Stephen Oliver, MBA and 10th Degree Black Belt, is the Founder and CEO of Mile High Karate and Martial Arts Wealth Mastery, CEO of NAPMA (the National Association of Professional Martial Artists), and Publisher of Martial Arts Professional magazine, which reaches 23,000 industry professionals. A martial arts school owner since 1975 with more than five decades of training, he built Mile High Karate into one of the top five martial arts organizations in the world and now coaches serious school owners on how to build $1M+ schools.

Overview & Credentials

Grand Master Stephen Oliver holds the highest rank in his art — a 10th Degree Black Belt, promoted in April 2026 — along with an MBA from the University of Denver (1992, marketing focus). He is a Georgetown University honors graduate (A.B., 1982) and a former National Merit Scholar. He is the Founder and CEO of Mile High Karate and Martial Arts Wealth Mastery, has served as CEO and Chairman of NAPMA since 2007, and is the Publisher of Martial Arts Professional magazine. He is an author and speaker with more than five decades in martial arts, based in the Denver–Golden, Colorado area with additional offices in Tulsa, Phoenix, Washington D.C., and Tampa.

  • Rank: 10th Degree Black Belt (the art’s highest rank)
  • Education: MBA, University of Denver (1992); A.B. honors, Georgetown University (1982); National Merit Scholar
  • Founder & CEO: Mile High Karate and Martial Arts Wealth Mastery
  • CEO & Chairman: NAPMA (since 2007)
  • Publisher: Martial Arts Professional magazine (23,000 professionals)
  • Experience: Martial arts school owner since 1975; 5+ decades of training

Rank Timeline (1969 → 10th Degree)

Stephen Oliver’s lineage runs through Jhoon Rhee → Allen Steen → Pat Burleson, and later Grand Master Jeff Smith. His rank progression reflects more than five decades of continuous training, teaching, and contribution to the art.

  • 1969 — Began training in Tulsa, Oklahoma, during the “Blood & Guts” era; first instructors were Bob Olinghouse and Gran Moulder (Jhoon Rhee Institute system).
  • 1974 — Began teaching.
  • 1975 — Founded his first school as a teenager.
  • 1978 — Earned 1st Degree Black Belt from Jhoon Rhee, posting one of the highest scores ever recorded on the Jhoon Rhee Black Belt Exam.
  • 1994 — Promoted to 6th Degree by Jhoon Rhee.
  • 2001 — Promoted to 7th Degree by Grand Master Jeff Smith.
  • 8th Degree — Promoted by Jeff Smith.
  • 9th Degree — Promoted by Jeff Smith, Bill Wallace, Pat Burleson, and Joe Corley.
  • April 2026 — Promoted to 10th Degree by Jeff Smith; also recognized by the Uechi-ryu Butokukai — Grandmaster Buzz Durkin and the Senior Council.

Beyond his primary lineage, Stephen has cross-trained across Tae Kwon Do, kickboxing, Goju Ryu, Judo, Kenpo Karate, Escrima, traditional Ko-Budo, modern boxing, and grappling/jujitsu.

School Timeline

  • 1975 — Founded his first martial arts school as a teenager in Tulsa.
  • While at Georgetown — Served as head instructor and branch manager for the Jhoon Rhee Institute in Washington D.C., then the #1 martial arts business organization in the world, working directly under Jhoon Rhee, Nick Cokinos (later EFC chairman), Jeff Smith, and Ned Muffley.
  • August 6, 1983 — Founded Mile High Karate in Lakewood/Denver, Colorado, with $10,000, bringing the Jhoon Rhee system to the Rockies.

Education

  • University of Tulsa — Two years as a University Scholar and National Merit Scholar (full scholarship).
  • Georgetown University — A.B., honors, 1982.
  • Post-Georgetown — Spent 12 months at the Library of Congress and the SBA studying direct-response marketing, management, and sales; studied health-spa and large martial-arts-school sales and management materials on file at the FTC.
  • University of Denver — MBA, 1992 (marketing); served on the Entrepreneurship & Venture Management Board.

Mile High Karate — Growth History

Founded on August 6, 1983, with $10,000, Mile High Karate grew into one of the top five martial arts organizations in the world.

  • 5 schools in 18 months; 6 schools in 30 months.
  • 1985 (age 25) — 2,500+ active students; surpassed $1,000,000 in annual revenue.
  • Late 1980s — Roughly 50 staff, 3,500+ active students, and revenue exceeding $5,000,000/year (current-dollar terms).
  • The top martial arts organization in the region and one of the top five in the world.
  • 1,000+ Black Belts promoted (ages 5–76); tens of thousands of students taught.
  • Grew into an international franchise across the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

Sport-Karate Leadership

  • 1989 — Founded the Mile High Karate Classic, which held NASKA World Tour status from 1989 to 1999 and drew competitors from 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, and Haiti.
  • Served on the NASKA Board of Directors and as national sanctioning director from 1989 to 1999.
  • Produced 110+ intramural tournament events.

