Black Belt Institute

What Black Belt Institute does

Black Belt Institute is a privately held, single-location martial arts school founded in 1993 and based at 23 New Street in Metuchen, New Jersey. The school teaches Tae Kwon Do and complementary disciplines including Tai Chi and Zumba to children and adults in the Metuchen and Edison, NJ area, with the stated mission of developing self-defense skills, cardiovascular fitness, mental discipline, and moral character. Core programs are segmented by age: Lil Dragons for ages 4-6, Kids Tae Kwon Do for ages 7+, and Adult Tae Kwon Do for ages 7+, with self-defense training integrated across all programs. Instruction is delivered by named principals Master Faxon and Mr. Ballantine.

The business operates on a subscription/recurring class fee model, with students paying monthly tuition for weekly in-person classes. Acquisition is driven by a promotional $50 two-week trial that includes a free uniform, supported by a top-of-funnel local marketing mix of Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and a local-SEO website targeting families in the surrounding communities. Class schedules are limited to weekday afternoons/evenings and Saturday mornings, consistent with a small, owner-operated studio.

The company has roughly five employees, no disclosed investors, no parent company, no subsidiaries, no funding history, and no M&A activity. There is no mobile app, no disclosed software platform, and no evidence of digital product expansion beyond a basic website and social media presence. It is a lifestyle, owner-operator service business with a long-tenured local brand rather than a scalable technology enterprise.

Name

Black Belt Institute

Legal name

Black Belt Institute

Website

https://blackbeltinst.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Belt Institute is a privately held, single-location martial arts school in Metuchen, New Jersey, teaching Tae Kwon Do, Tai Chi, and Zumba to children and adults in the Metuchen/Edison area on a recurring subscription basis since 1993.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Martial Arts Instruction

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Traditional Martial Arts Schools (Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, etc.) (HSADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Kids & Youth Martial Arts Programs (HSADADAG)

Keywords

• Martial arts instruction
• Tae Kwon Do classes
• Youth martial arts
• Self-defense training
• Kids karate program

Headquarters

HQ city

Metuchen

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Martial Arts Classes: Recurring class fees for structured martial arts instruction. Classes offered on recurring weekly schedule (multiple days per week) for kids, adults, and Lil Dragons programs. Revenue generated through ongoing student enrollment in weekly class sessions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Black Belt Institute is a brick-and-mortar martial arts school in Metuchen, NJ offering structured Tae Kwon Do instruction for children, adults, and young learners (Lil Dragons ages 4-6). The school provides in-person group classes on a recurring weekly schedule emphasizing self-defense, physical fitness, self-confidence, discipline, and the five tenets of Tae Kwon Do, with additional offerings in Tai Chi and Zumba.

Product overview

Black Belt Institute is a martial arts and fitness school offering a portfolio of programs centered around Tae Kwon Do instruction. The core offerings include Adult Tae Kwon Do for ages 7+, Kids Tae Kwon Do for ages 7+, and Lil Dragons for ages 4-6. Self-defense training is integrated throughout all programs. The school also mentions Tai Chi and Zumba classes as part of its fitness offerings. The programs are designed to develop self-defense skills, mental discipline, physical fitness, and moral values including the five tenets of Tae Kwon Do: Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control, and Indomitable Spirit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Tae Kwon Do

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• 9Round Fitness: National kickboxing-focused fitness franchise offering 30-minute circuit workouts for adults. Competes for the same adult discretionary fitness dollar as Black Belt Institute's adult TKD program, though without the youth/family segment.
• iLoveKickboxing: Growing kickboxing fitness franchise offering group kickboxing classes for adults in a studio setting. Directly competes with the adult martial arts / self-defense segment of Black Belt Institute, with similar studio footprint and recurring-class pricing.
• UFC Gym: National fitness franchise combining MMA-inspired training, group classes, and youth programs within a broader gym portfolio. Overlaps with Black Belt Institute in the youth martial arts / adult self-defense segments but competes as a full-facility fitness chain rather than a discipline-focused school.

Direct peers

• Premier Martial Arts: National martial arts franchise operating multi-discipline schools (karate, jiu-jitsu, kickboxing) with strong youth-program emphasis and family-class offerings. Comparable to Black Belt Institute on target demographic, family-together positioning, and recurring weekly class model.
• Karate America: Franchise network of traditional martial arts schools offering karate and self-defense for children and adults with belt-progression curricula. Directly comparable business model: instructor-led classes, youth-focused acquisition, and long-term student retention.
• ATA Martial Arts: American Taekwondo Association — national TKD franchise network teaching Olympic-style taekwondo to children and adults through independently owned schools. Directly comparable to Black Belt Institute on discipline (TKD), curriculum structure, age-tiered programs, and subscription-class delivery.
• Tiger Schulmann's Martial Arts: Large New Jersey-based martial arts chain offering karate, kickboxing, and self-defense programs for kids and adults across multiple NJ locations. Closest direct competitor to Black Belt Institute given overlapping geographic market, similar age-segmented programs, and comparable recurring-class revenue model.

Emerging players

• The Little Gym: International franchise offering structured motor-skill development, gymnastics, and karate classes for children ages 4 months–12 years. Directly competes with Black Belt Institute's Lil Dragons (ages 4–6) and Kids TKD (7+) programs for the same parent-and-child enrollment decisions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-belt-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Belt Institute