![\"Everything](\"\/go\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Everything-I-Wish-I-Knew-When-I-Was-22-cover.jpg\")
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A note about this book:<\/strong> Everything I Wish I Knew When I Was 22<\/em> was originally written in 1999<\/strong> (the print editions are © 2001–2008), and it is republished here in full, as written. Some references \u2014 prices, technology, NAPMA-era details \u2014 reflect that time. The lessons don’t. The About the Author section below has been updated to 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n by Stephen Oliver, MBA<\/strong> \u201c I enjoyed your book, All the Things I Wish I Knew When I was 22<\/em>, especially the part about firing students and staff. At least now I know I am not alone when, no matter what I do, I cannot please everybody. All the books you have authored I have looked over, and they all seem very informative and relevant. There are several new concepts that I have not seen before, as well as many that I have seen, but need to see over and over again anyway. Thank you for providing all your information.”<\/p>\n \u2014 Glenn Finke, Traditional Karate-Do Center, www.warwickkarate.com<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201c Your genius is the ability to see things from a perspective that virtually no one else does. Your combination of an MBA and 20 years pioneering ideas for professional martial arts instructors is a valuable treasure for school owners such as myself. School owners have a choice of either spending 20 years in the process or trial and error coming up with new ideas, all the while wasting precious time and energy, plus thousands of dollars, or they can get the \u201cCliff Notes\u201d to success, which are your All the Things I Wish I Knew When I was 22<\/em> section of Extraordinary Marketing. That’s a starting point to standing on the shoulders of your wisdom!\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 Chris Rappold, Personal Best Karate (3 locations), Norton, MA<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201c Stephen I have to say that I would have paid the fee just for your All the Things I Wish I Knew When I <\/em> was 22.<\/em> It was absolutely brilliant, and really forced me to think about my own set-up in the UK. I sat there reading it thinking, \u201cThis is me\u201d! Many of the problems you highlighted I am currently dealing with myself, and your views were certainly a balanced and well thought-out comment on my current situation. Keep up the good work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 Stephen Cowley, Steve Cowley\u2019s Martial Arts Academy, High Wycombe, Bucks, United Kingdom<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201d I do want to thank you for marketing such an extraordinary package of materials. \u2018Awesome\u2019 is the only word I can use to describe your package at such a low cost. I have had an academy (six days a week) open for the last twelve years, and before that, worked for one of my instructors for about six years in his five schools. The reason that I say low cost (and you know what I am talking about), is that we have paid out thousands of dollars over the years for business ideas and teaching ideas! The little book All the Things I Wish I Knew When I was 22<\/em> was worth the cost of your program. Anyway, it has been the shot in the arm that we needed, and we thank you for the dose of medicine. Thanks for your program. Keep the faith, and keep plugging\u2014\u201cif you never give up, never quit and you never surrender, you will never fail. May the Lord God Almighty continue to bless and keep you and you family always, amen.”<\/p>\n \u2014 Gordon Dixon, Tupelo Martial Arts Academy, Shannon, MS<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201d Our currency (Rand) is very weak in comparison to the Dollar. You can multiply the price by eighgt to have an idea what I paid for the product! I am still very happy that I had bought the program! Although we are worlds apart, the similarity of our markets is absolutely scary! I am currently reading through All the Things I Wish I Knew When I was 22<\/em> for a second time, and really enjoy your aproach. I am (was) a technical fighter and teacher all my life, and only loved Karate-do. I am now rapidly changing to become a marketer, seller, business person, etc. It had been an eye-opening experience to read the material you had sent. I am eagerly awaiting to apply nearly every single suggestion in the program. The similarity in our markets are really amazing! Although we are continents apart! I enjoyed the line, “I have not found even a single advantage into entering my students into the external tournaments”. I am currently working through all the material and will have my web site, etc., in place for the beginning of our academic year, which is January. I will keep you posted!