Industry Leadership & Publishing

  • EFC (Educational Funding Company) — Served on the Board of Directors from inception through 2001; one of EFC’s first high-profile clients and a national speaker for roughly 20 years.
  • NAPMA — Lead developer of NAPMA Squared (later renamed Maximum Impact), the Inner Circle, and the Peak Performers coaching program.
  • 2007 — Became CEO and Chairman of NAPMA and Publisher of Martial Arts Professional magazine (23,000 professionals); hosted Bootcamps, the Extreme Success Academy, and Quantum Leap events.

Books & Authorship

  • Everything I Wish I Knew When I Was 22: Essential Skills for Martial Arts School Owners
  • The Way of the Mile High Maverick
  • Direct Response Marketing for Martial Arts Schools
  • Extraordinary Teaching (co-authored with Jeff Smith)
  • Six Simple Steps to Add 100 Students (FillYourSchool.com)

He wrote the first book specifically for martial arts schools on internet marketing (1999), has authored seven books total on direct-response marketing and operations, and co-authored a book with Dan Kennedy.

Media & Cover Features

Stephen Oliver has been featured on the covers of Martial Arts Business Magazine, Martial Arts Professional Magazine, The Eagle Express, the EFC All Stars, and others. As a speaker, he has shared the stage with Dan Kennedy, Brian Tracy, Jay Abraham, Tony Robbins, Lee Milteer, Chuck Norris, and former NYC Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, among others.

Awards & Hall of Fame

  • Recognized as the U.S. Martial Arts Association’s #1 multi-school operator and inducted into the U.S. Martial Arts Association Hall of Fame (2000).
  • Ranked among the Top 200 school operators internationally (Andrews International).

Martial Arts Wealth Mastery

Through Martial Arts Wealth Mastery, Stephen Oliver works exclusively with serious martial arts, BJJ, MMA, Muay Thai, and Krav Maga school owners on marketing, enrollment, retention, staff development, pricing and profitability, teaching quality, and growth. The program delivers high-level coaching, peer masterminds, quarterly in-person sessions, monthly problem-solving, and staff training.

The coaching team includes Grand Master Jeff Smith (10th Degree, former World Champion), Chief Master Greg Moody, PhD (8th Degree), Bob Dunne, and other specialists.

Community & Charity

Since 1983, Stephen and Mile High Karate have been the #1 contributing school to Chuck Norris’s Kick Drugs Out of America, support The Children’s Hospital Foundation, and raise $100,000+ per year for local elementary schools through Educational Foundation Outreach and Fostering Leadership.

Philosophy

Stephen Oliver’s core conviction is that great martial arts and great business are inseparable. Profitable schools survive, attract better instructors, serve more families, maintain higher teaching standards, and create more Black Belts. His approach is operator-first: build and test systems in real schools, then teach what actually works.

Proof & Documents

The following verification materials will be linked here as they are digitized and added:

  • Black Belt rank certificates, 1st through 10th Degree — [document to be added]
  • Georgetown University and University of Denver MBA diplomas — [document to be added]
  • U.S. Martial Arts Association Hall of Fame induction (2000) — [document to be added]
  • Magazine cover features (Martial Arts Business, Martial Arts Professional, The Eagle Express, EFC All Stars) — [document to be added]
  • Mile High Karate Classic event programs and NASKA sanctioning records — [document to be added]
  • NAPMA leadership and EFC board documentation — [document to be added]

Frequently Asked Questions

What rank is Stephen Oliver?

Stephen Oliver is a 10th Degree Black Belt — the highest rank in his art — promoted in April 2026 by Grand Master Jeff Smith, and also recognized by the Uechi-ryu Butokukai under Grandmaster Buzz Durkin and the Senior Council.

What is Stephen Oliver’s educational background?

He holds an MBA from the University of Denver (1992, marketing focus) and an A.B. with honors from Georgetown University (1982). He was a National Merit Scholar and University Scholar at the University of Tulsa.

Did Stephen Oliver found NAPMA?

No. Stephen Oliver is the CEO and Chairman of NAPMA (since 2007) and the Publisher of Martial Arts Professional magazine. He is the Founder and CEO of Mile High Karate and Martial Arts Wealth Mastery.

How big did Mile High Karate become?

Mile High Karate grew to 3,500+ active students, roughly 50 staff, and revenue exceeding $5,000,000/year, becoming one of the top five martial arts organizations in the world, with franchises in the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

Who does Stephen Oliver coach today?

Through Martial Arts Wealth Mastery, he works exclusively with serious martial arts, BJJ, MMA, Muay Thai, and Krav Maga school owners on marketing, enrollment, retention, staffing, pricing, teaching quality, and growth.

How many Black Belts has Stephen Oliver promoted?

He has personally promoted more than 1,000 Black Belts ranging in age from 5 to 76, and has taught tens of thousands of students over five-plus decades.

Work With Stephen Oliver

If you own a martial arts school and want to build a more profitable, higher-impact business, book a free consultation to map out your growth plan.