From Dojo Dreams to Global Empire: The Matt Fiddes Success Story

You earned your black belt at 12 and opened a karate studio at 16. How did you transition from practising karate as a hobby to turning it into a business? What was your entrepreneurial thought process at that time?

When I was 13, I was in a maths class where the teacher was talking about how many ways you can fit 50 pence into a phone box. I found it ridiculous and turned to the back of my exercise book to write down my own goals. Inspired by Jean-Claude Van Damme, I wrote that by 18, I wanted to be a millionaire, own a Ferrari, and have a six-pack.

I hated school and left with no qualifications except a martial arts black belt. I got a personal trainer qualification and worked in a gym. At 16, despite my parents’ disapproval—my mom was a lawyer and my dad an engineer—I wanted to teach martial arts for a living. My dad saw it as “legalised violence,” and I ended up moving out and living in a bedsit with my girlfriend.

I worked as a lifeguard for £2.75 an hour but struggled to make ends meet. My girlfriend encouraged me to start my business. Despite doubts about my age, I eventually opened my first martial arts class, aggressively marketing it with posters featuring my flying kick. I gained 100 members and covered my costs, marking the start of my entrepreneurial journey.

How long did it take you to get those 100 members?

I put up 100 members straight. When I started out, I was young, which I saw as a disadvantage, but others saw as a positive. It took me a while to realise people didn’t care how high I could kick or how fit I was; they wanted someone who represented what they wanted for their children. I made sure to be respectful and presentable.

A turning point came when a friend, Lee Charles, returned from the U.S. and told me about martial arts millionaires and business-focused conferences there. Intrigued, I saved my money from working as a lifeguard and teaching martial arts, then flew to a three-day convention in the States. It was hosted by a business guru, not a martial artist, but someone very successful.

In the U.S., ambition was celebrated, and this guru took me under his wing, seeing me as a perfect case study. He advised me to follow successful people around, attend staff training, and learn their marketing strategies. I returned to England with this knowledge, ready to apply it to my own business.

Can you recall a couple of things you learned back then that seemed utterly revolutionary to you?

Back then, I learned some revolutionary things. For instance, I got kicked out of my martial arts organisation because I started teaching in English instead of Korean, and I played pop music during lessons. I also designed the program to teach life skills like goal setting, water safety, fire safety, and manners. At the end of each lesson, I would sit with the kids and give them worksheets to be signed by their parents and teachers, ensuring they were disciplined at home and school.

I was also the first in the UK to put martial arts students on direct debits, which was a big no-no at the time. Gyms did it, but not martial arts schools. I transitioned from people paying per class to monthly memberships, which brought in a steady income. By the time I was 17, I was making £5,000-6,000 a month, plus extra from grading fees and merchandise.

I aspired to have a large, bold centre like the American schools. I found a perfect building above an estate agent’s office in Barnstaple. Initially, the owners laughed at my proposal, but my mother, a conveyancing lawyer, convinced them to give me six months of free rent. Since I was underage, my 19-year-old girlfriend signed the lease for me.

I remember working on New Year’s Eve, painting walls and laying carpet while others were out celebrating. Six months later, I had 700 members, making £80,000 a month. It became the biggest martial arts school in the UK, and I duplicated this success five more times.

How did you market it? 

Back then, marketing was all offline. There was no Facebook, and while the internet and email existed, they weren’t widely used. I spent £140 on a picture of me performing a flying kick and advertised my full-time martial arts school in Barnstaple. The response was overwhelming, with a queue forming around the corner.

No one else was running martial arts schools professionally as a business; they were mainly focused on fighting and education. Word spread that I was doing something different, like a private school with homework and personal development for kids. People appreciated that I maintained a professional appearance and high standards.

I realised early on that marketing was crucial. I read books by Tony Robbins, Robert Kiyosaki, and Jay Abraham, which helped shape my marketing strategies.

What got you into those books? What opened you up to that world? Was it after you attended the American convention?

Yeah, after attending the American convention, I realised the importance of marketing in the martial arts industry. In the U.S., they emphasised that no matter how great an instructor you are, you won’t receive a check for £10,000 just because you delivered a great class. Success hinges on getting members through the door, and then delivering exceptional service.

This insight prompted me to focus heavily on marketing. I had mentors who emphasised this from a young age. I made it a habit to brainstorm and plan 15 marketing ideas by the fifth of every month, ready to implement in the following month. This routine continues even now.

For instance, during Easter, we might run an Easter camp campaign, bring-a-friend-to-class promotions, school talks, parent’s nights out, and various leaflet drops and poster placements in places like GP surgeries and dentists’ offices. The key is to have visibility in at least 100 locations, utilising lead boxes and other creative strategies to attract new members consistently.

Back when you were running your five studios, what was the competition saying about you?

