Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kennedy Fitzgibbon. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Kennedy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
I’ve had the idea for many years – from working for my TKD teacher at his studio, to partnering with a friend teaching at his Tae Kwon Do club. It has been in the back of my mind. I was never quite sure if I would really go for it.
This past summer, a friend asked if I could teach them Tae Kwon Do. I really enjoy training outdoors, so I decided to host a few park classes! Before I realized what I was creating, I had about 6 new people coming to my classes weekly.
I soon realized that I had begun a (very small) club of my own. Something I had played with the idea of for so long.
One day, I decided to call the Maryland Heights Community Center to ask them about teaching there (I knew it would eventually get cold and we wouldn’t have a place to train). I left them a message, and my imposter syndrome had convinced me that it wasn’t going to work out. But shortly after, they followed up and said they would love to have me!
We got set up to launch the program in September 2023. I began to take the business, and myself much more seriously. I learned so much about running a business just in the set up. Insurance, business license, website building, marketing – as a small business owner you do all the things!
The grand opening was a dream come true – we had a class of 60 people! Friends from other schools came to support, and lots of people came to try their first Tae Kwon Do class. Since then I have continued to learn and grow in so many ways, and look forward to what is to come for Blue Wave Foundation.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I have been training in Tae Kwon Do since a very young age. My dad had trained before, and he inspired me to get into it. As far back as I can remember I wanted to be a black belt.
Through the years as a kid, I trained in a few different styles. In high school, we moved to the area and I began training at Blue Wave. I have been training in Chung Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do for 13 years now. I am a second degree black belt still actively training and working toward my third degree.
Martial Arts has had such a positive impact on my life, and helped me to cultivate countless life skills. I am passionate about sharing that with others, and love the community that we build through training together.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I think that my training has helped me to become a much more resilient person. In classes, and at tournaments we are always overcoming challenges. One experience that stands out to me, is when I was testing for my second degree black belt.
I got in my head and decided I wasn’t ready – not realizing the importance of my mindset.
Part of the test was board breaking. I couldn’t seem to break through the boards no matter how hard I tried – no matter how strong I got and how hard I practiced. I kept working at it, but the problem was in my mind. I didn’t believe in myself.
It took 2 years to figure out what was holding me back. I had several attempts throughout that time span. I knew I wasn’t going to give up, but I just didn’t truly believe in myself.
Finally, something within my mind shifted. My final attempt, as I looked at the boards it became clear to me. I thought to myself, “I don’t want to do this again… but if I fail, I know I’m going to keep trying. So why not just do it now?”
There was a lot of mental and physical preparation leading up to that moment, but it was like puzzle pieces fitting together as I stood there for that final attempt. Sure enough, I broke through the boards. Like butter, I just went right through – where before it had felt like a solid brick wall.
These types of challenges in training have taught me a resilience that I bring to everything I do. It is not only a physical resilience, but sometimes even more so a mental resilience.
So long as you do not give up, you cannot fail.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Word of mouth. People who have worked with me, trained with me, or been taught by me telling their friends and family.
Another great source is from free trial classes. Once you try class, it is much easier to understand the value. It is hard to explain the feeling without experiencing it firsthand.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bluewavefoundation.net
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