What is your #1 question?

[Craig]

What is your #1 question about running a fencing club as a business?

This question is put forth to those that are either (1) running a fencing club today or (2) envision themselves opening or running a fencing club within the next 3 to 5 years.

I'll be taking the top questions and enlisting some business experts to provide some answers. If you don't want to post your question, then email it to me. (craig @ thisdomain)

Craig

[Bryn Ralph]

What are some important legal ramifications to opening and/or managing a fencing club?

[Joe biebel]

These questions are most likely to answered best by those that have already started their clubs. What unexpected or hidden costs did you run into? What is your main customer (Middle School, high school, adults, veteran, competetive vs. recreational) type?

[VorpalCat]

Also in the 'best answered by people already running clubs' category:

What hours and days do you find work best for your fencers? (Even if they aren't necessarily all that convenient for you. )

[Jay Kominek]

I want to know how the area around the club affects the clientele. Like, do converted industrial spaces (still in an otherwise industrial area) get you fewer women/kids? Commerical vs residential district? etc, etc. So, assuming a fellow has chosen a city/area, how do you pick where to get space in the city based on your desired audience?

[reawl]

Retention! I want to know what keeps fencers around. In my club we've got under twenty fencers, but more than 100 have passed through our doors in the last two years.

[Chafunkta]

How much do you need to be involved in the community?

It seems that involvement in a community would be a great idea. If people knew who the club owner was, they may feel a lot better about sending their kids to this club. Should the club owner spend time putting on demonstrations at school, perhaps showing fencing as a supplemental part to a history lesson? Could the club somehow get intertwined with high schools around their area? Maybe even get the club involved with some home schooled programs...

If the answers to these questions are yes, what would be the process of getting these things done?

[Babs the Cat]

I already posted this question elsewhere, but "what are the advantages/disadvantages of setting up a fencing club as a (1) not for profit, (2) a sole proprietorship, and (3) a limited liability company or LLC."

[Allen Evans]

For keeping fencers, I would check out this thread:

High turnover rates at fencing clubs