Small Business Success Story - All American Karate School

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Each year the New York Small Business Development Center recognizes outstanding small businesses in a variety of ways.  This Success Story from the  Jamestown SBDC appears in our 2016 Annual Report. 

John Lipari 
All American Karate School
Jamestown SBDC

John Lipari came to the SBDC for assistance with opening a karate school after moving to Jamestown from California. John has an 8th degree black belt in karate and owned a karate school in California. After moving, he wanted to keep teaching and open a school in New York. The All American Karate School (AAKS) opened in October 2015 in Ashville in a 4,000 square foot facility. AAKS instructors focus on teaching students a set curriculum of skills and techniques, which are then incorporated into self-defense moves. This base of skills and self-defense, lead to self-control, self-discipline and in turn self-confidence. The school’s motto, “Be Better Than You Were Before,” puts these goals within reach for people of all ages and of all physical abilities. 
Teaching karate is a family affair and John’s wife Angie Lipari also teaches with him. John’s daughter Nicole operates the school in California. John’s martial arts programs include training in karate, judo and jujitsu. His comprehensive, 10-belt system goes from white to black, and instruction includes classes for people of all ages from adolescents to mature adults. 
John, who has been teaching karate since 1983, consulted the SBDC when he decided to open a second location in Chautauqua County. SBDC Advisor Scott Miller provided technical start-up assistance and advised John how to formalize a business in New York. They discussed the location and attributes of the building, demographics and competition analysis, and the number of potential students needed for break-even analysis. “It’s good to know that the SBDC is there as an ongoing service,” says John. “They continually kept checking back to make sure our needs were being met.” 

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