I was just wondering if anyone could tell me in what kind of direction i need to go to open my own school. I take BJJ and i have talk to my instructor about it and he is all for it. (sinc where i live i have to travel an hour to any other BJJ school) And I am going to college for a AA degree in Business. But i still dont even know how to get things started.....??????

Start with a business plan. Determine your costs and your break-even point. Things you need to consider:

Rent- you'll probably need to sign a lease. Can you afford that?

Utilities- may be included, maybe not.

Advertising- you need to find students, what's your approach going to be?

Equipment- big start up cost, especially since you are going to need lots of mats.

Fees- what are going to charge and how many students do you then need to cover your expenses? Are you teaching full time or part time?

Competition- are there other schools nearby or are you the only game in town? Most people won't travel more then 3 miles to train (read that in a MA marketing book once, don't know that it's true 'cause I have on several occasions).

Merchandise- are you going to sell stuff? If so, you will probably need some kind of vendors license.

hope that helps and good luck

Thanks for the advice. But one more thing. Tell how do you get a vending license???

I recommend two books to help you out. The first is "Martial Arts Instructor's Desk Reference: A Complete Guide to Martial Arts Administration" by Sang Kim. It is a very good guide to the intricacies of starting and running a martial arts school.

The other is my own work, "Martial Arts Instruction: Applying Educational Theory and Communication Techniques In the Dojo" which will help you retain and motivate students.

You can find both on Amazon.com.