Customer Focus: JKD
Lak Loi is a true white collared Warrior. Over the last 19 years whilst working in London and New York, he has spent his time practising and teaching Bruce Lee’s martial art and philosophy of Jeet Kune Do. He has direct linage to Bruce Lee himself and now has his own school where he fuses Bruce Lee’s teachings with Personal Development and Elite Fitness Coaching, to cultivate people’s lives both mentally and physically through martial arts.
Tell me about yourself and how you first got involved in Martial Arts?
I have worked in the City and on Wall Street since 1997 and currently work in the City of London as a Senior Consultant. I spend most evenings practicing and teaching Bruce Lee’s martial art and philosophy of Jeet Kune Do (‘The Way of the Intercepting Fist’).
My first involvement in martial arts was watching Bruce Lee on the big-screen when I was a child. The only way I’d sit still and eat my meals as a young child was when my parents put on a Bruce Lee movie…and I just sat there, mesmerised.
Not so long ago, back in 2003, I nearly lost everything — I lost my job, my home and found out my wife was pregnant all at the same time. It was both the happiest and scariest day of my life – jobless, homeless, a new father to be with another mouth to feed.
It was shortly after this that my life changed when I found one of Bruce Lee’s Kung Fu schools in Manhattan. It helped me to keep me strong and focussed, and to keep going for my family.
What drew you to teach Bruce Lee’s style of Jeet Kune Do?
Just before my first child was born, I had a compelling urge to get back into martial arts. There was something inside me that was trying to get out, and I kept on feeling an indomitable sense that I had to pursue it. It just happened to be that whilst I was consulting in Manhattan for a client in mid-town, that I popped into a local health club. It was when I walked past the studio that I noticed in the corner of my eye the words ‘Learn Bruce Lee’s Martial Art’. The rest is history.
In what way do you feel the practise of Martial Arts can help a student with personal development?
I believe that to become what you dream of or to achieve your goals in life, requires the ability to master your mind and body, allowing your physiology and mind to think thoughts which are aligned towards your goals and desires. This takes a lot of practise, but when tackled using a focused martial arts mind-set you can achieve things you never thought you would.
Tell me about your experiences running a martial arts school?
My experience of running a martial arts school and guiding people has taught me…. If you will ‘Walk the Martial Path’, you will come to know a great deal of truth about yourself, discover your full potential and come to realise what it is you want to be. Martial arts is a way of doing, a way of being and a way of becoming.
What kind of marketing and advertising do you undertake to attain new students?
All my marketing is online and by word-of-mouth. The power of student referrals is immense and speaks volumes about your servitude to others.
Tell me about your new book?
Master Your Life is a unique, motivational literary experience for readers, inspired by the teachings of Bruce Lee. I take the reader on a nine-stage self-mastery journey, focussing on a different area of development in each chapter. I use the secrets of martial arts to help you live a life of excellence – by cultivating not only your body, but also your mind. I call this Martial Mind Power. This exciting expedition will help you create a state of aliveness and fluidity that allows you to get on top of your game, control your own life and soar to success!
It will be available in all major high street bookstores and online at the end of August. To pre-order your book checkout my website www.martialmindpower.com.
What inspired you to write it?
Bruce Lee said, ‘Life is your teacher, and you are in a constant state of learning.’ When life serves you pain and suffering, the big idea is to take the learning’s and insights from that experience, so that you can discover your gift. Once you have realised your gift, then you have an obligation to share it to replace others pain with pleasure. So here it is in the form of my book – Master Your Life, The Art of Martial Mind Power.
What is next for you? Are there any other ambitions you want to achieve?
My main mission is simply to share this message to create positive change in people’s lives and Mother Earth.
What advice do you have for anybody starting their own journey in the Martial Arts?
In Bruce’s own words, “Knowing is not enough, One must apply. Willing is not enough, One must do.” So just got out there and DO IT!
Why did you decide to join NEST?
NEST just make sense! They take-away all the administrative pain of collecting student fees, so you can spend all your time with your students. All my students are on direct debits, and it makes life so simple and effective.
Also NEST go out of their way to provide so many value add services. For example, their student administration system, business development advice, marketing help, business seminars and much more. All these services are above and beyond a basic collections company, and come at a competitive price.
Finally, NEST are like my family. I can call Gerrard and the NEST Team and always get a prompt response. They are always happy and willing to share a wealth of information and advice by drawing on their extensive experience and council working across the martial arts industry. I would recommend NEST to all martial arts schools.
What do you like most about using their services?
Apart form the student fee collections service and student enrolment mobile application, NEST have provided expert council on how to develop my martial arts school and it’s offering so I can provide the highest quality service to my students.
Threes of me:
Three hobbies you have (except for JKD):
- I am a petrol-head and love cars and motorbikes
- I love playing football with my son
- I love going on adventure holidays – for my last adventure I spent 18 days in the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest!
Your three most desired super powers?
- Ability to read peoples mind
- Ability to travel trans-dimensionally
- Ability to fly
Three items on your ‘Bucket List’?
- Leave Mother Earth in a better state than when I arrived
- Ride my motorbike across New Zealand
- Take my family to see the Northern Lights
(Interview from August 2016 )