\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 Soon Pretorius, Karate Academy of South Africa, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201c Well, I have to admit\u2014this is one of the first times I have read something from the many people who try to tell us how to run a school where the advice is obviously coming from someone who has. We have been running a small group of successful schools for almost 25 years, and after that kind of experience, it is easier to tell the good advice from the bad.”<\/p>\n \u2014 Doug Adamson<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cSo often in this industry we\u2019re told that you have to do things a certain way in order to be a successful studio owner. Yet, a lot of what Oliver says flies in the face of the status quo. I like that, and I appreciate the fact that he shares his experiences so candidly here. With all the \u2018experts\u2019 who are now offering books, coaching, and seminars on martial arts business management, you could do much worse than to have Stephen Oliver giving you advice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 Mike Massie, Author, Small Dojo Big Profits<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Lloyd Irvin \u2014 who has himself helped hundreds of BJJ and MMA school owners build six- and seven-figure academies \u2014 read this book while in Brazil to compete, and said it \u201ckicked his butt\u201d and illuminated many mistakes and misdirections in the industry.<\/p>\n \u2014 As recounted in the Author\u2019s Note; Lloyd Irvin, BJJ\/MMA coaching legend<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cWorking with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee\u2014don\u2019t miss that opportunity.\u201d \u201cIf you\u2019re waiting for anything, don\u2019t wait. Do it now.\u201d This is version four of an on-going work that has been, and, continues to be, included as a part of the Extraordinary Marketing Program (along with Using the Internet to Market Your Martial Arts School, Direct Response Marketing for Martial Arts Schools, One Idea Worth $500,000<\/em> and other resources and tools).<\/p>\n I have included this book in the start-up package for NAPMA Maximum Impact members for several reasons. First, the feedback that I\u2019ve received from the hundred of school owners who have read it has been overwhelm- ingly positive, and in some cases, \u201clife-changing.\u201d One customer\u2014Lloyd Irvin\u2014said that as he read this while in Brazil to compete, that it \u201ckicked his butt,\u201d and illuminated his many mistakes and misdirection in the industry. Second, certain sections have been VERY controversial in certain segments of our industry. I will not discontinue in our future interactions my \u201cTell it Like It Is\u2013Politically Incorrect Approach.\u201d Be WARNED: my intent is not to offend you or anyone else, but, I plan in the future to continue pointing out MYTHS and Misdirections that have perpetuated themselves throughout our industry. Third, I feel even to those of use who have learned these les- sons through the \u201cschool of hard knocks,\u201d they bear reviewing and repeating, since many of us get seduced into repeating the mistakes of the past\u2014or, even worse, discontinuing successes of the past.<\/p>\n Stephen Oliver, MBA, is a 10th-Degree Black Belt and the founder and CEO of Martial Arts Wealth Mastery<\/strong>. He began martial arts training in 1969 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at a branch school of the Jhoon Rhee Institute, and opened his first school in 1975. He later moved to Washington, D.C. to work for the Jhoon Rhee Institute \u2014 first as an instructor, then as their youngest-ever branch manager \u2014 while earning an honors degree in Economics at Georgetown University.<\/p>\n In 1983 he moved to Denver and opened five Mile High Karate schools in 18 months with only $10,000 in capital. He earned his MBA from the University of Denver in 1992, served on NASKA’s Board of Directors from 1989–1999, and was a founding member of EFC’s Board of Directors. As CEO of NAPMA (the National Association of Professional Martial Artists) and publisher of Martial Arts Professional<\/em> magazine, he spent decades teaching school owners the business systems behind profitable, professional schools \u2014 including this book, originally written when those lessons were fresh scars rather than history.