Sparking 300+ Pre-Opening Signups: Renzo Gracie Eastside

Behind every martial arts school is a story, a spark that ignites its creation. For Jason, it began in 1998 with a chance encounter at a karate school:

“I actually joined a karate school three months prior and I got to yellow belt in that karate school. There was a gentleman that started in a WAZA class…They invited me into the class and I was stoked right from the very beginning.”

That initial spark grew into a deep passion when he discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ).

A pivotal moment came at a New Jersey competition, where the Renzo Gracie Cyclones dominated. Unfamiliar with the Gracie legacy, Jason’s curiosity was piqued.

After relentless attempts to contact Renzo’s gym—calling daily for weeks—he finally showed up in person, beginning a journey that would define his life.

Learning from Legends and Finding Purpose

Jason walked into a gritty, storied space above a methadone clinic, a place buzzing with history and talent. “As you walked in, there was a small master base with guys rolling…Sean Williams…was the first person to walk up to me…Matt Serra was a teacher…BGSB took his class and was just hooked after that.”

These chance encounters blossomed into mentorships. John Danaher took Jason under his wing, teaching him not just the moves, but a way of thinking: “He taught me the game at an incredible deep detail. He taught me how to think about the game also in an analytical way.” Years later, Jason was honored as Danaher’s first black belt, a testament to perseverance and deep community roots.

The Call to Lead and the Birth of Renzo Gracie Eastside

While student life was rich, Jason’s path soon turned to teaching and leadership. His love for the art expanded beyond competition: “I’m a big believer in the community and the environment of the school, what the school does and what BJJ does for people. DJJ isn’t just Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for me, it’s a meditative, spiritual, accomplished a lot more stuff.”

A key turning point came when his future business partner confessed to having quit his well-paying job in pursuit of happiness. Jason recalls, “I said, you gotta go to work? And he said, no, I quit my job. I said, what do you mean you quit your job? He had a really good job…I want to do something that makes me happy.” That desire for personal fulfillment and shared vision of service planted the seeds for their own academy.

Building Community: A Mission Larger Than Fighting

Jason and his team weren’t just interested in running classes; they wanted to change lives. They began sharing content, running the “Happy Pill” project, and volunteering with vulnerable communities, especially veterans. “We started to think a happy pill where we just record my lessons…so people can learn…Then we started doing free seminars and just going around and spreading BJJ to people and knowledge.”

Their partnership with We Defy Foundation brought BJJ to military veterans, many struggling with reintegration and mental health. “These are people that are suicidal. I’ve heard guys tell me stories, gun in their mouth, like, ready to go. And what BJJ does is it creates, like…they have a fear of flight mechanism…where they learn…there’s an outlet where they can tap.”

Service was the thread running through every decision, with every dollar raised and every class offered aimed at giving back. The community wasn’t just internal—it rippled outward.

From Dream to Doorsteps: Opening and Growing the School

Opening a martial arts school in Manhattan—especially under the Renzo Gracie banner—was no simple feat. Jason’s decades of business and construction experience gave them an edge: “I have a lot of experience in building a small business, also in building it out. All of the places that I’ve done, I’ve built myself. So I have a little bit of a head start in starting stuff.”

But filling the school took tireless, old-fashioned hustle. “Boots on the ground, basic guerrilla warfare. Put a stand outside, hit every street fair, put a stand on the corner…hand out flyers, do anything you can to get them up here.” Even without signage or a finished gym, they stood on wintery corners, armed only with blueprints and the promise of what was to come, “pointing up and telling people about it…We had collected like over almost 350 people who had signed up just from standing on the corner out there.”

Crafting a Welcoming Culture: Retention and Belonging

The rapid growth wasn’t just numbers. They worked hard to make newcomers feel welcome and nurture a supportive culture. “Our front desk people are all carefully selected…Everybody here loves jujitsu, cares about the environment, they care about the vibe and they all want to be here. We all have the same vision.”

Classes were structured for inclusivity, splitting new students and more advanced ones: “We’ve also structured the classes in a way…of separating like the introduction people from maybe the more exposed players…it can be very overwhelming. I think being able to parse the class like that…break them up into different groups and keeping like that.”

Retention, they stressed, came from giving students small wins and fostering a growth mindset: “Everybody…gets the happy pill by success. That could just be that you survived.”

Reflection: The Power of Martial Arts to Transform

Looking back, Jason sees BJJ and the school as a force for good, beyond fighting techniques: “BJJ builds a mindset that transfers over into everyday life…You just get used to it. And I said, what are you nervous about? He said, man, it’s intimidating to walk in there…It’s not an intimidating thing. You gotta…just come try it out. It’s incredible what you do for your body, what it can do for your mind, what it can do spiritually.”

The lasting focus remains service, connection, and empowerment. “I’ve found that over the course of 25 years…there’s no friends like the bond that me and him have. Like, we have tried to kill each other on the mat. And I know that when I’m outside and I need something or I’m in trouble, like…I could look to my left and I know that he would be there.”

Through unwavering passion, hard-won business acumen, and a dedication to community, their journey illustrates the transformative power of martial arts—on and off the mats.