Black Belt Banter: Martial Arts Business Podcast
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
Episodes
24 episodes
#24 | Retention Through Repetition: Kicking Drills That Keep Students Excited
Never Boring Kicking Drills: How to Keep Students Fired Up (with Alex Wong)In this episode of Black Belt Banter, host Master Jimmy Hong and resident expert Master Tony Chung welcome special guest Ale...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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54:50
#23 | Growing Pains: The Truth About Scaling Martial Arts Schools — Insights From a 36-Location Owner
In this episode of Black Belt Banter, hosts Jimmy Hong and Master Lee sit down with Sensei Solomon Brenner, founder of Action Karate, to discuss what it really takes to scale a martial arts school. With over 30 years of experience and 36 locati...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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57:21
#22 | Monthly Tuition vs. Paid in Full: Which One Actually Grows Your Martial Arts School
In this episode of Black Belt Banter, Master Jimmy Hong joins Master Lee and Master Jeung to break down the debate of monthly tuition versus paid-in-full programs. They discuss cash flow, stability, lessons from COVID, and how to balan...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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1:01:02
#21 | Maximizing Martial Arts Impact: The Face-to-Face Marketing Advantage
In this episode of Black Belt Banter, hosts Master Jimmy Hong and Master Lee discuss effective face-to-face marketing strategies for increasing enrollment in martial arts schools. Master Chan shares insights from his experience running multiple...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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47:07
#20 | What Martial Arts School Owners Can Learn from High-Level Athletes
What if the habits that create Olympians could also build a school that runs on rhythm instead of adrenaline? We sit down with Coach Tim Thackeray—seven-time U.S. national team member, Pan Am Games gold medalist, and USA Taekwondo’s Director of...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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48:58
#19 | The Big Debate: Do MMA Skills Belong in Traditional Martial Arts?
The Big Debate: Do MMA Skills Belong in Traditional Martial Arts?In this episode of Black Belt Banter, we tackle one of the most controversial questions in today’s martial arts world: Should MMA techniques be part of t...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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43:14
#18 | Rotating Curriculum vs. Traditional: Which One Actually Grows Your School?
If your classes feel scattered the moment “curriculum time” starts, you’re not alone. We dig into the rotating curriculum—why it ignites class energy, simplifies coaching at scale, and can actually protect belt integrity when designed with care...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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55:54
#17 | Fighting with AI: The Future of Martial Arts Studio Owners
World TKD Labhttps://www.world-tkdlab.com/saas-platformMaster Nickie Quan: Quanscience@gmail.comStop losing precious teaching time to front-desk chaos. We sit down with World Taekwondo Lab to unpack a practical way forward:...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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52:43
#16 | The Hidden Power of Hosting: The Student Benefits of Hosting Your Own Martial Arts Tournament
Want a tournament that builds leaders, delights parents, and actually runs on time? We sit down with Master Jay Lee—tournament director for the U.S. Open Taekwondo Hanmadang and CEO of U.S. Taekwondo Center—to show how school owners can turn co...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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56:35
#15 | From Zero to 120 Martial Arts Students in Less Than A Year!
From Zero to 120: How a Young Martial Artist Built a Thriving Taekwondo SchoolIn this episode of Black Belt Banter, hosts Jimmy Hong and Master Tony Chung converse with Master Liam Guttmacher, a 24-year-old martial artist who rapidly gr...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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1:00:10
#14 | What's the BEST Way to Protect Students and Schools from Worst Case Scenarios?
Our most important podcast yet...In this week's episode of Black Belt Banter, hosts Master Jimmy Hong and Master Chan dive into the critical risks facing martial arts school owners and the importance of specialized insurance coverage. T...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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36:46
#13 | Would You Pay $100K for Martial Arts?
What would a parent pay for their child to become more confident, disciplined, and positioned for lifetime success? According to Master Chan, a hundred thousand dollars might actually be a bargain when considering the transformative power of ma...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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31:41
#12 | The Secret Behind the Highest Tuition in America
Ever wondered how some martial arts schools command $400+ monthly tuition while others struggle to break $150? Master Bronson Ko has cracked the code, building what he calls "the Apple of martial arts studios" – premium facilities with prices t...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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47:13
#11 | Fight or Fold - Martial Arts Lessons During Economic Downturn
Economic uncertainty looms large for martial arts school owners, but surviving—even thriving—during downturns is possible with the right approach. Master Lee shares battle-tested strategies that have helped him navigate three major economic cri...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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35:18
#10 | How to Create Sustainable Staff Pipelines That Prevent Burnout
Preventing instructor burnout might be the most critical challenge you face as a martial arts school owner. How do you build a staff culture that's sustainable while delivering exceptional training? This episode tackles this challenge head-on w...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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1:02:08
#9 | Connect and Conquer: Building Your Martial Arts Empire
Master Lee shares the fastest way to build a martial arts business through strategic networking and learning from successful peers rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.• Success leaves clues – learn from those who have already achie...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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43:15
#8 | One Powerful Ingredient Your Martial Arts School Can't Afford to Ignore
What separates thriving martial arts schools from struggling ones? Master Lee draws from his family's 50-year legacy to reveal the powerful role culture plays in creating an exceptional martial arts business.Ever wonder why some martial...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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39:37
#7 | Why Martial Art Schools Are Dying: A Blunt Wake Up Call to Reality Check
There's a crisis affecting martial arts schools nationwide, but it's not what you might think. The pandemic tested our industry's resilience—we taught through Zoom, improvised training equipment, and found ways to survive against impossible odd...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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42:38
#6 | WAIT! Don't Open That 2nd Location Until You Listen to This Podcast!
Should you open a second martial arts school location? This question haunts ambitious school owners looking to expand their impact and income. The path to successful expansion requires meeting several critical conditions. Your firs...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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44:39
#5 | Can Small Schools Generate Mega School Revenues?
"Too much month, not enough money?" This might be the reality for many small martial arts school owners, but Master Tony Chung proves it doesn't have to be. In this eye-opening conversation, Tony shares how he generates over $2 million annually...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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46:23
#4 | The Retention Game: Keep Your Students Fired Up and Showing Up!
The secret lies in creating a paradigm shift in how families perceive martial arts training. Rather than allowing parents to view classes as "just another activity" alongside soccer or baseball, Master Lee positions the black belt journey as an...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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28:44
#3 | Crack the Code: 20 New Students in 30 Days!
Want to rapidly grow your martial arts school? This episode delivers a masterclass in strategic enrollment growth from someone who's done it consistently across multiple locations.Master Lee breaks down his exact formula for enrolling 2...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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30:42
#2 | Stop Losing Leads - Start Gaining Students!
Master Lee, with over 2,100 active students across multiple locations, shares the mathematical formula behind martial arts school growth in this data-driven episode of Black Belt Banter. By reverse-engineering your student acquisition goals, yo...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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32:22
#1 | The Secret to Growing Your Martial Arts School Beyond 100 Students!
Break Through the 100-Student Mark and Watch Your School Thrive! In this inaugural episode, we’re revealing the key strategies and mindset shifts needed to push your martial arts school past the important 100-student mileston...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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39:48