Today we’d like to introduce you to John Wai.
Hi John, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I first opened my academy in 1997 in Plantation, FL. I’ve been training martial arts since I was in my early teens and I decided to open my own academy to share the many benefits of training martial arts. It was my way to giving back. We taught kids starting at age three to adults. I wanted to create a positive atmosphere that was opened to anyone and everyone. I had a prior bad experience at another martial arts school and I’ve learned from that experience. This is what motivated me to build my own academy where we trained martial arts with no drama and no egos. In the beginning, I spent a lot of time teaching and developing my team of Instructors. Having a solid team of Instructors that was well trained provided the foundation of our success. Our team of Instructor train weekly not only in martial arts but in sales, customer service, & social media marketing. Every team member must learn every aspect of running a successful martial arts academy. We started in a small location around 1,300 sq. ft. and our present location is 3,600 sq. ft. with 400+ members. Our programs are Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Kung Fu and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Presently, we teach over 70+ classes in week for in person classes and virtual classes.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Running a business is a roller coaster, you will always have your ups and downs. When you have a good month, you have to take advantage and maximize your efforts. When you have a bad month, you have to work twice as hard to make sure the business runs smoothly. COVID-19 has created a huge challenge for small businesses. Prior to COVID-19, we were having record months in enrollment and sales. COVID-19 changed that and put us in survival mode. It forced my business to pivot weekly to adapt to the changes. Luckily for us, we had a solid team of employees that were fully committed to keeping our academy running successfully. We are not where we were prior to COVID-19 but we have sustained and survived.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My background is in business and marketing and I believe in providing the best customer service experience possible. As a small business owner, we have to leverage our branding and that means we create a positive experience any time our customers interact with us and our brand. Whether it is phone call inquiry, participation in classes or our marketing material, we have to communicate quality and excellence.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Running a business is a marathon and not a sprint. Every business owner needs to be an expert in sales, marketing and customer service. Of course, you have to have a great product or service. You have to be fully committed to building your brand and company. And you have to market!!!! Everyone needs a coach or mentor. Hiring a business coach was one of the best decisions I’ve made.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@jwmartialarts.com
- Website: JohnWaiMartialArts.com
- Instagram: @johnwaimartialarts
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnwaimartialarts
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jwmartialarts
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnWaiMartialArts
Image Credits:
Mariya Wai Photography Group
Alison Frank
