Southington Small Business Spotlight: Leadership Martial Arts

Every local business has a story worth sharing with the community. And that’s the belief behind this exciting series — to shine the spotlight on all our favorite local businesses, and to learn a little about the ones we may not know that well.

• Business: Leadership Martial Arts
• Owner: Rick Griffin
• Website: Leadershipmartialartsct.com
• Address: 1156 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike, Southington

“My name is Rick Griffin and I have been doing Martial Arts for the last 20 years. I am opening Leadership Martial Arts on the Cheshire/Southington line in with Deli 66, Southington Athletics, Dream Dinners, and Rugged Fitness. I think this will help solidify this section as an area for health and fitness for Cheshire and Southington.

I started taking Kenpo Karate at the age of 7 and fell in love with the art and more importantly teaching others. My Martial Arts program teaches key character development skills in children and focuses on how to apply them to the real world. Confidence to achieve their goals, focusing better in school, and more respect at home are a few of the benefits parents can expect from my program. Opening my own school has been a dream of mine since I earned my Black Belt at 13 and I think it will have a great impact on the town. I just recently began renovations and plan on opening in September this year.”

How did you come up with the name?

I carefully chose the name Leadership Martial Arts for two reasons: One, most parents that seek out Martial Arts for their child want them to gain character development skills, whether it be more confident, more disciplined, focus better in school, etc. Ultimately, they want their child to possess qualities of a leader. They will learn all of that here and more. The second reason I chose that name is because I want my school to be the leading authority in town in developing life skills and teaching valuable self defense skills to the youth and Adults.

Why start a business in this town?

Southington and Cheshire are great towns that are very family and sport oriented. I grew up in Meriden and lived in Southington for 2 years and feel there is a great vibe of unity here. I feel the other tenants in this space are like minded in our businesses offering a great venue for athletic and fitness needs.

What business are you in?

Many people see Martial Arts as only kicking and punching. Some parents are even concerned that if their child learns karate they will use it to bully others around. I can say first hand that this is the furthest from the truth at Leadership Martial Arts. I started at age 7 and it has helped me become a disciplined and focused young adult. The best thing about Martial Arts is that it develops the person from the inside out and ANYONE can do it. My program teaches key character development skills in children and focuses on how to apply them to the real world. Confidence to achieve their goals, focusing better in school, and more respect at home are a few of the benefits parents can expect from my program. No one sits on the bench and I have had countless students in the past that were labeled as “lost causes” because of behavioral or attention problems that excelled in Martial Arts and in turn other areas of life.

What’s the most difficult challenge you’ve faced as a business owner?

I have not really faced too many difficulties. I have been teaching since I was 13, and managing a school for the past 5 years so all the obstacles that arose through the opening processed were mostly accounted for.

What’s been your proudest achievement since opening?

I am opening the school September 1st but just being handed over the keys and knowing my lifelong dream of owning my own school has been accomplished has been an indescribable feeling.

How does your business give back to the community?

Giving back to the community is one of my main focuses. Teaching the life skills necessary to succeed Is setting the town up for a brighter future of workers. There is a special team called the “Leadership Team” that will host food drives, fundraisers for the less fortunate, and penny drives to learn the value of giving back to others. In the past I have done a lot of work with local PTO groups and have helped raise thousands of dollars towards field trips and school supplies and I am hoping to help out the schools locally here.

Would you like to see your small business showcased in this series? Email wendy.mitchell@patch.com.