427 | Are We Running the Hardest, Easiest Business There Is?

Podcast Description

Nearly three decades into owning martial arts schools, Duane and Allie keep coming back to the same paradox: Are we running the hardest business or the easiest business?

In this raw and honest episode, they dive deep into both sides of this question. From the emotional weight of student quits and tragic incidents to the incredible fulfillment of watching shy kids become confident leaders, they explore why running a martial arts school can feel like both extremes—sometimes in the same day.

Whether you're a brand-new school owner drowning in overwhelm or a seasoned veteran looking for validation that you're not alone, this episode will resonate. Duane and Allie share their hardest moments (including a heartbreaking story about an instructor who committed murder), their easiest wins (like the former student who became a pediatrician and credited martial arts for his success), and the real shifts that happen when you stop waiting for it to get easier and start building the right systems, team, and culture.

This isn't about complaining or bragging—it's about being honest. Because the truth is, the same things that make this business incredibly hard are often the exact same things that make it incredibly rewarding.

Key Takeaways

1. The Paradox is Real: It's Both the Hardest AND the Easiest Business

After nearly 30 years, Duane keeps coming back to this question: Are we running the hardest business or the easiest business? The honest answer? Both.

The same emotional investment that exhausts you is also what fulfills you. When you pour your heart into students and they quit, it's depressing. When you pour your heart into families who genuinely care and they tell you how much you've impacted them, it's what motivates you to keep going.

The reality: Running a martial arts school is unique because the things that make it incredibly hard are often the exact same things that make it incredibly rewarding.

2. The Hardest Moments Can Be Devastating

Both Duane and Allie have experienced some truly difficult moments:

Duane: An instructor left the studio one night, kidnapped his girlfriend, and by morning had killed his girlfriend, her friend, and then took his own life. Duane thought he would lose everything. He had to bring in a social worker to help students process the trauma.

Allie: A 45-year-old student passed away on the floor during a sword class from a "widow maker" heart attack. There was nothing anyone could have done—it was a hidden defect.

Allie: Had to kick out 12 students who formed a toxic "coup" in his school, constantly talking negatively and creating drama. When he finally removed them, the entire lobby erupted in applause—he had no idea how toxic they were to the good families.

Other hard moments include:

Quitting your day job and facing financial stress

Kicking out a student (or parent) for the first time

Dealing with problem parents who don't align with your values

Asking yourself daily: "Why am I still doing this?"

3. The Easiest Moments Make It All Worth It

On the flip side, there are moments that remind you why you got into this business:

The perfect class where everyone is engaged, high energy, and everything just clicks

Student breakthroughs like the shy kid who finally speaks up or the struggling student who nails the technique

Parent testimonials that bring tears to your eyes

Former students who come back years later to say thank you

Allie's story: A former student who quit at blue belt around age 12-13 walked back into the school as a pediatrician and said, "You changed my life. I used a lot of what you taught me to become a doctor, and I still use it every day."

Allie's other story: An autistic student named Caleb who used to run out of class, lay on his back, scream, and put his feet on the wall. After three years,