We were lucky to catch up with Baer Kenney recently and have shared our conversation below.

Baer, 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 had been giving people instructions and pointers on sword fighting for several years, but the number of people wanting individual instruction was growing. My wife and I were on vacation when we talked about finding a place to teach more regularly when we suddenly realized that was a school! She wanted to run a business and I wanted to teach and fight, so we started Baer Swords School.

From there, getting funded, finding a location and getting the initial gear was our challenge. We started in a field, but then went to a Commmunity Center. As we grew we kept investing in more gear and weapons and had to find a full time place to run the school.

Our fourth location ended up being golden and, after a year and a half off wandering, we finally got down to making the school a place people would be proud to go to. 10 years later, we’re still in the same spot and growing still!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am someone interested in everything new, from computer programming to 3D printing to various musical instruments, table top gaming, martial arts, and cooking. My overriding passion, though, has always been sword fighting.

Like most kids I started hitting my sisters and best friend with sticks and we had tremendous sword wars. From there I got into Olympic Fencing, LARPing, SCA and ARMA groups. I ended up in a live steel fitghing group at my local Renaissance festival and started teaching what I knew to the newer fighters.

I now run Baer Swords School of Western Martial Arts with my wife Kat. Our goal is to provide a safe and fun place for people of all skill levels to learn how amazing sword fighting is. We keep it very affordable and have never had a sword injury beyond a few scrapes and bruises.

Lots of people of all ages (our youngest was 7 and our oldest was 72!) come to us for our open and friendly atmosphere. We offer 12 classes a week for everyone from brand new fighters to experienced competitors on the inernational competition circuit.

Our goal, though, for everyone, is to remember the joy of sword fighting. From there comes everything.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Baer Swords, like almost all small businesses, struggled during the pandemic years. When the order came to shelter in your homes and avoid contact it really hit us hard. At the time we didn’t have any saving built up and had to work out some way to keep teaching students, but to make it remote.

We set up Zoom classes like everyone, but sword fighting when you have to imagine the attack you’re blocking left a lot to be desired. So, we switched to teaching people how to learn in solo drills. We helped people to build pells (poles for you to whack on).

I have to say, our amazing students were so loyal to us and they worked as hard as we did to get through that time. When we were finally allowed to come back to the school 5 months later we all had to wear masks. Trying to fight with a surgical mask cutting your oxygen in half was a new challenge all it’s own!

Many HEMA schools and clubs closed during those years. We got through those times and learned that no one way of approaching a problem will get you through it. When you keep working at it from different angles, though, there are very few things that you can’t best.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

My wife and I wanted, from the start, to avoid any business debt as we set up the school. We had some savings that we threw into getting the gear and the inital locations and it got us started.

Since then we’ve been tempted many times to get a loan to help things grow, but instead we’ve just funnled all of the profits into new gear and tournaments and better swords. Things always seem to be tight, but we’re pretty proud that we have no debts that hold us down.

As Kat and I get closer to retirement age we are considering selling the school. The problem is, though… how do you find someone to take over your dream? They will make it their dream.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.baerswords.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baer_swords/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Baerswords
• Twitter: https://x.com/BaerLlc
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl2hIhJyiw8dt9Ju6HsWHzg
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/baer-swords-school-of-western-martial-arts-kansas-city

Image Credits

All of the tournament photos are compliments of Simms Photography