Aikido Instructors Journal #2

Attention New Members!

Don’t want to wait to get Package 2? Just send AIO an email stating that you

would like to be a “Fast Track Member” and we will send out your Package 2

immediately for an additional charge of $50.

Package 1

Dojo Tour: Rick Stickles, Shihan of Aikido Schools of

NJ welcomes AIO Members to tour his beautiful dojo.

Your Questions Answered: How to maintain retention

and attract new students during a questionable econ-

omy.

Powerful Press Releases: Learn how press releases

can provide free and community friendly advertising for

your dojo and charitable events.

Does your Signage Describe your Service?: Learn

how and why simple changes to your dojo sign can

maximize your exposure and draw in new students.

Improving Telephone Skills to Maximize Dojo

Growth: Telephone conversations are the first step to

welcoming a new student to aikido. It is an opportunity

to gather information about the caller’s needs and to

direct them in a structured way towards visiting your

dojo or enrolling in an introductory program.

Children’s Program: Classroom Management Strate-

gies: Positive reinforcers and logical consequences are

discussed to aid instructors in managing children’s

classes while maximizing learning. Drills & Games:

Learn new drills & games in each AIO Package to help

maximize learning in a fun-filled environment.

Giving Back: Marketing Your Dojo through Charitable

Events.

AIO Package Contents

Package 2

Found on AIO Member’s Webpage:

Found on AIO Member’s Package

Disc 1:

Found on AIO Member’s Webpage:

Dojo Tour : Bob Mason, Shidoin and dojocho of Aikido

of Dallas, welcomes AIO Members to tour his beautiful

dojo.

Your Questions Answered: “I am confused. How do

I calculate my attrition and retention rate? I think I keep

somewhere around 7 out of 10 new students, but I am

not sure. Can you help?” AIO explains how to calcu-

late student attrition and retention rates and why keep-

ing monthly statistics is so important to the health of

your dojo.

Found on AIO Member’s Package

Disc 2:

Remember to keep your eyes open

for Andy’s email sales tips. The next

email tip is scheduled to arrive in

April!

The One Card Your Dojo Cannot Live Without:

Learn how to generate new student referrals through

dojo gift cards! Sample cards supplied in AIO Package

2.

Are Your Students Missing in Action?: AIO takes the

stress out of implementing a successful missing stu-

dent contact program by explaining simple ways to

keep your students on track and training. Sample

missing student cards provided within AIO Package 2.

Children’s Program Material: Classroom Manage-

ment: Creating excitement through disguising repetition

is critical to a successful children’s program. AIO gives

you numerous examples on how to keep your students

learning and loving aikido class! Drills & Games:

Learn two new drills/games to add to your Children’s

curriculum that will get your kids pumped up!

Are you an “Asker” or a “Teller”?: Increase your

telephone sales skills and schedule more new student

introductory lessons and/or visits to the dojo by asking

the right questions! Telephone scripts for adult and

child prospective students explained in detail in AIO

Package 2.

Before creating Aikido Instructors Organization, I

spent several years working with many instructors and dojo owners on ways to improve the business side of their dojo. The typical questions ranged from market-ing to management. One question, however, came up time and time again: “What one thing did you do to turn your dojo around?”

If creating a successful dojo was easy, everyone would do it. If it took only one good marketing idea, a billing company and training space, then we would see far more full time aikido instructors and far less very tal-ented dojocho forced to close their schools. I wish I could say that one change is all it takes to grow the dojo. Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet. I com-pletely understand the desire to have a quick and easy solution. I remember like it was yesterday having more bills than students and no idea how I was going to pay the rent. Years later and fortunately, with far more students, it is clear to me that it takes an open mind, a positive attitude, a strong desire combined with an equally strong effort, and continuing education on how to implement new ideas that truly makes a dojo thrive. Now believe it or not, I have heard some say, “What? Are you serious? That sounds like too much work!” I even remember one aikido instructor telling me: “I opened a dojo so I wouldn’t have to work!” Now, you are probably not shocked to hear that the dojo mentioned above went out of business less than five years after it opened.