<\/p>\n Today, Stephen coaches martial arts school, BJJ academy, MMA and Muay Thai gym owners through Martial Arts Wealth Mastery alongside Grandmaster Jeff Smith, Bob Dunne, and Greg Moody, PhD \u2014 personally leading weekly Zoom meetings and regular live meetings for a mastermind of owner-operators who built and run very successful schools. He is the author of seven books, including The Way of the Mile High Maverick<\/em>, and his members’ documented results include schools growing from $16,000 to $59,000 a month in six months and a 2,400-square-foot academy producing a $1.3 million year. See the case-study library<\/a> and client results<\/a>.<\/p>\n When you first become self-employed there are often a series of fallacies that creep into your thinking without even being recognized or questioned. The following is far from an exhaustive set of these fallacies \u2014 but, clearly some of the major ones. To those of you who have been self-employed for some period of time \u2014 I apologize for belaboring what may appear obvious to you from your experience.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a joke. Once you become truly selfemployed, the first indication may be that queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach that is your payroll, home payment and lease payment all coming due at the same time. My first time \u2014 to the best of my recall \u2014 was when suddenly I had $35,000+ due at the beginning of the month with about $4,000 on hand five days before. I dare you to put in your 40 hours when you are trying make payroll and insure that the lease is paid on time.<\/p>\n The reality, of course, is that as they transition from employee to business owner then to employer, most small business owners find that they go from a relatively fixed time schedule, guaranteed income and the ability to \u201cturn-off\u201d their work when they leave the office, to 100 hour weeks, getting paid last, if at all, and being mentally \u201con\u201d 24 hours per day, seven days per week.<\/p>\n 2: \u0007Adding employees means I have to do less myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n A great quote, which I\u2019m afraid I can\u2019t remember where I got it from, is \u201cAlways inspect what you expect. That\u2019s the way you get respect.\u201d Obviously, one person cannot do everything, and the only route to growth is adding additional people.<\/p>\n That being said, sometimes the added value of the person is outweighed by the amount of supervision required to insure that individual\u2019s productivity and contribution.<\/p>\n results than an employee. B.\tWithout aligned purposes and proper supervision \u2014 any employee (with rare exceptions) will ultimately detract from rather than add to the quality of your operation.<\/p>\n 3: \u0007I\u2019ll build up my business then have an asset to sell. <\/strong><\/p>\n Sorry about the wakeup call \u2014 but who are you going to sell it to? I\u2019ve been approached to buy schools and seen desperate owners try to sell their businesses. You know the reality is you can only sell a karate school to a karate instructor \u2014 and that usually that means a Black Belt or employee in your school.<\/p>\n If you are lucky enough to find one with a \u201cburning desire\u201d and a huge nest egg, more power to you. More likely, when you decide to move on, you may be able to slowly turn the school over to an employee with a monthly payout. However don\u2019t be surprised if they can\u2019t run it as well as you do. And, what looked like a good deal for you changes rapidly when their finances are on the ropes and they are on the verge of eviction. I\u2019ve accomplished this successfully, as have several of my friends \u2014 we\u2019ll review this more later \u2014 but it\u2019s really harder than it may seem to be at first.<\/p>\n 4: The staff will run the show.<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019ll just stop in and make the deposits and keep my own training high. First, see point #2 above, then realize that running a school profitably is difficult enough. A poorly-trained volunteer or poorlypaid staff is highly unlikely to keep things running at a level to support your lifestyle and to keep the school running at a high level. If they are running it really well, then their compensation and lifestyle better reflect their skill set pretty quickly, or they just may end up doing extremely well \u2014 across the street from you!<\/p>\n 5: \u0007Now that I own the place\u2026I\u2019ll teach the stuff that I enjoy.