How one entrepreneur made the leap out of corporate America and into multi-unit business ownership

Wayne Freeman was just starting his career in the corporate world when he came to realize all the fear and worry over job security that comes with working for Fortune 500 companies. That’s when he started thinking about business ownership.

“I was seeing colleagues concerned whether they were going to get caught in a layoff, and I didn’t want to be the age I am now, and concerned about that,” Freeman said. “So really it wasn’t until I was in the corporate world and saw people not in control of their own destiny and earnings it occurred to me that I wanted to get that control for myself. I wanted to build my own business.”

And that he did. Freeman now owns 39 Sport Clips franchises throughout Kansas, Iowa, and Minnesota.

“I started researching the company and it was a good fit,” Freeman said. “The model worked very well for us.”

In this wide-ranging interview, Freeman explained how he adjusted to running his own business, how to keep employees feeling valued, and why now is the right time to invest in the Sport Clips franchise.

Q: Coming from the corporate world, how did you learn the ropes as a new business owner?

A: A lot of it is trial by fire, but also my professional experience really came into play. We always had an eye toward scalability, and we needed to make sure the business was in a position to operate as semi-absentee franchise owners. So, we came in with the mindset of having our store managers be decision makers and have autonomy. We put systems in place for ordering and considered ourselves a support role. We’ve been able to replicate that as we’ve scaled the business.

Q: So you put a lot of trust in team leaders?

A: They are the experts in terms of operations of the store. Early on, we stood behind the cash register to understand the flow of things. But they’re definitely the experts. We want the culture to be one of them having the confidence to make decisions on their own.

Q: And do you find this approach retains employees?

A: We definitely have tenured team members, some for 10+ years. How do we do that? I think it’s just demonstrating day in and out that we genuinely care about our team members. We’ve always been family first as to how we approach things. We have an understanding that we all have lives outside of work. I think empathy connects them with us and lets them know we have vested in their success and future.

Q: How many employees do you have?

A: We are shy of 300. While that means to me it’s harder to connect individually with team members, I believe we’ve created a culture where we’re still making connections at some level. And you realize how these folks depend on you for their own livelihood.

Q: Do you find team leaders have a voice within the organization?

A: Team leaders absolutely have a voice within the organization. I can assure team leaders that corporate offices very much listen and care deeply. They are always listening, and we’ve seen that play out over the last 18 months for sure.

Q: What are your hopes for the future?

A: I hope we continue to grow and challenge our own economics to make sure we’re on the leading edge, in terms of what compensation looks like to hair stylists. We want to make sure we’re paying well and provide a good lifestyle for the people who work with us.

Q: And finally, why should people invest in Sport Clips?

A: I continue to think Sport Clips is not only an amazing brand with family ownership that cares deeply and is invested in our success, but I also think we’re in a space that is recession proof. During the 2008 downturn, we were in a nice spot in the market. People continue to need haircuts. And so, as long as we are able to provide predictable, consistent, top-quality service, we think there’s longevity for hair cutting in general and Sport Clips in particular.

Transition out of corporate America for good with Sport Clips

If you’re interested in business ownership with a Sport Clips franchise, simply fill out an inquiry form and a member of our team will be in touch with you shortly. We can’t wait to learn more about you!

A mother and son open up about their experience as multi-unit franchise owners with Sport Clips

The McMurdo family first started thinking about investing in a Sport Clips franchise in the mid-2000s to set up a family business to provide financial stability and security for years to come.

More than a decade later, with the McMurdo’s 17 store locations throughout Colorado, it’s safe to say the family made a good call.

“We were just really impressed by the model and the simplicity of it,” said Riley McMurdo. “It’s been a great journey.”

Tina McMurdo started the Sport Clip franchise with her husband, Ted. She said investing in a Sport Clips has been rewarding to provide a profitable and growing business opportunity to her children.

“It’s wonderful. It’s what we wanted and dreamt about,” Tina said. “We’ve seen a lot of growth and we’ve enjoyed working with each other. It’s fun.”

In this interview, Tina and her son, Riley, talk about why Sport Clips is a great family business, how the business model provides a healthy work/life balance, and even offer tips on how to run a successful company with your family.

Q: Just to start off, what’s the secret to working with your family?

Riley: The secret is: don’t let business get involved outside of business. Try to temper business talks at Thanksgiving. Don’t make everything about the business, and remember you’re family and love each other.