Now, for the good news, if you have the desire and the discipline then these positive changes are not difficult to make. I am a true believer that with the right sup-port and material, any dojo can reach their business goals, whatever they may be. In today’s martial arts market, and given the current economic state, it is im-perative to set obtainable goals for your dojo and take action to meet them. The days of one big expensive yellow page advertisement that produced results are over. Instead we need to expand our aikido community across federation or affiliation lines and join together to grow our knowledge on how to run a dojo. We need to share our experiences, failures, and successes so that collectively we can grow and spread aikido to a wider population. I wish I had this type of support when I de-

cided to turn my dojo around years ago, and this was my intent when I formed AIO; to have a com-munity of people who want to put effort into making their dojos as successful as possible, and under-standing that to do this requires more than just teaching aikido.

Many dojocho and instructors recognize the impor-tance of continuing their aikido training long after they first open their dojo. Most good aikido stu-dents and instructors will make time to attend classes with other instructors or attend training seminars in order to keep up with their own aikido practice. This training does not only benefit them-selves, but also every one of the students that train with them. However, many dojo owners do not

allot the same amount of time to work on the business side of the dojo. Having a successful dojo re-quires much more than just being a great aikidoist.

One easy way to improve the dojo is to designate a window of time each week towards researching and read-ing various material that centers around sales, marketing, and reten-tion for your business. AIO members do not have far to look for this infor-mation. Every AIO package is full of new ideas and systems that are cus-tomized for the aikido dojo. Good instructors without a second thought, will spend time and money to improve their waza and to provide the very best instruction for their stu-dents. Why is it that we do not apply that same formula to the professional-

ism and business of our dojo? After all, don’t we want the very best experience for our students on and off the mat at our schools? I have seen first-hand that by scheduling time into your week to-wards implementing new business strategies, not only will it grow your dojo, but it will also grow and strengthen the art of aikido.

So if I had to give one answer to the question, “What one thing did you do to turn your dojo around?” I would have to say that I became a stu-dent again. Only this time I was not learning how to teach aikido. Instead I was learning how to best run a dojo so that I could spread aikido to a larger population of students.

““Having a

successful dojo

requires much

more than just

being a great

aikidoka.”

Aikido Instructors Journal March/April 2009 www.aikidoinstructors.com 3

The Magic Bullet By Skip Chapman

4

Salvatore Sensei, originally from New Jersey, started his training at the New Jersey

School of Self-Defense with Robert Danza Sensei. In April of 1987, Salvatore Sen-

sei was approved for a one year uchi-deshi term and moved to Japan to study under

Saito Sensei in Iwama. Twelve years later, and at the encouragement of Saito Sensei

and his sempai, Salvatore Sensei returned to the United States to share the knowl-

edge and the instruction that he had been given during his time in Japan. In Janu-

ary of 2000, Savlatore Sensei took over as dojocho of the Aikido Co-op of Reno,

thereafter changing the name to Aikido of Reno.

By Ted BantaBy Ted Banta

MaintainingMaintaining

the the

BalanceBalance

Vince SalvatoreVince Salvatore

AI Journal: Salvatore Sensei, thank you very

much for your time today. I appreciate the op-

portunity to speak with you, and it is especially

nice as I was also born and raised in New Jersey.

AIO's intention and objective is to discuss the

success of your dojo and your intentions, plans,

and strategies for your dojo's future. Would you

mind please telling us about your history with

aikido, and how you found your way to Iwama,

Japan and then back to the states again?

Vince Salvatore Sensei: My uncle was a black

belt in aikido so, when I was eight years old, I

saw a demonstration they were giving in south-

ern New Jersey. I became interested at that time

with the flowing movements seen in aikido. The

students were doing randori and flying around.

I really liked the whole energy that went along

with aikido. So that is when I was first exposed

to aikido. I also had three cousins around the

same age as me and they all trained in aikido. I

wanted to train as well, but the dojo was too far

for my parents to drive, so I didn‟t start training

until I was 18 when I had my own transporta-

tion. At that time, I started under Robert Danza

Sensei and I also trained under Richard and

Kathy Crane Senseis. In addition, I also used to

go up and train with Rick Stickles Sensei in Elisa-

beth as much as I could. One day I came upon

Saito Sensei‟s series of books and I started doing

some research about aikido. I was at a time in

my life when I wanted to really experience ai-

kido at a deeper level. When I found out there

was an uchi-deshi program in Japan, I sold every-

thing I owned, stopped my career and moved

over there. I trained for 12 years as an uchi-deshi

and soto-deshi at Iwama under Saito Sensei. People

from all over would come out to Iwama to train

with Saito Sensei, so I became friendly with people

from all over the world. In 1999, I came back over

to the states. I went to Los Angeles, Reno and then

back to New Jersey. I taught several seminars in

Reno and at that time their current chief instructor

was moving back east. The students who were

running the dojo cooperatively were looking for a

bit of a new direction. My wife and I liked the

area, so we decided to relocate.

