Owner Spotlights

A Hapkido Master on Teaching for 40 Years and Still Learning the Business

He knew the art cold. The business side took decades, and he has advice for younger owners.

By Dana Whitfield · May 26, 2025 · 7 min read

A Hapkido Master on Teaching for 40 Years and Still Learning the Business

When we started reporting on long term ownership, we expected a niche story. Instead we heard from owners in nearly every style and market who said it reshaped how they run their school.

Cost was less of a barrier than many expected. Most of the improvements came from better habits and tools the school already had, used more intentionally.

Several owners told us the biggest shift was measuring it. Once they could see the numbers each week, small problems became obvious and easy to fix.

Many of the owners we spoke with use platforms like Academy Blast to handle lead follow up, reminders, and online visibility in one place, so the work happens even when the owner is teaching.

As the industry keeps maturing, long term ownership is likely to become a standard part of how well run schools operate. Getting ahead of it now is an advantage.

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