Exploring Life & Business with Karla Zuercher of Franklin Family Taekwondo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karla Zuercher.

Hi Karla, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I became involved in Taekwondo for my young boys. After only a couple of months of watching them train, I realized how much fun this was and how valuable the training. I knew nothing about martial arts but knew that I needed a place for their energy level. So I joined in too! I fell in love not only with Taekwondo but also with the value it adds to kids’ lives. It teaches them to focus, self-control, discipline, respect, confidence perseverance, and provides a safe space to explore their strengths and weaknesses. I watched as Taekwondo changed the lives of children and their parents. As time went by, I became more and more involved. My training has taken me to levels I never knew possible. Yet as much as I value that, it will never touch the incredible privilege of being a part of a child’s development and growth as they learn challenging and enriching life lessons and discover their internal strength and beauty.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been fairly smooth?
The toughest struggle we have endured so far was getting through Covid and shutdowns/quarantines’ effect on our business. As a business owner, this was the scariest thing I have ever been through, as I feared losing the business entirely. I was blown away by the support of our families and how they rallied around the school to ensure its survival! We truly are a family and faced that difficulty as a community!! I had the support I needed to move the entire school online, do daily classes this way, hold individual testings, and continue working with their children regularly.

We’ve been impressed with Franklin Family Taekwondo, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Franklin Family Taekwondo offers a variety of programs to suit the various needs of Franklin families. We train students who are ages 5 and into adulthood. We offer homeschool classes, traditional classes, an afterschool pickup program, and Krav Maga for ages 13 and up. What sets us apart from others is our family environment. We are in the business of raising kids and enriching the lives of children and adults. We hold extra activities for a positive and safe social environment. These are friendships that are for life!

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Taking risks is an amazing thing in life! I took a risk in opening this Taekwondo school, which has paid off in many ways. The value goes far beyond my financial ability to pay my bills. The greatest benefit is helping children and adults grow and become valuable to our community. Watching my students succeed and excel far outweighs the riskiness of taking that risk. On a personal note, I promised my son that after he turned 18, I would take him skydiving! We are doing that this summer. Jumping out of an airplane is a risk I never saw myself taking, but we are doing it!!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.franklinfamilytkd.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/franklinfamtkd/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/franklinfamilytkd
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FranklinFamilyTaekwondo