AI Journal: How many years have you been train-

ing in aikido?

Salvatore Sensei: Something like 27 years.

AI Journal: And when you took over as dojocho in

Reno, how was the transition for you and the dojo?

Salvatore Sensei: Well, I was living in Japan for a

good amount of time, and I really had to assimilate

into the culture. Then when I came back to the

states, I had to assimilate back into the culture here.

That was the hardest thing for me. Many things

required an adjustment for me. Even the reasons

that people practice aikido are a bit different in Ja-

pan compared to the states, so I had to really re-

think things and look at teaching a bit differently.

That shift was a challenge.

AI Journal: What were the some of the differences

that you noticed? You mentioned that the practice

and motivation of the practice was different be-

tween the cultures. Do you mind elaborating?

Salvatore Sensei: Iwama dojo is a special place.

The Aiki Jinja, or shrine, is just across the street

5

“We cannot spread aikido and the beautiful “We cannot spread aikido and the beautiful

principles that it has if we are unable to principles that it has if we are unable to

keep our dojos open.”keep our dojos open.”

Aikido Instructors Journal March/April 2009 www.aikidoinstructors.com

which is inspiring. The way of training in Japan at the

Iwama dojo is a harder kind of training. Iwama in it-

self is a special place because a lot of people who came

to Iwama were already teachers. The Iwama Dojo

would also get local beginners as well that would train

there, but primarily it was higher ranked people from

all over Europe, the States, Canada, and South Amer-

ica. These individuals were very committed to training

and it showed in their practice. In the states, in a regu-

lar dojo you have sempai and higher ranked people,

but primarily you are trying to bring in new students.

The motivations of a new student, the way they look at

the art, and how you present the art are all going to be

different. This change in perspective from my time at

Iwama to teaching in Reno was something that I really

had to approach with an open mind. Many times I had

to sit and think, “Ok, how do I do this?”

AI Journal: And when you came back to the states,

how did you perseve the training of the people back

here?

Salvatore Sensei: When I first came back, I was basi-

cally hypnotized when I was over in Japan so I had to

go through the cleansing period (laughing)...just kid-

ding around. I thought the training in the United States

was good, and in some ways I thought the level was

higher here because students travel a lot more and

train with a lot of different teachers. For Japan, I think

the fundamentals are really stressed as important.

When you train there, you have a solid base in the

basic movements, but of course that was my teacher‟s

big focus. Saito Sensei‟s goal was to really teach the

basics that he learned from O Sensei.

AI Journal: For the business itself, the Aikido Co-Op

of Reno transitioned into Aikido of Reno. Did the

training facility also involve a transition?

Salvatore Sensei: In the beginning, we were training

in a space and it wasn‟t conveniently located. It was

downtown, but it was in a high crime area. It was

hard to maintain the dojo because of the graffiti and

other factors. I just didn‟t see a future for the dojo

staying in that location. We needed a bigger place.

When I first moved to Reno I was lucky to meet a mu-

tual friend of one of the students. He became a busi-

ness mentor for me and he helped me write a business

plan for the dojo. That experience was really educa-

tional and it made me redefine what my aikido was

about. Similar to when I first came over to the states

and had to get re-acclimated to living in the states, for

the business plan, I had to really think about what my

intentions were in owning a dojo. What did I want to

accomplish. What I realized was that I am not here to

show a particular style of aikido, or how great a

teacher I am, or about aikido‟s lineage or its philoso-

phy...which, of course, I do anyway. I am primarily

here to help people. When I came to the realization

that the dojo is here to help people in the community,

then the dojo became more successful and everything

else fell in line.

