Unleashed Brands has put together a series of first-person interviews with some of our MUMBOs. In case you’re unfamiliar with our “MUMBO” acronym, it stands for “Multi-Unit, Multi-Brand Owner,” in which a franchisee owns and operates multiple units, also representing more than one brand. It’s a strategic way to build an enterprise operation and one that Unleashed Brands makes an easy proposition with its multiple youth enrichment concepts.
We took their answers and put them in a testimonial format, so you can learn more about how each of these franchisees found the perfect youth enrichment brand to fulfill their business ownership dreams. One such example is Kurt Asesor, who owns and operates three Premier Martial Arts locations in Florida, including Weston-Sunrise, Naples, and Plantation, and also opened an XP League franchise earlier this year. Below, in his own words, Kurt shares the story of his entrepreneurial journey and explains the “why” behind his decision to become a multi-unit, multi-brand owner with Unleashed Brands.
Background
“Ever since I was a kid, I was really into martial arts. For me, it was a way of life and I wanted it to be even more. I started getting into Kiyosaki’s teachings, the author of ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad.’ Your job is your job, but you should always be working on building something bigger, better, and more meaningful in your life. The path to where I am now wasn’t direct and I did face some challenges, but once I committed myself fully to this lifestyle, it was like I grew up. Martial arts became a technical specialty for me, and I committed to it full-time. It became my way to make a living when I joined my brother’s Premier Martial Arts school, which was originally a licensing program before it became a franchise opportunity. Things really began to happen, and we opened a second location in 2015.”
On Choosing an Entrepreneurial Future
“Once I began working with my brother, I knew I wanted to make a career out of it. I guess you could say I kind of fell into entrepreneurship – it wasn’t the plan from the very beginning. Originally, I’ve always had an affinity for numbers and math. I might have made a great accountant, but I knew deep down that pursuing a career through martial arts was way more interesting and fun. In 2018, Premier Martial Arts began franchising the concept and a year later, we opened a second location. In 2019, I personally took over a third location, which was an existing studio and recently took over one more school in Coconut Creek that has become my fourth territory.”
What Attracted You to the Premier Martial Arts and XP League Opportunities?
“Even though I began my martial arts journey from a very young age – I was seven or eight I think – I didn’t really get overly serious about it until my teens. I was able to link up with an organization that really knew how to teach classes and I became even more passionate about it. It’s what created paying job opportunities for me. I started as a junior instructor, then worked my way up to becoming the head instructor. I was a studio manager for over a decade – basically from 2002 to 2015 before I joined my brother’s studio. As for XP League, what struck me was the similarities to Premier Martial Arts. Many people don’t understand this, but martial arts isn’t about beating people up. It’s about character development and empowerment. It’s not what we do, but how we do it. Now I did grow up playing video games, so I got the culture, but I came to realize that XP League was teaching the same core values as Premier. Again, not in what they were doing, but how they were doing it – teaching life skills. It’s really about character development and empowerment.”
Tell Us About Getting Started With Premier Martial Arts and XP League
“My Premier Martial Arts journey began years ago with my brother’s studio and now I own three locations of my own. With XP League, I had my grand opening back in February, and we began our first season in March. It’s such an exciting opportunity and the truth is – this concept hasn’t come close to peaking yet. It’s a first-to-market opportunity with the backing of a big organization. I’ve been fortunate that I can run my XP League activities out of my first Premier studio, so the space doubles for both franchise concepts. It’s really become a community hub and we’re continuing to build our rosters for both activities. My base will always be martial arts, but XP League is helping me take things to another level altogether.”
Why Do You Think You Were a Fit for Both of These Franchise Opportunities?
“I’ve always tried to approach things as either a growth opportunity, and if it doesn’t become one, at least enjoy the ride. Martial arts helps me feel young and brings me an endless amount of joy in my life. I just love the training, teamwork, and building up the younger generation.”
What Have These Business Opportunity Afforded You That You Might Not Have Otherwise?
“If I had to narrow it down to a couple of things, I’d say it’s offered me both the freedom and flexibility to do my thing. And now, I want to pass that opportunity down to others. I’ve developed a system where I’m training the next generation of instructors. They start as technicians, then onto managers, then investors, and finally – if all goes well – owners. I really just want to create a similar path for others and show them that anything is possible.”
What Does the Future Hold for You?
“I definitely plan to grow and expand my operations, my team, and my staff. As they continue to progress and evolve into these elevated positions, hopefully they’ll be a good fit. We all are of the same body and mind about it. We have the same goals, and everything is aligned. Working together, it really feels like we can achieve anything!”
A Little More About Us…
The Unleashed Brands platform includes Urban Air Adventure Park, Snapology, The Little Gym, XP League, Class 101, and Premier Martial Arts youth enrichment franchises. As the parent company, Unleashed Brands was founded to curate and grow the most innovative and profitable business opportunities that help kids learn, play and grow. Over the last 10 years, the team at Unleashed Brands has built a proven platform and know-how for scaling businesses that focus on serving families. All have become first-in-category brands by providing fun, engaging, and inspiring experiences that help kids with their No. 1 development goal – to become who they were destined to be.
To speak with one of our franchise experts and learn more about our children’s business opportunities, simply fill out this form and an Unleashed Brands representative will be in touch shortly.