<\/strong><\/p>\n Whoops \u2014 another reality check. The person who writes the checks is ultimately in charge. Wait: That\u2019s not you. The customer writes the check. Do what you enjoy and risk not finding anyone who wants to write the check. Ultimately, you must figure out what your market wants and give it to them. If you don\u2019t, someone else will. You just love the newest hard-core martial arts trend? Great \u2014 train to your heart\u2019s content on your own time, but be really careful not to skip giving your customers what they want.<\/p>\n 6: I\u2019m my own boss.<\/strong><\/p>\n Interesting concept. Try explaining it to the IRS, your landlord, the city and county government, to the parents of your students, and, ultimately, to your many creditors and clients. As an employee, life is a little easier on a daily basis \u2014 you can look at your supervisor and take directions. As the owner, you have so many people trying to tell you what to do, that it\u2019s difficult to decide who to listen to first.<\/p>\n 7: \u0007I can hire someone to \u201ctake care of the business side\u201d of the school while I do the stuff I like \u2014 the teaching.<\/strong><\/p>\n This one will get you in trouble in a big hurry. You\u2019d better figure out every aspect of your school operation. Once you delegate an aspect, you still remain responsible.<\/p>\n As the owner you\u2019d best develop a pretty good working knowledge of teaching, marketing, promotions, and advertising, sales, accounting, legal issues, staff hiring, staff training, human relations \u2014 and even basic repairs and maintenance.<\/p>\n Since you bought this program, I well understand that I am doing the proverbial \u201cPreaching to the Choir.\u201d<\/p>\n Quick Read: \u201cSelf Made In America,\u201d by John McCormick<\/strong> But the reality is, that most martial arts school owners might really thrive working as instructors for someone else, unless they are really ready to do what YOU are already doing. Unless they are learning about marketing, understanding sales and really getting ready to be truly entrepreneurial, they really shouldn\u2019t be self-employed \u2014 they will never thrive as an independent business owner.<\/p>\n 8: \u0007Once I\u2019ve delegated a task\u2013 I don\u2019t have to worry about it anymore.<\/strong><\/p>\n There are two different ways to hand off a task as the owner. A.\t Delegation: Passing on responsibility for a task.<\/p>\n Your role in this is to:<\/p>\n 1. Clearly define the task to be completely, with outcomes that define the successful completion; 2.\t Provide training on key processes for the completion of the task. 3.\t Involve the employee in defining the action plan for the accomplishment of the objective; 4. \t Define benchmarks and timetables; 5. \t Supervise at pre-defined intervals; 6. \t Provide support and coaching during the process; 7. \t Reward, train or punish for performance results. Unfortunately, as the above implies, just because you have delegated a task and made an employee \u201cresponsible,\u201d does not mean that any of your own responsibility has been diminished.<\/p>\n Successful owners and managers are defined by their ability to train and support staff, and by their abilities to delegate tasks without losing track of the time-line or training needs. B. \t Abdication: Handing off a task, then forgetting about it.<\/p>\n Many owners that I\u2019ve met try this approach, especially with those tasks that they either don\u2019t understand or don\u2019t particularly enjoy.<\/p>\n Abdication of any IMPORTANT task is a sure and swift route to failure. Only you can be responsible for your success.<\/p>\n Years ago, at the recommendation of my friend Tom Callos, I read a book for which I have since gained increasing respect. The book is called The E-Myth<\/em> by a gentleman of the name of Michael Gerber. Since I first read his book, I\u2019ve had several opportunities to hear him speak, and have met him in San Francisco. His book describes the martial arts \u201cindustry\u201d perfectly.<\/p>\n He says that most small businesses in the United States were founded by a technician (read: Black Belt or Instructor), who one day had an \u201cEntrepreneurial Seizure,\u201d and for some mysterious reason became convinced that they should be self-employed.<\/p>\n The ensuing reality is that the area that person was excellent in (in our industry, that is often martial athletics, or sometimes teaching) becomes a small part of their job. They now also have to understand and be good at marketing, sales, accounting, negotiations, legal issues and even facilities maintenance.