Black Belt Banter: Martial Arts Business Podcast

Jimmy Hong
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Entrepreneurship

Welcome to Black Belt Banter, the best martial arts business podcast for instructors, school owners, and entrepreneurs who want to increase their profits and generate substantial revenue. Whether you're running a single studio or scaling a multi-location empire, we break down the strategies, stories, and systems behind profitable martial arts businesses. From student retention and marketing hacks to leadership, curriculum, and community building, we cover it all. Tune in for weekly insights from Master Chan and Master Jimmy Hong, who’s been in the trenches and come out kicking.  Email us at jimmyhong@blackbeltbanter.com

  1. 4d ago

    #37 | The Retention Event That Pays You to Run It

    Send us Fan Mail Most schools try to fix retention after a student is already halfway out the door. Sensei Solomon Brenner does it 90 days in advance — with an in-house tournament. Solomon runs 36 Action Karate locations and hosts two in-house tournaments a year: 1,100 to 1,400 competitors, 19 rings, start to finish in one day. But the real lesson isn't the size. It's that the event drives retention, marketing, and revenue at the same time — and it works just as well with 30 students in your own school. Jimmy Hong and Master Tony Chung dig into how it actually runs. What we cover: Why your tournament should be built for the 95%, not the 5% who compete on the circuitStandardized divisions and why every student runs the same kataAssigned ring times so families aren't sitting there all dayHow to train judges and parents so nobody walks out with a bad experienceTurning tournament season into your curriculum instead of a separate trackThe T-shirt, the medal, the hand stamp — how the day becomes part of a student's identityWhy "Did you have fun?" beats "How did you do?"Running it with two rings and 40 students in your own buildingGuest: Sensei Solomon Brenner, founder of Action Karate — 36 locations, 30 years, 50,000+ families served. Speaking at the ASA Summit in Las Vegas, October 1–3. Resources: Compete123 — Solomon's tournament software, built for parents and judges instead of points and rankings: www.compete123.com   ASA Summit, October 1–3, Las Vegas: https://asamartialarts.com/summit/ If this gave you something to run at your school, share it with another owner. Subscribe so you don't miss the next one. ASA Summit 2026 Solomon Ad Most martial arts school owners don’t have a marketing problem. They have an execution problem. You listen to podcasts. You get inspired. You hear great ideas… Then Monday hits… you’re back teaching classes, answering messages… and nothing actually changes. That’s why most schools stay stuck. Black Belt Banter gives you the thinking. How to see your school like a real business. How to identify what’s actually holding you back. How to stop operating in survival mode. But thinking alone doesn’t grow your school. You need the how. That’s where ASA Live comes in. ASA Live gives you the exact playbook— What to say. What to run. What numbers to track. And how to execute step-by-step so you actually get more students and increase revenue. Black Belt Banter shows you the direction. ASA Live shows you the path. And the school owners who use both? They’re the ones finally breaking through. Just $97/month to finally execute and grow. Register at https://asamartialarts.com/live/

  2. Aug 4

    #36 | The Fastest Growing Schools Have One Thing In Common

    Send us Fan Mail The schools growing the fastest aren't doing anything you couldn't do. They're just surrounded by people who already figured it out. In this episode, we get into why your network is the single biggest predictor of how fast your school grows — and why so many owners stay stuck trying to figure it out alone. We cover how to find people actually worth learning from, why the same owners show up at seminars year after year and never change, and what it really costs you to stop learning. In this episode: Why your circle sets the ceiling on your growthHow to tell who's worth learning from and who's just repeating what they readThe gap between attending seminars and actually implementingHow to approach owners operating above your level without wasting their timeBuilding a network when there are no schools near youWhat isolation actually costs over five yearsIf your circle hasn't changed in five years, that's your answer on why your school hasn't either. Want to build that network in one weekend? Come to ASA Summit 2026. October 1–3, 2026 · Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas · $449 Early AccessThis is the final ASA Summit in Las Vegas. Three days with operators who actually run successful schools — Clinton Oh on scaling to 75 schools, Sensei Solomon Brenner on the team system behind 36 schools, Master Chan Lee on the 450-member dojang that runs itself, Master Tony Chung on going 0 to 300 members in six months. Plus certifications, breakout sessions, the golf tournament, and the networking that makes the whole thing worth it. Details and registration: https://asamartialarts.com/summit/ ASA Summit 2026 Solomon Ad Most martial arts school owners don’t have a marketing problem. They have an execution problem. You listen to podcasts. You get inspired. You hear great ideas… Then Monday hits… you’re back teaching classes, answering messages… and nothing actually changes. That’s why most schools stay stuck. Black Belt Banter gives you the thinking. How to see your school like a real business. How to identify what’s actually holding you back. How to stop operating in survival mode. But thinking alone doesn’t grow your school. You need the how. That’s where ASA Live comes in. ASA Live gives you the exact playbook— What to say. What to run. What numbers to track. And how to execute step-by-step so you actually get more students and increase revenue. Black Belt Banter shows you the direction. ASA Live shows you the path. And the school owners who use both? They’re the ones finally breaking through. Just $97/month to finally execute and grow. Register at https://asamartialarts.com/live/

  3. Jul 21

    #35 | Staff Development - The Key to Creating The Life and School You Want.

