The Team Nogueira Dubai — SME Case Study (UAE)

Team Nogueira was created in 2009 by well-known twins Rogerio “Minotouro” Nogueira and Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira. Both brothers are distinguished UFC fighters. One of the brothers, Rodrigi, is now retired from heavyweight fighting, but in the past, worked as a former interim UFC Heavyweight. The other brother, Rogerio, was a boxer and was recognized as the Brazilian Super Heavyweight Champion in 2006 and 2007, as well as the winner of bronze in the 2007 Pan American The Team Nogueira Dubai Team Nogueira Dubai Logo Games. Currently, Rogerio is signed with the UFC.

In cooperation with each other, the brothers created the academy, Team Nogueira, where high standards of martial arts are taught and followed. Athletes of Team Nogueira participate in the UFC, Jungle Fight and Bellator, as well as other crucial international events.

Some of the Team Nogueira athletes are members of the fighting world such as Rafael Cavalcante, Anderson and some other big names.

“Every time you lose, that is a good experience because you can see that something is amiss. The person who is on a top without effort just settles,” -Rodrigo Nogueira The Creation of Team Nogueira in Dubai Team Nogueira Dubai was established in Dubai in 2013 with the support of Sheikh Tariq Al Qassimi, who was introduced to the Nogueira brothers. Tariq was inspired by the brothers’ careers and skills. Team Nogueira Dubai was registered as a small business enterprise, so this case study is about how Team Nogueira was made.

A gym was allocated for everything under the roof, including training.

A boxing ring was settled and helps academy students train and feel themselves as in the competition ring. The size and floor of the space are suitable and done under the international standards.

The fight cage is another place which is prepared for fighters to do their training in the right manner and also meets international standards.

Equipment in the gym is always sanitized and ready for use. Administration makes sure equipment is always available and has no defects. “There should be no limitations when it comes to training,” said Mr Tariq.

Showers and changing facilities are available for gym members, so that everyone feels comfortable after training and takes a shower, changes clothes and goes home to rest.

In Team Nogueira Dubai, there is a healthy food restaurant available on the second floor, called Protein House. It offers shakes, juices and meals for every member of the gym including easy access, quick service and good atmosphere straight after or before training.

The members of Team Nogueira are adults and kids.

Kids from five-years-old and up are most welcome to train under the gym’s roof. Tariq’s belief is that it is never too early to do sports. That is why adults and kids are

offered with the following range of disciplines

¡ Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ¡ Mixed Martial Arts ¡ Muay Thai ¡ Boxing ¡ Judo ¡ Circuit Training Based on my own experience, the coaches who are teaching those disciplines are experts in their job.

Rather than the availability of necessary certification and qualifications, every coach has to prove qualification every two years before renewing their contract with the company. That is done to ensure that the professionals are providing training sections to all members. Also, safety needs to be obtained while training, especially when it comes to kids.

The gym operates daily in Al Quoz except on Fridays.

Gym members are always provided with hot and cold water as well as masks.

Tariq has specified that there are two things that make Team Nogueira unique compared to other gyms in the UAE. First of all, it is the only gym which was established under the coaching of twins who have achieved such great results in the international arena. Their expertise and techniques are taught by coaches. Another thing is that not every gym in the UAE offers all the mentioned disciplines to kids. Team Nogueira does that. Children who are interested in fighting art disciplines are always most welcome. Techniques will always respond well to that age group and all safety regulations as per the age of members is applied.

During the pandemic, the gym was not working, but it did not stop its operational processes. Coaches have moved onto Internet platforms to offer online sections, especially to make sure that members are exercising. The gym is working with less capacity to ensure elimination of COVID-19. All of that will be part of this particular case study.

The mission of the gym is not stated on the official website of the company, but was kindly shared by the founders, Tariq and coaches. Here are the aspects of the mission statement, which are determined by the team of

the gym

• To improve the quality of life of gym members

Regular and proper sports activity is great for health.