<\/p>\n Most of these suddenly-independent business owners quickly find that they have to work a LOT harder than before for a substantially smaller amount of money, doing many activities for which they may, in fact, be poorly suited.<\/p>\n In fact, a majority of small businesses in the U.S. are \u201cwalking dead,\u201d struggling along with very little progress, working the owner into an early grave, and returning little in the way of financial rewards.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t think that it would be an exaggeration to say that martial arts school owners are often at the bottom of the heap when it comes to this pattern.<\/p>\n Quick Read: \u201cThe E-Myth,\u201d by Michael Gerber<\/strong><\/p>\n Let\u2019s start with a few basic definitions:<\/strong><\/p>\n Revenue or Gross Revenue:<\/strong> <\/em>How much total cash comes through your business on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis.<\/p>\n Income or Net Income:<\/strong> How much you have available to you personally after ALL of the regular business expenses have been paid.<\/p>\n Wealth:<\/strong> <\/em>How much in REAL assets you have accumulated. This includes: Equity in real estate, stocks and bonds, cash on hand and other truly valuable assets.<\/p>\n Lifestyle:<\/strong> The quality of your life now. This includes factors such as leisure time, travel, where you live, the quality of the furnishings, what you drive and how much real enjoyment you get our of life.<\/p>\n Now lets talk about reality. School owners love to brag about three things:<\/p>\n It\u2019s really interesting to watch. Get ten school owners together and watch them talk about themselves \u2014 and let the lying begin. Student active counts<\/em> are the most exaggerated number of them all. With that being said, all of these numbers give you a small piece of the picture of their school and their business, but really none of them individually are of much interest to me.<\/p>\n Example 1:<\/em> I have on close friend. His claim to fame was 1,000 students. But guess what? He was grossing in the range of $35,000 per month (scary huh?), and had a huge rent, payroll and other expense numbers. Many of these students were not really very solid \u2014 they just kind of came when they pleased and got rolled into the active count for show. My friend worked 8 a.m.\u201310 p.m.<\/p>\n daily and weekends, and had a huge renewal and retail push on Thanksgiving Day.<\/p>\n Example 2:<\/em> Another friend told me he had 450 active. Most were kickboxing students on punchcards. They attended sporadically, and as long as they came in at least monthly, they were considered an active student. He grossed about $7,500 per month in an 8,000-square-foot facility.<\/p>\n Example 3:<\/em> I walked into a very small school owned by an acquaintance. Asked what the active count was \u2014 he said they had enrolled 1,400. When I asked for clarification, that turned out to be the number of enrollments that the school had done in the 12 years it had been open. I asked how many ACTIVE students they have, the owner replied that they had 450 students \u201con programs.\u201d Upon further questioning, I learned that meant anyone who\u2019s program had not expired (i.e.: I signed them to Black Belt three years ago; they paid in full; dropped out two months later; and have one year to go before their program \u201cexpires) counted. I then asked how many were actively attending. They had no idea!<\/p>\n Example 4:<\/em> A very successful friend, with multiple schools and several locations grossing $35,000 to $40,000 each, and I compared financials. In five schools I grossed what he did in three, HOWEVER, my average rent was $2,700 \u2014 his was $6,500. My average school had two full-time employees and two part-time. His average school had five full-time employees. Well the bottom line was \u2014 my bottom line was really good. He had to put $45,000 into his operation to keep it operating smoothly.<\/p>\n Example 5:<\/em> A friend runs a nice little, but somewhat mundane, operation. His gross is always OKAY \u2014 not spectacular. His school only enrolls about eight new students per month, and his curriculum, frankly, bores me. However, he built his own building several years ago and started making double payments. He owns it outright now. That is: No rent, no mortgage payment and LOTS of equity. His nice little school runs at close to 50% net. Enough for a new Mercedes every couple of years, a few really nice vacations, and he really likes $300 shoes, so he buys them whenever he wants \u2014 and, don\u2019t forget the net-worth he has built!.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t let impressive numbers or an impressive facility fool you.