How to Start Your BJJ Academy: Key Tips for Success

Starting one’s own academy is many Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners’ biggest dream, from the seasoned competitor to the dedicated hobbyist – heck, even the gung-ho white belt.  Being able to make a career out of your passion… well, that would be like winning the lottery ticket to life. It’s actually probably a little more attainable than actually winning the lottery, but I digress.

Whether you’re in a position to start your academy as a side business – in addition to your own job – or you’re looking to jump in feet first and make an entirely new career change, launching a BJJ academy is an exciting endeavor.. but it requires careful planning and consideration.

Here, I discuss some key considerations to ensure that your future academy is a success from the beginning:

Understand Your Motivation

Before diving into the logistics of starting a BJJ academy, it's crucial to understand your motivation. Understanding your personal reasons for starting an academy will guide your decisions and commitment throughout the process. A few questions to ask yourself are:

• Are you driven by a desire to teach and mentor others?
• Do you see a gap in the quality of instruction in the other academies in the area?
• Do you think you bring something “new” to the scene?
• Are you looking to make a profit or are you content breaking even?
• Do you want to have a competition team, a big kid’s program, a room full of hobbyists, or all of the above?  

Develop a Business Plan

A BJJ academy is a business (even if you’re not money motivated, you still need to pay the bills). Like any business venture, your academy will require a well-thought-out business plan. There are a ton of business plan templates out there, but here are a few things to keep in mind, specifically for a jiu-jitsu academy:

• Location: You’ll want to choose your location wisely. For one, you’ll need to find a place that has sufficient space for training mats, changing rooms, showers, a reception, and an area for parents and spectators. You also what to make sure that your academy is in an area there will likely be plenty of potential students, but isn’t so close to another jiu-jitsu academy that you’re competing for the same population of students.
• Target Market: Define your target market. Do you want to have more adults, children, beginners, or competitors? Do you want to attract people who will be more into self-defense, sport jiu-jitsu, or MMA? Your target market will have some influence on where you decide to put your academy.
• Financial Planning: Starting your academy is going to cost money… and believe me, it will be more than you think, when all is said and done. Make sure you account for any and all startup costs, including rent, mats, insurance, marketing expenses, and instructor salaries, to name but a few. You should also estimate ongoing expenses and revenue projections to ensure financial sustainability.
• Legal Considerations: Research local regulations and obtain necessary licenses and permits. You might also want to consider liability insurance to protect both your academy and your students. Some places may even require you to do so.

If You Build It, They Will Come 

Well, sort of. You’re still going to have to put some work in, especially if you want it to be successful. In fact, starting an academy is the easy part; maintaining it is where the magic happens… or doesn’t. Here are some critical elements of a great academy: 

• Hire Strong Coaches: The success of a BJJ academy often hinges on the quality of its instructors and staff. If you're the head instructor, ensure you have sufficient teaching experience and credentials. If you’re not, hire a black belt or upper belt that you know and trust to lead by example. Build your roster of coaches and assistant coaches, focusing on individuals who will add something to your community or programming. Additionally, maintain high teaching standards and ensure good communication with each and every one of them.
• Create a Welcoming Environment: A positive and inclusive atmosphere is crucial for retaining students and fostering a strong community within your academy. Emphasize respect, camaraderie, and discipline in your academy's culture. Ensure clear communication channels with students and parents regarding class schedules (and especially schedule changes), fees, and expectations.
• Have a Clear Curriculum: Not all academies have a set curriculum – some just allow their instructors to teach whatever, and others have a general theme for the week – but consider developing something that allows for your students to achieve a well-rounded progression through the various techniques and positions. Balance technical instruction with drills, rolling, warm-up and even games. If you can, offer classes at different skill levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced) to accommodate varying experience levels among students. 

Leverage Your Marketing

These days, having some sort of marketing plan is crucial. Gone are the days in which you can rely just on word-of-mouth. It’s still an important – and powerful – way to attract new students, but you need to do more:

• Have an Online Presence: Create a professional website with your class schedules, instructor bios, and contact information. Utilize social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube… TikTok if you’re really hip) to showcase classes, student achievements, and academy events.
• Local Outreach: Build partnerships with local gyms (especially fitness gyms in which you might find active people who might be interested in cross-training), schools (a good source for building your kid’s program), and community centers. Offer free introductory classes to attract potential students.
• Referral Programs: As I mentioned, word-of-mouth recommendations are still powerful. New students are more likely to try a class when their cousin, sister, brother, or neighbor does it. Consider implementing referral incentives for current students who bring in new members.

Starting a BJJ academy requires passion, dedication, and strategic planning. By focusing on understanding your motivation, developing a solid business plan, building a strong team, creating a welcoming environment, designing a comprehensive curriculum, and implementing effective marketing strategies, you can lay a strong foundation for success.

Most importantly, as your BJJ academy gains momentum, stay adaptable and open to feedback from students and instructors. Being able to constantly evolve with your student body and the trends within the greater jiu-jitsu community will allow you to sustain that success for decades to come.