Forged With Intention: Building More Than a Jiu Jitsu Gym

Not every jiu jitsu gym is meant for everyone—and Forged was never built to be.

From day one, my wife and I have said that Forged is a community disguised as a jiu jitsu gym. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the tool, but transformation is the mission. That means being intentional—not just about how we teach jiu jitsu, but about who we invite into the room.

Forged exists for men and women who want more from life.
People who value discipline, respect, health, fitness, and community.
People who want confidence without ego and strength without unnecessary conflict.

We’re not a competition-focused gym. Forged is for the hobbyist, the everyday person who wants to feel capable, empowered, and grounded through Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and self-defense training.

Build Mode and Trusting the Process

Right now, I’m fully in build mode.

Every day is spent thinking about, working on, or supporting the business in some way. One of the biggest lessons so far? Everything takes longer than you expect. And that’s okay.

Recently, I was approached with the idea of hosting a Women’s Self-Defense Seminar for International Women’s Day on March 8th. I jumped on it immediately. I built the flyer, the landing page, and started spreading the word—posting on social media and dropping off physical flyers at local Springfield-area businesses where women already gather.

The work matters—but the results come in God’s timing, not mine.

That lesson was reinforced when I received a call from a local police chief who saw our sign. He’s always been interested in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu but never felt comfortable walking into a gym. He has four daughters and wants discipline, community, strength without gym culture, and confidence without conflict.

That conversation reminded me exactly why Forged exists.

The Right Kind of Growth

Lately, the academy has been gaining momentum.

A few families have joined—one from a nearby church, another where the father signed up first and was so empowered by the curriculum that he immediately wanted his daughters training in jiu jitsu and self-defense as well.

That’s real progress.

Not just financial growth—but growth in adding the right people to the Forged community. Jiu jitsu isn’t reserved for elite athletes. It’s for people who want progress without needing to be elite. It’s for those who want to learn, adapt, and grow through uncomfortable situations.

That’s the heart of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu—and the heart of Forged.

The Work Behind the Scenes

Behind the mats, there’s a different kind of grind.

I’ve been learning how to advertise on Google, improve SEO for our jiu jitsu website, and understand how Facebook ads can help Forged reach more people in the Springfield area. I underestimated how time-consuming and challenging this would be.

Ironically, I come from an IT background. I was a programmer in a previous role, so I assumed the tech side would be easy. It hasn’t been. New platforms, new systems, new ways of doing things—it’s been humbling.

Time management has been the biggest challenge of all.

I have more ideas than hours, and spending energy without seeing a return—without leads or growth—can be discouraging. But testing, adjusting, and sometimes failing is the only way forward.

A Lesson in Base

Today, I taught a group of kids about base.

We played a simple game where two students line up and try to knock each other off balance by slapping hands. I demonstrated a strong base and said, “Base.” The kids dropped into position—and immediately one pushed the other. I never told him to do that, but he knew what was coming next.

One kid hit the ground and cried.
The other shut down and didn’t participate afterward.

Looking back, I missed an opportunity.

I should have talked about mistakes—how making them is part of learning, and how what matters most is how we respond when things don’t go as planned. I didn’t address it in the moment, but the lesson stayed with me.

Because building Forged is the same.

You’ll lose balance. You’ll misstep. You’ll invest energy in things that don’t pay off right away. The goal is always the same: rebuild your base, stay disciplined, and keep moving forward.

That’s Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
That’s self-defense.
That’s Forged.