How I went from quitting my job to opening my own jiu jitsu gym - Max Bickerton

Man, I'm Brazilian, a 3rd degree black belt , I've been training Jiu-jitsu for 25 years, I also woke as a policeman in Brazil but I hate my job, man. Every day I think about quitting my job and do something that I really enjoy, like BJJ. Someday I'll do just like you did. The only thing that I might regret is not starting earlier. Just keep it up mate!

[@grapplecollective]

You can do it mate! Start small and work hard 💪

[@KodiakCombat]

You've got a marketing edge with experience and a black belt. Start studying business and marketing. Also study coaching. A black belt has zero actual bearing on coaching ability. I'll put my coaching capacity against most black belts because I've spent years studying coaching and how people learn. The Art of Learning would be a great book to start with. CLA and Ecological Dynamics are what I'm leaning into now. Hope you make it happen.

[@CMLew]

So far the gym has been super welcoming. Highly recommend it

[@grapplecollective]

Thanks mate!

[@jamesmilligan1114]

Great to hear about the journey. GC is a brilliant gym with top tier coaching and lovely people. Very happy I get to learn here! 🙌

[@grapplecollective]

Thanks James, we’re very happy to have you train with us too 🙏

[@grapplecollective]

This comment section is so wholesome thank you so much everyone ❤🙏

[@victorsalander8719]

Love seeing you open up about the journey to building GC. Your gym, the company of everyone training there and the quality of training remains the no. 1 thing I'm missing after moving from London. Hope to be back soon! Oss!

[@grapplecollective]

We miss you too!

[@DaFallen2011]

Love this gym and the people that make it. Great to hear the story behind it all.

[@grapplecollective]

Thank you and glad you enjoyed the video

[@Jamijitsu]

This was an awesome video! I loved hearing about your story.

[@grapplecollective]

Thank you so much!

[@user-be7im4xs9y]

Awesome gym and coaching, looking forward to training here more 🙏

[@grapplecollective]

That’s great to hear! Hopefully see you soon 🙏

[@AJJ_Bros]

Can you talk about what happened at your old gym? Love how you turned into a positive. I was kicked out of a gym for crosstraining and it was the best thing that happened for my jiu jitsu

[@grapplecollective]

Thanks 🙏 I was never given a reason when I was fired by the previous gym. It’s crazy that you were kicked out for cross training, glad that you also turned that into a positive for yourself 💪

[@KodiakCombat]

​@grapplecollective I can relate. I was booted after I had two successful classes a week on the formerly worst time slots. Had asked to start being paid. They've gone from about 125 members to 100 since then. Slowly stepping forward towards my own academy.

[@TheOfficialRush2]

Very cool, excited to see the gym grow

[@grapplecollective]

Thanks! We’ll keep you posted!

[@kaddiedean15]

Awesome gym with an incredible coach.

[@grapplecollective]

Thank you 🙏

[@sarahsbjjjourney642]

Awesome gym! Super welcoming 🙏🏾☝🏾

[@grapplecollective]

Thank you!!

[@DrHarbirSingh]

Looks amazing, looking forward to training here

[@grapplecollective]

Amazing can’t wait to meet you!

[@Bushidoblog]

I ran a full time MA school here in Nova Scotia from 1994 to 2020 with various arts as well as BJJ from 2011. So many highs and lows and seeing students develop from young children to adults and still train is so worth it. The last eight years of my school I had a staff of 12 instructors and over time that lead to many different issues and problems and then the pandemic hit and I close down for four months and realized how much stress I was under so decided to close permanently. 2021 my friend built a 2000sft gym just 2min form my house so I am there teaching six a days a week ( I have a full time job) and help him make his gym grow. Also I have no financial responsibility lol. I wish you the best of luck with your journey and any advice I would give is make sure you are the one in charge at all times, your club, your name, nothing else ( just my opinion) also having been in the arts for almost 50 years I have learned ……The most dedicated student you will ever have is yourself.

[@grapplecollective]

Thanks for the advice! 🙏

[@harlemdeni]

The previous comment was rude bc not everything can and should be in 4K here so here we go again: love this channel, watched every video, hope you'll put much, much more and with a regular pace of publishing and last but not least - that is the most beautiful dojo I've ever seen! I can feel the welcoming environment through the screen, the location is perfect and the colours that you chose are just *chef's kiss*. 10/10. Probably never gonna come to London, but if I am there someday - I'll definitely be interested in visiting this place. Kind of a newbie in the BJJ world here (1 year of training, 2 stripes) - but the community you have on your hands is something special and you look just like the guy to lead this whole shebang. Cheers from Macedonia, bro! 😁🤙🏻

[@grapplecollective]

That is so nice, thank you 🙏

[@legitprowrestling6653]

Fantastic!

