Why This Pro Realtor and Massage Therapist Own A Sport Clips Franchise
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!
Sport Clips Team Leader Profile: Erikal and Daryl Roberts
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.
Sport Clips’ CIO Dan Miller Talks About Technology During the Pandemic
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.
Sport Clips Team Leader Profile: Brandon and Carissa Garrett
As parents of young children, Brandon and Carissa Garrett started to discuss what they wanted their future to look like. It was important to them to create a foundation for more freedom and flexibility in their lives as their girls grew. “We knew it would take several years to get any kind of business up off the ground, and we didn’t want to wait too long,” recalls Brandon.
Brandon, who works in the animal healthcare industry, wanted to create the option for a future exit strategy from the corporate world. Carissa, who took some time off from her corporate and teaching career to stay home with her children, realized she missed having a project to work on. They began a search for business opportunities that would align with their personal and financial goals.
From the onset, franchising appealed to the Garretts. Brandon says, “My dad had built a survey engineering business from the ground up and I saw how much work goes into creating something from scratch. We didn’t want to have to reinvent the wheel, we wanted something that already had the format there.”
As they looked for business models that would fit their lifestyle goals, they found the semi-absentee model to be the best fit. Brandon says, “The owner-operator models we looked at, particularly those in food, did not fit our goals. We would have to be too involved in the daily operations, and that wasn’t for us. We would rather hire managers to take care of the day-to-day while we built the business and networked in our community.”
Having settled on an ownership model, they further narrowed their search down to the haircare industry. Sport Clips Haircuts, in particular, caught their attention. “We looked into a few haircutting brands, but we felt the market was too saturated with some of the other brands. However, we saw plenty of potential for growth with Sport Clips,” says Brandon.
The brand’s culture and values also resonated with the pair. Brandon says, “Sport Clips’ culture is built on trust and doing what’s right. This fits with our own personal values.”
When they first looked into Sport Clips, there was no availability in their market. Brandon says, “We knew this was the brand and business model for us, so we checked back over the years.”
Finally, in May of 2018, opportunity presented itself, and the Garretts built their first store just outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They are now in the process of building their second store. As the Garretts work to grow their team, they have relied on help from the Sport Clips support team, training and playbook to help shorten the learning curve and scale.
“We are able to leverage the expertise and recommendations of the Sport Clips support team to help us see where the issues are and how we can improve,” says Carissa. “We feel our current store team is a rockstar team, and we are so lucky to have them. The first four team members we hired back in March 2019 (with 17 years of collective Sport Clips experience) are still with us, and we strongly feel that is why the numbers in that store are so amazing!”
Currently, the Garretts are spending much of their time intentionally building a positive store culture. “We run a variety of store contests, do a lot of recognition, and overall just listen to the needs of our team. We are always looking for ways to grow in this area because it is so vital to our store’s success,” explains Carissa.
Brandon’s advice to someone considering investing in Sport Clips is this: “You will have to put in a lot of work upfront. You will only get out what you put in, so set your expectations accordingly. You and your partner need to be on the same page. While I maintain my current employment, Carissa focuses on the store. It only works for us because we are able to divide and conquer.”
Learn more about the Garretts and how Sport Clips is helping them lay the foundation to achieve their future lifestyle and financial goals on this month’s Validation Conference Call.
Learn more about your success with a Sport Clips franchise here!
New Sport Clips Team Leaders: Todd and Melissa Bains
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.”
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!
Meet Jerry Eulentrop, the Sport Clips Franchise Developer
“You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”
-Zig Ziglar
These words are the foundation of how Jerry Eulentrop, Sport Clips Haircuts’ director of Franchise Development, approaches each interaction he has with a franchise candidate. “I want to help candidates get what they want and assist them in determining if Sport Clips is the right franchising vehicle for them on their road to freedom, flexibility and long-term stability,” he says.
Eulentrop has been in franchise development for almost three decades. His impressive resume includes 14 years with The UPS Store and the last seven years with Sport Clips, two brands consistently ranked near the top of the annual Entrepreneur Franchise 500® rankings.
Eulentrop’s extensive experience gives him the unique ability to answer candidate questions about franchising in general, as well as specifics about Sport Clips. He says, “My hope is they better understand what makes a particular franchise opportunity a good fit, and why. It has to be a mutual fit.”
