TAEKWONDO PROFESSIONALS
2025 CONVENTION
June 6-7, 2025 | Buffalo, NY
Where Leaders Come to Learn!
Speaker Info
Master Michael Mertens
Conference Host
The Student Centric Teaching Model
How to deliver instruction that kids love, parents appreciate, and instructors feel proud of!
- How to grab and maintain the attention of any age of students
- Using structure and expectations to empower students to achieve their best
- Balancing fun, skill development, and character-building
- How to adapt, connect with and create results with challenging students
- Crafting classroom messaging that increases parent commitment and support
- Getting students to come back to one more class…year after year
Additional Information
Master Mertens is a multi-school owner and industry leader who has personally mentored some of the most successful Masters and Instructors in the U.S. He has presented at seminars around the country and is considered one of the leading experts on martial arts marketing and sales.
Tony DeSimone
Harness the power of ChatGPT and AI to level up your Dojang
Use AI to enhance, not replace human skills and transform your school’s operations, communication, and impact!
- Streamline Operations: Automate tasks to focus on students.
- Enhance Communication: Connect better with students and parents.
- Boost Online Presence: Engage your community with impactful content.
- Transform Teaching: Personalize lessons and learning tools.
- Engage Community: Deepen connections with tailored interactions.
- Value Alignment: Ensure AI reects the true principles of Taekwondo and your dojang philosophy
Additional Information
Anthony M. DeSimone, a CPA and CMA, specializes in aiding small business owners with improving profitability, cash flow, and efficiency. With over 25 years of experience working with small businesses, including a start at the CPA firm Deloitte, he uses numbers to enhance team dynamics and business operations. He owns ‘You’re the Expert Now, LLC’, and also teaches at the University at Buffalo Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, focusing on entrepreneurial education. An author of three books, Anthony is pursuing a ‘ChatGPhD’ and conducts ChatGPT and AI accelerator courses. He also hosts ‘The Small Business Experience’ podcast, discussing ChatGPT and AI advancements.
Master TJ Eskew
Automate & Delegate like a Pro
Develop Systems & Staff to Drive More Results with Less Stress!
- How technology helps me manage over 400 students efficiently and effectively
- Ways that automation can save dozens of hours each week
- Build and maintain quality relationships with your students and families
- Empowering staff to deliver the highest levels of customer service
- How streamlined processes free up your time and improve consistency
Additional Information
Master Eskew is the co-owner of World Class Tae Kwon Do in Naperville, IL outside of Chicago. He spent over 15 years as a student and instructor under Grandmaster Chong and Master Mertens in Buffalo, NY holding several staff positions, including manager and head instructor, in multiple locations there prior to opening his own school in 2018 along with fellow WCTKD alumni, Master Dennis Polanski.
Master Heidi Gilbert
High-Impact Recruiting
Create Unforgettable Events & Watch Your Student Numbers Soar!
Deliver Exceptional Service, Create Unforgettable Events, & Watch Your Student Numbers Soar!
- How to design and host events that attract new students and provide meaningful value to your community
- Learn proven methods to generate up to 100 leads per month
- Tips for board breaking buddy day, self defense seminars, anti-bullying classes and sport team parties
- Strategies to connect and collaborate with local schools, daycares, and community groups
- The vital metrics you need to track to monitor your results and modify your activity
Additional Information
- Owner and Head instructor of Elevate Martial Arts
- Jr and collegiate world champion
- Pan am champion
- 7x US National Team Member
Master Erik Hubley
How to Host a Rock Solid Summer Camp
Everything you need to create the leading summer camp in your community
- Marketing methods that will ensure your camp fills up FAST. .
- Hour-by-hour scheduling strategies to keep every day engaging and organized.
- Proven techniques to balance high-energy activities with structured downtime.
- The vital staff training tips to keep your team focused and energized
- Best practices for field trips and guest speakers
- Tips for maintaining a safe, structured environment without sacrificing fun
Additional Information
- Owner of Martial Arts of West End in Richmond Virginia
- 7th Dan TKD
- 4th Dan Hapkido
- Martial Arts of West End runs a 100+ participant Summercamp that is sold out by January every year!
