Guild Governance & Operations

Building a Leadership Pipeline

By HILT Official · Nov 22, 2025 · 7 min read

If you're the only person who can run your club, your club is one injury away from closing.

The Founder Problem Most HEMA clubs are started by one enthusiastic person who does everything: teaches, manages finances, books the venue, maintains the gear, runs the social media, and resolves every interpersonal conflict. This works until that person moves, gets injured, has a kid, or simply burns out. If your club can't survive losing its founder for 3 months, it isn't a club. It's a hobby that other people happen to participate in. Identify Aptitude, Not Just Skill The instinct is to promote your best fencers into leadership roles. This is usually a mistake. Great fencers don't…

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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.
Marketing Your HEMA Club Without Cringing How to actually fill your beginner courses without resorting to mall ninja energy.

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