Good Neighbor Podcast: Frisco

EP 351: The Dojang Where Discipline Meets Belonging In Frisco

• Sophia Yvette

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What Makes Marai Langlois with Frisco Taekwondo America a Good Neighbor?

Ever wondered why some martial arts schools feel like a second home while others feel like a gym? We sit down with Marai Langlois, owner of Frisco Taekwondo America, to explore how a neighborhood dojang blends discipline, confidence, and community for students ages four through adults. From the corner of 423 and Main, this local fixture has spent nearly fifteen years shaping focus and character while keeping training flexible enough for real family schedules.

Marai shares her journey from teen employee to owner, offering an inside look at mentorship, continuity, and the values that keep generations coming back. We get clear on the difference between a dojo and a dojang and why Taekwondo’s Korean roots put a premium on dynamic kicking and distance control. Just as important, we debunk the biggest myth around martial arts: it isn’t about picking fights. It’s about self-control, de-escalation, and the confidence to act when you must—and to walk away when you should.

If you’ve hesitated because of time, injury, or nerves, you’ll hear practical advice on starting at any age and finding a class that fits your week. We talk schedules, word-of-mouth growth, and how a welcoming floor culture turns first classes into long-term habits. You’ll also hear how this school stays woven into Frisco life, from supporting local spots downtown to sharing seasonal moments that make training feel fun and familiar.

Ready to take the first step toward better focus, fitness, and self-defense? Subscribe for more neighborhood stories, share this with a friend who’s been curious about martial arts, and leave a quick review to help others find the show.

To learn more about Frisco Taekwondo America, go to:
 👉 https://friscotaekwondoamerica.com

Frisco Taekwondo America
📞 (972) 712-9000

SPEAKER_00:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

SPEAKER_01:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you native a dojing? Well, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Marae Lingua, with Frisco Taekwondo America. Marae, how are you? Good, how are you? Good. Now we're excited to learn all about you and your business today. Can you start off by telling us a little bit about your company?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, so uh Frisco Taekwondo has been here this November, will be its 15th year, so since 2010. I'm we're located here on the corner of 423 in Main Street, and we serve families from all over Frisco, Little Elm, and Prosper. But we really love being in this Frisco community. So uh we truly thrive in like teaching. We start at four years old and we go all the way through adults. And so we have all different types of age ranges and experience levels. So we can pretty much teach anyone taekwondo how to kick and punch.

SPEAKER_01:

Wow. Now, how did you originally get into a business like this?

SPEAKER_02:

So originally I'm I was an employee here when I was 15. Um, and so I worked for this um master called Mr. Lacey, and so he was the one that originally opened the Frisco School. And so when I turned around 23 years old, he offered the school, and I was like, well, this is basically my home. So I said absolutely. And now I've been running it for the past uh seven years.

SPEAKER_01:

Wow. Now, before we jump into the most common myth or misconception here, can you address to our audience and our listeners today the difference between a dojo and a dojang?

SPEAKER_02:

So dojo is the Japanese term for where like people train in karate. Um, and then dojang is for taekwondo because it's coming from Korea. So a lot of people ask, like, what's the difference between karate and taekwondo? And the big difference is that karate originated in Japan, and that's where a lot of martial arts came from. So Taekwondo did have some influence from karate, but taekwondo came from Korea, and so we do a lot more kicking because taekwondo originated from people kicking people off of horses, and that's why we have high kicks. So that's why there's a little bit of a difference in the styles of martial arts.

SPEAKER_01:

Wow. Now, what is the most common myth or misconception in your industry besides that one?

SPEAKER_02:

Um, I think the biggest myth is that everybody in Taekwondo, uh I think people watch like karate kid and things like that and think it's super duper violent, but it's a lot of discipline and self-control. And so we don't promote violence. We promote learning how to defend yourself. And if you have to use our techniques to defend yourself against bullying, defend yourself in the streets, then absolutely. But we don't promote going out and um doing cobert high fights in the middle of parking lots or anything like that.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, as a former boxer, I can agree with you there. Now, we know marketing is the heart of every business. Who are your target clients, customers, or students? And in terms of marketing today, how do you attract them?

SPEAKER_02:

So I would say that our clientele is families that live close by, that want to have an experience and want to enjoy martial arts. A lot of times people think that martial arts is something that they can't fit into their schedule, but that's why we have the flexibility of classes five times a week. And so we want to be able to serve families of any types of um that are interested in any type of martial arts. And how do you attract them? Um, so I would say word of mouth, because we've been here for so long that we have a lot of people that heard from us from their friend that took it five years ago or that are currently training with us. And then we have a lot of people that come back because their parents took class with us so long ago. That's how long we've been here. So a lot of word of mouth.

SPEAKER_01:

Marae, have you ever thought about having your own podcast before?

SPEAKER_02:

I have not thought about having my own podcast before.

SPEAKER_01:

And outside of work, what do you and your family like to do for fun?

SPEAKER_02:

So we like to travel a lot um and we like to explore other local businesses. Um I'm a very big patron of downtown Frisco because I grew up here. And so I love going out to seeing what the new restaurants are, the new activities are, and my husband always tags along with me.

SPEAKER_01:

Now, please tell our listeners one thing they should remember today about Frisco Taekwondo America.

SPEAKER_02:

I think this is a very family-friendly place to be. Um we truly embody like the sense of community. It's not just a studio for people, it's a home for a lot of people. And a lot of people train here for not just to get their black belt, but beyond that too.

SPEAKER_01:

Now, where can they go to learn more about Frisco Taekwondo America?

SPEAKER_02:

So you can go to our website, friscoTkd.com, or give us a call at 469-362-8700. We also have a Facebook page and an Instagram page where you can give us a follow and we post a lot of different content. And so you'll be seeing a lot of Halloween content today.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, Marae, any final words of wisdom you would like to share with our listeners today?

SPEAKER_02:

Um, if you're thinking about starting your journey in Taekwondo, it's never too late to start, and it's not too early either. It's definitely a martial art that can be adjusted to everybody, and it's so fun to watch people grow. So if you're interested, please give it a try.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, Matari, I really appreciate you being on the show today. We wish you and your business the best moving forward.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpfrisco.com. That's gnpfrisco.com or call 469 221 9345.