About the building, I was very lucky because I had a

few people helping me along with a really good busi-

ness plan. I formed a relationship with the vice presi-

dent of the bank that lent us the money. It‟s a very

“aikidoish” thing being in harmony with others, espe-

cially being in harmony with a banker if you need

money. It is important to be able to show to others,

including your banker, where you have come from,

what your intentions are for the dojo and where you

6 Aikido Instructors Journal March/April 2009 www.aikidoinstructors.com

Salvatore Sensei at Aikido Schools of New Jersey

want your business to go in the future. The bank also

used the dojo for their TV commercial which ran for

almost two years.

AI Journal: I think that sometimes instructors, tradi-

tional or not, do not take the time to execute business

principles when establishing a dojo. It is interesting to

hear about not only going back to the basics with ai-

kido training, but also going back to the basics in start-

ing with a business plan.

With locating the building, how did you begin your

search and did you find something helpful in your

search?

Salvatore Sensei: We are on the east side of the sierra

mountain range, and on the other side is the bay area

of San Francisco. The political organization we belong

to is the California Aikido Association, and I traveled

there for training with Pat Hendricks Sensei and I

liked the feeling she had in her dojo. She had an uchi-

deshi program and some other things that I just felt, in

our current location we couldn‟t implement. So when

I was driving I was thinking “How we could make it

happen.” I got back at midnight on a Saturday, woke

up at 4:00 am and I just started to drive around town.

I didn‟t sleep much that night because I couldn‟t stop

thinking about a new space. I remember specifically

because there was a snow storm so it was slow going

during the several hour drive. As I was driving

around looking for new spaces, I happened to call a

realtor regarding a big commercial property that had

been unoccupied for the past two years. When I

looked at it, I knew it was the place. We had the busi-

ness plan and now we had the location. It just all fell

in line.

AI Journal: When you started the dojo, did you have

to do a lot to renovate it?

Salvatore Sensei: Yes, it was a slow process. We took

our time and did it gradually. We didn‟t have a lot of

funds to do it, so the students all got involved. One of

my students whose is an electrician basically rewired

the entire building. The inside had to be refurbished.

Previously it was a coffee warehouse, so it had high ceil-

ings, and was a cool building. We just did it with a lot

of sweat and effort. I think that process also made all

the students „buy into ownership‟ of the place, not

shares of the business, but that they feel vested in it like

it really is their place. Having that level of participation

by the students is really nice.

AI Journal: Regarding the structure of your programs

and schedule for the dojo. What type of programs do

you offer?

Salvatore Sensei: We have both adult and children's

classes. My approach to it is this...not to get off the sub-

ject, but one of the distinctions that my mentor shared

with me that was very helpful, was that there is another

side to the dojo if you are really going to do it and sin-

7

Salvatore Sensei, left - Stickles Sensei, center, -

Saito Sensei, right

“For me, monetary compensation

is important because I need to

provide exceptional service to my

students.”

Aikido Instructors Journal March/April 2009 www.aikidoinstructors.com

cerely help people. There is a business side. When he

first asked me about my goals for the school, I was like,

“I want to make enough money where I can survive.”

He responded with, “Well, that is probably not good

enough because, if you are simply getting by, you are

not going to really be able to give the service you would

like to give to your students. For example, if you want

to travel back to Japan to study and grow as a teacher,

you won‟t be able to because you will not have the extra

funds.” It is just like yin and yang. The balance of en-

ergy for the business is the same thing. For the dojo the

way I look at it, you want to have a strong and powerful

curriculum and an equally strong business side of the

dojo. The business has to be equally as balanced be-

cause if it isn‟t, you will have an imbalance and it will

create struggle in your life. Not that I don‟t have any

struggles now, it is just that a dojo has to be a win-win

for the students, the dojo and the teacher.

I joined one of the larger martial art consulting compa-

nies when I first came over to the United States. I got

some ideas from them, but what I realized is that you

have to do it your way. You have to find a way that

makes sense for you. That is why I think AIO is a really

great idea because it will help dojos get out the meaning

of aikido in a more professional way. The more profes-

sional dojos function, the better it will be for the art over-

all. It will help everyone who does aikido. I have heard

of so many schools that have closed down. When some-

thing like that happens, it is really negative for the art.

