“In 2022, we were selling personal possessions to survive. By the end of 2023, we had a great Christmas, a growing school, and our entire family working together.”
Rock Bottom in Bentonville
When Tony and Amy Mathers joined 7 Figure Dojo, they were staring down the barrel of burnout.
Their Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school in Bentonville, Arkansas had 82 students on paper—but only 15 were kids. Churn was out of control, and they were juggling two businesses just to stay afloat. Passion wasn’t the problem. Systems were.
Despite years of training, they didn’t have the business structure, support, or clarity to grow. Their school was barely scraping by, and the emotional toll was heavy. They were selling personal belongings to survive.
The 7FD Transformation
Once inside the 7 Figure Dojo ecosystem, everything changed.
We didn’t just hand them more tactics. We gave them a battle-tested roadmap, built specifically for martial arts school owners. One that understands the unique psychology of the martial arts market and what it takes to scale sustainably.
Here’s what shifted:
- Built a kids program from scratch that became the foundation of their growth
- Dropped churn from 8-9% to just 4%
- Opened dual mats with wall pads
- Turned chaos into clarity by getting the entire family on the same mission
- Replaced hope with systems that delivered consistent sign-ups and retention
“We had no clue how to build a kids program. Now our daughter runs it, and we have all these kids excited to be here every day.”
The Results: From Survival to Scalability
📈 Student Count: 82 → 139
💰 Revenue: From survival mode to sustainable growth
🏆 Milestones: Thriving kids program, dual mat expansion, family-run operations
“2022 was survival mode. Now we’re thriving as a family-run school.”
What used to feel impossible is now the new normal. Systems create bandwidth. Bandwidth creates leadership. And leadership builds legacy.
“The moment we implemented the system, we started getting real traction.”
Takeaways for Struggling School Owners
If you feel like you’re drowning in the day-to-day, here are the moves that matter:
- Nail your kids program — it’s not optional, it’s your engine.
- Cut churn in half — without this, growth is a myth.
- Unify your team — whether it’s family or staff, alignment wins.
- Stop guessing — plug into proven systems.
- Don’t do it alone — get a coach who knows this game.
“Everything changed when we stopped doing it alone and got real coaching.”
Ready for Your Breakthrough?
If you’re stuck in survival mode, Tony and Amy’s story is proof: you’re one decision away from everything changing.
“This was our third coach. Third time’s the charm.” Book a free strategy call and let’s map out your next breakthrough.
Because scaling your school shouldn’t cost your sanity. Let’s build the business you actually want.
