Ayn's Multiple World

Dojo Discussion

Good morning. This is me. We’re up really early this morning. It is 12:30 am. We had been sleeping, but we’d fallen asleep on the chaise. Rich woke us up to go to bed about a half an hour ago. He had been up and out of town. One of his good friends who are on his football officiating team had a ceremony yesterday to celebrate 50 years officiating. Yup, you can imagine … he’s been around quite some time and he doesn’t seem to be letting old age get him. He’s got to be at least 70 years old and he’s still out there playing with the kids. Maybe after having achieved this honor … he’d let it go, but maybe he’s going for a record! Good Elroy!

We didn’t write this morning so we’re feeling a bit behind. We had a busy day.

There was a problem though in that our Internet was down. That meant we were out of sync from the start. We did call COMCAST this morning and try to get it straightened out, but to no avail. They will be out later on today – Sunday between 4-7 pm. Good for them to get someone out so quick. I would have wished it had been today, but then as I said it turned out busy.

We took our shower even before Rich today while he was doing some laundry. He said that I could use his Internet so I didn’t panic, but it was close. I had had in mind that we were going to edit some more chapters.

We had talked to Maury though and he had brought Thom’s computer to be shipped out as soon as possible. So we called the UPS store where Rich has his mail box and they said no problem bring it right over. That was terrific. Rich had to leave at 11:15 am, but he had enough time between loads that he could go with us. We had called Thom on our way over to make sure the address was correct. It turned out to be good. We didn’t call him back right away, because Rich was copying down the address, but Thom called us. That was good thinking. The UPS people were nice enough to give me a chair to sit in by the cash register and where Rich was getting things ready. So with Thom on the phone we were able to get him involved with discussing the transaction.

The UPS people did the work of packaging for us … which was a sweet deal. We all decided to insure it for $2000 and Thom was sure he wanted the fastest route to getting his computer, so we shipped it so that it would get there on Tuesday. Thom just has to wait a little bit. It cost $99. Thom had thought he would have to pay over $150 so, that was a good deal. If he hadn’t been on the phone, we might have not carried out the last step to get it there so quick. But, I think he is much happier now, so that makes ME that much happier. We talked a little bit, but not too much. I felt good that everything had gone ok. It was truly a family process where Joe got it ready, Maury delivered it, Rich and me sent it out and Thom gets it. Pswhoo … I think we all love Thom 

We had helped Rich fold clothes, but mostly we just took care of Comcast after we got back. After Rich left … we started over on his computer pulling out chapters.

The month of May, 2008 chapter 58 only had two entries and there were about 65 pages of April, 2008 chapter 57. I didn’t even start the editing though when Joe called.

WOOHOO!!! We were going to meet up for lunch. That was a super good deal. We had had some problem with the cake we’d eaten after we go back. I think it may have been the first time we lost food because we overate in sweets. Lesson learned silly person!

We met Joe over at the Dojo. We had some time to sit there and consider things while watching inside where his trainers were working with students. One of the most obvious thoughts we had while waiting there was that the place next to Joe’s was vacant. I don’t remember who used to rent the store, but the fact remains that it was EMPTY … Oh my Lord the possibilities. When Joe got in, he put his florescent light bulbs down – he had gone to the store because he needed to put in 4. When he came out … there might have been a few hellos, but mostly it was like – Hey Joe!!!

Do you realize the potential here?

Apparently, we had not been the first or only person to realize it. The main one to have noticed it was someone who had come up with a really cool set of ideas. One idea was to sell things nationally from the storefront, which was a good idea, but the one that really floated my boat … was that the guy had recommended that Joe and Steve start an “After School” Program. Wow … it took a few moments for it to sink in – what he was talking about, but when it did … it really hit with a big bang.

Joe said that he’s guessing that the place is going to rent for about $800 a month.

