Summary

In this episode of the Business of Jujitsu Podcast, host JP Levesque talks with Andrew Green from Innovative Martial Arts in Winnipeg about the basics of running a successful kids' jiu jitsu program. They discuss the importance of marketing, community events, the impact of martial arts on children, and strategies for growing a kids' program.

Andrew shares insights on staff training, age group separation, and the role of the head instructor. They also explore the benefits of birthday parties as a marketing tool and the significance of summer camps and events in maintaining engagement.

Takeaways

• Andrew Green emphasizes the importance of community events in promoting martial arts programs.
• The kids' program at Innovative Martial Arts has grown to nearly 300 members, primarily children.
• Andrew believes that martial arts can have a significant impact on children, more so than on adults.
• Staff training and having the right temperament are crucial for running a successful kids' program.
• Separating age groups is essential to cater to different developmental stages.
• The head instructor should be visible but not necessarily teach all kids' classes.
• Birthday parties are an effective marketing tool, bringing in new leads and creating memorable experiences.
• Summer camps offer unique opportunities to engage children during school breaks.
• Andrew shares that a pre-registration period is vital for launching new classes successfully.
• Events and community presence are key to maintaining visibility and attracting new members.

Chapters

00:00:01 Introduction and Background

00:00:46 Growth and Community Engagement

00:01:53 Staff Training and Program Structure

00:04:33 Age Group Separation and Class Management

00:08:05 Marketing Strategies and Events

00:17:08 Summer Camps and Seasonal Engagement

00:25:36 Birthday Parties as a Marketing Tool

00:38:27 Community Events and Visibility

About my guest:

The Kids Jiu-Jitsu Playbook is a community for Jiu-Jitsu school owners, managers, and coaches who want their kids programs to run smoother, retain better, and be easier to manage.

This group is focused specifically on kids classes. How to keep them engaged, how to structure classes that work, how to train coaches, and how to grow kids programs without adding chaos or burnout.

Inside the group you will find hands-on coaching tips and training, internal and external marketing ideas, class games and drills, and proven systems that help improve retention, class flow, and parent satisfaction.

Here's some of what's inside:

• Discussion forum with other experienced kids coaches

• Class Games Library with games that use and develop jiu-jitsu skills

• Coach development manuals

• White label Newsletters you can fully customize to your school in minutes

• Internal marketing and retention events to get more kids and have them stay longer

• How to run the best Birthday party in your city

If you're interested in joining Andrew's community here is a link to check it out.

Link: https://www.skool.com/kids-jiu-jitsu-playbook

In this episode of the Business of Jiu Jitsu podcast, JP Levesque discusses strategies for opening a new jiu jitsu academy with a focus on becoming cashflow positive from day one. He emphasizes the importance of pre-selling memberships, having a solid business plan, and differentiating your academy in a competitive market. JP shares insights on pricing, marketing, and creating a strong student journey to ensure growth and sustainability.

Takeaways

• Open cashflow positive by pre-selling memberships.
• Avoid relying solely on being a great coach; have a business plan.
• Differentiate your academy to stand out in a competitive market.
• Pricing should reflect value and support business sustainability.
• Pre-sell at least 25 memberships to start strong.
• Aim for 10 new students per month to grow steadily.
• Use marketing and offers to attract and retain students.
• Create a strong student journey to ensure retention.
• Invest in a good online presence and management software.
• Ads work if executed with a solid strategy.

Chapters:

• 00:00:01 Introduction and Topic Overview
• 00:00:29 The Importance of Pre-Selling Memberships
• 00:00:58 Differentiating Your Academy
• 00:01:56 Pricing and Financial Planning
• 00:03:16 Creating a Strong Student Journey
• 00:06:39 Marketing and Offers
• 00:18:08 Ad Strategies and Offers
• 00:27:31 Building a Sustainable Business

If you enjoyed the episode and want to see what getting help to grow your academy looks like head on over to https://growjitsu.com/request-a-demo

It's a free call that will help you figure out the next steps in growing your academy, there's no pressure, only clarity and direction for your academy's future growth.

Summary

In this episode, JP Levesque discusses the four buckets of growth essential for jujitsu academies, emphasizing the importance of generating leads, effective onboarding, long-term student retention, and the role of staff in business success. He provides actionable insights and strategies for academy owners to implement systems that ensure growth and sustainability in their businesses.

Takeaways

The four buckets of growth are essential for business success.

New leads must be funneled into onboarding and retention.

Effective onboarding is crucial for new students' success.

Long-term engagement strategies are necessary for student retention.

Staff motivation and alignment with business goals are vital.

Creating systems for lead generation can control business growth.

Regular check-ins with students can enhance retention.

Engagement activities can keep students motivated beyond belt promotions.

Understanding staff roles can prevent operational issues.

Continuous improvement and adaptation are key to business growth.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Four Buckets of Growth

02:53 Understanding the First Bucket: New Leads and Students

05:52 Onboarding New Students Effectively

09:05 Long-Term Student Retention Strategies

11:55 The Importance of Staff in Business Growth

15:11 Conclusion and Future Directions

In this episode of the Business of Jiu Jitsu podcast, I break down a full month-by-month marketing and operations plan for your academy in 2026.

