Established Sport Clips team leaders open up about how a strong business culture creates a recipe for scalability and continual growth

“Workplace culture” is a term that often gets thrown around as an important aspect of a business, but it’s not often a company makes it a priority. That’s where Val Hill and Jared Lee step in for the Sport Clips Franchise.

Hill and Lee run more than 40 Sport Clips Haircuts franchises throughout Arizona, Oregon and Washington. And what’s been their secret to success? Making sure the workplace culture is one all team members want to be part of. Not only does a positive culture in the workplace lead to strong team member engagement, but it also improves the overall happiness of staff, increases productivity, and helps retention and recruitment efforts.

Hill and Lee, who met in business school at Brigham Young University, realized during the COVID pandemic it was going to take some serious financial management and business acumen to survive. But they relied on the strength of the relationships they’d built with their teams and worked with them to meet the challenges of the pandemic head on.

“I would say one of the key aspects that helped us is that we didn’t lay anyone off,” Hill told The Chandler Arizonan in a feature piece about their Sport Clips franchise locations. “We continued to pay all of our people, and this was before the PPP loan or any of that. We made the determination that our people are our biggest asset, and we need to take care of our people.”

While other people were losing their jobs and relying on unemployment, Hill and Lee paid their teams’ full salaries when businesses were forced to close due to local mandates. The two businessmen were able to pull this off because, with incredible foresight and planning, they had been fiscally conservative and had saved enough money during the good times in anticipation of any potential rocky times.

 

And because Hill and Lee paid their staff during shutdowns, they were in a unique position to hit the ground running once restrictions were lifted, a time when many other businesses had lost their staff and were forced to find people to rehire – further proof that investing in the workplace and staff pays off in the end.

“I think what that helped us do is that it helped us get us reopened quickly,” Hill said.

As a result of how the two men expertly created such a strong culture among their team members and navigated the uncharted territories of the pandemic, they were named Sport Clips Franchise Team Leaders of the Year for 2020. Hill and Lee have been successful Sport Clips franchisees for more than a decade, reinvesting in their business to be able to open more locations. And how do just two businessmen handle operating more than 40 locations in three states? They’ll tell you it’s the people they hire and trust.

“The key to it all is you have to have good people that you work with,” Lee said. “We have an amazing group of area managers and store managers.”

Hill added staff are empowered to take on larger roles, “The store manager views that store as her store. They’re empowered to hire and fire and spend money to buy what they need. We don’t constrain them much.”

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

If you’re interested in the Sport Clips franchise opportunity, click here to request more information or visit our research pages to learn more. We can’t wait to learn more about you!

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!

Joe Gulino has successfully managed teams throughout his career, whether it was for a major soft drink company, the telecom industry, or now, in real estate. He’s in the process of expanding his team from Nevada to have a presence in Tampa, Florida. Meanwhile, his wife Ambre has been a massage therapist at one of the largest resort and entertainment properties in Las Vegas. Even though their careers seem very different in scope, they’ve made the career decision to do something together…invest in a franchise. They chose Sport Clips Haircuts primarily because Joe has been a happy client for more than eight years. 

“I haven’t had a haircut anywhere else but Sport Clips for almost a decade,” says Joe. “I enjoy the convenience and flexibility of scheduling and love the scalp massage and face towel that come with the signature MVP experience.” 

The couple did their homework and have these four top reasons why Sport Clips is the franchise investment for them: 

1: The People

There is team camaraderie between stylists in the stores. Joe says it’s something he’s familiar with from his work and he was able to see and experience it repeatedly as a client over many years. 

2: The Product

The simplicity of the business model and limited product line is easy to execute and get on board with for franchisees and team members.  

3: The Efficiency

Getting online to get “in line” makes it easy for men and boys to know when a stylist is ready for a client to come in. Joe says Sport Clips has really used the best elements of technology to make the process efficient for everyone. 

4: The Leadership

Both Ambre and Joe learned through the discovery process how much the leadership wants to be involved in educating and supporting potential and current franchisees…all the way to the founder. 

