Here are some of our most common questions that we are asked by visitors and current members. If you can't find the answer to your specific question, contact us and we'd be happy to help. We want you to have an experience that goes beyond member satisfaction, we aim for member delight!

Q: What is MASOU?

A: Masouonline.com is the first site of its kind dedicated solely to the business starting, owning, and growing a successful martial arts business. We focus on the four cornerstones of a successful martial arts business: Marketing, Business Management, Faculty/Staff, and Customer Service. Each cornerstone includes systems for success that come together to form your own unique experience for your students, families, and school.

As school owners ourselves, we know that the business of martial arts can be incredibly challenging. One must balance the love of martial arts with the hundreds of details required to run a successful school. It is a very personal business -- martial arts school ownership -- one size does not fit all.

We have the privilege of consulting with aspiring, new, and long time school owners from around the world. We get to experience firsthand the ups and downs of starting, growing, adapting, changing, and succeeding in the business. As a member of our site you'll get to know us personally. We are real, down to earth, people who deal with ups and downs and worries, yet with all of the non-glamorous side of things - we still hold on to our dreams. We're here to support you because we know it's never worth giving up on your dream.

We are committed to sharing our hundreds of years of combined knowledge about owning, operating, and growing a school available to as many people as possible around the world. That's one of the reasons we decided to create a membership site. Our reach is greater with the technology available to us through the state of the art software that our site runs on.

Masouonline is a membership site for you to keep the passion for martial arts alive as you grow your business, guaranteed. We offer resources, articles, live monthly tele-seminars, customizable forms, interviews, monthly Q & A sessions, and more to help you with the ins and outs of running a dance studio

Q: How much does it cost to become a member of Masouonline.com?

A:Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

Q: I'm not from the United States, can I still become a member?

A: Yes, definitely! Our members are from countries all over the world including, the United States, Canada, Australia, Mexico, United Kingdom, Ireland, and beyond. You can select your country when registering as a new member.

Q: I'm already an experienced school owner, are all the members just getting started?

A: Our members include both new and experienced school owners. We have soon-to-be and aspiring school owners in the planning stages too. We also have many experienced school with incredibly successful businesses that are continually looking to stay inspired, stay on the cutting edge, and network with one another. There are a variety of experts in marketing, business management and school ownership included in our member base, as well as our world class Board of Directors.

Q: I'm not a school owner yet, I'm still in the planning stages, can I be a member?

A: Absolutely! This is probably the BEST place for you to be if you are still in planning mode because you can fast-forward your success and learn from years of experience. Our members include both new and experienced school owners. We have soon-to-be and aspiring school owners in the planning stages too. We also have many experienced owners with incredibly successful businesses who are continually looking to stay inspired, stay on the cutting edge, and network with one another. There are a variety of experts in marketing, business management and school ownership included in our member base.

Q: What do I need to open a martial arts school?

A: This is one of the most popular questions we get asked, or some variation of this!

Here's the honest truth. If you are thinking about opening a school because you think it would be easy we're here to let you know that you're thinking about the wrong business! But, it can be a very rewarding and successful business to own and operate if done in a way that incorporates the four cornerstones of a successful martial arts business: marketing, business management, faculty and staff, and customer service.

We also know that school owners are a passionate, artistic, creative, sensitive, thoughtful, resourceful, and energetic group of people. If you have a strong vision and purpose for your school business and a willingness to be coached, grow, and learn you will most likely be very successful.

It's probably going to take longer than you thought to get your school business off the ground. And it will probably cost you money than you planned! And no, on top of all of that, there are no consistent industry standards that require a certification to own and operate a martial arts school.

What you can count on from us is that we uphold high standards of business integrity, professionalism on every level, and most of all ethical business practices. We are here to provide a comprehensive resource to help you accelerate your success.

Q: How much does it cost to start a martial arts school?

A: This is another popular question that does not have an easy answer. So much of the cost associated with your school relates to your geographic area. Will you rent or own the building for your studio? Are you in an urban, suburban, or rural area? What are the demographics like? Is the population growing or shrinking in your area?

The cost of starting a school and build out also vary greatly. There are many choices for flooring, mirrors, sound equipment, waiting room furniture, computers, office equipment, software and more. Have you created a marketing plan and set aside money for that budget?

As you can see there are a lot of variables to take into consideration. This is just a partial list! Doing your research is going to be key in setting yourself up for success.

Q: When did the Masouonline.com.com site start?

A: October 2010

Q: What's the mission of MASOU?

A: We are advocates for martial arts school owners. It's our goal to support, encourage, and provide a valuable resource for school owners around the world. You are the source of joy for so many and we know that the business can be challenging. Remember, you don't have to be in business by yourself to be in business for yourself.

Q: How often do you add new content?

A: We add new content in the form of articles, interviews, downloads, business systems and more every month. The discussion forum is updated daily with posts and our forum moderators and contributors visit the site on average at least once a day, every day. Other than major holidays, our site is always being refreshed with new content. The added bonus is that you have full access to the hundreds of cumulative content on the site at any time.