    Send us Fan Mail Staff Development: The Key to Creating the Life and Dojang You Want Episode Summary: Master Pamela Sroka, co-owner of World Class Taekwondo in San Jose (two locations, 1,100+ students), breaks down how she built a leadership pipeline that runs her schools without her doing everything herself. If you've ever felt like your school can't run without you, this one will change that. Key Takeaways: Spot leadership potential at white belt, not black belt — instructors track attitude and personality from day one.The pipeline: junior leader (11–12) → volunteer instructor → paid instructor at 14, with weekly paid staff meetings.Run on "high expectations, high support" — accountability and care at the same time.Culture fit beats outside hires. Candidates should already be 80–90% aligned with your values before you hire.Simpler wins: dropping long-term contracts for month-to-month didn't hurt retention — and freed staff to build relationships instead of chasing renewals.Guest Bio: Pamela Sroka is co-owner of World Class Taekwondo in San Jose, CA. She started training under Grandmaster Chong at age eight and has built a two-location school that runs on the leadership team she's developed, not on her being there every day. Resources / Links Mentioned: https://asamartialarts.com/summit/ ASA Summit — Oct 1–3, Las Vegas, Planet Hollywood. Master Sroka is a speaker on this exact topic. ASA Summit 2026 Solomon Ad Most martial arts school owners don’t have a marketing problem. They have an execution problem. You listen to podcasts. You get inspired. You hear great ideas… Then Monday hits… you’re back teaching classes, answering messages… and nothing actually changes. That’s why most schools stay stuck. Black Belt Banter gives you the thinking. How to see your school like a real business. How to identify what’s actually holding you back. How to stop operating in survival mode. But thinking alone doesn’t grow your school. You need the how. That’s where ASA Live comes in. ASA Live gives you the exact playbook— What to say. What to run. What numbers to track. And how to execute step-by-step so you actually get more students and increase revenue. Black Belt Banter shows you the direction. ASA Live shows you the path. And the school owners who use both? They’re the ones finally breaking through. Just $97/month to finally execute and grow. Register at https://asamartialarts.com/live/

  4. Jul 7

    #34 | The Software Platforms Most School Owners Are Outgrowing — And What's Replacing Them

    Send us Fan Mail Master Jimmy Hong and Master Chan Lee sit down with Master Clinton Oh — founder of My Manager and the man behind a 75-school taekwondo empire — to break down why most school management software falls short and what a true all-in-one system actually looks like. This episode also marks the announcement of ASA Martial Arts' exclusive partnership with My Manager. Key Takeaways: Scaling to 75 locations came down to building simple, flexible curriculum paired with automated systems that enforce consistency without micromanaging instructorsMost school management platforms are "antiquated" — owners end up stacking a CRM, a lead pipeline tool, and a student management system just to cover the basicsMy Manager consolidates software, payment processing, and hardware (POS terminals, kiosks) into one system, so schools stop paying for five different toolsProcessing fees are often quietly inflated over time — get your statement analyzed rather than assuming your rate is fairBuilt-in AI pipelines (leads, birthday parties, follow-ups) automate the exact tasks that fall through the cracks when front desk staff get busyPricing runs $199–$499/month depending on features, and most schools recover the cost through processing fee savings aloneOnboarding is fast — core data transfers in a couple of days, with AI handling much of the migrationGuest Bio: Master Clinton Oh is the founder of Champions Taekwondo (75 schools), My Manager, and Next Level Media. A growth architect and business consultant, he's built over 100 strategic partnerships and led multiple successful exits. He also runs Operation Child Rescue, a nonprofit partnering with Tony Robbins on a worldwide "breakathon" to fight child hunger. Resources / Links Mentioned: My Manager — https://asa.mymanager.com/registerASA Live —  https://asamartialarts.com/live/ ASA Summit registration —  https://asamartialarts.com/summit/ If you're stuck with clunky software, missed follow-ups, or manual processes that should be automated — this is your sign to make one last switch. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this with a school owner who's still juggling five different tools. ASA Summit 2026 Solomon Ad Most martial arts school owners don’t have a marketing problem. They have an execution problem. You listen to podcasts. You get inspired. You hear great ideas… Then Monday hits… you’re back teaching classes, answering messages… and nothing actually changes. That’s why most schools stay stuck. Black Belt Banter gives you the thinking. How to see your school like a real business. How to identify what’s actually holding you back. How to stop operating in survival mode. But thinking alone doesn’t grow your school. You need the how. That’s where ASA Live comes in. ASA Live gives you the exact playbook— What to say. What to run. What numbers to track. And how to execute step-by-step so you actually get more students and increase revenue. Black Belt Banter shows you the direction. ASA Live shows you the path. And the school owners who use both? They’re the ones finally breaking through. Just $97/month to finally execute and grow. Register at https://asamartialarts.com/live/