But fighting is another level, which strengthens muscles, teaches patience to form a beautiful body, relieves some stress as well as tension that accumulates during busy work days. Also, the art of fighting with regular training can increase immunity, endurance and health of our body, bring some power and give additional strength and a great mood.

“All those things prove that clients of the TND are spending their free time with benefits which are gained through their health,” said Tariq.

• To contribute to the formation of the right family

values “TND” is a fighting club for the whole family, where everyone can find something they like. Even if someone is not into fighting art, he/she can be just a member of the gym and use normal gym equipment.

The gym’s coaches believe that enrolling kids and adults who can express themselves through the art of fighting and discover hidden skills is important for self- development in every area of life.

The diverse society of the gym allows members to make friendships with people from all over the world.

• Help members make healthy living habits

Experienced instructors help develop an optimal training program, which allows members to learn about fighting while being both effective and simple at the same time.

Nutritionists are also available in the Protein House and help adjust nutrition and sleep.

Vision Statement

The vision of Team Nogueira can be described as below

“Grow fighters who will be internationally recognized.” The vision of TND is very clear and stable because it is related to the development of skills and capabilities, which will allow fighters to achieve their goals.

Organizational Structure / Leadership Gym TND was founded by twin brothers who are both UFC fighters, Rogerio “Minotouro” Nogueira and Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira. Both brothers are distinguished UFC fighters. One of the brothers, Rodrigi, is now retired from heavyweight fighting, but in the past worked as a former interim UFC Heavyweight. The other brother, Rogerio, was a boxer and was recognized as the Brazilian Super Heavyweight Champion in 2006 and 2007, as well as the winner of bronze in 2007 in the Pan American Games. Currently, Rogerio is signed with the UFC. In cooperation with each other, the brothers created the academy of Team Nogueira Dubai, where there are high standards of martial arts taught and followed.

Sheikh Tariq Al Qassimi is the founder of Team Nogueira Dubai in the UAE. Tariq is an Emirati businessman who handles various business enterprises across the UAE. He was inspired by the idea of Sheikh Zayed to grow the UAE and its nations. The idea of opening TND sustains the idea of growing a healthy society.

Due to the small company size, the reporting system is basic. The company does record its revenue in daily excel reports, which are analyzed by the accountant.

The double entry system below is used at the end of the month. Income statements are prepared at the end of the quarter and cash flow statements and the end-of- the-year balance sheets are prepared at the end of the year.

During the pandemic, TND closed and there is now a limited capacity at the gym. Also, children are not allowed to train until further notice, but there is a goal to upgrade equipment for young members in order to enhance service. The key idea is to ensure that when kids are back, proper work has been done in order to offer better service than before. New disciplines may also be offered.

Another significant change which needs to be mentioned is related to cost reduction. Like any company which has stopped operating, TND dropped its expenses of rent rate and decreased some other facilities costs.

Some of the services offered by TND are unique because not every fight club in the UAE is able to offer such disciplines for children. Here are all disciplines thst are

offered at the moment

¡ Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ¡ Mixed Martial Arts ¡ Muay Thai ¡ Boxing ¡ Judo ¡ Circuit Training All disciplines are provided by professionals who have proper qualifications. The leader of TND believes that each discipline is unique in the UAE region and needs to be considered as disciplines that no business entity in the UAE can offer.

Business Strategies/Operational Strategies Martial arts have gained popularity among people of different ages quite recently in the UAE, so there are few specialized clubs that teach one or more of these disciplines. The TND is one of those few clubs. Since this niche is relatively free, an aspiring businessman such as Tariq has had an opportunity to occupy it without experiencing much competitive pressure.

An important feature of the martial arts club to be considered is its low cost level. The main expenses were related to rent or the purchase of premises. All other investments are relatively small. Thus, the operational strategy and business strategy are all about sustaining a stable number of members and revenue. A competitive advantage strategy is applied where there are limited companies that offer similar disciplines.

Marketing of the TND is not complex due to its accountable range of services. First of all, the cost of the membership is competitive, despite the fact that some services are unique, but not much more expensive than in other fight/fitness clubs. Particular attention also needs to be paid to the design of the fighting club and the rings, the quality of equipment and the qualifications of trainers.

