133,936 (2000 census). The population broken by gender is 48.4% male and 51.6% female; broken by race; 43.7% White, 28.9% Hispanic (Latino), 12.7% African American and 11.1% Asian. The average age in the city is 34.5.

Results from a national survey on Martial Art schools indicated on average, kids ages 4-14 account for 70-80% of the individuals participating in Martial Art training. In a survey completed at the dojo, membership was as follows: ages 4-14 (53%), 15-29 (12%), 30-49 (28%) and 50+ (7%).

Research into our market has shown the following:

1.  The dojo is  located in the heart of the City, 55% of our membership came from the three zip codes listed below, all nearby within the city limits (data obtained from dojo records, the California State Dept. of Finance and U.S. Census):

• ZIP AAAAA surrounding the dojo has an average age of 35.1 and family income of $30,100.
• ZIP BBBBB northwest of the dojo has an average age of 33.5 and family income of $18,691.
• ZIP CCCCC west of the dojo has an average age of 33.5 and family income of $23,552.

2.  35% of our membership came from 9 other local zip codes (up to 3.5 miles from the dojo) which increases our potential market to 350,000. The majority in this group come from a higher income base. For example; of the 9 ZIP codes, the 3 shown below reflect the highest family income.

• ZIP DDDDD has an average age of 45.3 and a family income of $60,119.
• ZIP EEEEE has an average age of 42.6 and a family income of $71,808.
• ZIP FFFFF has an average age of 31.6 and a family income of $61,815.

3.  The final 10% of our membership live outside the city (up to 5 miles from the dojo). The average age and salary in these areas vary greatly but lean towards the middle class market. Including this area would increase our potential market to over 600,000.

For purposes of this plan, we are going to address the city (pop. 133,936, average age 34.5) and surrounding cities within three miles of our dojo. This accounts for 90% of our current membership.

4.1.1 The “Real” Market

The “Real” market figures are based on research to determine if our noted territory, and the surrounding area is saturated. There are 43 dojos in an area with 350,000 potential members. Dropping those individuals under age 4 and over age 75 the number of potential members drop to 301,000.

Based on research provided by major research firms (available on the Internet) and the U.S. Census, up to 10% of the U.S. population has participated in Martial Arts of some type but only 2 to 4% are currently active in Martial Arts training.

Using this statistic we have determined that our potential market of 301,000 would include 12,000 active Martial Arts students (301,000 x .04). This number of active students (12,000) divided by the number of Martial Arts schools indicate, on average each dojo has 280 student members.

In this industry it is generally accepted that based on an average size dojo you need at-least 100 students to make money, 300 students creates capacity issues.

Using these numbers, we are confident that the market is not saturated, our dojo can easily meet our 200 student goal and there is considerable room for growth.

4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy

While not specifically addressed, we will be placing emphasis on the Hispanic (Latino) market where we are already a leader. We are also going to address those ZIP codes in higher income brackets within our market, but not specifically in this plan.

Our target market breakdown is as follows:

• Parents of kids ages 4-14: This market, while the smallest of potential clients, offers the most potential for new members. This group accounts for 50% of our current membership of which 67% are male and 33% female. The male/female breakdown corresponds with national survey results. However, our key is to grow our youth share to 60% of total membership, more in-line with national figure. This group includes those individuals who think karate is “cool” and enjoy physical challenge. In addition, parents desire their children to gain self-confidence and discipline, karate is one method of achieving that goal.
• Adults 30-49: This market offers the largest base of potential students and accounts for 28% of current membership. We expect to maintain the 28% figure. Targeting this group will be to offer an alterative to health clubs and/or fitness centers. In addition, this group “controls” our number one market, their kids.
• Adults over 50: This is our unknown market. This group only accounts for 7% of our current membership. It is felt that our traditional karate services may be too rigorous and may not meet their “social” and “exercise” needs. We are however approaching this market in a different manner, which will be explained later in this plan.

4.2.1 Market Needs

A needs analysis was taken of current members. This analysis was compared with a national survey, reflecting similar results. Our marketing efforts will be to address the needs of these groups in the order given:

• Kids 4-14 (as outlined by both the kids and their parents):  self-confidence, fun, exercise, discipline, self-defense and socialization.
• Ages 30-49: exercise , self-defense, stress reduction and weight control.
• Ages 50+: exercise, stress reduction and socialization.

4.2.2 Market Trends

In the mid-1960’s there was a boom in Martial Arts studios (dojos) partially brought on by the success of Bruce Lee movies and the TV show Kung Fu. In the mid-1980’s, as interest in Martial Arts waned there was move towards offering children’s programs. In the mid-1990’s it was estimated that 5 to 10 million Americans (2-4% of the U.S. population) are active in some form of  Martial Arts training.

