Melissa and Todd Bains
When Todd Bains walks into one of his Sport Clips Haircuts locations, he gets to work. He vacuums, cleans, and makes sure stylists’ stations are prepared before each client takes a seat. Even though a Sport Clips franchise is an owner/investor model where stylists practice their craft, Todd, as the franchisee, still wants to show the haircare professionals he employs that he’s a team member, too.
Todd and his wife Melissa own 10 Sport Clips locations in two states. Prior to investing in Sport Clips, Todd was with a local car dealership for 15 years. During that time, the couple also started a local pet resort where they learned the ins and outs of owning and operating a business that included developing their own systems, policies, and procedures.
Culture and Leadership
When comparing the benefits of being a franchisee to starting and building a business on your own, Todd believes it comes down to culture and leadership.
“At Sport Clips, you have a family that truly supports you,” Todd states. “They already have the wheel invented…you don’t have to look for vendors, POS systems, etc. And the training is something you can really lean on.”
Building and maintaining culture is key in each of the Bains’ Sport Clips locations. They have grown their franchise investment by acquiring previously owned stores, so in the first 90 days they make sure nothing changes from the previous ownership. He uses this opportunity to observe and to establish trust with the team. Todd then sits down with the store managers one-on-one to see what they like and dislike about store operations. He interviews the team members, asking questions and easing them into any changes.
Todd says the key to what makes Sport Clips unique is the experience.
“If we’re not giving that experience to our clients and team members,” he explains, “we’re just another haircut place.”
Todd and Melissa strive to do much more than just the minimum in running their locations to ensure their Sport Clips stores are places where team members want to come to work. “By changing the culture for the team members, you change the culture for your clients as well,” he says.
No one left behind
The two mottos the Bains have for their Sport Clips teams this year are “have fun” and “no one left behind.” Together, they ensure team members receive the attention they need, talk with them to set both family and personal goals, and reward top performers. Through these intentional actions, Todd is seeing positive impact on retention in his stores. They host dress-up days in the stores and reward team members through Sport Clips’ new THNKS recognition program, that offers gifts of coffee, movie tickets, and other items that let stylists know they’re appreciated. They also use pep rallies and special training events to equip and encourage staff as the “pros in men’s hair.”
The Bains are just one of the many examples of Sport Clips team leaders who cultivate culture, build community, and live out the Sport Clips values of “Do What’s Right, Do Your Best, and Treat Others the Way They Want to Be Treated.” If you’d like to be a part of a values-based franchise system where the culture, training, and support are key, visit our research pages here or make a request for more information today.