Also, there are some tools which are used as part of marketing, especially when the gym had just opened,

including

¡ distribution of flyers ¡ advertisements on the Internet (many social media platforms were used) ¡ registration of signs ¡ SMS mailings ¡ advertising on radio stations and TV channels when the gym opened A fairly common method of promotion which was used by the TND is the pre-sale of fitness club cards.

Also, a free trial section is there. First trial class is free of charge and may allow potential members to check if the club is good enough before paying money.

The website is also available as a sort of marketing where history, vision, and all fight disciplines are presented to visitors. Pictures, names of trainers are all available and visual enough.

Business challenges are mainly related to the external conditions of work, such as the COVID-19 spread which forced the gym to close. Since the TND is SME and has only one branch, the team of the gym is small and everyone is professional in their job. Thus, the owner has

explained

¡ “We are a small gym in terms of size and number of employees, but it does not mean that we do not face challenges. The main challenge now is related to the spread of COVID. Our gym’s capacity has been reduced, so we do work in a very limited way and many people are still scared to come back to the gym, so they paused their membership.” ¡ Another business challenge related to the rules and regulations under which a gym must operate is that employees must always prove their proficiency in discipline, which they teach as well as first aid. That is all part of the company’s expenses and costs money.

Overcoming Challenges and the Company as of Today To manage the challenges related to regular proficiency among employees, the TND made an agreement with an academy, of which a package price is offered while delivering courses on first aid and discipline. That is a great alternative that was found by the owner.

“We have an agreement with one well-known academy, which will help us improve the performance of employees by offering additional courses in their fields. First aid courses are also included, but first aid courses are offered once to each employee who is joining the staff and there is no need in the future to repeat the same course.” Today, like any company in the UAE, TND is working under the conditions of COVID-19. Capacity is limited and children’s courses are all cancelled for an unknown period of time.

“We are still not sure when children’s courses can resume, but we are aiming to do whatever is required by the Municipality to ensure that everyone is safe.”

Business which works as a fighting club can be considered a business which operates in challenging conditions of life. Why? The answer is simple: everything must be perfect. When it comes to safety, companies need to ensure that all necessary rules and regulations are applied while training, equipment is checked and coaches are professionals.

The TND is a fighting club which welcomes not only adults but also kids. I recommend always making sure that both children and adults are trained safely. Coaches need to be well-trained, know how to train and also in case of injury, need to know how to provide first aid.

I also recommend growing and offering some other disciplines such as karate. Since the gym opened in 2013 and has only one branch in the UAE, there is a great opportunity to grow. I recommend to at least consider opening a new location where totally new disciplines can be offered for adults and children.

The last recommendation is to improve the marketing strategy. Currently, the company do not have any budget for sponsorships and does not promote itself widely which limits the number of members who are registering. That might be the reason why the company is not intending to grow and open more branches. With a new marketing strategy, the TND can consider opening one more branch and getting more customers.

I have learned that every business and its leader is unique. The way of thinking and running a business is determined by the leader’s personality and experience.

We can simply divide leaders into two categories

¡ A passive leader is one who invests and has a great vision to make people’s lives better by offering their services. However, there is little intention for further growth. Those leaders also prefer to sustain their current performance and make sure that standards are sustained as well.

¡ An active leader who is willing to discover new facets of business opportunities. Here, the leader is most passionate about what their company is offering. For example, if it is a fight club like in this case, the leader needs to be a fighter who achieves some rewards in this field.

Both are good for business because both have a vision.

However, the way of work will be different as well as the growth perceptions.

When it comes to business, we need to always consider the nature of it. In this case study, I talked about how fight clubs can offer a range of services to members. I was able to see how the owner of the business and its employees perceive the company.

Overall, I can say that the TND offers unique services for both adults and children. In that case, we can say excellence is in its stability and quality.

In the future, the TND may be used in order to analyze its performance and potential on the local market.