When I met Liz, I knew right away she was the one.
We had only been dating for a month when I asked her to marry me. Crazy? Maybe. But I didn’t need any more time to decide. Liz was the perfect partner—not just for me, but as it turned out, for the future of Kung Fu Kids.
Back then, Kung Fu Kids was brand new. I had just opened my first location, and while I was passionate about teaching martial arts, the business side? Let’s just say I was flying by the seat of my pants.
I was a martial artist, not a businessperson. Our academy was unpolished, running mostly on sheer passion and love for the art.
That’s where Liz came in.
With years of management experience from running a restaurant chain, Liz had the expertise we needed but didn’t know we were missing. She brought organization, professionalism, and a level of structure that transformed our little martial arts school into a thriving business.
She streamlined our operations, organized staff training, and even helped create systems to make everything run more efficiently. From scheduling to customer service, she built a foundation that allowed us to grow—not just as a martial arts school, but as a professional organization.
But her impact didn’t stop there.
At the time, Kung Fu Kids had an elitist reputation. We were heavily competition-focused, and while we had some incredible athletes, that approach meant we were only serving a small fraction of the kids who could benefit from martial arts.
Liz saw that, and she challenged me to think bigger.
Her vision? A school where all kids—not just the naturally athletic or ultra-disciplined—could grow, learn, and thrive through martial arts. She believed in making martial arts accessible to everyone, regardless of their starting point.
Under her leadership, we shifted from being a competition-focused academy to one that prioritized helping children build confidence, resilience, and life skills.
Instead of focusing on training champions for tournaments, we started focusing on helping every child become a champion in life.
That shift changed everything. Parents who would never have considered enrolling their kids in a martial arts academy now saw Kung Fu Kids as the perfect place for their child to grow, no matter their abilities.
And while Liz was creating massive change for the academy, she was also committing to her own personal growth. She trained in Wushu herself, learning the very art she was helping to transform for others.
Years of hard work and dedication eventually earned her the rank of Sifu (Master), a title that reflects both her technical skill and her leadership. Today, she’s proudly known as Sifu Liz—a testament to her perseverance and belief in leading by example.
Liz turned my dream into a movement.
Looking back, I can confidently say that Kung Fu Kids wouldn’t be what it is today without her. She brought the heart and the vision that allowed us to focus on what matters most—making a difference in the lives of kids.
👉 Click Here for a Complimentary One on One Introductory Lesson