They absolutely hated me. I was seen as the enemy in the martial arts industry. They couldn’t understand how I was making money from martial arts. They criticised everything from my teaching methods to the music in my lessons. I was dubbed the most hated man in the industry and compared to McDonald’s, with my schools being labelled as “Mac Dojos.”

But now, ironically, many of them are trying to emulate what I’ve done. They’ve realised the value of the business model I pioneered. They used to mock me, saying they didn’t want to be like me, but now they can’t deny the success of my approach. Back then, I faced a lot of hate from the sector.

Even growing up, I used to read a magazine called Martial Arts Illustrated and dreamed of being featured in it. Eventually, I became the most featured person on the front cover, which boosted sales for the magazine. It was controversial, but it worked.

Despite my business success, I never let go of my training. I continued to train hard, even after starting a family. It was all part of the same journey for me. In fact, to get on the front cover of the magazine, the editor wanted to spar with me to see if I was the real deal. After a tough sparring session, he agreed to feature me. It’s been an incredible journey, albeit with its challenges.

Everyone who’s anyone in the martial arts world would come down to Devon to see what this 18-year-old was doing. They were curious about how I was making so much money and driving a Ferrari at such a young age. They couldn’t understand what I was doing differently to them, despite them having years of experience in the industry and never achieving the same level of success.

To them, martial arts was just a hobby, whereas I had turned it into a profitable business. They couldn’t comprehend how I had modernised the martial arts industry and achieved such success at a young age.

And when did you start to franchise it? 

So the next town after my five studios was Tiverton, about 40 miles away. Mentally, I felt it was challenging enough to get people to work for an 18-year-old, let alone expecting them to travel to Tiverton. However, fate intervened when a parent who was a reporter for Southwest News Agency approached me at my main martial arts school in Barnstable. He was intrigued by my story—someone with no qualifications yet making a significant income and driving a nice car.

He interviewed me, delving into my childhood and my current success. I was honest about my earnings, unlike many who try to hide their financial success. I parked my Ferrari right outside the building, not to flaunt wealth, but to show parents the potential for success that martial arts training could offer their children.

The reporter, Nick Constable, did a feature on me, which included a picture of me with my car and doing a martial arts pose. Little did I know, this would catapult me into the spotlight. The story made front-page news in every tabloid newspaper, reaching millions of readers. It caught the attention of TV producers, and soon I was appearing on shows like Esther Rantzen, Tricia Kilroy, Richard and Judy, and GMTV.

This media exposure led to an unexpected encounter with Uri Geller, who was impressed by my success and introduced me to his friend Michael Jackson. Michael, a black belt himself, saw potential in expanding my business globally. He encouraged me to franchise my martial arts concept, offering valuable advice and guidance on branding and systemizing operations.

My friendship with Michael took on a new dimension as I became his bodyguard and security advisor, all done out of genuine friendship without any exchange of money. I was already a millionaire before I met him, but his influence and guidance were invaluable in shaping my future endeavours

So, Michael’s influence was profound, especially when it came to the concept of franchising. He opened my mind to the idea that anything is possible. Along with Uri Geller, Michael urged me to invest wisely, shifting my focus from spending money on Ferraris to acquiring property and land, which turned out to be a remarkably wise decision, leading to the largest property portfolio in the southwest UK.

Michael also played a crucial role in keeping me accountable for building the franchise network. Whenever we spoke, the conversation inevitably turned to the progress of my business. Despite initially feeling resistant to their advice, I now realise the immense value of their guidance. My network of friends included influential figures like Muhammad V, with whom I had dinner at his house and engaged in conversations far different from those of the average teenager or young adult. Their influence and accountability helped shape my journey to success.

What is the franchise concept? 

Do you know what’s happening nowadays? It’s not just about getting martial arts training from them. Investors are buying them for the lucrative returns. Think about it. It’s essentially an empty room, a school hall. The full-time centre model from America doesn’t quite fit the UK. 

Instead, you can hire locations for a fraction of the cost. Plus, it’s VAT exempt, thanks to being classified as education. So now, investors purchase these for around 10 to 25 grand and get a whopping 95% return on their investment, generating passive income. They simply hire martial arts instructors. 

They pay me a commission, creating a win-win scenario. I only make money when they do, unlike other franchises where you get a fixed amount. This approach has been tried to be copied but never quite succeeds. Why? Because you can mimic my story, but you can’t replicate my social proof. Search my name on Google, and you’ll find a long list of media articles spanning over two decades, establishing credibility. Compare that to competitors who only have a website and social media accounts. People naturally gravitate towards a brand with a solid reputation, especially with concerns about child safety and cyberbullying. That’s why brand power is crucial.

How many units do you currently have? 

We’re now at 1800 units globally, and we’re expanding further, aiming for an additional 2000 locations, particularly focusing on Australia, the UK, Ireland, and beyond. We still have the original five units, including the iconic building that started it all. Looking back, it’s surreal to see how far we’ve come from those early days of decorating. And yes, there were challenges, especially from those who doubted us, but that’s all part of the journey to success.