If you ever feel like you’re just reacting to whatever’s in front of you, this gives you a clear structure to follow. I walk through what to focus on in each month, from pricing reviews and onboarding in January, to marketing kickoffs in February, to retention plays and system building over the summer, and all the way to end-of-year promotions in December.

You’ll also hear ideas for running kids camps, holiday offers, belt promotion timing, and how to keep students engaged year-round. Whether you're brand new or trying to clean up what you’ve already built, this gives you a clear and repeatable plan to grow your gym without burning out.

PS. If you're looking for help growing your academy head on over to www.Growjitsu.com - I've got free resources as well as paid help, thanks for listneing.

In this episode, I walk through what it really takes to grow a Jiu Jitsu academy — and why lead generation should never be the first step.

We cover how to tighten up your retention, onboarding, and sales process before you worry about running ads or chasing new leads. I also talk through simple but effective ways to build trust during trials, communicate better with your students, and use basic tools (like Google Sheets) to track what matters.

If you’ve been stuck in overthinking or spinning your wheels trying to grow, this one lays out a clear, practical path forward.

If you're a Jiu Jitsu Gym owner looking for a little help to grow their business grab a copy of my free book 'The Unstuck Academy' here: https://growjitsu.com/book

In this episode of the Business of Jiu Jitsu podcast, I break down a layered approach to building and growing your Jiu Jitsu academy, from setting your big picture goals all the way down to the small plays that actually move the needle. Whether you're just getting started or trying to fix a gym that's already running, this episode walks you through the exact framework I use when helping academy owners clean up their systems and grow.

We go over how to do a simple “traffic light” assessment of your gym, how to build structure around retention, onboarding, and lead flow, and how to engage your current students without needing a huge marketing budget. I also share some easy-to-execute ideas like monthly attendance shoutouts, Google review habits, rewards systems, and how to know when you're ready to scale. If you're feeling stuck or overwhelmed, this episode will give you a real game plan to work from.Head on over to https://growjitsu.com/book to download a free copy of my book 'The Unstuck Academy'.

Spoilers, yes you should run a Black Friday special at your Jiu Jitsu Academy...

But there is both a right way and a wrong way to do this.

This episode breaks down what actually makes a good offer, not just for Black Friday, but year-round.

I talk about:
– Why you should always have some kind of offer running

– What makes a promo actually valuable (without giving discounts)

– What to do for current members during the holidays
– When to turn paid ads back on in the new year
– And yeah… the uncomfortable truth about price increases and cutting discounts

Short episode, straight to the point.

PS. If you want some help growing your Jiu Jitsu Gym or Academy I've got jus the thing for you.

Head on over to https://growjitsu.com/book to download a free copy of my book 'The Unstuck Academy'.

In this episode, JP Levesque discusses the critical role of pricing strategy in maintaining a sustainable business. He emphasizes the need for business owners to evaluate their pricing in relation to their operational costs and the potential impact on student retention. The discussion highlights the balance between affordability for customers and the necessity for businesses to ensure their long-term viability through appropriate pricing adjustments.

Takeaways

If your prices are too low, you're breakeven.

Raising prices can significantly increase revenue.

Consider the impact of price changes on student retention.

It's important to balance affordability with business needs.

Long-term sustainability requires regular price evaluations.

Evaluate your roster to predict who might leave after a price increase.

Shit is expensive; businesses need to adapt pricing accordingly.

Pricing strategies should reflect the realities of operational costs.

Don't price people out of your service; find a balance.

Regularly assess your pricing to ensure business longevity.

If you want to learn more about how I help academy owners grow their business without becoming Mc Dojos head on over to www.GrowJitsu.com and book a demo.

PS. There's also a free Ebook I wrote to help academy owners grow their business - https://growjitsu.com/book

In this conversation, Zach Forrest emphasizes the critical role of regular check-ins with clients in a gym setting. He discusses the importance of understanding clients' frustrations and excitements, particularly for new members. By fostering open communication and feedback, trainers can adapt their approach to better meet clients' needs and enhance their overall experience. This ongoing dialogue is essential for building strong client relationships and ensuring satisfaction in their training journey.

If you don't have a good member management software to ruin your gym on check out - https://www.pushpress.com/

They have a free tier, they aren't paying me to pitch this, I just believe in the team and the product to the point it's a no brainer to recommend having personally used it in my gym too.

If you are looking to get a little more direction on growing your Jiu Jitsu Gym/Academy head on over to www.growjitsu.com/book and download my free book called 'The unstuck academy' to start seeing growth again in your gym.

In this episode of The Business of Jiu Jitsu Podcast, JP Levesque breaks down the realities of opening a Jiu Jitsu academy in today’s saturated market.

He shares why “just being a good coach” isn’t enough anymore, and why having a marketing budget is no longer optional if you want to grow.

From Meta ads to Google search, JP explains how to think about paid marketing, how to budget for it, and why your dream gym won’t survive if no one knows it exists.

While I did talk about ads the majority of the episode is about the underlying systems you need to have in place BEFORE you consider running paid ads.

This one’s a must-listen if you’re launching an academy or struggling to get new students through the door.

If you own a Jiu Jitsu academy and you want help adding new students, keeping them longer, and building a lasting legacy working with GrowJitsu might be right for you so check out the link below to book a live demo with me.

https://growjitsu.com/request-a-demoAs always, no pressure, no stress, just answers and direction, heres the link to book: