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Old 02-05-2008, 12:37 PM   #7
ChrisMoses
Dojo: TNBBC (Icho Ryu Aiki Budo), Shinto Ryu IaiBattojutsu
Location: Seattle, WA
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 927
United_States
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Re: Business and Budo

George, I'll preface my comments with this: I *really* *genuinely* sympathize with your position as someone who makes a living teaching budo.

I can't help but point out however that while there is a common conception among practitioners that access to training is a right regardless of ones financial ability to pay for that training, I would also put forward that there's also a perception among Aikido teachers, that they somehow have a right to be paid for what they do. Obviously, you've worked very hard to offer enough value that you can get paid for what you love, and I admire that.

I will however offer the following list:

Don Angier
Toby Threadgill
Takeda Yoshinobu
Kondo Katsuyuki
Anno Motomichi
Hiroshi Ikeda
Mifune Kyuzo
Akuzawa Minouru
Otake Risuke
Mochizuki Takashi

What do they all have in common? They all have or had jobs outside of budo instruction. To be perfectly clear, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with making a living teaching martial arts. I do think that if the folks listed above, with all they had/have to offer, find/found it necessary to find income elsewhere, I know I certainly have no business even toying with the idea of hanging a shingle and expecting that to even cover my gas money.

Again, to be clear, this is not intended in any way as not a dig at you George. Just throwing that out there.

Chris Moses
TNBBC, "Putting the ME in MEdiocre!"
Budo Tanren at Seattle School of Aikido
Shinto Ryu Iai-Battojutsu
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