The Boulder Weekly has a great article this week about the use of the word "local" and it's co-opting by big business. (You can read it here for more background.) Obviously as the owner of a local business, I am a big supporter of community based businesses. But I also shop at chain locations because sometimes local isn't the right answer (I'm totally fine with mass produced toilet paper, airplanes, and telephones).
Here at the Boulder Quest Center, I think we have the perfect balance of global/local. Our dojo is 100% owned and operated in Boulder. However, we license our curriculum and some marketing materials from SKH Quest in Dayton, OH. We get the benefit of our teacher's research, travels to Japan, and expertise in creating the most effective, life-enhancing self defense curriculum on the planet. The idea of a Casey-Ryu Ninjutsu being comparable is literally laughable. Yet when it comes to making decisions about pricing, class schedules, even class offerings (not all To-Shin Do dojos also offer Belly Dance), those decisions lie firmly on Keitoshi's and my shoulders. And if we need support, we have a tight family of expert dojo owners to help us see our possible decisions clearly.
As in our martial path, we are constantly training to be better individuals, better citizens, and better entrepreneurs. Who do you know in our local community who would benefit from authenic empowerment training? Our mission at the Boulder Quest Center is to help individuals live a life choice to unleash their potential. How can we help you achieve your goals? Contact me (Mary Aitoshi) to setup a free intro lesson.

Labels: Boulder Weekly, business, local, ninjutsu, Quest