Martial Arts Coaching Business
Grand Master Stephen Oliver has coached martial arts school owners since 1985. Today that work is delivered through Martial Arts Wealth Mastery, the coaching and consulting organization he leads as Founder and CEO. This page explains where the coaching came from, what it covers and who it is for.
Forty years of coaching, one body of work
Oliver began coaching other school owners in 1985, while he was opening his first Denver-area Mile High Karate locations. In April 1987 he was elected to the first Educational Funding Company (EFC) Board of Directors, and over the following years he became EFC’s lead keynote speaker and seminar leader, presenting at its conventions and at business seminars across the United States. He served on that board through 2001.
In 2000 he formally founded the coaching organization as Stephen Oliver’s Inner Circle, later rebranded Martial Arts Wealth Mastery. Coaching since 1985 and formally organized in 2000 are not two separate starts — they are one continuous body of work. In 2007 he also became CEO and Chairman of NAPMA and Publisher of Martial Arts Professional magazine, which run in parallel with Martial Arts Wealth Mastery.
Operator-first coaching
The coaching is built on what Oliver has done himself. He opened his first school in 1975, at age 15. He founded Mile High Karate with $10,000 in August 1983, opened five schools in eighteen months, and reached more than 2,500 active students and over $1,700,000 in annual revenue (approximately $5,200,000 in today’s dollars) by age 25. By the late 1980s Mile High Karate had passed 3,500 active students, and it kept growing through international franchise locations.
His approach is to build and test systems in real schools, then teach what actually works. His core conviction is that great martial arts and great business are inseparable: profitable schools survive, attract better instructors, serve more families, keep higher teaching standards and create more Black Belts.
What the coaching covers
- Marketing — direct-response lead generation, digital advertising and referral systems.
- Enrollment — intro lessons, conversion and program agreements.
- Pricing and profitability — program structure, value ladders, upgrade paths and the financial controls behind them.
- Retention — curriculum, instruction quality and student progression to Black Belt.
- Teaching quality — running the school as a leadership academy, from Extraordinary Teaching.
- Staff development — hiring, instructor training and leadership pipelines.
- Operations and growth — systems that let an owner run a school without living inside it, and multi-school management.
How it is delivered
Martial Arts Wealth Mastery combines high-level coaching, peer masterminds, quarterly in-person sessions, monthly problem-solving and staff training. Member events have been held at venues including the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Who it is for
Martial Arts Wealth Mastery works with serious owners of traditional martial arts schools, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academies, MMA gyms, Muay Thai gyms and Krav Maga schools. The systems for lead generation, enrollment, retention, staff development and profitability apply across styles. Members range from single-school operators building their first profitable location to established multi-school organizations doing $1,000,000 and more a year.
The coaching team
- Grand Master Stephen Oliver — Founder and CEO, 10th Degree Black Belt.
- Grand Master Jeff Smith — Chief of Instruction; 10th Degree Black Belt and the first PKA World Light-Heavyweight Champion. MasterJeffSmith.com
- Chief Master Greg Moody, Ph.D. — 8th Degree Black Belt.
- Bob Dunne — National Director.
Results
Member results, in members’ own words, are collected on the Martial Arts Wealth reviews and testimonials page, with detailed accounts in the case-study library.
Beyond martial arts
Oliver applies the same direct-response marketing, client acquisition and practice-building systems to financial advisors and wealth managers through Advisor Wealth Mastery.
Frequently asked questions
How long has Stephen Oliver coached martial arts school owners?
Since 1985. He formally founded the coaching organization in 2000 as Stephen Oliver’s Inner Circle, now Martial Arts Wealth Mastery.
Does Martial Arts Wealth Mastery work with BJJ and MMA gyms?
Yes. It works with BJJ academies, MMA gyms, Muay Thai gyms, Krav Maga schools and traditional martial arts schools.
How do I start?
Start with the free book Six Simple Steps to Add 100 Students at FillYourSchool.com, or see the programs at MartialArtsWealth.com.
Explore the coaching programs →
Read next: Work with Stephen Oliver · Full biography · Books
Last updated: October 2026