Ambre and Joe are in the process of locating where they will build the first of three stores in Florida. They say the Sport Clips investment is one they’re making for themselves and their family with the long-term goal of it becoming their primary business interest. The semi-absentee franchise model for which Sport Clips is known will allow them the freedom to visit their four children who live all around the country and to enjoy their outdoor interests in snorkeling, mountain biking, and hiking. 

Join Joe and Ambre Gulino and own your Sport Clips franchise today!

If the semi-absentee business model sounds interesting to you, fill out our franchise information form, and check out our research pages! 

 

 A bold step during the pandemic opened the door for encouragement and support from the Sport Clips Haircuts franchise community for Erikal and Daryl Roberts  

Erikal and Daryl Roberts, two of the newest Sport Clips Haircuts franchisees, were inspired to take a bold business step during the pandemic…investing in a franchise.   

Erikal says, “The pandemic forced me to take a look at my personal and professional life.” She realized she wanted more personal fulfillment than what her corporate job afforded. After this epiphany, Erikal told her husband, Daryl, she was going to look at other options for bringing in an income.   

Erikal suggested the idea of franchising, something that she had never considered before. Daryl liked the idea of franchising, because they could have a plan for the future and grow a business that would benefit the next generations of their family. He was excited at the possibility of the pair building something together while he maintained his corporate work.  

Sport Clips immediately jumped out to Erikal during the research process. She says that the mission statement, “to create a Championship Haircut Experience in an exciting sports environment”, captured her attention. As an avid sports fan, this concept spoke to Erikal. The new franchise owner loved the idea of having sports as a part of the haircut experience. She says, “Sports bring everybody together and, in this time, we need unity.”   

Daryl and Erikal sat down together and wrote out pros and cons for opening their own Sport Clips store. At the end of the session, the pair revealed that there was no reason for them not to go through with the purchase. They were immediately impressed by the extensive amount of support and resourceful information they received from the very beginning. Fellow franchisees offered advice, encouragement, and well wishes. Repeatedly, the new owners were told “the key to success is trusting the process,” Daryl laughs, “especially since neither of us knows anything about cutting hair.”   

Erikal says from the beginning she noticed that everyone within the Sport Clips community had great relationships with one another and were very open. The couple felt as though they had a team that had their back throughout the entire process of opening up their store and into the future.  

“The community that surrounds Sport Clips reinforces that we made the right decision, because these are the kind of people we want to be involved with,” Daryl says.  

Invest in a Sport Clips franchise today!

For in-depth details about the Sport Clips franchise opportunity, download our Free Franchise Opportunity Report. You can also learn more by visiting our research pages!

After the birth of their second child, Shannon Whitley and her husband, Taylor, wanted to raise their girls closer to family. They moved back to Whitley’s hometown of Lake Jackson, Texas. However, a long commute to her job as project manager in the health industry in Houston, along with 60- to 70-hour work weeks, began to wear on her. Whitley found herself open to the idea of finding new ways to create personal and financial freedom in her life.  

Whitley’s father, a prominent business owner in her hometown, always taught her the importance of community involvement, and she saw entrepreneurship as a way to invest in her community, while also investing in herself. But with a full-time job and being a new mother, she was not actively looking for a business opportunity.  

Then a family friend approached her with an opportunity she couldn’t pass up. Butch Gentry, owner of the local Sport Clips Haircuts, asked Whitley if she would be interested in becoming his business partner.  “Butch was looking to grow his business, and my experience and skillset complemented his so well,” she explains. “He’s a great guy, and I knew I could learn a lot from him as well. That is important in a partnership.” 

“As I looked at the Sport Clips model, I saw how well it is put together. I wouldn’t be starting from scratch; all the systems are in place. The core values of the brand were in alignment with my personal values. It was the kind of organization I wanted to be a part of because of the value it places on people and team culture,” Whitley continues. “Plus, my dad and husband had been clients there for years and were fans. All around it was a good fit. I may not have had haircare experience, but I understand the client experience, that and I am always up for a challenge, so I said yes.”  

In 2015, Whitley partnered with Gentry, and by the next year they began construction on their second store. Ready to be rid of the long commute and long work hours, she quit her corporate job to focus on their growing business.  

