Master Reymundo Gonzalez fulfilled his dream of opening a martial arts studio in 2011 when he founded Warcats Taekwondo studio in Corpus Christi, Texas. While owning a business can be incredibly rewarding, it often comes with added responsibilities that can prove problematic, especially when the business is small and experiencing rapid growth.
In fact, Warcats Taekwondo went from 82 students to 134 in just three months.
That said, Gonzalez has taken everything in stride and continues to teach students of all ages about the value of martial arts, thanks to a little help from Kicksite’s technology platform and friendly staff.
Challenges in something new
Master Gonzalez is no stranger to teaching. He was a part of the public school system for more than three decades, serving as band director for 16 years and then as principal for another 17. The school’s campus was the educational home for children from pre-kindergarten all the way through high school. So needless to say, Master Gonzalez knows how to teach kids.
Despite retiring from the school system, Gonzalez didn’t slow down.
Between teaching martial arts classes all week and completing paperwork for each of his students, retiring wasn't an option.
Being new to the martial arts industry, things like quarterly reports, taxes, attendance logs, student rank promotions and payment records were unfamiliar concepts to Gonzalez at first.
Gonzalez was stuck spending more time on the logistics of running a business. He considered some of the latest software systems his peers used, but his concern was how complicated they all were. Gonzalez wouldn’t classify himself as tech-savvy, so using software seemed daunting.
Kicksite to the rescue
Instead of letting the challenges that come with running a business overwhelm him and his family, Master Gonzalez turned to Kicksite to help his studio grow successfully.
After meeting a Kicksite representative at a conference he was attending in Las Vegas, Gonzalez decided to give it a try.
Initially, Master Gonzalez had reservations about using a tool that relied so heavily on technology. But in the end, Gonzalez’s fear vanished by how simple and intuitive the program was to use. As a former teacher, he appreciated Kicksite’s approach to keeping things simple. His positive experience was further enhanced by a friendly face.
"[Melissa is] the one that did the training - an amazing lady!" Gonzalez said. "Very patient. [She] walked me through the steps."
The Kicksite customer service team worked with Gonzalez to achieve his goals for the studio. Using Kicksite meant Gonzalez had to commit to learning the technology involved with the program. But by doing so, he knew he’d lighten the workload for himself and his Warcats team.
"I’ve always told my teachers that: work smarter, not harder," Gonzalez said.
Kicksite helped make following his own advice possible. Although Kicksite is user-friendly, free training is available to make sure users learn every aspect of the software.
Kicksite, a management software system created by martial artists for martial artists, squared away all the logistics in no time. It helped him take attendance, provide notes for each student’s file, complete taxes and schedule belt testings, all digitally. The added assistance gave Gonzalez enough freedom to interact with students without worrying about administrative duties constantly.
A little organization goes a long way
Rather than continuing on as a fledgling business with little in the way of support, Gonzalez and his team used Kicksite to get organized, and it’s already paid dividends.
Just like that, a self-proclaimed amateur in technology used Kicksite, a web-based system, to take his business to another level. Through the help and availability of people like Melissa, Gonzalez experienced first-hand the ease of working with Kicksite.
As a result, Gonzalez is better able to focus on his students.
With all the time saved, Gonzalez enjoys a life teaching his pupils rather than worrying about administrative tasks. If he can do it, anyone can.
While Master Gonzalez and his taekwondo studio found success using Kicksite, every partnership is unique. With its extensive services and convenience, Kicksite can help martial arts studios in all stages of growth streamline work flow, engage students and ultimately grow as a business.