Recent trends such as the popularity of the movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” not-so surprisingly caused a mini-surge in the number of new applicants. In addition, Martial Arts for kids has shown a trend towards more activities and less “traditional” training. It has been noted that today’s kids (brought up in the fast paced video age) have a lower level of patience, want to be involved in “movie” type karate styles (ie; Matrix, Shanghai Noon, Karate Kid and Power Rangers) and are more demanding of their time.

Another trend is that larger health/fitness organizations are moving into the Martial Arts field and a general consolidation is occuring. Companies such as Bally Total Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness and Gold’s Gym are offering kick-boxing and other forms of group “soft” Martial Arts training such as Tai Chi or Yoga.

Finally, there is a push in the health/fitness industry to attract the over 50 crowd. Fitness clubs have a difficult time applying their muscle building, fast-paced fitness programs into this market. However, the over 50 group is expected to be marketed to more aggressively as fitness/health clubs realize the potential of the “baby boomers” and the fact that baby boomers have both the time and money to pursue outside recreational activities.

4.2.3 Market Growth

The U.S. Census (2000) shows our city, over the past 10 years has been growing at an average annual rate of 1.8% (2.5% this last year). The central location of the city and proximity to Los Angeles is creating a boom in adults age 30 to 50 with young children, who can afford the ever increasing cost of homes in the area.

A national survey recently taken two years ago indicated there were approximately six million Americans actively involved in Martial Arts training. The survey indicated that a 14% growth rate was expected in the upcoming years as Americans moved towards a more healthy lifestyle. This data was in part supported by data obtained from other sources.  We have noted that this trend was occuring until the September 11, 2001 disaster. Data after the disaster is not yet available, but it has impacted the industry, whether that impact is permanent or temporary has yet to be determined.

Within our described market, over the past decade, the Asian community, the smallest in number, at 11% of the population has shown the fastest growth at 40%, this is followed by the Hispanic (Latino) community, representing 28.9% of the population, showing a substantial  26.5% increase. The African-American community representing 12.7% of the population has decreased 25% over the last ten years and the White community which represents 43.7% of the total population has declined 13%. This trend towards a higher Hispanic (Latino) market mixes well into our future plans.

Two things were noted in our “over 50” market based on a study from the local newspaper, with data provided from the U.S. Census: the fastest growing market in the city (3%) are those in their 40’s to 50’s however, the market for individuals over 65 is flat and maybe actually shrinking. This could be be a result of the high cost of living in the area, causing many seniors on retirement income to move to more affordable locations.

The senior market, while showing little growth has considerable potential. The senior market has not been tapped in the Martial Arts industry (only 7% of our membership). The Health Club Trend Report (providing data to American Sports Data, Inc) recently ranked seniors as the third-largest population in health clubs today at 22%. These older adults enjoy the social aspects of membership and, have the time and income to participate. This group is involved in mostly “softer” exercise routines, including recumbent cycling, yoga/tai chi, and pool activities. The report goes further to state this group has “not” been aggressively marketed, yet has increased 131% over the past decade.

4.3 Service Business Analysis

The business of running a dojo is similar to that of running a health/fitness club, membership is everything. A dojo is a Japanese word defined as, “a training hall where one can practice some sort of physical endeavor.” Martial Arts falls under the SIC (Standard Industrial Code) 7999 – Amusement and Recreational Services. Under this heading we find groupings from Astrologers to Card Rooms, from Carnival Operations to Yoga. In other words the code is too broad to provide solid analysis benefit, but it will be addressed in our comparative ratios analysis at the end of this plan.

To give some perspective, we have noted that Martial Arts, as an industry, according to the U.S. Census has the same approximate number of participants as:

• Table tennis;
• Scuba diving;
• Mountain biking.

Two other industries should be considered in any competitive analysis. The health and fitness club industry (Bally Total Fitness, Gold’s Gym, Bodies in Motion, 24 Hour Fitness) and the non-profits (YMCA, YWCA and local schools) are in competition for the same group of potential customers.

4.3.1 Competition and Buying Patterns

The nature of the business of a dojo is to offer a facility with Martial Arts training. Membership is everything and turnover (attrition) in the industry is high. Several reports place the average turnover of a dojo at 40 to 60%. Selection of a dojo by a potential member is, in-part done by the style of Martial Art (karate, judo, kung-fu or kick-boxing) the member wishes to participate. However, selection of a dojo by a new student is more basic in nature.

