Meet Matt Erolin | Martial Arts Instructor & Business Owner

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

Hi Matt, what’s your definition for success?
I learned a long time ago from a mentor of mine who’s a very successful entrepreneur that the measure of success in your business is not finances nor how efficient your systems are, although both are an important aspect to measure. It’s impact. I like to think about how many people I’ve helped and am currently helping. Am I doing something to help sphere of influence, my community, my city, my region, etc. thrive, or at least move toward thriving? When I think of living a successful life, I think about living my life in such a way that the use of my life will outlive my life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m blessed to be a martial arts instructor and school owner. Most martial arts schools run trial ads and advertise often. I’ve been blessed to have built my school without traditional forms of advertising. My school, or as we call it, my dojo, has been built strictly through word-of-mouth. That’s something I’m particularly proud of.

It took a while to build it to where it is now. We started as a home/garage dojo in 2005. I taught off and on for 4 years and in 2009, I started teaching more consistently. We officially became a martial arts school/program in 2010. It was a lot of work early on as I was working a full-time job along with teaching on the weekends. Through the years, I always re-invested back into the business. Eventually, we got to a place where I left my full-time job in December 2017 to pursue running our businesses (we also own an online health & beauty store) and helping care for one of my children who has special needs. You see, she was born in November 2016, diagnosed with a rare syndrome which made her the 176 medically-documented case worldwide. From 2016-2019, she had 3-8 doctor or therapy appointments a week. While most people would have closed their dojo, I chose to persevere. In some ways, it was therapy for me, an opportunity to take my eyes off myself and serve others. Additionally, it was an opportunity to show my students, family and friends what it looked like to live out the Bible passage James 1:2-4, my life verse.

Fast forward to current times, we moved our dojo into a commercial space in December 2022 and our dojo has continued to grow from there. I believe what sets our school apart is the environment and culture that has been created. When we say you’re part of our family, we truly mean it. We live it out. We provide our students with something I call the “mat chat,” which is a lesson behind the lesson. When you look deeper into it, it’s actually an opportunity for students to receive mental health help in addition to working on their physical health.

Of course our dojo has developed some amazing athletes. I still compete and in October 2025, 5 of my students and I competed in Swansea, Wales, UK as members of the ICO-USA National Martial Arts Team. All 6 of us medaled with 4 of us winning GOLD, being named ICO World Champions! I finished 2025 as a multi-time world champion and medalist for ICO, WKC & NASKA.

But the building block of our martial arts studio, Erolin 3D Martial Arts, is the school motto it lives by: “It’s not about what you achieve; it’s about who you become.” Students learn that the 3 D’s in our name stand for being “Determined, Dedicated, & Disciplined to earn our success.”

We’re building future leaders of America. We’re building value-adding citizens to our communities. We’re making an impact, one person at a time, one day at a time. People are seeing that and they want to be a part of it. That’s why we’re continuing to grow.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m an active person so our time would consist of visiting some sweet hiking spots such as Devil’s Chair at Devil’s Punchbowl and hiking the Pacific Crest Trail off Bouquet Canyon. Of course we would have to drive the Musical Road since it’s special to the Antelope Valley. Food wise, we would hit up Easy Egg Cafe or Karen’s Kitchen for breakfast but then for dinner, Olive’s off Lancaster Blvd. Lucky Luke’s would also be a good spot, especially since a couple of my best friends like to have an occasional drink.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are a ton of people to thank but a few to come to mind (in no particular order):

My wife, Cindy – Seriously, for me to be able to do all the things I do takes an incredible woman of strength. With all of my ambitions, she remains steadfast and committed to our family. She brings unity to our lives. We can go on a road trip and talk the entire time, often laughing until we cry and sometimes crying until we laugh. She truly is my life partner and my best friend.

My mom, Lisa – Displaying “acts of service” as one of her love languages, she has shown me what it looks like to love and care for people. My mom has always had a smile on her face, even during her darkest times. A wonderful grandmother, my mom helps care for our young family at home. She doesn’t complain and is one of the strongest woman I know.

My children – My life, my legacy. I do the things I do to set an example for them of what hard work, perseverance, grit and tenacity look like. I strive to show them that dreams can and do come true, but they don’t come easily.

My mentors, Aaron and his wife, Cammie – Aaron came into my life when I hit adulthood, and he helped shape my thought-process and mindset to where it is today. He has taught me how to believe in my dreams and to persevere through struggles, even when the cards are stacked against you. He’s the most optimistic person I know and frankly, a walking miracle. Cammie believed in me before I even believed in myself. She knew there was something special about this young dude. She has always been willing to say the tough stuff because it was out of love. Aaron and Cammie have been an amazing blessing to me and my wife.

Website: https://www.Team3DMA.com

Instagram: @Erolin3DMA

Facebook: @Team3DMA

Image Credits
Photography by Chaunté Vigil of Chaunté Vigil Photography and Ruby Varela of Pixels & Prints