Open Black Belt exists to give dojo owners the same quality of technology tools that large gyms and franchises have — at a price that works for everyone.
Running a martial arts school is a calling, not just a business. But the administrative side — tracking attendance, chasing payments, managing students — can pull you away from the mat. We built Lotus to handle all of it so you can focus on teaching.
Our mission is simple: give every dojo owner, from a single instructor teaching out of a garage to a multi-location academy, access to technology that actually works for their community.
The same principles that guide training on the mat guide how we build software.
Open Black Belt was founded by John Facey, a martial arts school owner who couldn't find software that actually fit the way dojos work. The existing tools were either built for big-box gyms, prohibitively expensive, or just plain clunky.
So he built Lotus — starting as an internal tool for his own school, then refining it based on feedback from other school owners. What started as a weekend project became the platform that now powers schools worldwide.
The name "Open Black Belt" reflects the philosophy behind the company: the knowledge and tools needed to run a successful school should be open and accessible to everyone who puts in the work — not just those with deep pockets or tech teams.
Today, Open Black Belt is a growing suite of products for the martial arts world, including Lotus (dojo management), Budocast (the martial arts podcast), and the upcoming Fight Card (tournament management). John also authored From White Belt to Business Owner, a practical guide for anyone starting or managing their own gym or dojo.
Everything we build starts with one question: does this make a dojo owner's life better?
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