<\/p>\n You know what I\u2019d like to hear about? 1.\u2002 What\u2019s the quality of your lifestyle?<\/strong> Do you enjoy life? Are you doing what you enjoy? Do you take time for hobbies, travel, family and entertainment? If you don\u2019t have time for these things because of your incredibly long hours, then, really, what good is the money? It\u2019s easy to get caught up in working and striving for more and more money, but money is only good for two things:<\/p>\n First, insuring that you can do and have the things you want RIGHT NOW. Are you able to afford those \u201ctoys\u201d that are important to you? Do you refrain from spending money on things that won\u2019t contribute substantially to the quality of your life. Do you have expensive STUFF to impress others, or because you appreciate them personally?<\/p>\n Second, so that you can build security for your future \u2014 and I don\u2019t necessarily just mean for your retirement. What if your school has a downturn (remember all kinds of unexpected things can happen)? Are you financially strong enough to weather the storm? What if one of your kids has unexpected medical expenses, or if you have a medical emergency?<\/p>\n 2.\u2002 What\u2019s your NET Income? <\/strong>How much money do you have left over from your business after EVERYONE ELSE gets paid? If your expenses are in line and your gross is adequate or excellent, you could have 15%, 25% or maybe even 45% or 50% left over. Do $30,000 per month with $15,000 left over, and I\u2019ll think you are incredible. Do $180,000 per month with $3,000 left over \u2014 well nothing personal, but who cares?<\/p>\n 3.\u2002 How much Net Worth have you built, and how much do you save?<\/strong> Do you have equity in your home? Equity in the building that houses your school? How\u2019s your IRA, savings, and investments? Does your SCHWAB account grow every month, or are you living week to week? Forget about the guy who boasts a huge student base \u2014 I want to be like a friend of mine who bought the building that houses his school, and ended up owning the whole city block, with positive cash-flow from rental income and huge equity. Not very glamorous in the \u201cbragging rights\u201d pool at the next karate tournament or business convention, but hey, he paid HIMSELF first!<\/p>\n 4.\u2002 How much have you learned this week, month and year?<\/strong> If you are constantly learning, you will always be about to recover from setbacks as well as capitalize on new opportunities.<\/p>\n Stuff:<\/strong> Your day-to-day lifestyle expenses must really be determined by what is really going to add enjoyment to your life, relative to the costs.<\/p>\n A Personal Example<\/strong> Many years ago, many friends and employees laughed at me (remember when they laugh, it\u2019s your money not theirs). Why did they laugh? Well, once a year, I would hold a Christmas party at my house \u2014 which is huge, beautiful, in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the Denver metro area and has tremendous views overlooking the city. At the same time, on a day-to-day basis, I drove an Audi 4000, which was at about 150,000 miles (I finally traded it when it failed the emissions inspection, got damaged by hail and needed more repairs than it was worth). During this period, my house appreciated over $300,000, and my car basically went from the $20,000 I paid for it new to a value of $0.<\/p>\n Often, we are tempted to buy things based upon the image we hope to project to friends, neighbors, business associates and others.<\/p>\n If you really want that expensive toy because it enhances your enjoyment on a day-by-day basis, then by all means, get it and enjoy it. Just decide, on a daily basis, not because of the \u201cimage\u201d you hope to project, or because of an attempt to impress your friends.<\/p>\n Remember, about the only thing that you can buy for yourself that has any real value after you buy it is your home.<\/p>\n Everything else, with very few exceptions, begins to depreciate or have minimal value right after you\u2019ve spent the money.<\/p>\n Cars: <\/strong>NEVER buy one new. Guess what happens\u2013the minute you drive it off the lot? It loses at least 20 to 25% of it\u2019s value. Want to have fun with your car? What\u2019s the difference between brand new and a couple of years old, and 10,000\u201320,000 or even 30,000 miles? I\u2019ll tell you the difference on a Jaguar I bought recently: about $20,000!<\/p>\n Furniture:<\/strong> Just try selling that $2,000 or $3,000 sofa or table. Guess what? You might just be able to get 10% of what you paid.