  5. Jun 23

    #33 | You're Leaving Money on the Table Every Time You Swipe

    Send us Fan Mail Most martial arts school owners are leaving thousands of dollars on the table every single month — not because they're spending wrong, but because they're not getting anything back for what they're already spending. In this episode, Jimmy Hong and Master Jay Lee sit down with Pat Morgan — entrepreneur, restaurateur, commercial real estate investor, and ASA founding member — for a deep dive into credit card rewards strategy built specifically for business owners. Pat has taken zero-cost vacations for 25 years. Business class to Japan. Hotels, flights, car rentals — all on points. And the system he uses isn't complicated. It just requires intentionality. In this episode: Why a debit card is the worst financial tool in your walletThe difference between booking through a travel portal vs. transferring to airline partners (and why it matters — a lot)How to earn 100,000+ points just from expenses you're already makingThe Chase 5/24 rule and how to work around itSouthwest companion pass strategy — how to fly your spouse free for two yearsCell phone protection and rental car insurance you're probably already paying for twiceCash back vs. travel rewards — which one wins for school ownersThe two cards every martial arts school owner should open firstIf your school spends $10,000 to $30,000 a month on operations, this episode will change how you look at every single purchase. Want personalized guidance? Pat Morgan helps people build a game plan based on their specific spending habits and travel goals. If you want to know which cards make the most sense for your school, reach out to him directly at pjmmail23@yahoo.com. He genuinely enjoys helping people get started.  If you're ready to apply for the two cards Pat recommends most for school owners, use his referral links below: Chase Sapphire Preferred: https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19w/LKVP9NZPPKChase Ink Business Preferred: https://www.referyourchasecard.com/21f/PGLMWFPBYU ASA Summit 2026 Solomon Ad Most martial arts school owners don’t have a marketing problem. They have an execution problem. You listen to podcasts. You get inspired. You hear great ideas… Then Monday hits… you’re back teaching classes, answering messages… and nothing actually changes. That’s why most schools stay stuck. Black Belt Banter gives you the thinking. How to see your school like a real business. How to identify what’s actually holding you back. How to stop operating in survival mode. But thinking alone doesn’t grow your school. You need the how. That’s where ASA Live comes in. ASA Live gives you the exact playbook— What to say. What to run. What numbers to track. And how to execute step-by-step so you actually get more students and increase revenue. Black Belt Banter shows you the direction. ASA Live shows you the path. And the school owners who use both? They’re the ones finally breaking through. Just $97/month to finally execute and grow. Register at https://asamartialarts.com/live/

  6. Jun 9

    #32 | 3 AI Levers That Drive Enrollment, Retention, and Efficiency

    Send us Fan Mail Most martial arts school owners don't have a student problem — they have a time problem. Not enough time to follow up with leads, create content, or stay consistent with marketing. That's exactly what AI can fix. In this episode, recorded live at the ASA Martial Arts Summit in Las Vegas, we're joined by Josh Lannan — marketing strategist and AI specialist with 15 years in the industry. Josh breaks down three practical AI levers every school owner can use right now to grow enrollment, automate follow-up, and run a more efficient school. What you'll learn: How to use ChatGPT to create 10x more content in a fraction of the timeA 5-text follow-up sequence that sounds human and converts leads automaticallyHow to build an AI-powered student onboarding checklist and staff training toolsA 5-question parent survey that reveals why students stay — or leaveThe tools Josh uses daily: ChatGPT, GoHighLevel, ManyChat, GenSpark, Canva, and moreWhether you're just getting started with AI or want to go deeper, this episode gives you clear, actionable steps you can implement this week. ASA Summit 2026 Solomon Ad Most martial arts school owners don’t have a marketing problem. They have an execution problem. You listen to podcasts. You get inspired. You hear great ideas… Then Monday hits… you’re back teaching classes, answering messages… and nothing actually changes. That’s why most schools stay stuck. Black Belt Banter gives you the thinking. How to see your school like a real business. How to identify what’s actually holding you back. How to stop operating in survival mode. But thinking alone doesn’t grow your school. You need the how. That’s where ASA Live comes in. ASA Live gives you the exact playbook— What to say. What to run. What numbers to track. And how to execute step-by-step so you actually get more students and increase revenue. Black Belt Banter shows you the direction. ASA Live shows you the path. And the school owners who use both? They’re the ones finally breaking through. Just $97/month to finally execute and grow. Register at https://asamartialarts.com/live/

