Today we would like to introduce Nonso Ebede and Kinu Mann.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I, Nonso, started practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2013 at an academy called Grounddwellers under Professor Eddie and Jackie Avelar. After a couple of years doing it I knew I wanted to have a place of my own. I loved the atmosphere and the art I had been exposed to and wanted to bring it to others. Kinu and I began looking for a location to open up an academy in the fall of 2020 and in March 2021 we found one. So many of our friends were pivotal in our ability to locate and capitalize on this opportunity and we are very grateful for them. With the help of our friends from Growthmaze we were able to brand and launch our vision for the academy. We officially opened in august of 2021 and we are excited for the future.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
We have been fortunate to have a road not full of many bumps and this was made possible through the combined effort of our team and our friends. I believe our biggest struggle was finding a location. A friend of mine knew of my desire to open up an academy and presented us with an opportunity hoping it would work out. It did!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Have n Jiu-Jitsu Academy is a martial arts gym based in Cypress, Texas that teaches Jiu-Jitsu as its primary martial art. While Jiu-Jitsu may appear to be a martial art that focuses on self, every Dojo comes with a team standing behind each person. We show up to push each other and become better – every single day. Haven Jiu-Jitsu Academy is a proud affiliate of Grounddwellers Jiu-Jitsu Academy, a Carlos Machado Academy.
Our mission at Haven is to provide a safe place for our members to learn the art of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and other martial arts. At Haven, we aim to assist our members in becoming healthier and stronger, both physically and mentally. Fulfilling your health and discipline goals is a worthy pursuit, and it is our intention to get you where you want to be. To create confidence in yourself, to handle hectic, pressurized, dire situations; we prepare by consistently practicing under the constraints of these situations.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I think one of the most important lessons we learnt from the Covid-19 crisis is how to care for others that we share spaces with.
Contact Info:
- Email: Info@havenjiujitsuacademy.com
- Website: Havenjiujitsuacademy.com
- Instagram: Havenjiujitsuacademy
- Facebook: Haven jiujitsu academy
Image Credits
Lauren Erickson
Jerren Willis Photography