Q: Would you say Sport Clips provides a healthy work/life balance?

Riley: Absolutely. Sport Clips provides a lot of flexibility with your schedule. We basically make our own schedule. But it’s important to remember: it is your business. It’s how much you put into it that determines how successful you’ll be.

Q: But it sounds like Sport Clips has provided a rewarding lifestyle for your family?

Riley: Oh yeah! But it takes a lot of hard work to get to where we’re at now. We’ve been doing this 11 years, so just know it doesn’t happen overnight. But we’re at a place now where we can have perks. It’s just really satisfying, and we feel blessed. We know we’ve put in the hard work, but we’re blessed to be where we are.

Q: What values do you think have made your businesses successful?

Tina: I think it comes down to the fact that we care for each other. Sometimes, we have hard discussions, but we don’t carry that outside the meeting. We try to be respectful of everyone. We spend a lot of time with each other, and you have to like that – and we do.

Q: How important are your stylists to the business?

Riley: We consider them an extended part of our family. Everyone wants to be an employer of choice, and we do that by making sure they feel appreciated and know how much they mean to us. We really just try and show our appreciation anyway we can. We want them to know they are the lifeblood of this business, and they’re important to us and our success.

Q: Why is Sport Clip a great family business?

Riley: Because it’s a model of simplicity. It has operations managers, behind-the-scenes admin workers, and we’ve fit into those roles perfectly. It’s a family business, because that’s how it’s been set up from the beginning. Sport Clips is on your side and wants to see your family succeed.

Ready to build an extraordinary family business with Sport Clips?

If you’re interested in investing in a Sport Clips franchise, simply fill out an inquiry form and a member of our team will be in touch with you shortly. We can’t wait to learn more about you!

Top-rated hair cutting franchise is focused on helping our heroes thrive as business owners

Gordon Logan, Founder of Sport Clips, knew as a U.S. veteran of the military, he wanted to create a franchise for veterans. One that would serve as the perfect transition for members of the military wanting to run their own business.

Nearly three decades later, Logan has set up a franchise that propels U.S. veterans into the next stage of their life as business owners by investing in Sport Clips.

“Veterans are well-suited for franchising. They’re used to working within a system and executing with precision,” Logan said. “And they have an attitude that failure is not an option, and mission and goal-oriented. Sport Clips is wonderful for veterans and we have wonderful veteran Team Leaders.”

Indeed, Sport Clips has shown not just by its words, but also by its actions, just how committed the company is to the people who serve our country.

Supporting our Veterans

Sport Clips has raised more than $3 million to help hospitalized U.S. Service members through the Help A Hero program. The company also supports the Aleethia Foundation, which helps injured service members through a number of different services. Plus, Sport Clips donates to many nonprofits, including the Honto Flight Network, Veterans Airlift Command, and VetFran.

Sport Clips is also the primary sponsor for The Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring seniors and U.S. military veterans. They provide “Dream Flights” in a Boeing Stearman biplane, a WWII era aircraft.

One of the most meaningful contributions is the business opportunity Sport Clips provides to members of the military coming back to civilian life and wanting to be their own boss. As a company founded by a veteran, Sport Clips is passionate about creating opportunities for veterans to thrive in business.

A Franchise for Veterans

Cheston Syma, who has served in the U.S. Marines for six years, had just completed his service when he was looking for the right opportunity to invest in. He eventually found Sport Clips and now runs 41 stores throughout Texas and Illinois.

“My experience in the military, specifically the Marines, helped me in my franchise career, mainly due to the leadership, organizational, people management, and time management skills they taught me,” he said. “We, as members of the military, are used to following systems. A franchise is a perfect transition from the military because of the systems in place and the turnkey model.”

Now has never been a better time to explore franchise opportunities with Sport Clips. Qualified veterans interested in owning a Sport Clips are eligible for a 20% discount off of Sport Clips through our partnership with VetFran.

“This business was started by a veteran. As a veteran, I was looking for a business that had the formula for success,” Syma said. “There’s no guessing as to how to succeed with Sport Clips. All you have to do is follow the formula. The great thing is the bigger I get, the more opportunities I get to create for people, and the bigger the impact I get to have. That’s what drives me.”

Ready to start your next chapter as a Sport Clips Team Leader?

If you’re interested in learning more about the Sport Clips franchise opportunity, simply fill out an inquiry form and a member of our team will be in touch with you shortly. We can’t wait to learn more about you!