I work in the motor industry as with all company's my company is moving production to Asia & Eastern EU Europe. With this in mind Iam looking at moving into teaching full time. Is there anybody within MAP aiki forum already doing this, if so does Aikido provide a living wage or am I trying to live a dream that will not work.
Shaun, Good luck with your venture should you decide to give it a go mate. I'd likewise love to teach full time but geographical constraints together with the financial implications of buying/renting a suitable building for a dojo just make the leap too big for me. I think Kiaiki would be the better person to chat too, I know he's associated with an organisation which is a 'full time' entity. Regards
I'd like to be teaching right now, never mind teach full time. Although that particular pipe dream is still calling. However you decide to go about things you should get intouch with organisations like Business Link
Have a look at www.shudokan.info Ken Robson was a senior Sensei under Eddie Stratton in the Shudokan organisation. We had a few clubs and were as amateurish as any other MA org. Ken took the helm after Edie died and took the radical step of deciding to make MA his full time profession. He has a lot of personal 'cred' to back this up but has adopted a methodology which may work for you. He has established full time dojos with FT instructors, not only in Aikido but in other MA's and has franchised his business system to others. The key is price and quality. His dojo is not cheap but is comparable with a private gym, so knuckelheads tend not to pop up as students. As a former marketing director I always remember the marketing mix of : product, place, price and promotion - get these right and you have a successful business. Are you an exceptional instructor with good business sense? Can you find a large enough population of keen MA students, willing to pay the price you need to charge? If so, get on the radio, get in the paper, use leaflets and demos and GET GOING! Even a 1st Dan can make a living, but the more 'cred' you have to sell the better - YOU are the product, in the end. Personally, I have written permission to set up Shudokan clubs, but I don't want to kill my enjoyment by mixing business and pleasure. It may, however, be right for you! Suck it and see...... Ken is very approachable and you can email him via the website.