A recent local survey (supported by national survey results) show that dojo selection is based on the following (most popular first):

• Friends/family attending;
• Facility environment;
• Class schedule (times);
• Friendliness of instructors (personal attention);
• Class size.

Potential members are most aware of a dojo’s physical existence because:

• Friends and family (65%);
• Drive/walk by storefront (23%);
• Yellow Page/media advertising (12%).

4.3.2 Main Competitors

We have identified our city and its surrounding area as the boundaries for the business plan. This covers approximately 36 square miles and 350,000 potential members. Within this boundary there are 43 Martial Arts programs and 23 health and fitness clubs. We have narrowed the scope of “direct” competition to four “like” dojos in our immediate area and two health/fitness clubs.

Numerous grade and high schools and two local colleges provide physical education classes nearby. However they have limited Martial Arts programs and it is felt they are more of a potential partner, then competitor.

4.3.3 Competing Dojos and Health Clubs

Four dojos have been identified as being the most competitive with our location. All have a physical facility (dojo), all offer traditional Martial Arts training (different styles), all offer competitive pricing and are open Monday thru Saturday (closed Sunday). In addition, each dojo Shihan (head instructor) is well versed in his/her field and well respected in the community.

Three health/fitness clubs have been identified as being the most competitive with our location. They compete primarily for the single 18 to 40 market, but are moving toward offerings for the younger and older age groups which is something we must watch carefully. All have national advertising programs and have significant Yellow Page presence.

Strategy and Implementation Summary

Our overall strategy and implementation plan is based on the fact that City Dojo has never had an “on paper” business or marketing plan. Over the past five years the dojo has not advertised its services outside internal efforts and still has been able to support a low but consistent flow of new members.

The dojo will focus its efforts on a broad market, in a very competitive field. Considerable research was done to establish the fact that there is opportunity in three areas: the youth market ages 4 to 14, the adult market ages 30 to 49, and the senior market ages 50+.

A special note should be taken that a large potential market is not being addressed. The ages 15 to 29 market is considered to volatile and competitive (health/fitness clubs, school activities, etc.) for our services at this time. While we certainly accept membership at this age, we do not plan to actively market this group.

5.1 Competitive Edge

• Dojo established for 38 years (since 1964).
• Dojo location and ample lighted parking.
• Shihan very knowledgeable (6th degree black belt) and an internationally recognized trainer.
• Shihan and Sensei have strong desire and patience to teach.
• Shihan and most Sen sai speak Spanish.
• Competitive pricing and hours of operation.
• Solid untapped database from which to market.
• Over 300 Black Belts graduates since inception.

Weaknesses:

• Shihan’s business savvy.
• Dojo facility needs remodeling.
• Student attrition.
• Website not competitive.
• No advertising or marketing plan.
• Do not offer Tai Chi (alternative “soft” Martial Arts) as most competitors do.

5.2 Sales Strategy

The overall strategy is to increase membership to 200 by year-end 2004, which is 80% of the dojo capacity and an aggressive three year growth of 307%. Through marketing efforts we will make our potential customers aware of our dojo. From this awareness we will increase the number of potential members that walk in our front door.

These new potential members will be met by either the Shihan or a well-trained sales associate/receptionist who will have all sales materials, promotions and a computer for data entry. The sales associate will be empowered to offer our promotions, however if the potential member is interested in joining, an instructor and/or the Shihan will be made available for immediate consultation.

5.2.1 Sales Forecast

The following chart and table reflect our aggressive, but obtainable sales forecast. Membership is projected to grow at a steady pace, leveling off during summer months, our slower time of year. Membership costs are expected to decrease as we better control student turnover.

The special classes include rent of our facilities ($200 a month) to contract instructors who are experts in Tai Chi or Yoga. This class time will consist of one-two hour class per week (four a month) on Saturday and/or Sunday when the dojo has been traditionally closed. Facility rental is projected conservatively for one group in 2002, two in 2003 and three by 2004.

Seminars are projected based on historic demand for the Shihan’s services. Belt testing is held quarterly and fees traditionally track membership.

5.3 Milestones

The milestones shown in the chart below reflect the major changes that we anticipate for the dojo in 2002.  The goals are very aggressive for a business the size of the dojo, however the commitment by those individuals assigned is solid and goals established will be met.

5.4 Marketing Strategy

In our Marketing Strategy we realize our target is very broad, kids 4 to 14 and adults 30 to 49. To address this market we must understand that our dojo is our “showplace” and in marketing efforts we want potential members to judge our “book by its cover.”

• Our first strategy will be to remodel the dojo into an “exciting,” “fun,” “traditional” place where our members will, “want to train, not have to train.”
• Secondly, an internal strategy, we want to address our attrition ratio with training of the instructors.
• Third, we will utilize “paper” media for advertising our facility to our market.
• Finally, we must address a strategy to market our newly remodeled facility for rental to others for classes on weekends when the dojo has been traditionally closed.

5.4.1 Promotion Strategy

Based on buying pattern research, we determined “word of mouth” was by far the most successful means of promoting our dojo, followed by the “storefront” and finally “advertising.” With this in mind we have established the following promotional strategies:

Our members (students) must like who we are and what we do, in order for us to succeed.

• To assist in promotion, we will offer an incentive to current members who bring in new members.

We want potential members to judge our “book by its cover.”

• Our storefront (external and internal) will be redesigned to sell itself. People will want to go in just to see what a dojo looks like.
• We will be holding an annual for charity “kata” tournament at the dojo with a “significant” purse. Proceeds will go to a local charity, in hope of gaining news play.
• Shihan will continue to offer free karate (self-defense) seminars to local grade schools and retirement communities.
• Our Web page will reflect our new image.

For the first time in five years we will have a significant advertising budget.

• The Yellow Pages, the #1 source of new recruitment in media. We will purchase “competitive” ad space.
• City Weekly, the local “entertainment and news” paper shows promise and we will be experiment placing and tracking ads.

5.4.2 Marketing Programs

In our Marketing Strategy our primary market will be kids 4 to 14 and adults over 30 to 49. A separate market for senior adults (50+) will be addressed separately.

To address our largest market we must understand that our dojo is our “showplace” and in our marketing efforts we want potential customers to judge our “book by its cover.”

• Our most important marketing program is to remodel the dojo into an “exciting,” “fun,” “traditional” place where our members will, “want to train, not have to train.” Emphasis will be placed on a kid friendly environment, that adults can enjoy too. The Shihan will coordinate the effort, dojo design will be a composite of suggestions from Shihan (master instructor) and Sensei (instructors) with a touch of Feng Shui. A budget of $10,000 has been established for this project which will begin August 1, 2002. Our marketing research indicates a “fantastic” looking dojo will bring in more students at all market levels. Increased membership will tell the story.
• Another key marketing program is to introduce simple methods of training to our instructors to reinforce students, “want to train, not have to train” concepts. A Sensei (teacher by trade) will be responsible or putting together this program, with a budget of $500 for special classroom (w/dinner) training of the instructor team at a pleasant facility. This program is intended to reduce high level of membership attrition currently at 40% and the goal is to implement the program by October 15, 2002.
• Our final program is to advertise in the Yellow Pages and Weekly newspaper. Shihan will head up this program. A budget of $5,000 has been established. Both programs will be tracked, but the Weekly newspaper will offer more clearly defined (short term) success to specific advertising promotions and plans can be adjusted accordingly.

The other market that we will address is the rental of our facility to others, for classes on weekends when the dojo has been traditionally closed. Emphasis on this Marketing Strategy will be to bring in outside contract instructors and allow them access to our newly remodeled facility. Our goal is to have 3 – two hour classes each week at our facility on Saturday/Sunday by year-end 2004, primarily for those over 50 years old. This strategy will help us maximize our dojo earning potential and open the doors for the 50+ market.

• We will create a very professional brochure on what our facility has to offer. Shihan will head up this program, with a budget of $500 (available in Nov. 2002).
• Second, we will direct mail inquiries to “soft” Martial Arts (yoga and tai chi) instructors concerning possible agreements of offering their classes in our facilities. Emphasis will be to allow us to open the doors for those who want to teach but don’t want the ongoing expense or worry of opening their own studio. Shihan will head this program. Initially there is no budget.

5.4.3 Positioning Statement

For adults in the city who want to learn and/or have their children learn the art of karate and to build self-confidence, we offer competitive pricing, convenient hours, and quality instruction, under the leadership of a 6th degree black belt, and internationally recognized instructor. Unlike our competition, we offer the most modern of facilities, in a convenient location with ample parking, and programs that are entertaining, adventuresome, with a hint of tradition.

5.4.4 Pricing Strategy

We must offer our services at a pricing structure that will both meet our financial needs and the needs of our members. Our current pricing structure of $1,000 annual membership is competitive for schools that own their own facility.  We will keep this fee but offer promotional discounts to current members for bringing in new students and/or assisting in improvements to the dojo. We have failed in the past to offer consistent promotional pricing strategies of which we will address.