<\/p>\n Art and Jewelry:<\/strong> People fool themselves into thinking that these items have value. Certainly if you are a serious investor, if you buy at wholesale and have access to quality channels of resale, then you might come out okay on some of these things. The reality is, almost any ring, watch or painting you buy is going to immediately have close to zero value.<\/p>\n Electronics, computers, stereos, etc.: <\/strong>Here again, buy what you will truly enjoy, but plan on these items having no value once you have purchased them.<\/p>\n When you start reviewing your assets and computing your net worth, your real estate, stocks, bonds and other assets have real investment value. Home furnishings, art and jewelry probably have only utilitarian or sentimental value once you\u2019ve left the store. Cars begin to depreciate the minute you drive off the lot. Remember this when deciding on that new luxury car or whether to invest in a nicer home.<\/p>\n A book that should be required reading is The Millionaire Next Door<\/em>. This book teaches some great lessons in wealth accumulation.<\/p>\n Quick Read: \u201cThe Millionaire Next Door\u201d, by Dr. Thomas Stanley<\/strong> Quick Read: \u201cFinancial Self- Defense,\u201d by Charles Givens<\/strong><\/p>\n Ireally think that rule number one in deciding what you are going to do and how your business is going to unfold, is to figure out what you really love to do.<\/p>\n If you really love to teach on a daily basis, then you probably never want to open multiple locations.<\/p>\n If you really enjoy training, you may want to consider something else as a career, then slot your leisure time for your martial arts training.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve seen many schools begin because a Black Belt just really loved to compete or to train. That\u2019s a bad basis for beginning a school that requires teaching, marketing, accounting and a host of other skills and time commitments.<\/p>\n Quick Read: \u201cPeak Performers,\u201d by Charles Garfield<\/strong><\/p>\n Just assume that anything that you need to buy, paying a monthly payment on or owe is negotiable. Clearly, some things are more difficult to negotiate than others, but ultimately, just about anything can be negotiated.<\/p>\n Example:<\/em> Did you sign a five- or ten-year lease when you opened \u2014 perhaps with stars in your eyes? It looked like the greatest thing ever. Suddenly a couple of years later, the payment begins to look like the national debt.<\/p>\n Well, start by taking a look at your situation from the other side of the table.<\/p>\n Does your owner have a full center and a waiting list to get in at 20% more than you are paying? In that case, it might be real easy to sublet, or just be excused from your lease, so that the owner can shift to a \u201cmore substantial\u201d client with an even higher lease payment.<\/p>\n If you were in that owner\u2019s place, wouldn\u2019t you be in a huge hurry to release a tenant at a lower rate and then re-lease to a higher paying tenant ,and possibly even to a national credit tenant?<\/p>\n Discuss the situation with the owner or a realtor. Look for alternative space that is either smaller or leases at a lower amount per foot, or both. Sometimes it\u2019s also possible to move within the same center to a smaller space, or to a less desirable space. Either way, this lowers your monthly outlay.<\/p>\n Or, are you really about the only substantial tenant in a shopping center that looks like it\u2019s about to be condemned? That\u2019s a perfect opportunity to renegotiate your lease. Why? Well, what happens if you go out of business or just walk on the lease? First, the owner has to go looking for another tenant. If he already has vacancies, he\u2019s been doing that without a lot of luck already hasn\u2019t he? Once he finds a new tenant then he has to pay realtor a commission, possibly pay for tenant finish, maybe provide some free rent, and definitely wait another two to six months to start collecting rents until the new tenant opens.<\/p>\n You may have to be pretty tough in the negotiations in this case. Your owner may already be operating on a negative cash basis. You really have to make sure he believes that you are either: A.\t On the brink of insolvency, or that without a break, you won\u2019t stay in business much longer, or; B.\t That you are ready to \u201cwalk away\u201d from the lease and that you are really unconcerned about his possible legal remedies. Both of these examples are obviously extreme, but they give you the idea. If you want to pay your landlord $500 less per month for three years, that adds up to $18,000. What\u2019s it going to cost him to re-lease the space. Figure out the downtime, realtor fees, tenant finish and free rent the owner will have to incur. Also, figure out what your real market rental should be \u2014 if you are paying over the market that\u2019s a negotiating point in your favor. But, it would be one reason the owner may fight to keep you in your lease rather than putting the space on the market.