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  1. #1
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    Default Running A Home Dojo....

    I would like to hear some input on this...
    Jason Chambers
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    Tatsujin Photography & Design

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jason Chambers View Post
    I would like to hear some input on this...
    Incorporate as an LLC-lease space to the LLC. This is to protect your home in the event of legal action.

    Provide, if possible, a space completely separate from your living space-don't use a room in your house. My dojo's in my barn.

    Don't teach kids.
    Aaron J. Cuffee


    As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.
    - H.L. Mencken

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  4. #3
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    Personally, I wouldn't do it. Even with an LLC I wouldn't want to take a chance on losing everything due to a lawsuit. Even with a LLC your teaching on your property.
    Also, I'm very strict on separating my hobbies and activities away from my home and family. When I'm home my time is theirs.
    Tony Urena

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  6. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by TonyU View Post
    Personally, I wouldn't do it. Even with an LLC I wouldn't want to take a chance on losing everything due to a lawsuit. Even with a LLC your teaching on your property.
    Also, I'm very strict on separating my hobbies and activities away from my home and family. When I'm home my time is theirs.
    Kind of depends on where you are, and how you conduct your business-the barn's at another end of the property, and the LLC rents it from me-this, along with insurance and the standard "quit-claim," pretty much makes my personal assets free of any liability. Someone might be able to go after me personally for some sort of negligence in my instruction, but the best protection against that is not to be....

    A lot of people-a lot of really top-notch people-do this......I'm just "a lot of people," not necessarily "top-notch."
    Aaron J. Cuffee


    As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.
    - H.L. Mencken

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  8. #5
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    Good advice elder!

    I know at least one guy that runs his school as a "private club" instead of a "for profit" school. He says its much harder to successfully sue him for inuries should they occur and easier to keep out people he does not want to train.
    Last edited by cxt; 28th February 2015 at 19:59.
    Chris Thomas

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  10. #6
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    Is there a rider of some sort that one can add to a homeowner's insurance policy, that would cover liability stuff, such as slip-and-fall, etc? That's one of the things I'd want to consider too, if starting a home dojo.
    Cady Goldfield

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    Quote Originally Posted by cxt View Post
    Good advice elder!

    I know at least one guy that runs his school as a "private club" instead of a "for profit" school. He says its much harder to successfully sue him for inuries should they occur and easier to keep out people he does not want to train.
    I keep people out that I don't want to train by contracting for training to a certain point-white belt to green is one contract, and green to brown is another, as is brown to black, though, by the time they get to that last one, I've usually been pretty certain I wanted them to stay around-the few that have made it, anyway.....on the other hand, more than once, I've come to the "green belt contract" or the "brown belt contract" and said, "You know, I don't want to teach you anymore. You should find another place to train, 'cause there's no place here for you."

    just sayin': Contracts. Not all bad at all, in this day and age.Had an asshole cop actually try to sue me, back in the 90's when I was just starting to teach-wasn't gonna happen....

    And, oh yeah-I don't advertise at all-you come to me, you've been or asked around some. Don't even have brochures or cards, these days....I retire and go commercial, that might change until I can't do this anymore, but in the meantime, I like to stay....particular.

    It may be my barn, but it's still home, after all.
    Aaron J. Cuffee


    As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.
    - H.L. Mencken

  12. #8
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    Default Home Dojo

    Forget about it,
    Unless you have a 5th Degree Black Belt in what you're teaching, you're looking for a headache. You need to focus on a teaching certificate for the Judo or Jiu Jitsu.
    There are two types of schools, The first is the school with a teacher that can hand out promotion to a certain Belt via association with a Judo, Aikido, or Jiu Jitsu school. This requires permission and licensing like a franchise.
    The other school is for an introduction into self-defense as personal protection. You can teach at a local Community College and teach introduction to Jiu Jitsu for adult education and you can pay the Community College some money for using their facility as a school.
    You can also go to a University or a local gym and teach there.
    You need a simple course structure to teach basic competence to your students. If your students are competent and well taught, you did your best to teach.
    Write a lesson plan on what your students should learn, before you start teaching classes.

  13. #9
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    Living in Illiniostan I would never do this.
    Ed Boyd

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  15. #10
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    I've done something like this...

    One of my classes right now is in someone else's home yoga studio, the other is in someone else's home dojo. The important thing is to make sure you break even. Other than that, in many ways it's preferable to room rental (which is the other thing I've done for a number of years), because you have more control over the space.

    However, you have to know your location will NOT bring people in by itself. People don't get jazzed about home dojo locations like they do storefront type places. You need to always be putting yourself out there to meet interested people in order to replace the people that leave by attrition too, because you will not have advertising via just being there, the way you would in a more public spot. I have a tight knit, very dedicated group in both of my classes, one has had the same group of people for 4 or 5 years, and still eventually people move away from town, etc..so plan for it.

    Understand though, running a big, commercial program from home probably ain't happening, for a number of reasons, but IME you can definitely have successful tight-knit training groups, provided you already have people that you know are dedicated enough to show up.

    As to insurance, basic insurance can be had for like 4-500$ per year. I don't carry it for my classes, I just have a very good liability waiver. I did carry it when I rented public space as they required it.

    BTW, I am actually married to an attorney who is normally very cautious, and she felt the waiver (well written) was enough, I can her ask her more detail if anyone is interested.
    Zachariah Zinn

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