Guild Governance & Operations

The First 100 Days as a New HEMA Club Leader

By HILT Official · May 17, 2026 · 7 min read

Becoming a new HEMA club leader is the quietest promotion in the sport. Here's a playbook for the first three months that actually works.

Why the First 100 Days Matter Becoming a new HEMA club leader is one of those quiet promotions that nobody actually trains you for. One Tuesday you're an enthusiastic senior member. The next, the founder is moving cities, or stepping back, or just done with running things, and you're holding the keys to a Discord server, a bank account with €847 in it, and 18 members who want to know what happens next. The first 100 days as a new HEMA club leader set the tone for everything that follows. Members are watching. Some are quietly auditioning you against the version of leadership they had before.…

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The Transition: From Study Group to Academy Most HEMA clubs die in the study group phase. Here's what separates the ones that survive.
Club Finances That Don't Make You Miserable Five financial strategies that keep HEMA clubs solvent without making the treasurer want to quit.
Building a Leadership Pipeline If you're the only person who can run your club, your club is one injury away from closing.

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