
Fighting for His Community: How Scot Tudhope is Changing Lives with Martial Arts
From teaching in schools to creating world champions, Scot Tudhope, founder of Unique Training Centre (UTC) in Blackpool, has turned a lifelong passion for martial arts into a powerful force for change in Blackpool. And now, with the support of the Blackpool Growth Business Academy, he’s turning that passion into secure and sustainable progress for his business.
A passion born of adversity
Scot founded UTC in 2010, while doing a degree in sports development and coaching, but his journey began much earlier. “I started martial arts in 1995,” he says. “By 2001, I was travelling the country, teaching in some of the most exclusive schools. It was surreal, I came from nothing, and here I was influencing and teaching young people.”
It was then when Scot realised he could use his talent to make a real difference in his community. Scot said “I wanted to give something back, to offer them what I never had when I was growing up. I wanted to make a difference, a lot of kids seemed to be heading down the wrong path, I felt I could offer something to guide them and help them.”
Scot set out to make a difference, hiring halls, teaching where he could, and eventually acquiring a full-time centre using his student loan to buy mats and equipment. Over the years, the gym’s reputation has grown, but like many founders, Scot reached a point where passion wasn’t enough. He knew he needed help, particularly with marketing and admin. That’s when a colleague recommended the Blackpool Growth Business Academy.
From passion project to business plans
When Scot reached out to the Academy, he was introduced to growth specialist, John Townsend. John helped Scot shift his mindset, from treating the gym as a passion project to running it as a sustainable business. John and Scot worked together to create a comprehensive growth action plan to help with a realistic growth strategy.
Together, they tackled everything from social media and lead generation to networking opportunities as well as having discussions and clarity around pensions. The Academy guided Scot through a series of practical steps to strengthen his professional presence. John helped to separate his personal and business Instagram accounts, add hyperlinks to his website to enhance for better SEO, as well as encouraging him to become more active on LinkedIn.
“John’s brilliant, he’s like a father figure,” Scot says. “He’s straight to the point, and knows exactly what will help, which is what I needed. His advice has been so helpful. I’ve already acted on 90% of what he’s advised, and I am already starting to see the benefits.”
John also worked on practical improvements with Scot like creating strategic plans and tightening up membership collections. “John helped me see the value of laying proper foundations,” Scot says. “Getting things in place so the business can grow, not just survive.”
Part of those plans include signing up to some of the Academy’s events focused on social media, marketing, and business leadership, which are all areas he wants to build confidence in.
Making an impact in and out of the ring
UTC have produced British, English and European champions as well as World Champions in judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and MMA. But the real impact runs deeper. Scot has given away hundreds of school uniforms to kids whose families couldn’t afford them and has created a mentorship programme for young people.
“We’ve now got 12 children signed up on the programme and a few of them are starting to compete in the World Championships,” says Scot. “We’ve changed lives, and that’s what keeps me going, it’s what I set out to do.”
And it’s not just young people benefitting. UTC offer free training for police and prison officers to help them protect themselves and others more effectively.
When asked what advice he’d offer to others in a similar position, Scot said, “The Academy has been fantastic, they’ve helped me out a lot, and I wish I had reached out sooner. Having an experienced growth specialist working with me on a 121 basis has been so valuable, and I am grateful for the support I have received. I would encourage all businesses to get in touch and don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
If your Blackpool business is looking for support in creating more strategic business plans, contact the Blackpool Growth Business Academy for fully funded support from one of our growth specialists.