Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Hannah.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Steve. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
In 1988 I decided that studying martial arts sounded like a good idea. So I did some research into picking a school and chose Villari’s Martial Arts in Biddeford, ME. I very much enjoyed it. In time, I began helping the instructor teach classes.
When I moved to Massachusetts in 1990 I decided to make the martial arts a career. I completed an instructor training course and opened my own school, part time, in 1991. In 1992, I moved into a full-time facility. Two weeks after we opened full time there was a fire in a near-by laundry mat, which wiped us out. But we did what we had to do to get back on our feet and re-opened in another location in July 1992. We have been in business ever since.
Has it been a smooth road?
Other than the fire, there were the typical struggles for a fledgling business. We struggled the first year or two, figuring out what made things easy and what made things hard. We made mistakes, learned from them, then made some more mistakes.
Eventually we figured it out and began to thrive. We built a lot of value as a service business and people responded to that. We have been going strong ever since.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are a martial arts school, teaching the arts of Shaolin Kempo Karate and Tai Chi. We do it in a safe, fun atmosphere. We teach children to adults. We are known for providing an excellent experience for our students in terms of customer service and value.
What sets us apart from other martial arts schools is the fact that we specialize in personal growth and development. While most martial arts instructors take a passive approach to developing character in students, we take a more active role in that area of our student’s training. We have programs in place to teach the values of respect, self-discipline, and self-control, rather than hoping it happens just by walking into a school.
What makes me proudest of the company I have built is that I did it all on my own, starting from nothing and building it into a viable entity. I enjoy sharing the arts with people and feel great about making a living doing something I love doing. I don’t have to go to work, I get to go to work.
Contact Info:
- Address: 955 Main St.,
Walpole, MA 02081 - Website: www.villarikarate.com
- Phone: 508 660 1606
- Email: villaridojo@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VillarisMartialArtsMA/
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