Whitley compared her corporate experience in medical office build out and staffing to the process with Sport Clips. “In my old job, I had to create a lot of the processes and spreadsheets from scratch. With Sport Clips, they had all of that in place already. I didn’t have to recreate it on my own. It took the guesswork out of much of the process. It was very well put together. It made my job much easier.”  

As the business was growing, Whitley suffered a personal tragedy. Her husband, Taylor, passed away suddenly from cardiac disease at the age of 38. “Knowing that my girls and I were going to be ok financially was a huge blessing during that time. The financial stability the recurring revenue stream provides sets up for the future. And I had the flexibility to be there when my kids needed me the most.” 

For Whitley, community leadership and providing a service to the community were important goals. Whitley established a foundation in her late husband’s name, providing character-based scholarships and grants to high school and college students who “show up” in meaningful ways for the people around them. “Taylor had this motto that he took with him in all areas of his life, from his career on the football field to his work as a vice president of sales to his role as a husband and a father. It was “Show up. Give a flip. Repeat.” So that is what we named the foundation. We want to recognize young people who are making a difference by valuing others. It’s amazing to see what an impact recognizing young people for doing selfless acts really has on them and those around them. I see people looking for the good in others, just like Taylor did.”  

Through all of this, Whitley and her business partner Gentry are looking toward the future and opening their third store. The systems and processes in place as part of Sport Clips’ proven business model have given them the framework to scale in a sustainable way.  For Whitley, growing the business had to be in a way that made sense for her family. “The flexibility that comes with being a business owner is really important to me. My kids barely know I even have a job, because I have so much control over my schedule. As a mother, being a Sport Clips team leader has been a good fit for my lifestyle and personal goals.”  

Join the Sport Clips franchise family today!

For in-depth details about the Sport Clips franchise opportunity, download our Free Franchise Opportunity Report. You can also learn more by visiting our research pages!

To learn more about the Whitley Show Up Foundation, click here.  

For many businesses, technology has helped shape how services are provided, marketing is distributed, and the consumer experience is developed. Dan Miller, Sport Clips Haircuts CIO and senior vice president of information security, is our in-house technology expert and knows exactly how to constructively utilize technology. His blog, published on Franchising.com, discusses how Sport Clips has been using technology to enhance our service experience for the past several years while also navigating the current global pandemic.  

Where We Want Technology to Take Us in the Future 

When Dan joined the company in 2014, Sport Clips needed someone who could bring the brand into the online sector and build on its success. He explains, “I started with bringing in a new point-of-sale vendor to move the brand into the online check-in arena and provide enhanced capabilities to improve the customer experience. As the brand prepares for the next several years of growth, I have engaged multiple technology vendors to improve several key areas of the business.”  

Dan also mentions how Sport Clips is planning to make significant breakthroughs by using AI (artificial intelligence). We will be the first brand in the hair care space to use AI to improve in-store operations and the client experience around wait-time accuracy.  

Other ways Sport Clips plans to embrace technology in 2021 include: 

• Team leader and franchise management hub, which will improve our support processes and ensure efficiency. It will also provide a simple, consolidated place in our system for documentation and communication. 
• Business intelligence tools and reports will boost our ability to assess store performance on demand, allowing team members to provide improved support metrics. 
• Upgraded credit card processing hardware will allow us to continue being best-in-class in terms of PCI-DSS compliance and increase contactless capabilities to meet and reach customers for the foreseeable future.  
• Updated global client CRM (Customer Relationship Management) will ensure we can provide our franchise owners with more resources for unique client messaging based on the frequency of visits and spend in-store. 

Even during the pandemic, Sport Clips has stayed committed to our franchise network’s long-term health and success, showing incredible resilience to recover from the economic impact. Our strategic investments are just one of the reasons why we are slated to come out of this challenging time stronger than we were before.  

Learn more about the Sport Clips here!

For in-depth details about the Sport Clips franchise opportunity, download our Free Franchise Opportunity Report. You can also learn more by visiting our research pages!