But in regards to my adult and kids programs, I have a

very family orientated approach. I let parents and kids

train together in my kids program, and I have all of the

ages mixed together. Many schools say „don‟t do that,‟

but the older kids in my program become leaders. Some

of that I learned in Japan and also my wife is a Montes-

sori teacher, so some of the ideas are from them. I want

to have family orientated types of programs in the

school, so this style works for me.

AI Journal: I find the explanation that you discussed

with regards to how to run a dojo and that there is an-

other side, the business side, very informational to our

AIO membership. That is essentially what AIO is about.

All of us are dedicated to aikido, however, how much

business experience we have is questionable unless we

have another vocation in that area. Unfortunately, as you

said, some dojos are failing and not doing very well. We

cannot spread aikido and the beautiful principles that it

8

has if we are unable to keep our dojos open. Interest-

ingly enough my wife is a Montessori teacher, as well,

and the mentoring for children is very helpful in giving

them a sense of empowerment. It is very interesting how

you have incorporated these principles on the mat. Ear-

lier you eluded to classroom management. Could you

elaborate on that?

Salvatore Sensei: The last four years I have been writing

up curriculum books and creating a flow for the classes.

For example, for ten minutes in a class I have the begin-

ners working together with one sempai running a group.

They will work on a particular skill or principle. Some-

times I‟ll run a class based more on technique, and some-

times I will work it based more on principle. I usually

have soto-deschis or sempais that will help me run the

class. So I have a lot of different ways that we will man-

age a class. Sometimes you have to scrap the lesson and

go with your gut, like when you have a bunch of 5th

kyus in class. Teaching a lot of 4th kyu techniques in that

class just makes sense and that comes with experience as

well. When I teach, I am just trying to convey and also

apply the whole principle of kaizen, continual improve-

ment. Looking at the way I teach, it is difficult some-

times to be objective. I have to say, “Okay, what am I

really trying to get across here?”, “Are the people enjoy-

ing this?”, “Are they getting better?”, “Are they moti-

vated?” and, if they are not motivated, the first thing I do

is kick them right out into the street (jokingly).

AI Journal: (laughing) You get that strategy from New

Jersey, right? Not from Reno.

Salvatore Sensei: Exactly! Once a "New Jersey-ian", al-

ways a "New Jersey-ian".

AI Journal: It is interesting that you write curriculums or

lesson plans. What is more important is that you see the

necessity to them, but also see the importance in being

flexible with them when you teach.

Salvatore Sensei: For example, my teacher, Saito Sensei,

is very structured. I think he was very misunderstood

because he was so strict. Basically from going to many

parties and listening to his speeches, his message was:

“I am trying to share with you what I learned from

O Sensei over the period of time that I studied with

him. I am trying to do it in a structure so that if some-

one comes here for two weeks they can get the idea of

what the basics are that I learned in that time.” I am not

as strict as Saito Sensei, but basically in a two year pe-

riod of time if someone came to every class, they would

see almost all of the basics of what you would need for

a shodan test. So that is somewhat the basis of the cur-

riculum.

I don‟t claim to be an expert, I just want to share from

my experience, but one thing I did learn from being a

part of some other organizations is that you do not have

to do cardio kickboxing to bring in more students. You

do not have to do Brazilian Ju-Jitsu, or Muay Thai or

this and that to get more students. You just have to do

aikido. If you look at aikido, there are so many fascinat-

ing attributes in the philosophy and the physical prac-

tice that attracts students: the win-win, the harmony,

the blending, the intention, the philosophy, etc. When

you read some of O Sensei's writing, it is pretty deep

stuff. It is not just like, “How do I get someone in a

ground and pound.” It is important to remember that.

You want to create a relationship with the students

when you teach. You want to create a dojo you want to

go to. If you are creating something that is strenuous,

that is not fun to do, you have to change it. I learned

that from Rick Stickles Sensei and a couple of other

teachers I would consider mentors and leaders in the

aikido community. It‟s important to understand this,

because many businesses forget why they are doing

what they do. For me, monetary compensation is im-

portant because I need to provide exceptional service to

my students. I want to have health insurance for my

family. Maybe if I need to retire, I want and will have

that ability. I don‟t see myself ever retiring, however, if

we are all hit by a meteorite tomorrow, I am able to re-

tire. That whole thing about enjoying what you do is

extremely important. So is still being a student of the

art. I don‟t consider myself a master at all. I am still a


student and will always be a student. I still love the

practice and that adds a dynamic energy to your

school. In order to have the ability to have balance in

your life, to be able to give back to your students, to

be able to love and live the practice, you have to have

a business that can support those goals.

