Turbo Leadership Systems^™

Create a legacy as you help others grow

Jody, supervisor for a Northwest commercial painting contractor, told Session 4 of Turbo’s Leadership Development Lab:

“It was 1988 and I had been invited to referee a martial arts tournament. After the tournament, a friend of mine that I had competed with many times over the past 10 years in kickboxing competitions, wanted to talk to me about opening a martial arts studio. Since we knew each other’s style, philosophy and core values, I thought we had a good shot at success.

“We leased a small building which held about 60 students and opened our first studio, Black Belt Studios, in Manassas, Virginia. After a year, our enrollment had grown to over 150 students that ranged in age from 6 years old to an 80-year old. We held self-defense classes for women, and we enjoyed teaching police officers the art of self-defense and how to effectively use their pr-24 baton.

“About 18 years ago, after many years and thousands of students, I reluctantly decided to sell my partner my interest in our firm and retired from the martial arts business. My students got together to give me a going away party and my last black belt with the name of our studio inscribed on it. I have many black belts in different types of Tae Kwon Do. They don’t come easy and I am proud of them all. The black belt I am most proud of is my Black Belt Studios going away belt. To this day I still get emails and once in a while I get a call from former students who were in my class over 20 years ago. Some of them have even started their own schools. Others just want to keep in touch. It isn’t the achievement of the b lack belt or the success of the school that I take the most

pride in, it is earning the respect, gratitude and loyalty of so many people both young and old that gives me a strong sense of achievement.

“The lesson I learned from this experience is that when I take calculated risks that are backed up with skill, experience and a supportive partner, I can make my life count by making a meaningful different in many people’s lives. The action I call you to take is leverage your successes and strengths by training others. You don’t need to open a school to be a teacher. Treat everyone in your life with respect and teach those who want to learn from you the skills you have learned from years of practical experience. The benefit you will gain when you respectfully train others is a sense of selfworth and personal purpose.”

Due to the success of SWCA’s Leadership Development Lab, is sponsoring a fourth open enrollment Leadership Development Lab in Clark County and a second LDL in Beaverton in NOW! For more info, call us at (503) 625-1867.

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