That’s about what he is paying for his place and he’s paying almost the same for the apartment upstairs. We don’t know what kind of deal it would be with Joe renting out 3 locations – basically, would the guy cut him any kind of deal. There’s no doubt that there would be room for this kind of store front. It’s not a very wide store – like Joe’s dojo isn’t very wide, but they are really long and deep. My idea would be to then develop the place so that – 1/3 of it would be extra mats for more lessons, and the other 2/3 would be set up like a couple of bigger tables – library size, and then two big computer stations – I’ve got in mind the kinds that are a big circle, but it is divided into 4 carols. If you got laptop computers, they could be stored on the shelves when not in use so that the individual carols could be used for more focused studying.

Hey I could draw this … hold on.



Well, you sorta get the idea, right? The dojo looks like the one on the left now, except the locker room and office are both the same thing. The idea would be to separate them. Wow. I can see this so well, I can taste it. I think you could put a long bulletin board on the left side of the tables too and then showcase the work that turns out to be A’s. It could be a board of honor. I think you’d have to make sure that you could get electricity and Internet to all four spaces of the four tables. That be real important because it would give you flexibility.

Hmm, we’re having a hard time now not obsessing with this. We stayed up last night until about 2 am – then we went to bed until about 5:30 am this morning. Now we are back here again and we just find ourselves staring into the project.

You see where I get excited? I am thinking that I could run the program with Joe.

I would like to be the program manager and trainer. As a PMT what I am thinking …

Joe says the kids – he would target about 8-15 years old – but, they would get out of school about 3:30 pm. I figure I could go to work early like Maria has and work from 6 am – 2:30 pm. That would give me a about 1 ½ - 2 hours before the groups get in and the 6 hours the clients were in the program, plus a half an hour afterward.

I’d still be putting in my 8 hours, and then I could have an hour transference time between 2:30-3:30 pm. I could be at Joe’s program then from 3:30-6:00 and be home by 6:30 pm. Well between 6:30-7:00 pm … I would imagine there would be some traces of students leaving ABOUT 6 pm. The way I figured it on the way home – is that I would be doing this primarily for Joe, somewhat for Sensei Steve, but also for me.

It would give me an opportunity to do more program work and more teaching work. I figured that all I would ask for from it would be $400 a month – or $100 per week.

That would mean $20 for 3 hours work … man get me ANYone for less than $7 an hour to work with 8 students and I’d say – there you got a steal! I figured if the program had 8 students – there’s seating for 16 … but, you wouldn’t necessarily want it that crowded, but with 8 students you could be charging them $5 an hour – more with karate lessons, but basically that would mean about $75 a week and $300 for the month … if you multiplied that by 8 … you would have an extra $2400 a month. $1000 would go to upkeep of the rent and utilities, and as we were saying $400 to me then it would be like $1000 to split between Joe and Steve – so they earned $500 more a month – or, $500 plus and extra $150 for each student added.

We talked to Joe just long enough to get in some of the basics. With up to 16 students … it would mean adding $400 to teaching costs so that would leave them with an extra thousand a piece. Part of the deal though would be that you could get some volunteer parents like we used to do for the co-op kindergarten and first grade that Joe used to go to. Hmm, we could also maybe get Maury to come in a couple days a week. He has Wednesday and Thursday off. He could be given some extra money, but he could also be getting some extra karate lessons for his daughters. I know he’d really like to get them into the program. I’m saying this just because it’s very cool to make this family and family would be different kind of dedication, devotion, and respect than just anyone off the street. I think Joe could be paying me about the same as he pays the 16 year old girl he’s got working there. And, we’d have a lot to offer him.

Hmm, Maury could have the other 14 if he were there, or basically, you could give the job for $20 per day and then if a parent came in up to maybe 2 staff and 2 parents a session they would get $20 off the amount of a session for the karate.