AI Journal: You

mentioned that

you have a deshi

program. Could

you explain a bit

about that?

Salvatore Sen-

sei: I have been

blessed. Some

of the things we

have been able

to do I probably

would not have

been able to do

without having

a deshi program.

We also have a

soto-deshi pro-

gram and we

have sempai and

these are all bor-

rowed words

from Japan. I

am actually ex-

cited about a

new program I

am introducing

called the Kaizen

Journal. In this

program I meet with every respective rank level in the

dojo. Generally I don‟t like talking too much on the

mat. I will explain things and the intention behind the

exercises, but I won‟t get up there for more than 2

minutes with an explanation. Usually much shorter

than that. Instead, once a month I will get together

with students in a semiprivate meeting and we will go

over what they are working on and give them information

on what is the most appropriate thing for their training at

that moment.

AI Journal: I find everything you are talking about very

compelling, How you are balancing the tradition of ai-

kido, the instruc-

tion...

Salvatore Sensei: I

hope so, Ted, be-

cause I am trying to

be compelling. I am

doing my best

(laughing).

AI Journal: You

are, you are, and

this is one of the

fundamental prem-

ises of AIO; how we

as aikidoists can

have a dojo, teach

aikido, spread ai-

kido, keep the tradi-

tion but also con-

duct it as a business

as well.

Salvatore Sensei:

That is why I am a

member in full ac-

cord with AIO.

Somebody had to

do it! I was waiting

for somebody to

step up and I just

didn‟t want to do it, man. So I am glad Skip Chapman

Sensei did it, so I can just be a contributor, member, what-

ever. The same thing with O Sensei, he was totally an in-

novator. I have talked to people who were his close stu-

dents. I have talked to people from other martial arts that

were his students and some who were not his students but


knew him, and he was definitely an innovator. Look at

O Sensei. He should be the ultimate mentor. He started

the whole thing and anytime we get stuck in our ego or in

the political thing, we need to open up and say “Okay,

what was it really about?” He talks about masakatsu agatsu,

winning over the self is really the journey. It‟s easy to get

caught up in all of the “This guy did this” and “This guy

did that,” into the lower level stuff. We want to stay in the

higher energy, stay in the higher intention. Anyone who

commits to aikido, commits to really being a teacher and

doing it for the right reasons, doing it for themselves and

their students, they are going to do okay. They will pros-

per. If you are becoming an aikido teacher to just be a mul-

timillionaire, well, that‟s just not my thing. I mean, what

was O Sensei‟s name if you translate it, abundant peace.

Why not live in abundance. But abundance is more than

just making money. It is also about health, having great

relationships with people, and, boy, if you can do some-

thing you really enjoy doing, like helping people, that‟s a

great thing.

AI Journal: Absolutely. What type of membership plans

and options do you offer to your students?

Salvatore Sensei: I have a month to month option where

they pay automatically through an EFT (electronic funds

transfer), six month memberships, and one year member-

ships. What I have learned from my teacher is, generally

speaking and it applies to the business of aikido, you have

to have people commit to at least six months. The same

with their memberships, so we encourage a minimum of

six months of training. If people are not willing to commit

to at least six months, they are really doing a disservice to

the dojo. A student needs about 6 months to get acclimated

to the dojo, to learn how to move their body and find suc-

cess in their training.

If I have people who are not as committed as they should

be or are still unsure, I have a beginners program that is

eight classes total. The students keep a file or folder and

every time they come into regular class for 5 minutes they

work on one aikido principle, for example breathing, re-

laxation and a simple rocking backward and forward. We

have a specific structure where we take those people

Aikido of Reno

Fact Sheet

Location: Reno, Nevada

Dojocho: Vince Salvatore

Number of Adult Students:

160

Number of Children

Students: 40

Years in Business: 9

Own or Rent Location: Own

Number of Employees: 0


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Call 732.674.9753

www.aikidoinstructors.com

through the steps of each class. We enroll around 80%

of the beginner students into our full time aikido pro-

gram. I know some schools will do one or two beginner

lessons. For me, the 8 lessons works best for my dojo.