Click the link to read Dan’s full blog: https://www.franchising.com/articles/how_sport_clips_is_using_technology_to_accelerate_its_way_out_of_the_pandem.html 

Working in sales in the high-tech industry, Joe Klimek helped his startup company grow exponentially, but he still found his future uncertain. “We were doing well, but as more and more of the industry began to outsource offshore, there was a lot of the business that we couldn’t control. I wanted to invest in a business that couldn’t be outsourced. “  

That’s when Klimek heard a radio ad for Sport Clips Haircuts and realized the haircutting industry was what he was looking for. “This was in 1999 and Sport Clips was still a relatively new concept. I didn’t know much about it, but I liked the idea of sports, and since haircuts can’t be outsourced, I was interested,” says Klimek.   

After meeting with Sport Clips’ franchise developer Jean Booth and founder and CEO Gordon Logan, Klimek was even more interested. He explains, “Jean and Gordon shared their vision on how Sport Clips’ was positioned in a niche to meet the needs of the overlooked demographic of men and boys in a growing industry. I bought into the idea right away.”  

“I loved the concept and felt very comfortable with the business model. The manager driven model meant that I could keep my day job. Also, my wife and I had young kids at the time in sports, so we knew our local market well. We felt confident with the marketing aspect of the business. It would fit in well with our lifestyle.”  

At the same time, someone else was looking at the same territory, so Jean arranged a meeting between the two entrepreneurs. “Bill Vandrick and I had never met before that conversation, but we found alignment in our goals and decided to team up and buy a three pack. We have been business partners ever since.”  

In that first year, Klimek and Vandrick went on to open three stores.  Klimek says, “Sport Clips provided us with the vision, support and patience needed to help us get those stores up and running. Early on, Gordon recognized an area we were struggling in and set us up with a financial analyst. Things turned around for us very quickly after that.”  

Having watched the brand’s training and resources grow and evolve over the years, Klimek says, “With such a proven business model, Sport Clips has been able to anticipate a lot of the common problems business owners may run into and are about to provide resources to help, shortening the learning curve. The training has continued to keep pace with the brand’s growth and is second to none.”  

Adding, “The stylist recruiting resources, tools and systems are all top-notch. The analytics available to team leaders helps you make solid business and less emotional decisions.”  

In 2004, Klimek and Vandrick took over the role of area developers for the Houston market. “We knew Houston was ripe for expansion. Neither of us knew the real estate side of the business, but we knew the support in that area was excellent, so we felt comfortable taking on the role.”   

Klimek feels owning stores prior to becoming an area developer has been beneficial to his role of supporting the soon-to-be 94 stores in the Houston market. “I am able to set expectations with confidence, because I know what it takes to run successful stores.”  

Having been with the brand for over twenty years, in addition to seeing the support and training grow with the brand, Klimek has also seen Sport Clips dedicate resources to foster one of its most important relationships, the one with its franchisees.  As one of the first members of the Team Leaders Advisory Committee (TLAC) and later the Area Developers Advisory Committee (ADAC), Klimek recalls, “In the beginning, TLAC was just four team leaders and Gordon. We used to meet in the Mansfield’s kitchen, two of the other members. Now it has over 20 members and all of leadership is present at the meetings, and it is time well spent.”  

“How the TLAC/ADAC model has grown with the brand shows how important communication is to the leadership of this company, and that they view it as a two-way street. It allows team leaders to voice their suggestions on ways to improve.”  

And leadership has proved responsive. “I once brought a massager to a meeting and suggested that we use it in the stores. I remember feeling that I got kind of a lack luster response for what I thought was a great idea that we should all use immediately,” recalls Klimek, “Well, sometime had passed and I got a phone call from Edward Logan and he said to me, ‘I got one! It’s great!’. They had been testing it in the corporate stores and developing the most efficient processes around it before they implemented it system wide. Now it’s part of the MVP championship experience. This is an example of how this brand takes direct input and even make a change in operations to enhance the client experience while at the same time taking care to test and develop procedures so that it is not a burden on its franchisees.”  

Klimek has this advice for all Sport Clips team leaders, “Get to know your TLAC representative and open a dialogue with them. Our input is important and it’s heard.”  

