A series of valuable lessons….

In the July and August packages you received part 1 and part 2 of an interview with my instructor Jhoon Rhee.  Jeff Smith and I have been associated with Jhoon Rhee for 45 and coming up on 40 years respectively.   If  you pay close attention to the interview and to the discussions we’ll have at the Extreme Success Academy there are many, many lessons to learn from Jhoon Rhee.  First, a trivia point the “Nobody Bothers Me” song that you heard on the CD was Nils Lofgren.  He was a Jhoon Rhee student with Jeff Smith (and, myself) in Kensington, MD.  He’s now a key member of the “E-Street Band” with Bruce Springsting (if you see them playing he’s the shorter guy to Bruce’s left (as you are facing them) with the Bandana.   In Washington, D.C. you couldn’t go anywhere without people knowing both “Nobody Bothers Me” and USA-1000 (their phone number.)

Anyway, to some lessons….

Lesson 1.   Early realization that commercial success was necessary.  Jhoon Rhee (as well as Bruce Lee) was openly reviled by many in the martial arts community.  Both for their “innovation” and their “commercialism.”  I recall Black Belt Magazine articles debates in the 1960’s one being “The Case against Commercialism” and another referring to Jhoon Rhee as the Piped Piper of Korean Karate.   Upon listening to the interview I thought I’d clarify one point.  You might have gotten the idea that Bruce Lee as “anti-commercial.”  Actually the opposite is true.  If you look at the letters between the two of them you’ll see that Bruce Lee was sending Jhoon Rhee advertising from Chuck Norris and others for karate schools and was very interested in the business aspects.  However, Bruce Lee decided that his path to wealth was acting not operating martial arts schools.  Jhoon Rhee made the opposite decision.   I’ve talked with Grand Master Rhee about this goals statement that Bruce Lee wrote.  Jhoon Rhee was actually on the phone with him at the time.  Clearly neither Bruce Lee or Jhoon Rhee had “hang-ups” about whether they should be making money from martial arts.  Jhoon Rhee described it to me in two ways:  First, it’s impossible to accomplish much of anything without financial resources.  Second, if you are providing a great service you deserve to be well compensated.

“My Definite Chief Aim:

I, Bruce Lee, will be the highest paid Oriental superstar in the United States.  In return I will give the most exciting performances and render the
best of quality in the capacity of an actor.
Starting in 1970, I will achieve world fame and from then onward till the end of 1980,
I will have in my possession $10,000,000.
Then I will live the way I please and achieve inner harmony and peace.”
Bruce Lee, January 1969.

Lesson 2.    The Master-Mind effect.   You heard a little bit about the people that Jhoon Rhee surrounded himself with.   I can tell you from personal experience that his peer group and “Master-Mind” group was not the other guys running schools who were failing, making excuses, and failing.   Who was he associating with?   Well other than Bruce Lee he was associating with a large group of congressmen and senators, he affiliated with smart and wealthy people ranging from Jack Anderson to Tony Robbins.  He brought Nick Cokinos (EFC Founder) into the martial arts business (as well as myself, Jeff Smith and  others.)   He was constantly seeking out others who could contribute to his goals and who could support his vision.  Think Muhammad Ali, Zig Ziglar, the Coach of the Red Skins, the President of the Motion Picture Association of America and many others.   He affiliated with the VERY top school owners he could find in the country and openly shared ideas with them (Chuck Norris schools among others.)

Lesson 3.    Immunity from Criticism.   Jhoon Rhee introduced many innovations. Overlooked may be the early ability to run successful commercial schools, with quality marketing and effective sales processes, teaching many thousands of students.  Next he associated with rebels such as Bruce Lee. Surrounded himself with successful American (breaking out of the Korean community.)  Next he invented and promoted foam safety equipment.  Helped launch full-contact kick-boxing.  Invented musical forms.  Even having his team wear “color” uniforms (Red.) And the list could go on and on.  At each step some portion of the martial arts community considered him a “sell-out” or just a “self-promoter.”  Safety equipment rather than being universally embraced was controversial.  Traditionalists proclaimed it would destroy technique.  Tournament promoters claimed it would make competition more dangerous.  Many refused to use it.   Musical form which dominates today was derided as destroying traditional form.   He managed to persevere throughout all of the criticism, ignore the critics, and keep his eyes on his own goals.

Lesson 4.      Resources used to produce incredibly high quality students.   At the same time that we had a huge percentage of the World Ranked kick-boxers on staff and the current and future World Forms Champions (John Chung then Charlie Lee) Washington areas schools called Jhoon Rhee a “Belt Factory.”  In reality Jhoon Rhee’s schools had a very high (for the era) graduation rate to Black Belt.  The Black Belts were rigorously screened.  Children were required not only to have physical mastery but good grades and behavior.  The quality of the students across 7 then 9, then 12 schools was incredibly HIGH.  Far from “Selling Out” the Jhoon Rhee schools produced many of today’s industry leaders That would have been impossible if it had not been the very good living that two full-time instructors per location were able to make (in the 1970’s) by running a martial arts school (I was making $30,000 base +  commissions equaling around 10% of the gross while a full-time student at Georgetown University in 1980.)

Lesson 5.    Seeking Experts.   Jhoon Rhee relentlessly sought out experts to help him grow his business. In the Pre-NAPMA days he sought out Publicity experts (actually hiring a full-time PR guy AND Sugar Ray Leonard’s publicist.)   He pulled Nick Cokinos out of the Dance Industry and relentlessly looked for experts in sales, marketing, teaching, management and even franchising to help him grow his organization.

Lesson 6.    Relentless Promotions.   As a staff member (and, full time College Student) I was annoyed by the constant parade of promotions.  A HUGE demo at the 4th of July celebration on the Washington mall each year.  Classes taught to the FBI.  Presentations at Elementary Schools, High Schools, and Colleges.  A parade of classes taught to everyone from local police to Congressmen.  Jhoon Rhee was relentless in finding ways to introduce the public to Tae Kwon Do (and, specifically to “Jhoon Rhee Karate.”) It was an total, never ending quest to fill the schools and therefore improve the gross, improve staff salaries, and “spin-off” resources for other purposes.  He discusses Muhammad Ali being an very good promoter – and, Jhoon Rhee learned from him and many others how to promote himself and by the way get Muhammad Ali to mention his name in front of 50,000,000 TV viewers and join him in front of millions live during their tour of Korea.

Lesson 7.    Goals Orientation.   Jeff Smith and I were talking with Grand Master Rhee last Monday night (12 midnight his time!)  He reminded me of this:  “When you were 10 years old you told me you were going to go to Denver and open Jhoon Rhee Karate schools.”   It’s interesting that he remembers and was impressed.  Truth is when I was 10 I said I wanted to open Jhoon Rhee Schools.  It was more around 18 when the idea of doing it in Denver bubbled up.  However, the fact that he remembers shows how rarely we set serious goals and follow-through.  To be successful you first must make a “Decision” you can call it setting a target.  Being goal oriented.  Whatever… but you’ve got to decide that no-excuses you are going to make it happen.

What should you take away from the interviews and from your discussions with Jhoon Rhee at the upcoming “Extreme Success Academy?”   Well at the least you should know that it’s okay to make money and grow your school.  That not only does commercialism imply “selling out” but that the more resources you have the better you can make your students.  Next,  that you need to spare no expense in associating with a quality Master-Mind team and in developing knowledge (and, hiring experts) to shorten your own learning curve.  Finally, that you need to be tireless in promoting your school and make sure that you have the tools and resources to do that effectively.