Master Daniel Kim
7 Steps to Building Multi-Location Success
Mastering the Blueprint for Expanding Your Business and Your Impact
- Integrating core values in everything you do
- “Math is the path” – how to use math to determine financial success as well as determine the best location
- Steps for grand opening and pre sales so you can make money from day 1
- What are KPIs? What metrics do we track? And the importance of it all.
- And learn how it’s possible even in a small geographic area.
- Plus more!!
Additional Information
- Owner of 5 Legacy Martial Arts locations
- Been in martial arts for 30 years
Chief Master Michelle Landgren Lee
Do You Need New Members?
Big or Small School – Everyone likes New Members with a Small Marketing Budget
- $25 cost Per Elementary School to get an email advertisement to every student’s parent
- Marketing to Taekwondo’s biggest market in 2025 – 4 to 6 year olds
- Using Stickers to get the message to Mom when doing School Classroom or Assembly Events
- Pop Culture 1-Hour Events to get 50% of attendees to purchase a Trial
- 4 times a Year Talent Show with Staff and Best School Talent for new White Belt Mass Enrollment
Additional Information
- 40 Years Owning up to 12 Locations (Currently Selling to Managers with 20+ years employment)
- 19 Time World Champion in Traditional Forms and Weapons
- Smallest Master in the ATA International Organization 4’ 11” – Still can Kick Butt😊
- 1 of 9 Master Council Members for ATA International 1,500 locations Worldwide
- MBA – Master’s Degree in Marketing and International Management
- I LOVE TO HELP!
Master Jim Nam
Build a Proactive Team
Create a future for your staff and the freedom to pursue your vision!
- How to recruit, onboard, and structure your instructor development program
- Clarifying roles, responsibilities and expectations
- The “must have” documents to make staff training quicker and repeatable
- Fostering a culture of excellence and high standards
- Learn how to cultivate a motivated and self-reliant team that thrives on taking initiative.
- Build a team and systems that allow your school to thrive even in your absence.
Additional Information
- Studied martial arts for 40+ years
- Have taught martial arts for over 31 years
- Multiple locations (4 locations 100% ownership)
- Published author
- 2024 Taekwondo Times Hall of Fame Instructor of the year
- Motivational and business Speaker
- Business/Personal development coach
- And the Founder of Leadership Education And Development (L.E.A.D.)
Master Cheong Me Park
The Sales Blueprint for Explosive Martial Arts School Growth
The 3-Step Sales Framework That Works Every Time
- First Impressions That Close Deals: Build instant trust with the right words, energy, and presence.
- Uncover Hidden Needs: Ask the right questions to reveal what your prospects truly want—and what’s holding them back.
- Confident Closures: Learn a natural, no-pressure approach to closing that feels great for you and your customers.
PLUS
- Membership Packages That Sell Themselves: Present clear, compelling options and use upgrades to maximize value and revenue.
- Proven Strategies, Immediate Results: Walk away with actionable tools that will increase enrollment and retention the moment you apply them
- Discover the traits that separate average school owners from the best in the industry—empathy, confidence, and decisive action.
Additional Information
Grandmaster Jason Purcell
Creating Value. Adding Value. Showing Value. Proving Value.
How we motivate families to commit to the next 4 to 5 years and beyond in our program, and how families are EXCITED to do this, not afraid.
We are going to delve into ALL of the benefits a martial arts class can offer.
- What are things we can work on every single year to add more value to our classes?
- How do we show this value to parents even before they step foot in our school?
- Most people take the wrong approach to membership contracts. What is the real value of this? It’s *NOT* forcing students to pay!
- We will show most schools how they can dramatically increase their student value and their bottom line.
Additional Information
- Founder and Co-Owner of Family Black Belt Academy in Seattle, WA
- Running the school for over 21 years and now runs it with his wife and 6 fulltime staffers
- 7th degree black belt under Grandmaster Jeff Smith
- 4th Dan Kukkiwon Black Belt
- Created a phenomenal Life Skills Program which allowed them to increase their student value to 2-3x the industry average
Beth Block
Risk Management: Keep your students and your dojang safe!
- Learn the vital procedures that will decrease the risk of injury to your students and your liability
- What needs to be included in waivers
- Sparring equipment, rules, and best practices
- First aid training and emergency preparedness
- Monitoring and responding to instructor and student actions
- Understanding what your insurance coverage does and does not include
Additional Information
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