When asked if he had any advice for someone who was considering investing for themselves, Klimek has this to say, “You need to have a passion for business ownership. This shouldn’t be just a hobby. You also need to be willing to follow a system. There is everything you need and more from a support standpoint. The system is thought out and proven, you just need to implement it. When a team leader struggles, most often it is because they are not following the system and making the decision to not use all the tools that are at their disposal.” 

“A people first mentality is essential. It should never be about “me” but about “us”. Someone who wants to come in and dominate won’t do well. Successful team leaders develop their teams,” Klimek continues, “They take the time to understand what motivates their team members and also empowers them to make decisions.”  

He concludes his advice with “Take the time to validate. Do your homework so you can set the right expectations and see if the business model aligns with your lifestyle and financial goals. The due diligence process is so important. Sport Clips has a very thorough and rigorous process designed to help you make the decision that is right for you. It is all about fit. They are committed to transparency because they want you to know as much as possible upfront. Read the Franchise Disclosure Document.”  

As for his investment in Sport Clips, Klimek says, “This industry is one of growth. We have been able to scale and meet all our expectations, as well as help others do the same. My business partner and I are both very happy with our decision to invest. We have been able to take control of our destiny.” 

Hear more from Joe Klimek on this month’s Validation Conference Call.  

Learn more about the Sport Clips franchise opportunity

For in-depth details about the Sport Clips franchise opportunity, download our Free Franchise Opportunity Report. You can also learn more by visiting our research pages!

Sport Clips Haircuts’ development team has identified the northeast as one of the biggest growth markets for the brand. With its favorable economic conditions and high consumer spending, the area is well-positioned for development. As the brand gains momentum in the area, it has capacity to support a far greater number of stores than it currently has. This represents a tremendous opportunity for the growth-minded entrepreneur to get in early and capture their share of this emerging market.  

Keith Laganosky is the regional director for Sport Clips’ northeast market. Currently, he and his team of 10 coaches support the region’s 150 stores, with 13 more projected to open in 2020. He says, “Sport Clips offers a compelling business model with all the tools and support needed to be successful. The semi-absentee business model means you don’t have to leave your full-time job while you build your business, allowing you to scale at your own pace.” 

Laganosky brings to the operational support team many years of experience. Having worked with some big names in franchising, in particular the food industry, he has a unique perspective on several aspects of the Sport Clips proven business model and culture. In his role as regional director, he brings expertise and experience to help Sport Clips franchisees build and scale sustainable businesses.   

When asked about the industry, Laganosky says, “Haircutting is a growth industry. People will always need their hair cut. Sport Clips offers a great hair experience in a sports atmosphere. It’s a winning combination and the brand is positioned as a leader in its defined niche.”  

Sport Clips’ defined niche is growing at an even faster rate. According to the website Research and Markets, the world’s largest market research store, the male grooming products segment is expected to grow at an annualized rate of 5.5 percent to $81.2 billion over the next five years. And what’s more, the site says that attitudes toward grooming and self-care are shifting, and the male demographic is expected to increasingly spend more on industry products and services.  

“The Sport Clips model is time-tested and proven to be successful when effectively executed. The data driven systems give business owners in-depth knowledge to make good solid business decisions,” explains Laganosky. “In addition to the systems and processes, the brand’s robust training and support are above anything I have ever seen.”  

Discussing the advantages of the business model’s structure, Laganosky says, “By design, the manager-led model gives team leaders the flexibility and freedom to focus on the business side and the big picture. Most team leaders aren’t stylists and can’t cut hair, so they aren’t bogged down by the day-to-day. Managers and stylists are empowered with the training and systems to help them best deliver the championship haircut experience. When people are empowered, they buy in and the working environment is elevated. I think this is one of the things that separates Sport Clips from anything else out there, the culture. “  

The culture was one of the main reasons Laganosky joined the brand. “Sport Clips at its foundation is a culture driven business,” states Laganosky. “Do your best. Do what’s right and treat others the way they want to be treated. It’s as simple as that. The culture pulls people in and they want to be a part of it. It makes growth intrinsic.”  

As the brand grows in the northeast, Laganosky and his team are ready to provide support. “Starting a business takes a lot of work upfront, and we have our grand opening team ready to help our new team leaders get up and running,” Laganosky says. “From there, coaches meet with you and your team regularly. There are one-on-one meetings and success checks, as well as training camps. Our support is comprehensive and hands-on. You may be in business for yourself, but certainly not by yourself. Everything you need to be successful is here, you just have to execute it.”  