You’d make it so they wouldn’t be getting cash out, but they wouldn’t have to put so much cash in – it be like a credit. Another thing would be cost per client. If you had a paid “cheap” staff there … you could be looking at it as about $2.50 per client a day. If I was alone for a day with 11 clients, I would have earned a whopping $27.50 … and if it were like that 3 days, it would mean I earned 2 regular at $20 and 3 extra at $27.50 bringing the total for the week to $122.50 … but in the same respect … for that week the guys would make $495 + $150 = $645. Or, Cost of $645 - $122.50 = $522.50/2 = $261.25. But, They’d still have to pay the $1000 for the rent/utilities. SO the first 2 weeks their extra money would go toward paying that … and then the last 2 weeks they would both make $522 each. 3.33 students coming for 1 month or 20 days would pay the rent and utilities. The teacher would cost $50 per month for one student and for 3.33 students it would cost $166.50 a month

Hmm, trying here to get to the break-even point for them … 4 students for 1 month would bring in $1200, take out the $1000 plus $200 for teaching 4 students – that be the break-even point. Basically, then any money coming in after 4 students they would break even by having paid the teacher and rent/utilities. Of that break even money … 17% goes to the paid staff, 83% goes to profit, which is divided into 41.5% profit per owner. True they have to reinvest into the place … Joe is talking about getting a loan from his grandmother. How much would they need? Joe was saying that if he did this … he would want to turn it into full-time work for him. That means Instead of getting $2000 for his student loan job … He’d have to make at least $2000 from this job. If he can make $1000 by … let me see … at 10 students he would have $3000 - $1000 = $2000 - $500 = $1500/2 = $750 … at 10 clients he would make 37.5% of what he would need to make – this considering that he pay his partner 50%. But, what’s to say that if Joe isn’t working full-time he wouldn’t get a salary of $2000, and then after that there would be profit split in 2. That would help bring it up to him making 75% of his earning … I guess then to make it all the way to $2000, he would need 12 students. That would then be $3600 – 1000 – 2600 – 600 = $2000
So … that would really be the second most important number 4 students’ breaks even with building and teacher, but 12 students’ breaks even with building, teacher, and covering Joe’s $2000. I really like how these numbers are working out.

So …

Each student $2.50 per day per paid staff for 3 hour shift.

To break $10 an hour, each student has to teach 12 students in one day.

Rent and utilities cost $1000

Each student pays $5 an hour, or $15 per 3-hour day, or $300 per 20 day week

Break-even point for teacher and utility ($1,000) would be 4 students per month

Break-even point for teacher, utility and $2,000 to Joe would be 12 students per month

If I just worked 3 days a week, and Maury worked two days a week at 12 students – he would make $60, a week, and at 4 weeks he would make $240, plus maybe some karate credits (For my granddaughters – he could have my share of credits).

I would make in 3 days with 12 students $90 a week, and at 4 weeks $360. But, I could also work an extra shift or two on Saturdays for an additional amount of money. Think 3 hour shifts.

Hmm, it’s after now the time I spent with Maury, the granddaughters, and Alex.

WooHOO. We ate at a place called Flattops where we picked up the ingredients to make our own main entre. Mine had ummm reasonable things in it in the form of an omelet. Maury had an extra pancake for his wife, Isa and Ame had chocolate chips and gummy worms in their pancake … yup yup … that’s what went down – oh and with syrup. Yeeks! They seemed delighted though.

Ugh … I tried to finish my eggs after I got back, but that effort was to no avail.

Ugh.

At this moment we’re still without Internet. It’s about 1:20 pm. The Internet guys aren’t due to be here until about 4-7 pm. There’s time to wait. But, I think I’m going to have to do some work. I emptied the dishwasher, now I have to pick up the living room. I also have to fold the white load. Hmm, maybe I’ll do that right away.

Ok, back … living room is a little better and the clean clothes are put away. Very good. I even cleaned up the desk. Sweetie and I are going to need doing the kitty litter today. I’m not sure though if I can go out with him to do the groceries because that might need to be done at the same time as the Comcast guy. Hmm, then there is that other part … the work. I wish I could turn some music on. Maybe I can find a ballgame? Let’s try that.

Pswhoo ... COMCAST guy came out Sunday night ... we're all set!

posted by Ann Marie @ 7/21/2008 05:33:00 AM Comments: 0