Steering an enterprise and life from a Military perspective
How does an entrepreneur, a retired military officer and a dad juggle work, business and home, that too with a smile on his face? Stick with me to find out, since I spoke with Stephen Sindoni on some of his life experiences. After traveling across the nation and abroad, Sindoni has learned a thing or two. He shares how he applies his learnings from the Navy in his day to day activities. After retiring from an honorable role in the U.S. Navy, Sindoni works as a systems sales engineer at Cubic Mission & Performance Solutions and also runs a karate studio, USSD Irvine 2, under the umbrella of United Studios of Self Defense. USSD is the largest martial arts school in North America and has a tradition of over 60 years of martial arts.
The studio encourages all ages to learn self defense. It has students ranging from three or four years old to 60+ year old fitness and discipline enthusiasts. The students learn a unique system of Kempo-style martial arts from the finest instructors in the United States. A standardized syllabus is followed by USSD across the nation for various belt rankings. Starting from an entry level White belt, students progress to Yellow, Orange, Purple, Blue, intermediate level Blue with Green stripe, Green, another intermediate level Green with Brown stripe, three degrees of Brown belt and they are finally ready to become a student of Martial Arts once they earn their First Degree Black belt. Earning a First Degree Black Belt typically takes 10 to 12 years of dedication.
Martial arts is an important skill for everyone to have under their belt. It teaches you discipline, self defense, and allows you to understand yourself better. Moreover, it’s a fun way to burn some calories! Sparring, or controlled fighting, helps you understand what kind of fighter you are and helps you predict other people’s movements, making you better at defending yourself, needless to mention improving your stamina, reaction time, and strategic thinking skills! Forms help you understand how your body works and what feels most comfortable for you. For instance, are you a light and graceful crane or a powerful tiger? An agile leopard or an accurate snake? Or are you a mix of everything like a twisting, twirling dragon? Martial arts also help you learn to focus and stay calm and collected. Meditation is part of martial arts and helps strengthen your mind as well as your body.
There is a united teaching method across the company and the founder, 10th Degree black belt, Professor Charles Mattera, put together a manual to help the Senseis understand the material so they can deliver the finest instructions. The manual catalogs every micro detail that is needed for effective training. The uniformity plays an evident role when the students compete in tournaments, while practicing at other dojos or while attending seminars.
Being in the military, Sindoni has learned that nothing comes easy and everything takes a certain amount of work to be achieved. He swears by patience, perseverance, and hard work to succeed in any area. Having integrity to work with people of different backgrounds is necessary.
“We all have similarities. We have differences too, but more similarities,” Sindoni says, and “it is important that we keep the fabric of family, friends, and business associates in line with our goals.”
Photographs Portrait by Brian Summers & Studio by Stephen Sindoni