Learn more about the Sport Clips franchise opportunity

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Todd and Melissa Bains are no strangers to building a business. Having built one of the largest luxury pet resorts in Texas from the ground up and owning multiple massage and spa experience franchise locations, the Bains know what it takes to be successful entrepreneurs. This year they added Sport Clips Haircuts to their list of investments.  

Their entrepreneur journey began in 2009.  After years of being a stay at home mom, Melissa reentered the work force as a realtor. At the time, Todd worked as sales manager at a large family-owned car dealership. However, with a large auto industry bailout and looming economic uncertainty, the Bains decided it was time to take control of their financial future and turned to business ownership.  

Working side by side, the pair built what would become a very successful luxury pet resort. They grew their business to a point where they started to consider what the next level looked like.  “After several years of hard work, the pet resort became self-sustaining, and we were ready to step away from the day-to-day operations,” explains Todd.   

The Bains decided to look beyond the pet care industry. Melissa says, “With a business of that nature, you always have something under your care. It’s a 24 hour a day business. We knew we wanted something less demanding that required less sweat equity on our part.”  

Todd adds, “We also did want not want to have to reinvent the wheel, so franchising was an ideal fit.”  

Having ruled out another business in pet care, they also ruled out the food industry. “We decided food was not for us. We did not want to have to always be in the store and we also didn’t want all the extra costs and waste that drain profits fast,” says Todd.  

As the Bains examined their options in franchising, they narrowed their search down to two brands within the service industry, Sport Clips and a massage and spa franchise. “Sport Clips really stood out to us. The culture and values of this brand really spoke to us. We like how they give back to the community,” Melissa states. “Unfortunately, our market was closed. The other franchise had immediate opportunities available, so we moved in the other direction knowing we would be back.”  

The Bains went on to become multi-unit owners with the massage and spa brand, but their desire to invest in Sport Clips never left. Melissa explains, “Sport Clips really sets the standard for what a franchise should do for its franchisees. Everything is laid out for their franchisees. The framework to be successful is all there. We just had to wait for our opportunity.”  

Todd adds, “We appreciate the fact that Sport Clips is family-owned and not bringing in private equity. We have seen firsthand how those things can really change the climate of a brand.”  

Another reason the Bains were eager to join Sport Clips’ is the brand’s semi-absentee business model, which aligned well with their lifestyle. “Having flexibility is really important to us. Aside from our other businesses, we love to spend time with our family. We want to be present in the lives of our grandchildren, so we needed an investment that would allow us to generate revenue without us having to be there all the time,” says Todd.   

When the opportunity came to get into one of Sport Clips’ more mature markets, the Bains jumped at the chance. “We had been waiting for our chance to buy a Sport Clips store for a few years. We kept our ear to the ground and listened for any hint of one of the New Mexico owners wanting to sell,” recalls Melissa.   

In July 2019, after several years of waiting, the Bains purchased the Sport Clips store in Hobbs, New Mexico, as well as two more licenses.  Todd says, “We hit the ground running. We have an experienced manager who transferred to the store. Sarah has been an important part of the great numbers we have been seeing. We are off to a great start and looking forward to scaling our business.”  

Melissa adds, “Right now we are focusing on building a strong foundation and being intentional about creating a positive and encouraging store culture. Putting in the time and effort to show you care about your team goes a long way. That is really at the heart of the brand’s culture.”  

The Bains’ patience and persistence are paying off, and they are on their way to building a business that is creating more freedom and flexibility in their lives. They are also building a family legacy. Todd says, “We are looking forward to bringing our son into the business. The hair industry tends to be recession proof, and haircuts can’t be outsourced. Sport Clips has proven it can stand the test of time. We feel confident we can pass it on to him without worrying about the future economy.”  

Learn more about the Sport Clips franchise opportunity

To learn more about the Sport Clips Team Leaders, and how we help you create more freedom and flexibility in your life, click here to continue the conversation. You can also learn more by visiting our research pages!