[@grapplecollective]

Thanks!

[@jbevolve2023]

I wish you the best bro! Keep up the hard work!

[@grapplecollective]

Thank you 🙏

[@rotorbladesamuai]

Love this, reminds me of some of the stuff in the book “Keep Rolling”

[@grapplecollective]

Haha thanks!

[@davieslifts5944]

Love the space and the journey, would love to train at your gym some day

[@grapplecollective]

Thanks so much. Would love for you to visit us!

[@howardhughes6751]

Looks like a great, passionate gym. Best of luck to you all

[@grapplecollective]

Thanks so much 🙏

[@rodrigog4290]

great vid bro, thanks for sharing.

[@grapplecollective]

Thank you for watching!

[@chloebjjparker]

Best vibes 🎉🎉

[@grapplecollective]

That’s you Chloe 🤩

[@user-tq6sl4zo5v]

So sick, as someone who shares a similar dream to yours inspiring to see you achieve it!

[@grapplecollective]

That’s awesome. Let us know if there’s any other videos you’d like to see from us! I’m sure you’ll achieve your dream too, just keep working

[@panamakings]

Legendary

[@ashermirsadeghi7498]

Quality rounds and good vibes at grapple collective

[@grapplecollective]

Thank you 🙏

[@tairapeace]

So dope 🔥

[@grapplecollective]

Thank you 🙏

[@CurrySmith-vc4xl]

I was lucky to visit Grapple Collective - it's a great and welcoming gym!

[@grapplecollective]

Come again soon!

[@lostinfailure]

Love your backstory, I myself am chasing my own dream of being a climber despite losing all of my income and battling health issues. I hope to open my own climbing gym some day too

[@grapplecollective]

Thank you! That’s awesome, keep chasing it with everything you’ve got and I’m sure you’ll get there!

[@TrainerCTZ]

Congratulations on being courageous

[@grapplecollective]

Thank you 🙏

[@beshaxhaj2897]

Living the dream 🥰 👏

[@grapplecollective]

Pretty much! ❤

[@leonardocastellano290]

awesome gym you've built

[@grapplecollective]

Thank you 🙏 🙏

[@KiwiFlavoredHate]

Brother, I was so hyped to check this out, but you've GOT TO DIAL IN THE AUDIO! This was way too low to be heard even when nearly all audio is 100% volume.

[@grapplecollective]

Thanks for the feedback

[@kcwliew]

It's fine for me. Don't know why you can't hear anything.

[@LukeZRN]

Same ​@@kcwliew

[@humfreee]

​@@kcwliew It totally depends on the device/speaker being used.

[@Nishinga.]

Audio seems fine to me man

[@thelastchimp8670]

want to visit GC for sure!

[@grapplecollective]

Please do!!

[@TOMMY7JJ]

big up the GC

[@grapplecollective]

💪💪

[@carlosbrito1971]

Respect

[@grapplecollective]

Mutual respect 🫡

[@OGsquats]

Congratulations pal

[@grapplecollective]

Thanks!

[@goku-pops7918]

Dont know you guys but looks like a great gym culture.good luck

[@grapplecollective]

That’s so kind thank you 🙏

[@simonclayton5358]

Groovy geeza! Stay phunky Max.

[@grapplecollective]

Thanks Simon, you too mate 😎

[@josephgoette9473]

This is great. My military career is about to end. And starting something like this seems like a good idea

[@grapplecollective]

Good luck if you decide to go for it! 🙏

[@KodiakCombat]

Have you checked out the growth of Ecological Dynamics and Contraints Led Approach in the BJJ zeitgeist? I think it is worth a look.

[@grapplecollective]

We teach all of our classes under a CLA framework! Great to see more and more people embracing it

[@KodiakCombat]

@@grapplecollective that's awesome! Glad to see it.

[@brassmarsh]

1:03 genius 😂

[@grapplecollective]

😂😂

[@livelikeloxley8152]

Ellis nicest guy in Jiu Jitsu! ❤

[@grapplecollective]

Couldn’t agree more! ❤

[@dalroache]

This is a dream similar to mine also

[@grapplecollective]

Chase that dream hard and you’ll get there 🙏