  7. May 26

    #31 | Raise Tuition Without Losing Students

    Send us Fan Mail What if charging MORE actually helped your school? In this episode, we sit down with Master Bronson Ko — second-generation martial artist, 3-location school owner, and author of The Mentor Method — to break down the exact playbook for raising tuition without losing students. Master Ko went from $159 to $299/month (with invite-only programs at $499), and in this conversation he shares the framework that made it possible — and the costly mistakes he made along the way. Here's what you'll learn: The 3-Condition Checklist — Master Ko's non-negotiables before raising rates. Miss any one of these, and you risk losing students AND looking like you only care about money. The 30% Rule — How much you can raise tuition before parents start pushing back (and why Netflix has figured this out better than most school owners). New vs. Existing Students — Should you grandfather in loyal students, or raise rates across the board? Master Ko made this mistake, regretted it, and tells you exactly what he'd do differently. Why "results" is the only sales pitch that works — If you've seen a shy, defiant kid transform into a confident leader, you already have the most powerful closing argument in the room. The data behind who actually stays — After 15 years of tracking student retention by parent occupation, Master Ko reveals which parents stay the longest — and how to attract more of them. The commodity trap — Why calling yourself a "Taekwondo school" or "karate studio" is quietly killing your enrollment. If you're stuck under $150/month — or you're scared to raise prices — this episode will change how you think about your business.  📖 Grab Master Bronson Ko's book, The Mentor Method: How to Teach with Calm Authority and Transform Every Student, on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/MENTOR-Method-Authority-Transform-Student/dp/B0G6THWJF4/ 🎙️ Black Belt Banter — Real talk for martial arts school owners who are done just surviving and ready to actually grow. ASA Summit 2026 Solomon Ad Most martial arts school owners don’t have a marketing problem. They have an execution problem. You listen to podcasts. You get inspired. You hear great ideas… Then Monday hits… you’re back teaching classes, answering messages… and nothing actually changes. That’s why most schools stay stuck. Black Belt Banter gives you the thinking. How to see your school like a real business. How to identify what’s actually holding you back. How to stop operating in survival mode. But thinking alone doesn’t grow your school. You need the how. That’s where ASA Live comes in. ASA Live gives you the exact playbook— What to say. What to run. What numbers to track. And how to execute step-by-step so you actually get more students and increase revenue. Black Belt Banter shows you the direction. ASA Live shows you the path. And the school owners who use both? They’re the ones finally breaking through. Just $97/month to finally execute and grow. Register at https://asamartialarts.com/live/

  8. May 12

    #30 | How to Turn Your Martial Arts Business into Real Wealth

    Send us Fan Mail From School Owner to Wealth Builder: Turning Martial Arts Revenue into Real Wealth  On Black Belt Banter, host Jimmy Hong and co-host Master Chan Lee interview Sensei Solomon Brenner, founder of Action Karate, about why many martial arts school owners can earn revenue for years yet build no wealth. Brenner stresses financial discipline and delayed gratification, starting small with consistent saving, and argues wealth-building must begin while growing the school, not afterward.  The discussion highlights compound interest and urges school owners—who lack corporate retirement benefits—to open and fund retirement accounts (e.g., Roth IRA) and actually invest contributions, often via index funds. They compare investing approaches (real estate vs. equities), emphasize investing in yourself and implementing proven business practices, and note that a school can be part of retirement only if it’s profitable and sellable with strong systems and leadership.  ASA Summit 2026 Solomon Ad Most martial arts school owners don’t have a marketing problem. They have an execution problem. You listen to podcasts. You get inspired. You hear great ideas… Then Monday hits… you’re back teaching classes, answering messages… and nothing actually changes. That’s why most schools stay stuck. Black Belt Banter gives you the thinking. How to see your school like a real business. How to identify what’s actually holding you back. How to stop operating in survival mode. But thinking alone doesn’t grow your school. You need the how. That’s where ASA Live comes in. ASA Live gives you the exact playbook— What to say. What to run. What numbers to track. And how to execute step-by-step so you actually get more students and increase revenue. Black Belt Banter shows you the direction. ASA Live shows you the path. And the school owners who use both? They’re the ones finally breaking through. Just $97/month to finally execute and grow. Register at https://asamartialarts.com/live/

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5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Welcome to Black Belt Banter, the best martial arts business podcast for instructors, school owners, and entrepreneurs who want to increase their profits and generate substantial revenue. Whether you're running a single studio or scaling a multi-location empire, we break down the strategies, stories, and systems behind profitable martial arts businesses. From student retention and marketing hacks to leadership, curriculum, and community building, we cover it all. Tune in for weekly insights from Master Chan and Master Jimmy Hong, who’s been in the trenches and come out kicking.  Email us at jimmyhong@blackbeltbanter.com

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