There are as many introductory promotional pricing packages as there are dojos. All the programs are designed to draw or introduce the potential member to the dojo without requiring them to sign a long-term contract. All offer the same basic package which includes anywhere from 1-3 months training, 1-3 private classes with gi (uniform), and prices varying from $29.00 to $99.00.

Our pricing strategy is to offer a very short introductory package of two personal training sessions and a gi for $29. If the potential member wants to continue, we will offer a six month introductory package at $299. After six months, if the potential member wants to continue we will offer the annual contract at $1,000 (with discounts for payment upfront). Billing options monthly or quarterly will be offered.

In addition, we will be working to identify other pricing structures which address families and lower income students.

5.5 Strategic Alliances

City Dojo’s Shihan is well known and has considerable experience in the local market. We are going to use this experience and build on our current “loosely” defined strategic alliances.

• There are a number of Asian and Mexican food establishments surrounding the dojo. We will contact select establishments for an agreed brochure trade, with emphasis on a positive well designed showcase that will benefit both parties with possible discounts made available.
• Another alliance is to work with the local Community College to attempt to make available a class that will allow physical education credit. The goal is to establish a relationship with the school by January 2003, for Spring classes 2003. We also will try to offer classes through the schools adult education program.

Management Summary management summary will include information about who's on your team and why they're the right people for the job, as well as your future hiring plans.">

Shihan has been the owner of the dojo since 1975. He currently has a contract bookkeeper and no employees. The dojo is self running. The Shihan oversees operations and provides the majority of instruction, however he has a inner circle of five black belt instructors who handle training assignments when the Shihan is not available.

6.1 Personnel Plan

While currently the dojo has no employees, in August 2002, the Shihan expects to hire a part-time sales associate/receptionist to handle the expected increase in new membership.

The dojo has a loosely organized Board of Advisors for instructional issues of which we are formalizing. This group is made up of of five key black belt instructors (Sensei).

In addition, the dojo is establishing another Board of Advisors for business issues, this team will consist of a five member team each with experience in: general business (insurance), accounting, small business, legal issues and human resources.

6.2 Management Team Gaps

The dojo itself is a small business. However, it is putting together a quality management team (Board of Advisors) to assist in business matters. Gaps in legal, tax, marketing and personnel will be covered by the Board of Advisor team. Our weakest area is in the technical (computer) field, however we are identifying several candidates who could be solid additions to the Board of Advisors for the dojo in this expertise.

Financial Plan investor-ready personnel plan .">

The dojo financial plan is simple. We want to become a profitable business for the owner and any investors. We are moving from a part-time to full-time business and expect our financials to reflect that change. Our growth is predicated on introducing a newly remodeled dojo and a marketing and promotional strategy for the first time. Our goal of 200 members by year-end 2004 is very obtainable and if this goal is met we will have a very profitable business. Our long-term goal is to have enough cash on-hand and a solid credit history to pursue our ultimate goal of expansion.

7.1 Important Assumptions

It was necessary to make certain broad-based assumptions in planning for the future. The financial assumptions are listed below in the table. In addition, we have made several other important assumptions:

• The economy will grow at a steady pace, without a major recession.
• There will be no major change in the Martial Arts industry other then those discussed in trends.
• The State will not have impact legislation on the unregulated Martial Arts industry.

7.2 Key Financial Indicators

The following financial chart shows past and projected three years for the dojo. In the past there was no real marketing effort or business plan. With the introduction of this new business plan we have high expectations for growth. In 2002, we expect to increase membership from 60 to 95, resulting in an increase in sales of 30%. In 2003, we expect full impact of our 2002 plans to take affect and anticipate membership to increase from 95 to 165, resulting in an increase in sales of 77%. In 2004 we expect to meet our goal of 200 members and realize an increase in sales of 31%.

At some point in the future we will make adjustments to our business plan to explore alternatives (as addressed in future services) and will begin to work on reducing overall expenses.

7.3 Projected Profit and Loss

Monthly profit for the first year varies considerably as we aggressively seek improvements and begin marketing our business. However, as year two of the plan approaches, our moves in year one should begin to take hold. Bottom-line profits shown in the chart are deceiving as a significant increase in salary to the owner is reflected (as the dojo changes from a part-time to full-time business). We expect our efforts to control attrition to start affecting our cost of sales, which in-turn will improve our gross margin.

Legal fees in 2002 reflect our change in legal ownership, from a sole proprietorship to a limited liability company. Payroll increases in 2003 and 2004 reflect our change from a part-time business to full-time.

7.4 Break-even Analysis

The following table and chart show our break-even point for the next year.

