Getting Off the Endless Treadmill to Nowhere

by Master Joseph E. Donnell

This, the 1st issue of “Getting Off the Endless Treadmill to Nowhere” newsletter, is published in co-operation with ChampionsWay Inc. ChampionsWay.com and written by Master Joseph E. Donnelly, a successful martial arts school owner in South Burlington, Vermont, USA.

“Getting Off the Endless Treadmill to Nowhere”

Part 1 (Like running a school the same size for years)

How? If you have a computer then read this article. If you don’t, read this article anyway, and then you might seriously considering getting one. Then reread the article and consider getting MAS – (Martial Arts Standards) school management software. If you are computer phobic, consider renting a teenager and then computerizing your school.

This is not a left-brained article that is logical and intended to win an English essay contest. It is intended to share some of my thoughts with you about what “doing it my way” for a number of years has led me to. Thanks for letting me share them. If you read by skimming then this article may not work for you.

The Value of MAS (1 – 4 of 12)

#1 is the video tutorial - if a problem comes up on how to do something, and then you just click on the video tutorial and watch it until you understand. Manuals are difficult at best - watching a video with picture and sound - anyone can do this easily. The tutorial is expertly done with voice and views of exactly how to do different functions with the actual program screen views. Staff development is almost automatic. My Program Director - wannabe stayed home with his eight year old daughter when she was sick and watched the tutorial. It was that easy!

#2 This was an epiphany for me (a sudden insight) - Monty, who works for MAS, said when I asked him “What do you think the biggest value of the software is?” He said, “Everything EFC www.efconline.com gives you to improve your school requires a system to implement and follow thru on.” I thought to myself, “Bingo”. I don’t know how many times I’ve started some new, buzzy EFC thing that should work and got bogged down in the details and then gave up.

#3 What’s an endless treadmill? That’s when you’re so busy running you don’t have time to develop a system or you have a system that only you understand and its not documented so no one can help you because you can’t get off the treadmill long enough to train them.

#4 The time to get this system going has taken longer than I thought because of the treadmill effect. However, when I entered the first prospect, I didn’t like a couple of things and ways that the software caused me to enter the lead’s info. Then, I thought, Great, it’s happening already - the program is changing/improving my thinking/system and that’s is what I want! Definition of Insanity: if you keep doing the same things over and over again, then you will continue to get the same results you have always gotten.

Part 2 (Like running a school the same size for years)

The Value of MAS (5 - 8 of 12)

5. One of the things I never found time for at the end of the week or month was setting down and adding/counting up the attendance for the school (EFC sais, “Do this-it’s important”). I have excellent student records. School statistics as relate to ABC’s and things like retention just weren’t done consistently. Now with a barcode reader and scanning the cards dutifully and daily, I can ask the computer for all kinds of statistical reports (and so can my staff). Neat!

6. Prospect records - they're everywhere - not really, but some are on 3x5 cards, some on Introductory Registration cards, some are in the computer and some are in my daily notebook/diary. With MAS, I am entering them all into one place using what is generically termed “contact management software” which allows one to manage intelligently a large number of contacts in systematic way. For example, to consistently, and intelligently implement Keith Hafner’s “The Drip System” requires a way to sort, mail, email, print labels and keep contact records for individual records so that a different person working with a prospect will know the last mailing, phone notes or when to call back using the built in scheduler. You can now create a system of mailings for prospects to intelligently educate them until they buy, die or I quote Master Hafner “until they threaten to kill you if you contact them one more time.”

7. How about running part time staff meetings without reports that are accurate-just running them by the seat of your pants. Statistics must be accurate and intelligible to be useful.

8. This is a biggie (it’s called your exit strategy when writing a business plan)! Lets say you might want to sell your school and you don’t have a system with documentation, tutorials on how you do everything. Where are you going to find someone that wants to buy a 60 to 80 hour a week job that requires 20 or 30 years OJT (on the job training) to run? Difficult at best!

Part 3 (One Foot at a Time)

It’s started! I have MAS software, a second computer for staff use, a barcode reader and an embryo staff person, slightly trained (he can do attendance). We have been discovering all kinds of things we need to do - remember; I said I wanted to systemize the school? It’s started according to MAS and it may be straightforward, however, when you’re riding the treadmill - it is not easy to stop long enough to improve the system. It’s the hot foot approach - touch the floor momentarily and right back on the treadmill. I’m feeling dismayed at the size of the task and at the same time I’m heartened that it is started.

I envision three parts to systemizing and growing the school. (1) is Jay Abraham’s three steps: more clients, larger sales and frequency of sales; (2) is systemization (the Bartlinski Factor) with accurate statistics - MAS software and (3) is what I call creative vision or a clear destination of what I want. Before I state that, I want to discuss what I feel is the key for me to creating what I want.

The MAS software, which is the key to systemization, is really encouraging, particularly, the video tutorial which I like much better than “if you need help-press F1 and you get some silly looking icon and a chance to ask 20 questions trying to figure out what it is that you don’t know so you can ask the correct question to get it”.

First, things that hold me back are old habits and the negative influences of others. By the time you reach where I’m at - it’s quite a historical entourage, which could be, shackles or could be mined for gold for the future. I prefer the goldmine approach.

Next, what is my dominant intention? My thoughts are drawn to my dominant intention within any given moment and that is what I am creating. If I give my attention to what I don’t want then that is what I am attracting into my life. For example, if I focus on money, I attract money. If I focus on bills - guess what - I get more bills or conversely, no money. I must keep my balance of thoughts on my dominant intention to move towards it. The speed of attraction is determined by the strength, intensity of my belief and want for it. Belief that I am worthy, capable and want in how greatly I desire it.

How do I strengthen my wanting? By the clarity of my vision and the time spent with a positive balance of thoughts. Clarity comes from writing out my vision and enriching it with aids to maintain it as my dominant intention. Any book on goals will give lots of these aids. Next, I divide the vision up into goals so that I can see progress. Progress is motivation. Clarity comes from spending time with my vision and goals daily.

The order of the above three steps is in reverse to the way I need to proceed. First is vision, next is system and third is growth enabled by accurate feedback (statistics). Treadmills do not go anywhere. They just are. With vision I can go on an exciting journey. Accountability is my companion on my journey and the strength of my belief and want for the vision.

What is my vision? It’s simply to have two hundred active, full tuition paying students that are excited about life and martial arts that are growing, a loyal and dedicated staff and the feeling that we are making a difference in the lives of our students and then in our community. Then, I really want a waiting list (a feeling of abundance) to immediately fill any attrition occurring in the two hundred active students.

In conjunction with this I want a highly profitable (it’s what’s left over at the end of the expenses that is important) school, with two websites and two email newsletters (prospects and students). Along with this goes the freedom to write and travel.

Newsflash! If I had all this in place (the MAS software), adding Stephen Oliver’s Extraordinary Marketing Strategies would be a piece of cake. Alas, I’m not there yet