Start A Martial Art School - Business Ideas

Updated: September 15th, 2022
Start A Martial Art School

Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.

The martial arts school is a business idea that teaches various martial arts styles and techniques to students of all ages and skill levels. Martial art includes karate, taekwondo, judo, boxing, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, among others.

To start this business, you will need a space to hold classes, such as a gym or studio. You will also need to hire instructors or be an instructor yourself with knowledge and experience in the martial art(s) you plan to teach. Depending on your martial art style, you may also need to purchase equipment, such as mats, gloves, and pads.

To operate this business successfully, you must market your school to potential students through social media, word of mouth, or local advertisements. You will also need to keep your instructors updated on the latest techniques and trends in the martial art industry and ensure that they provide students with a safe and welcoming environment.

In addition to offering classes, you could host tournaments or events, such as belt testing or sparring tournaments, to provide additional opportunities for students to showcase their skills and progress. Providing a variety of classes and events will help keep students engaged and interested in your martial art school.

Starting a martial art school requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.

If you're interested in how to sell martial art class, or selling martial art class online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.

Key Stats

market size
$1.3B
starting costs
$18.9K
gross margin
43%
time to build
270 days

Startup Costs

Min Startup Costs Max Startup Costs

Equipment & Supply Expenses

$66

$1,200

Retail Business Expenses

$1,250

$11,650

Inventory Expenses

$350

$14,750

Advertising & Marketing Costs

$75

$9,636

Software Expenses

$0

$425

Website Costs

$13

$215

Total Startup Costs

$1,754

$37,876

Successful Businesses

Business URL Rank

Martial Arts on Rails

maonrails.com

186,122

Martial Arts Websites

martialartswebsites.design

386,374

Gracie Barra

graciebarra.com

431,637

Academy Of Karate

martialartssupermarket.com

832,480

Spark Membership

sparkmembership.com

945,210

AtlasMartialArtsSoftware.com

atlasmartialartssoftware.com

1,200,185

Renzo Gracie Academy

renzogracieacademy.com

1,480,580

Taekwondo Professionals

taekwondoprofessionals.com

1,603,743

MartialArtSmart.com

martialartsmart.com

1,610,884

Karate City

karatecity.org

2,191,575

Own a Premier Martial Arts Franchise Today!

premiermartialartsfranchise.com

2,315,994

Pros & Cons

Pros Description

Rewarding work

Starting a martial art school can be really rewarding work. After all, you are solving an immediate issue for your customer and you're working on something you truly care about.

Meaningful business connections

You never know who you will meet as a martial art school. This could be the start of an incredible business opportunity!

Daily physical activity

Martial Art School's typically involve a much greater degree of movement than other lines of work. Most days, you will spend your day walking, running errands for your business, and performing a multitude of tasks. This can have a positive impact on energy levels and your overall health.

Amazing perks and discounts

Working in the martial art school comes with its perks! As a seller for these products/services, you typically also get to enjoy industry perks and discounts.

You are your own boss!

With starting a martial art school, you are the one to make decisions for almost all of the operations. Calling the shots can be empowering and liberating!

Local Community

One of the best parts of starting a martial art school is that you can develop a local following by selling your products at craft shows, farmers' markets, or even local storefront businesses! This gives you access to additional revenue streams and loyal customers.

Cons Description

Crowded Space

Competition is high when it comes to your martial art school, so it's important that you spend a good amount of time analyzing the market and understanding where the demand lies.

Finding The Right Supplier

Most businesses in this space go the supplier/manufacturer route, which isn't a bad thing! However, finding the right supplier can take a lot of time, energy and trial/error. If done properly, this process can save you months (if not years) of time and energy. More on this below in the "finding a supplier" section.

Motivation of employees

If you plan to have a sales/content team on board, finding creative ways to motivate them can be a challenge. It's important that you're able to offer great incentives and a good work environment for your employees.

Low margins

The gross margins for your martial art school are typically around 43%, which can make it more challenging to incur new expenses and maintain profitability.

High employee turnover

In the martial art school, employee turnover is often high, which can be quite costly and time consuming for your business. It's important to try and avoid this as much as possible by offering competitive pay, benefits, and a positive work environment.

Taxes

As a martial art school, you typically pay self-employment taxes which can be quite high. It's important to understand what you will be paying in taxes each year so you can determine if the work you're taking on is worth it.

Marketing Ideas

  • 1

    Direct Sales

    Direct sales strategy implies a direct contact between a seller and a consumer without the involvement of any third party. Direct selling is popular in sectors where sellers communicate with their clientele personally. The sales technique occurs at non-store locations which include at home, work, or online.

    For direct selling to succeed, hire a few (or many) salespeople to support the sales conversion process. It's critical that you assign them specific roles and responsibilities to nurture the client and provide excellent support.

    Learn more about direct sales ➜

  • 2

    Word of mouth

    Word of mouth is when a consumers reflects their interest in a company’s product or service in their daily dialogues.

    Therefore, word of mouth advertising is essentially a free advertising triggered by the customers experience.

    According to Nielsen, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family.

    Therefore, in today’s hyper-connected world, a single recommendation through a word of mouth can have a huge impact to your business.

    Learn more about word of mouth ➜

  • 3

    Social Media Advertising

    Social media advertising is the use of social media platforms to connect with your audience with the objective to build your brand, increase sales, and drive website traffic.

    According to Oberlo, approximately 48% of the global population use social media, and the number is ever-growing.

    Therefore, social media allows brands access to cost-effective advertising by enabling them to interact with a large audience.

    Learn more about social media advertising ➜