7.5 Projected Cash Flow

Like profit, our first year monthly cash flow varies considerably. Current cash flow is expected to meet our needs, however we are anticipating a significant increase in cash flow due to a long-term loan ($20,000) in August 2002 to address our immediate remodeling and marketing efforts. This money (planned loan, capital investment) will immediately be put to use and place the dojo into a better cash position in-case something unexpected occurs. In the following years, excess cash will be used to finance our more aggressive future services plans.

7.6 Projected Balance Sheet

The balance sheet in the following table reflect considerable first year activity as we implement the business plan. Long-term liabilities double in the first year as we borrow for improvements and plan implementation, however this liability is workable and in subsequent years remain under control.  Net worth increases in 2003 and 2004 based on anticipated increases in sales.

7.7 Business Ratios

As indicated in our “Service Business Analysis” the Martial Arts industry is not properly reflected in the SIC Code provided (7999). However, with this said, we have made some preliminary business ratio comparisons using the SIC (2000 figures). The results are very favorable.

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Martial Arts Club Business Plan Template

Explore Options to Get a Business Plan.

Are you interested in starting your own Martial Arts Club Business?

Introduction

Global market size, target market, business model, competitive landscape, legal and regulatory requirements, financing options, marketing and sales strategies, operations and logistics, human resources & management.

Martial Arts Studio Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Need to open a martial arts studio? Don't worry, you've come to the right place! The #1 Martial Arts Studio Business Plan Template & Guidebook has everything you need to plan your own successful studio, from start-up advice to financial forecasting. It's a comprehensive guide that will help you cover all the bases to ensure success in your martial arts business venture. Keep reading to find out how it can make your dream of owning a martial arts studio come true!

Get worry-free services and support to launch your business starting at $0 plus state fees.

• How to Start a Profitable Martial Arts Studio Business [11 Steps]

How to Write a Martial Arts Studio Business Plan in 7 Steps:

1. describe the purpose of your martial arts studio business..

The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your martial arts studio business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers. This is a quick way to get your mind thinking about the customers’ problems. It also helps you identify what makes your business different from others in its industry.

It also helps to include a vision statement so that readers can understand what type of company you want to build.

Here is an example of a purpose mission statement for a martial arts studio business:

Our mission at [Name of Martial Arts Studio] is to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for people of all ages and abilities to develop their physical fitness, gain self-confidence and learn martial arts techniques for self-defense, health and well-being. We strive to provide accessible, quality instruction in a safe, clean and supportive atmosphere.

2. Products & Services Offered by Your Martial Arts Studio Business.

The next step is to outline your products and services for your martial arts studio business. 

When you think about the products and services that you offer, it's helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is my business?
• What are the products and/or services that I offer?
• Why am I offering these particular products and/or services?
• How do I differentiate myself from competitors with similar offerings?
• How will I market my products and services?

You may want to do a comparison of your business plan against those of other competitors in the area, or even with online reviews. This way, you can find out what people like about them and what they don’t like, so that you can either improve upon their offerings or avoid doing so altogether.

3. Build a Creative Marketing Stratgey.

If you don't have a marketing plan for your martial arts studio business, it's time to write one. Your marketing plan should be part of your business plan and be a roadmap to your goals. 

A good marketing plan for your martial arts studio business includes the following elements:

Target market

• Who is your target market?
• What do these customers have in common?
• How many of them are there?
• How can you best reach them with your message or product?

Customer base 

• Who are your current customers? 
• Where did they come from (i.e., referrals)?
• How can their experience with your martial arts studio business help make them repeat customers, consumers, visitors, subscribers, or advocates for other people in their network or industry who might also benefit from using this service, product, or brand?

Product or service description

• How does it work, what features does it have, and what are its benefits?
• Can anyone use this product or service regardless of age or gender?
• Can anyone visually see themselves using this product or service?
• How will they feel when they do so? If so, how long will the feeling last after purchasing (or trying) the product/service for the first time?

Competitive analysis

• Which companies are competing with yours today (and why)? 
• Which ones may enter into competition with yours tomorrow if they find out about it now through word-of-mouth advertising; social media networks; friends' recommendations; etc.)
• What specific advantages does each competitor offer over yours currently?

Marketing channels

• Which marketing channel do you intend to leverage to attract new customers?
• What is your estimated marketing budget needed?
• What is the projected cost to acquire a new customer?
• How many of your customers do you instead will return?

Form an LLC in your state!

4. Write Your Operational Plan.

Next, you'll need to build your operational plan. This section describes the type of business you'll be running, and includes the steps involved in your operations. 

