How to Build a Successful Jiu-Jitsu Academy | Bobby Armijo & Fabio Gurgel Full Interview

This is the full, uncut interview between Bobby Armijo and Alliance Jiu-Jitsu co-founder ‪@FabioGurgel‬ . Over the course of one powerful conversation, they break down:
• Why most Jiu-Jitsu academies fail
• What makes Alliance’s methodology different
• How to apply business fundamentals to running a gym
• The vision behind Alliance Huntington Beach
• How Bobby and Fabio built their partnership

💬 This version combines all 4 parts of the original series, plus the bonus clip and Alliance HB vision segment — giving you the complete, start-to-finish conversation in one streamlined episode.

Whether you're a BJJ academy owner, coach, or entrepreneur, this is a must-watch masterclass in leadership, growth, and legacy-building in the Jiu-Jitsu world.

👇 CHAPTER MARKERS:
0:00 Introduction
0:44 How Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Started
3:26 Don’t Name Your Gym After Yourself
6:15 Why Your Name Will Fade — Build a System
10:03 Jiu-Jitsu Is Still Niche (and That’s a Good Thing)
10:56 Why Most Jiu-Jitsu Academies Fail
17:15 Why Alliance Keeps Succeeding
21:00 The Alliance Methodology Explained
22:45 Bobby’s Take on the System
24:30 What Students See in the Curriculum
26:00 Leading with a Servant Mentality
27:15 How the Curriculum Helps Instructors Too
30:00 What Makes a Great Instructor
31:00 Inside the Alliance Learning Center
32:56 How Bobby & Fabio Met
34:30 When Fabio Nearly Partnered Elsewhere
35:20 The Start of Their Business Partnership
36:30 How the Pandemic Affected Growth
37:20 Why Some Business Owners Lose Hope
38:29 How Jiu-Jitsu Principles Apply to Business
40:10 Pessimists Are Rarely Successful
41:15 The Harder the Problem, the Bigger the Opportunity
42:07 Ignoring the Data Can Kill Your Gym
43:45 Growth Means Doing What You Don’t Like
45:51 Why Bigger Challenges Lead to Bigger Wins
48:23 Rising Tides Lift All Boats
49:00 We’re Not Here to Steal Students
49:45 Promoting Jiu-Jitsu as a Self-Development Tool
50:22 Being Transparent With the Jiu-Jitsu Community
50:44 One Bad Experience Hurts the Whole BJJ Scene
52:30 How to Become an Alliance Affiliate
53:22 What a Successful Jiu-Jitsu Gym Looks Like
55:37 The First Thing Fabio Looks for in Great Academies
56:20 Why Alliance HB Is Going to Be Next-Level
57:50 We’re Not Competing — We’re Elevating the Game
58:50 Creating a University for Coaches
59:45 Building Better Systems for Professors
1:01:09 Final Vision & Closing Thoughts

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