We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful David Barkley. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with David below.

David, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Our mission at Rise Martial Arts is to build stronger families through martial arts. That mission started with my own family. After we began training together, my parents bought the school we were attending, and martial arts quickly became the center of our lives. With six boys in the house, it gave us structure, discipline, and a shared sense of purpose.

Over time, that experience shaped everything I wanted Rise to be. We’re not just here to teach techniques, we’re here to help kids build confidence, help parents stay connected, and give families a place to grow together.

Now, I get to watch other families experience what mine did. I’ve seen shy kids become leaders. I’ve seen parents tell us their home feels calmer, their child feels prouder, and their family feels stronger.

That’s why this mission matters. Martial arts changes lives, not just for the student, but for the whole family.

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 help lead Rise Martial Arts, a family-founded martial arts school in Pflugerville, Texas. We serve kids, teens, and adults through structured martial arts training that builds confidence, focus, and character. What makes Rise special is that we aren’t just about teaching techniques. Our real goal is to strengthen families through shared values and personal growth.

My journey started when my family began training together. The experience was transformative, so much so that my parents eventually bought the school. From there, we built on what was already in place, refining the curriculum and creating systems that develop both the body and the mind.

At Rise, we’ve designed a program that helps students grow on and off the mat. Our training emphasizes life skills like discipline, respect, and resilience. We even developed our own life skills framework, the Warrior Keys, to help students apply what they learn in class to school, home, and life.

I’m most proud of the impact we’ve had across generations. Many of our students start with us young, stay through their teens, and come back as mentors or instructors. Parents consistently tell us their kids are more focused, more confident, and better equipped to handle life’s challenges.

The heart of Rise is this: we’re not just developing martial artists. We’re developing people who are capable, confident, and prepared to lead, in their families, schools, and communities.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Our best source of new clients has consistently been word of mouth and reviews. When families have a great experience with us, they naturally tell friends, neighbors, and coworkers and that personal recommendation carries more weight than any ad ever could.

We’ve also made it a priority to collect authentic reviews on Google and social media. Prospective students often check our reviews first, and seeing real stories from other parents or students builds immediate trust.

At the end of the day, people trust people. Our job is to keep delivering an experience that’s worth talking about.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

One of the clearest examples of resilience in my journey was leading our martial arts school through the COVID-19 shutdowns. Practically overnight, we had to shut our doors but the mission couldn’t stop just because the building was closed.

We immediately pivoted to online training. None of us had ever taught martial arts through a webcam, but we figured it out in real-time. We had to get creative, adapt the curriculum, keep students engaged, and support parents who were overwhelmed themselves. We even hand-delivered training gear to students’ homes to keep them moving.

It wasn’t perfect, but we didn’t quit. Every week we adjusted, learned, and got better.

Resilience isn’t just about pushing through. It’s about staying mission-focused, even when the methods have to change. It’s the ability to bend without breaking, to adapt under pressure while keeping your purpose intact. That mindset kept us moving then, and it still drives us today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://risewithmartialarts.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/risemartialarts/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiseMartialArts
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@risemartialarts
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rise-martial-arts-pflugerville

Image Credits

Instructors at Rise Martial Arts