Full-time judo club with your own dojo

Families, adult beginners and returning judoka who want a regular club close to home.

Monthly memberships, grading fees, trial and intro programs, uniform sales and sometimes seasonal camps or birthday parties. A larger membership is needed to cover the lease.

• High-level judo coaching credentials
• Running a small business: budgeting, leases and marketing
• Hiring and leading assistant coaches
• Building a friendly community of members

• Zoning and permitted use: check with your municipality that a martial arts studio is allowed in the unit
• Municipal business licence and any building or fire inspections; rules vary by city
• Commercial general liability and property insurance; check requirements with your landlord and provincial association
• Lease commitments: personal guarantees and multi-year terms can be risky if membership grows slowly
• WCB/WSIB coverage and employment rules if you hire coaches; check your province
• Police record checks with vulnerable sector screening and safe sport policies for staff working with children
• GST/HST registration once revenue passes the small supplier threshold

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $20,000 to $100,000, depending on the unit, mats, fit-out and insurance. Check lease terms carefully, since personal guarantees and multi-year commitments can be risky if membership grows slowly.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on membership numbers, programs offered and fees. Rent and any coaches you hire come out of that, so check your numbers before committing to a lease.

Check with your municipality that a martial arts studio is a permitted use, plus any business licence and building or fire inspections. Also check insurance, WCB/WSIB if you hire, police record checks and GST/HST registration.