In it, you should list:

• The equipment and facilities needed
• Who will be involved in the business (employees, contractors)
• Financial requirements for each step
• Milestones & KPIs
• Location of your business
• Zoning & permits required for the business

What equipment, supplies, or permits are needed to run a martial arts studio business?

To run a Martial Arts Studio business, the following equipment, supplies, and permits may be needed:

• Martial Arts mats
• Safety equipment (e.g. protective gear for sparring)
• Wall/Ceiling padding
• Weapons (e.g. Bo staffs, Sai, Nunchaku)
• Music system / soundproofing (optional)
• Permits for the facility to operate in accordance with local laws and regulations

5. Management & Organization of Your Martial Arts Studio Business.

The second part of your martial arts studio business plan is to develop a management and organization section.

This section will cover all of the following:

• How many employees you need in order to run your martial arts studio business. This should include the roles they will play (for example, one person may be responsible for managing administrative duties while another might be in charge of customer service).
• The structure of your management team. The higher-ups like yourself should be able to delegate tasks through lower-level managers who are directly responsible for their given department (inventory and sales, etc.).
• How you’re going to make sure that everyone on board is doing their job well. You’ll want check-ins with employees regularly so they have time to ask questions or voice concerns if needed; this also gives you time to offer support where necessary while staying informed on how things are going within individual departments too!

6. Martial Arts Studio Business Startup Expenses & Captial Needed.

This section should be broken down by month and year. If you are still in the planning stage of your business, it may be helpful to estimate how much money will be needed each month until you reach profitability.

Typically, expenses for your business can be broken into a few basic categories:

Startup Costs

Startup costs are typically the first expenses you will incur when beginning an enterprise. These include legal fees, accounting expenses, and other costs associated with getting your business off the ground. The amount of money needed to start a martial arts studio business varies based on many different variables, but below are a few different types of startup costs for a martial arts studio business.

Running & Operating Costs

Running costs refer to ongoing expenses related directly with operating your business over time like electricity bills or salaries paid out each month. These types of expenses will vary greatly depending on multiple variables such as location, team size, utility costs, etc.

Marketing & Sales Expenses

You should include any costs associated with marketing and sales, such as advertising and promotions, website design or maintenance. Also, consider any additional expenses that may be incurred if you decide to launch a new product or service line. For example, if your martial arts studio business has an existing website that needs an upgrade in order to sell more products or services, then this should be listed here.

7. Financial Plan & Projections

A financial plan is an important part of any business plan, as it outlines how the business will generate revenue and profit, and how it will use that profit to grow and sustain itself. To devise a financial plan for your martial arts studio business, you will need to consider a number of factors, including your start-up costs, operating costs, projected revenue, and expenses. 

Here are some steps you can follow to devise a financial plan for your martial arts studio business plan:

• Determine your start-up costs: This will include the cost of purchasing or leasing the space where you will operate your business, as well as the cost of buying or leasing any equipment or supplies that you need to start the business.
• Estimate your operating costs: Operating costs will include utilities, such as electricity, gas, and water, as well as labor costs for employees, if any, and the cost of purchasing any materials or supplies that you will need to run your business.
• Project your revenue: To project your revenue, you will need to consider the number of customers you expect to have and the average amount they will spend on each visit. You can use this information to estimate how much money you will make from selling your products or services.
• Estimate your expenses: In addition to your operating costs, you will need to consider other expenses, such as insurance, marketing, and maintenance. You will also need to set aside money for taxes and other fees.
• Create a budget: Once you have estimated your start-up costs, operating costs, revenue, and expenses, you can use this information to create a budget for your business. This will help you to see how much money you will need to start the business, and how much profit you can expect to make.
• Develop a plan for using your profit: Finally, you will need to decide how you will use your profit to grow and sustain your business. This might include investing in new equipment, expanding the business, or saving for a rainy day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Martial Arts Studio Business Plans:

Why do you need a business plan for a martial arts studio business.

A business plan for a martial arts studio business is essential because it provides a roadmap for how the business should develop and provides a clear direction for making decisions. It also helps entrepreneurs assess the potential market size and potential profitability of their business as well as track performance over time. Finally, having a business plan can help attract potential investors and lenders to assist in funding the venture.

Who should you ask for help with your martial arts studio business plan?

You should ask an experienced business consultant or accountant to help you develop your martial arts studio business plan. You may also want to research local government resources that can provide assistance, such as Small Business Development Centers or SCORE, which matches entrepreneurs with mentors who have experience in entrepreneurship and business planning.

