Meet Francis Abramson | Co-owner & Professor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Francis Abramson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Francis, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The first challenge was to move from Brazil to the USA with my family and provide them a great life. I’m a US citizen but never lived in the US before. So I had to learn everything in a short period of time in order to make this move. In Rio de Janeiro we were established, surrounded by family and friends but the future was uncertain. To make this dream happen and become a successful reality I had to move forward and stay focused. This took me around 2 years and a few trips to the US with my wide until we found a place to start our new life. As a black belt (in Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) I’m very determined and disciplined. This helped me a lot to never give up on my goals. Even if the people I’ve met here I had long 6 months of paperwork, permits, plans, sales strategy, and marketing to go through. Was stressful but very rewarding for me and my partner. We had a clear business plan, we found a place to establish our business, and was a matter of time to sign people in. We are both passionate about what we do on the mats as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu professors and what we do for our student’s lives out of the mat.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I love to help people. And be a Professor/Black Belt is the most rewarding thing. I teach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s techniques from kids to adults of all ages and walks of life. People with a lack of confidence, problems at school, family issues, and etc. They all get empowered not only with the techniques but most of all with the mindset, love, and friendship that we developed between professors and students and also between them too. My partner and I had the challenge to start, launch, and keep the business growing in a short period of time. So not only teach but also manage, sales, marketing, cleaning, and more were part of this challenge. So we believed that with a solid culture this could be possible. We created a solid group of friends (students), made a positive impact in many people’s lives and we survived 2020 even if all its challenges.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love the beach. Since I was a child my parents used to take me to Ipanema and Copacabana beach to spend the day. So I grew up in the beach culture. While in Miami one has to visit South Pointe Park, Sunny Isles, and Crandon Park on Key Biscayne. A great place to eat healthily after training or a good day at the beach is Pura Vida, Whole Foods Market, Riverside Miami, and Sagrado Café. You can also go to Wynwood and experience the art, food, and local culture. Miami also has many parks with you want to relax or play with your kids: Viscaya Museum & Gardens and Downtown Doral Park, for example

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to mention 2 groups of people that helped me and my partner Marcelo achieved this dream: 1. Our families: without them, this wouldn’t be possible. Our parent’s education and love mixed with our responsibility and passion for our family’s shaped this dream 2.My Sensei Mehdi and our master Rilion Gracie: Their leadership, mental strength, and determination were a huge part of how we made here We love you all.

Website: https://www.riliongraciedoral.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riliongraciedoral/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/riliongraciejiujitsudoral/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riliongraciedoral
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rilion-gracie-jiu-jitsu-doral-doral-2
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIEO18yh16qhJ17Ixnyp_-Q?view_as=subscriber

Image Credits
Ray Santana Photography