2026 Planning: Setting Up Your School for a Strong New Year



Podcast Description



In this episode, Duane Brumitt and Allie Alberigo dig into how martial arts school owners can close out 2025 strong and set themselves up for a stellar 2026. They reflect on this past year’s unique challenges—from shifting parent and student behaviors to the realities of running a personality-driven business—and share real talk on what worked, what flopped, and what every school owner should focus on as the new year approaches. Expect honest stories, actionable frameworks, and practical steps you can use right now to plan for growth, retention, and sanity in 2026.



Key Takeaways




2025 Was Unique: Owners everywhere felt the impact of cultural shifts, last-minute signups, and changing family priorities. What worked last year might not work now.



Year in Review Matters: Sit down with your staff to review wins, flops, and lessons. Honest feedback is gold.



Retention Over Enrollment: Enrollment is important, but retention is the real driver. Invest in personal connections, customer service, and systems to keep students engaged.



Set Real Goals: Pick 1-2 core 2026 goals (enrollment, retention, revenue, staff dev). Break them down and track them monthly and quarterly.



First Quarter Planning: Map out January–March for tuition, retail, and events. Don’t just wish—make a plan and communicate it clearly to your team.



Systems & Simplicity: Review your automations, teaching, and processes. Use the “rule of three” to simplify and avoid overwhelming families (and staff).



Stop Doing List: Write out what drains your energy or isn’t working. Delegate, delete, or redesign those tasks. Ask your staff for their input, too.



Community & Accountability: Engage with other school owners (like in the School Owner Talk FB group) to share plans, get feedback, and stay motivated.




Action Steps for School Owners




Year in Review: Meet with your team to discuss what worked, what didn’t, and what to change for 2026.



Set 1–2 Core Goals: Enrollment, retention, revenue, or staff development—pick what matters most for your school.



Quarterly Planning: Break down your goals by month and quarter for tuition, events, and retail. Make a clear action plan.



Simplify Systems: Audit automations and teaching methods. Apply the rule of three wherever possible.



Create a Stop Doing List: Identify and eliminate (or delegate) tasks that eat up energy or don’t move the needle.



Team Buy-In: Communicate your plan to staff, get their feedback, and adjust where needed.



Engage Your Community: Share your goals in the Facebook group and connect with other owners for accountability and ideas.




Additional Resources Mentioned




Duane’s book: Raising a Black Belt (chapter on quitting)



Allie’s book: The Five Gateways to Happiness (I Love/I Hate list)



Seven Steps to Income (Allie’s framework)



Spark school management software



Past podcast episode with Matthew Brenner (three-prong enrollment system)



School Owner Talk Facebook group