AI Journal: Do you have additional instructors, admin-

istrators, any paid administrators, or are they volunteer?

Salvatore Sensei: Everyone is volunteer. The way I do

it is I grandfather in all my sempai and do not raise their

dues. In return, I ask them to teach one class a week.

There are eight or nine teachers now teaching in the

dojo. I like the energy to that system, because it doesn‟t

become a career for them unless that is what they

choose to do.

AI Journal: How do you market your dojo?

Salvatore Sensei: What I have found, which is more

important than how you market, is that you need to

market continuously. What I have noticed is if you mar-

ket for two months and do things like demonstrations,

have open classes where friends can come and try ai-

kido, run conflict resolution and verbal aikido seminars,

etc., the consistency has to be there. Like extending en-

ergy or ki or the unbendable arm, you reach out and

extend the positive energy. Marketing is the same.

Once marketing stops you might not feel it that month,

but a few months down the line you will probably feel

it. Specifically, we are not doing the telephone book any

more. Instead, we are redoing the website in a specific

way to draw in students. The main thing with market-

ing is being a part of the community. Holding commu-

nity events and really educating people on what aikido

is based on will draw in more educated students. That

way you won‟t get the people who say they want to be

the next UFC champion walking through your door.

You will instead get better prospects because they al-

ready have a good idea of what aikido is all about.

AI Journal: Yes, they have a clearer understanding of

what they are there for. How many students would you

say you have?

Salvatore Sensei: That‟s a good question. It depends on

how many students quit yesterday.

AI Journal: Hopefully none.

Salvatore Sensei: After one of those lousy classes, they

are out the door. (laughing) I think we have about 160

adults and at least about 40 committed kids but there

are another 30 students, kids, so somewhere around 200

to 230.

AI Journal: You mentioned your membership plans.

How do students pay their dues?

Salvatore Sensei: Hopefully on time.

AI Journal: Yes, that would be nice, right. What is the

system to collect those dues?

Salvatore Sensei: Basically I have it set up so that I am

not a bill collector. A lot of it is EFT. I really don‟t want

to talk to people about money. I want to talk to them

about aikido, personal growth, how do they go out of

their lower level existence and move up to the higher

level stuff.

AI Journal: It seems to get really challenging when the

chief instructor has to talk about finances.

Salvatore Sensei: Let me say one thing too, that there is

a big aversion I had that I think a lot of aikido people


“In order to have the ability to have balance in your life, to be

able to give back to your students, to be able to love and live

the practice, you have to have a business that can support

those goals.”

have too. There is a big poverty consciousness in aikido,

and the only strategy that I guess I could share that

made sense to me is that energy is money and money is

energy. It is like when you are going to talk to some-

body, you have to be totally confident in what you do,

that you are doing your best and are really trying to

help people to improve their lives. Quite frankly, I

think aikido is the best personal growth tool out there.

If people are really applying the principles to their ca-

reer, their family, their relationships, they will succeed

and prosper. Like the Tony Robbin‟s thing. He talks

and gets all excited and jumps up and down and all that

stuff. Aikido is just as good at helping inspire people to

be grounded and centered. I actually heard Tony Rob-

bins talk once about aikido, but unfortunately he was

recruited to Tae Kwon Do. We won‟t hold that against

him, though.

AI Journal: I understand you have a primary dojo and

at one time offered classes elsewhere.

Salvatore Sensei: When I first moved to Reno, I worked

for a sempai in the dojo. He has a fabulous auto body

repair shop and I worked there in customer service.

Basically my job was to be the liaison between the cus-

tomers, insurance agencies, and the technicians that

were returning the vehicles. Very early on when I got

the job they hired a communications expert who later

became my aikido student. It was kind of like a Reese

peanut butter cup relationship, like, “I got the chocolate

and you have the peanut butter.” He said to me “What

you do is the physical manifestation of what I teach,”

and we taught a lot of seminars together on how to cre-

ate a win-win situation for yourself and your customer.