Can you write a martial arts studio business plan yourself?

Writing a business plan for a martial arts studio can be a time-consuming and complex process. It is recommended that you consult with an experienced business consultant or accountant to ensure that the plan is written with accuracy and is compliant with all applicable laws and regulations. Alternatively, there are several online resources that provide step-by-step instructions for creating a business plan.

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I'm Nick, co-founder of newfoundr.com, dedicated to helping aspiring entrepreneurs succeed. As a small business owner with over five years of experience, I have garnered valuable knowledge and insights across a diverse range of industries. My passion for entrepreneurship drives me to share my expertise with aspiring entrepreneurs, empowering them to turn their business dreams into reality.

Through meticulous research and firsthand experience, I uncover the essential steps, software, tools, and costs associated with launching and maintaining a successful business. By demystifying the complexities of entrepreneurship, I provide the guidance and support needed for others to embark on their journey with confidence.

From assessing market viability and formulating business plans to selecting the right technology and navigating the financial landscape, I am dedicated to helping fellow entrepreneurs overcome challenges and unlock their full potential. As a steadfast advocate for small business success, my mission is to pave the way for a new generation of innovative and driven entrepreneurs who are ready to make their mark on the world.

HKD MARTIAL ARTS LLC

ABOUT OUR GYM

Started as a grassroots club in 2015, HKD Martial Arts LLC is now the premier martial arts destination in the Clearwater Valley.

Our mission is to bring the highest quality martial arts training to our valley, without the highest price tag.

We are proud of the warm family culture our school fosters and continues to develop in the Kamiah and Kooskia community.

We currently serve ages 5 and up, offering two martial arts styles: Keichu-Do and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Self-Discipline

Self Awareness

PRINCIPLES OF OUR SCHOOL

Meet our staff, matt hickman.

Owner and Head Instructor

Serenity Majors (Hickman)

Assistant Instructor - Jiu Jitsu

Matt started his martial arts journey in 1998 in Lompoc, CA. He is a third degree Black belt in Keichu-Do, POST graduate, and Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is actively training BJJ under Nicolae Cury of V7 Martial Arts, Moscow, ID.

Seri has been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since 2020, she is a second degree blue belt and works actively within our youth classes as well as participating in our adult program. 

208-820-1224  |  [email protected]

4347 US 12, Kamiah, ID 83536

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A VARIETY OF CLASSES FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY

CROSS TRAINING NEVER GETS OLD

Why do I have to cross train? The question is, why not? When you cross train at V7,  you can learn different skills that are complementary to each other with no extra costs. For example, with Functional Fitness you can greatly strengthen your body, your cardiovascular condition and become a better version of yourself. Now, being able to couple that with a different sport like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu per say, you would also reap rewarding benefits by learning a new lifelong skill, be empowered by your ability to defend yourself, learn a new way to further develop problem solving skills, increase your mobility with a variety of fun drills and even discover your new favorite hobby. Cross training also never gets old, because you are constantly learning new things. Our flexible and varied schedules provide a multitude of opportunities to try different classes to suit your schedule and your needs. Cross training provides an unmatched level of overall conditioning. Join us for a free class and see for yourself.

BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU POWER HOUSE ON THE PALOUSE

We understand that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu can be intimidating at first. We offer a cycle through, easy to relate fundamentals program for those just starting with the sport. For those with more experience, we offer more advanced classes as well. Whether you are just starting, BJJ is your hobby, or you are a competitive athlete, we are here for you. For more information, please check out our program page. 

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT V7

I have been on the local martial arts scene for many years and have trained with a plethora of individuals. To have an instructor this high of caliber not in a major city is an amazing opportunity. In my travels and competitions, I've seen all the traits of great coaches; patience, encouragement, attachment, honor. Nicolae exemplifies all of those virtues. To recap, regardless of your rank or discipline or experience, V7 can help you realize and obtain your goals, be it self defense and confidence there in, or to progressing your competition game.

I visited my cousin, who happened to live right next to this dojo. They let me train there while I was vacation, everyone was really nice and welcoming. I would suggest you train here if you live in Idaho!! Oss

I have had no experience with martial arts but wanted to mix up my personal work out with something more physically and mentally challenging. I jumped into the MMA cardio class and have LOVED it! Nicolae has been more than kind and gracious to me as clumsy rookie and cheers me on when I do (rarely) something right! I got my 5, 9, and 11 year olds into classes and they love it as well. Cathy and Nicolae make everyone feel valued and welcome. Top notch, clean facility too!

Kung-fu masters, what don't they talk about?

Tai chi quan.