Arnold Lau

Arnold Lau is the owner of Ridgewood Karate Academy right here in downtown Ridgewood, NJ. Arnold bought RKA in 2016 after a long history of owning other fitness and real estate properties – all while working a demanding tech job for a big Wall Street bank. Arnold talks about trying to keep RKA afloat during Covid, and why there are fewer bargains on rent than you might think. Arnold describes the changes he had to make when taking over the studio, including the struggle between martial arts “traditionalists” and the commercial realities today. Arnold talks about who he thinks his competition is for new students, his plan to create a subscription all-inclusive pricing plan so parents don’t feel nickel-and-dimed, and how most insurance companies don’t want to insure a karate studio, because they think it’s MMA. In case you are wondering, Arnold can definitely kick my butt. He’s been training in martial arts for over 30 years and has competed in many international competitions.