boxing

August 23, 2010

Martial Arts Gear Bag

Martial Arts Gear Bag

Everest Bags 30" Gear Duffel
Sale Price: $15.10

Everest Bags 36-in. Cargo Gear Duffel Sports Duffles, Red
Sale Price: $29.95

Eligible for free shipping!
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Everest Bags 25" Gear Duffel
Sale Price: $17.95

Everest Bags 25" Classic Gear Bag
Sale Price: $27.95

Eligible for free shipping!
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Everest Bags 30" Classic Gear Bag
Sale Price: $29.95

Eligible for free shipping!
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Average Rating:

Everest Bags Oversize Gear Bag
Sale Price: $24.45

Eligible for free shipping!
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Everest Bags 36-in. Cargo Gear Duffel Sports Duffles, Green
Sale Price: $20.76

Eligible for free shipping!
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Everest Bags 20" Sport Gear Bag Sports Duffles, Navy
Sale Price: $28.30

Eligible for free shipping!
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Everest Bags 20" Sport Gear Bag Sports Duffles, Red
Sale Price: $28.30

Eligible for free shipping!
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Everest B-082 Oversize Cargo Bag (Price/Each), Travel Gear Bags
Sale Price: $17.40 - $18.12
Average Rating:

What are the costs of opening a martial arts school?

I know the rent, the mats, the protective gear, bags, all add up...and then of course what about insurance? Thinking about what it would potentially cost because I have a background in the arts that potentially could be a career path....
Well, I need to know about it before I even try to get into it.

hello,

occupying rent.
the upfront cost is usually about half a year.

long term cost of lease (over years)
most places want to lock you in for five years. make sure you have a plan to afford it. you will get sued if you try to leave early.

insurance. don't settle for minimums. don't risk the exposure.
you want 1 million per incident. you want to cover at least 3 incidents per year. this will cost a LOT.

permits and licenses (differ by city & state), there are a LOT.
pay attention. cities and states often require the same paperwork, but you have to file separately with cities and states. yep, double the paper, double the cost.

equipment & replacement equipment
if your equipment is not kept in good repair, you will lose money... er, students.

designer (DO NOT attempt to do your design work yourself. you will lose.)
everyone tries to go cheap and design their own stuff. don't look cheesy. it is unprofessional. more and more schools are coming around to this and you won't get a second look from students that see professional design work. assume that your own time costs money, when you could be doing other things. if you are paying anyway, use a pro.

marketing & branding (hiring a designer will help with most of this)
your business will not grow, just because you think it will. you have to make it grow. you have to advertise (increase exposure) and build your brand (what differentiates you from every other school just like yours). if you are not willing to pay for this, don't even bother opening a school. you will lose.

utilities (water, power)
this goes up all the time. you need to be aware of the cost now, and project future increases. otherwise, you could end up short when you aren't expecting it.

maintenance
janitorial... you won't be willing to do it all yourself forever, and students aren't really willing to clean for you if you are charging them to be there, so don't rely on it.

staff
if you want to grow, you need to hire people. this costs money. salaries, L & I, etc all need to be planned for. oh sure, you will do the instruction... for how long? if you get burned out, your school WILL suck.

banking
it isn't free. accounts cost money. billing costs money. payment options cost money. your money. make sure you have enough to cover this. this is an operating cost.

owning the building
you will be assessed property taxes, you will also be responsible for any and all improvements demanded by the state. and they will demand improvements.....

cost structure
what do you plan on offering? what do you plan to charge? you need to keep it reasonable, yet account for future increases in operating costs. if you raise prices too frequently, you will lose money... er, students.

hours of operation.
certain municipalities will charge more for permits to operate during certain (peak) hours. they have you over a barrel and they know it.

number of students
certain landlords will charge you more if you have over a certain number of students. they have you over a barrel and they know it.

this is the nutshell version. there is more to it of course. your local chamber of commerce, city hall and small business administration can help you with specifics.

good luck.

thanks