<\/p>\n As an aside: You are much better off in dealing with your lease if you are NOT personally signed on the lease, and don\u2019t have a lot of assets in the corporation that runs your school. More on this later.<\/p>\n Another example:<\/em> Let\u2019s say you spent $10,000 with your local television station, radio station or newspaper. The ads ran \u2014 and not too unusually, the phones didn\u2019t ring. Rather than the flood of calls you expected, you get four calls and two enrollments. Then the bill shows up. What do you do?<\/p>\n Well you can do several things: \u2022 \u2002\t Just pay the bill, take your lumps and walk away; \u2022 \u2002\t Sit down with the ad rep, his supervisor and anyone else you can get in front of, and explain you dilemma. Explain that $25 per call would be great. $50 per call, okay, Maybe you could even live with $100 per call. \u2022 \u2002\t Offer to either pay your maximum: $50 per call on what you\u2019ve already run, or; \u2022\u2002 \tExplain that you\u2019d be happy if they kept running the commercials. They can even tweak the ad and the run times until you are up to 100 to 200 calls (walk them through what you will do to keep excellent track of the results). If they refuse the options above either: \u2022\u2002 \tSend them the check for $100 per call with an endorsement that spells out that in depositing the check, the invoice amount is paid in full; \u2022\u2002 \tPut the bill in your drawer. Six or eight months later when their collections people call, explain the situation and offer to settle for the amount previously offered. Example Number Three:<\/em> The sales rep for your local newspaper shows up and practically guarantees that the ads in his\/her newspaper will be the greatest thing ever for your business. \u2022\u2002 \tExplain to the sales rep that if what he explains turns out to be true, then you\u2019ll both be overjoyed \u2014 but ask what guarantee do they offer? \u2022\u2002 \tExplain that you are willing to pay $50 per call \u2014 no more. You may be able to negotiate one of several things:<\/p>\n First<\/strong>: To pay per-inquiry, rather than just buying space.<\/p>\n
10th-Degree Black Belt · Founder, Mile High Karate
Founder & CEO, Martial Arts Wealth Mastery
Former CEO, National Association of Professional Martial Artists (NAPMA)<\/p>\nThe One Book That Will Open Your Mind Fully to What Is Possible as a Martial Arts Entrepreneur<\/h3>\n
The reason why so many aspiring and highly successful martial arts school owners sing the praise of Stephen Oliver is that he has always been ready to share all the strategies, techniques and methods that he has implemented to create an amazing example of what is possible as a martial arts entrepreneur.<\/h3>\n
Many of those he has coached, guided and influenced tell the same story: \u201cI was astounded when Stephen gave me total access to his business\u2019 systems, manuals, documents and marketing materials\u2014and then allowed me to make copies!\u201d<\/h3>\n
Once you know Stephen Oliver and study what he has written and said, you\u2019ll discover one of his primary secrets of success in this industry: you don\u2019t have to re-invent the wheel. He and others have already invented it and if you follow those same systems and processes, then you are virtually guaranteed to duplicate their success\u2014for your school, your students and your family.<\/h3>\n
Everything I Wish I Knew When I Was 22 is your opportunity to sit in Stephen Oliver\u2019s office and read and copy what he has learned and what he knows will work for you\u2014when you take action.<\/h3>\n
What Readers Say<\/h2>\n
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Contents<\/h2>\n
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\u2014 Hai Nguyen, Elite MMA, Houston, Texas<\/span><\/p>\n
\u2014 Master Delfino Candia, America\u2019s Best Karate Center, El Paso, Texas<\/span><\/p>\nAuthor’s Note<\/h2>\n
About the Author (updated 2026)<\/span><\/h2>\n
Chapter 1: The Great Fallacies When You Start Your Business<\/h2>\n
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Chapter 2: The E-Myth<\/h2>\n
Chapter 3: Wealth vs. Lifestyle<\/h2>\n
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Chapter 4: First Figure Out What You LOVE<\/h2>\n
Chapter 5: Everything is Negotiable<\/h2>\n