I have done that class with many companies, such as the

local branch of IRS, police groups, the art museum, and

several banks. Any type of community service class,

paid or unpaid, used to educate others about the princi-

ples of aikido spreads the word of aikido. Then when

those people come in your school from that experience,

you get a good chance of that person being a good pros-

pect because they already buy into the aikido philoso-

phy. They have already seen what it can do for their

career.

AI Journal: Is there any one or two challenges that you

might be able to discuss with our members?

Salvatore Sensei: Any challenges…..hmmm….I don‟t

know. Just staying open. If you stay open and you

have the courage to call people and network with them

and ask them what are they doing to stay open, you are

on your way. If any AIO member wants to contact me

and just bounce an idea off, I am open to that. I have

done that, and it was tremendously helpful to me.

My biggest challenge would be on how to keep sempai

students motivated. Sometimes people reach a level of

training where they feel like, “Is this all there is?” As

you get higher up in the ranks, it takes longer to break

through to the higher levels of enjoyment and training

with aikido. To help students, just try to keep an open

dialogue with them. The former doshu, Kisshomaru

Ueshiba, talks about minichi keiko, every day there is

training. I like that approach, even if you learn just a

simple thing and then transfer that into your life.

I guess for me one of the other challenges is that I‟ve

tried to create a teaching system for adult students.

Think about your time and day. People are so busy.

They are giving up their valuable time to be at the dojo,

so you don‟t want to waste it. On the other side of that

is teaching them how to apply aikido to their career. If

you ask people, “Are you happy with your career?” a

lot of people will say “No.” So I try to share some of

the information of aikido to the adult members and

say, “Hey, man, are you applying these principles to

your career?” If they are applying it to their career,

they will probably make more money, they will be hap-

pier to be at work, they will have an easier time dealing

“But if you are thrown into the

street, at least you will know

how to protect yourself in a

harmonious fashion.”


Ted Banta III - AIO Journalist: Ted has been training in Aikido for

15 years under Y. Yamada, Shihan

and Skip Chapman Sensei, and holds

the rank of Yondan. Ted is a licensed

Realtor, Real Estate Instructor and

investor, as well as devoted father

and husband. In his spare time, Ted

is AIO's roving reporter supplying

AIO members with enlightening and

entertaining interviews with

aikidoka across the US.

with their colleagues and subordinates, and their

personal relationships are going to be easier. By

applying aikido to their work and life, they are go-

ing to see the benefits of aikido a lot clearer and this

will help them to keep coming to the dojo as well.

AI Journal: I have to tell you that it has been a

pleasure interviewing you and I am sure it will be

for the membership as well. Thank you. Was there

anything else you would like to add?

Salvatore Sensei: O Sensei started this thing and

anytime we get lost, just come back to it. We have

many great teachers in the states. We have Yamada

Sensei and great leadership. We just need to trust

our teachers and anytime we get lost, which can

happen, just come back to O Sensei‟s message,

which was to live a life of integrity, do your best for

your students, and try to get across the higher

meaning of aikido. When we share that kind of in-

formation, when we trust each other, when we share

ideas with each other, the whole community gets

stronger. Look at Tae Kwon Do or some of the other

martial arts. Some of them have been very success-

ful in how they promoted the professionalism of

their art and some of them have not. I personally

am not saying that we are superior in aikido….well,

maybe a little. It is just that what O Sensei tapped

into is some high level stuff. There is nothing

wrong with being professional. There is nothing

wrong with really trying to help people, to be able

to provide for your family, to be able to have health

insurance, and to maybe be able to retire without

being thrown in the street. But if you are thrown in

the street, at least you will know how to protect

yourself in a harmonious fashion.

AI Journal: (laughing) Thank you once again,

Salvatore Sensei, for the opportunity to speak with

you on behalf of Aikido Instructors Organization,

AIO. It has been an honor.


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“There are very few instructors who

are making a living by operating a

dojo as a business, and it is no secret

that there is some kind of criticism or

envy from people who are often

saying Budo should be pure and

should be done voluntarily. I

understand that kind of philosophy,

but at the same time I also understand

that nothing is free in our society.

Instead, I recommend that you learn

how to make a lot of money and then

spend it on your students.”

Y. Yamada Shihan

Chief Instructor - New York Aikikai

Chairman - United States

Aikido Federation

Aikido Instructors

O r g a n i z a t i o n

Documents

Aikido Instructors Journal #2