This means taking into consideration a candidate’s experience, present situation and future goals, and matching that to a franchise opportunity with a compatible business model, culture, values and ultimately potential return on investment.
“I don’t want to see them struggle in a model that doesn’t fit their financial and lifestyle goals. That isn’t what is right for them, and that isn’t what is right for the brand,” he explains.
Working in franchise development has been very rewarding for Eulentrop. “I work hard to earn the right to be a trusted advisor to candidates. Many are looking for transitional entrepreneurship opportunities,” he explains. “If they are in a corporate environment, they are often experiencing burnout, seeing layoffs or some other sort of storm clouds. They are often looking for an exit strategy that allows them to keep their day job in the short run while they ramp up a business that ultimately gives them an opportunity to leave corporate America.”
He goes on to say, “They want to build something that helps them achieve financial freedom, lifestyle flexibility and stability. One of the best parts of my job is to see people who have come to Sport Clips for those reasons, and getting the call from them the day they quit their corporate job. It’s amazing to see those goals come to fruition.”
When interacting with franchise candidates, Eulentrop uses a “trust but verify” approach. “Right off the bat I tell candidates in our first conversation, ‘I hope to gain your trust through this process, but in the meantime, you should verify what I tell you.’ I let them know they will get all their questions answered, and I can help by providing resources to facilitate that, but I will not be the one to directly answer all their questions.”
The first step is to ensure candidates have a clear picture of what they want. He says, “They need to define their goals, both mid-term and long-term, and understand what getting there looks like. This also means having a clear picture of their roles and responsibilities to make sure the business fulfills its potential.”
He continues, “While Sport Clips is a ‘manager-managed’ model our franchisees have regular, active engagement with their business. They need to determine if the salon environment is something they will enjoy. It is a very different environment and is a people-first business model. They must be comfortable managing and growing people.”
With so many tools and resources available to the Sport Clips franchisee, it ultimately comes down to following a system. Eulentrop says, “This is of utmost importance. The Sport Clips system is customer and time-tested, and it comes down to whether you can follow a proven model and system. Likewise, a candidate in the Sport Clips discovery process also needs to demonstrate they can follow the process from application and qualification through to approval. Candidates who come in with a defined timeline probably won’t be a good fit for the business model. It is important to have patience in the process.”
Sport Clips’ discovery process isone of the most rigorous in franchising andknown to turn down a fair number of candidates even up to the final stages. Eulentrop explains, “The proof is in the pudding; the brand’s high continuity rate shows they know who will succeed with the Sport Clips model.”
When it comes to Discovery Day, Eulentrop has seen some brands treat their Discovery Days as a dog and pony show. But with Sport Clips, Discovery Day is about filling in the final pieces. “It allows the candidate to meet the leadership team and for both parties to see if they are a good fit for each other,” he states. “It is important for a candidate to know who they will be working with. This is usually where the final decision is made.”
Helping people achieve their goals of diversification, a stronger retirement, and more personal and financial freedom, has been rewarding for Eulentrop. He concludes, “Seeing a person who came to this process burned out from their corporate job, wanting to build something for themselves and their family, actually be able to quit their day job and grow their business, that is very rewarding. And with Sport Clips, I get to see it a lot.”
Day in the Life of a Sport Clips Multi Unit Franchise Owner
Sport Clips Haircuts Team Leader Richard Buxbaum decided early on investing in the right team members would be the key to propel his business forward. “In the beginning, it’s tempting to cut corners, especially when it comes to staffing, but once you do that, you cut yourself short. In the long run, having the right people in place and truly caring about them makes all the difference,” he says. Keep reading to see what the life of a Sport Clips team leader and multi unit franchise owner details!
With a growth mindset, Buxbaum invested in an area manager right away. Richard Buxbaum explains, “When I first became a team leader, I took over two existing stores and knew I would open at least three more. I knew I needed to leverage Sport Clips’ effective manager- led business model in order to grow at the pace I wanted.”
Buxbaum’s decision to hire an area manager with only two stores operating, whereas most team leaders wait until they have a few more stores opened, was motivated by his plans to maintain his core work as a real estate broker and developer. “I enjoy my work in commercial real estate and plan to keep my core career going, so I knew I needed this key player in place,” he explains.
With the help of his area manager, Buxbaum has been able to leverage his time for maximum impact. “I spend about 10 to 15 hours a week going over the books and touching base with my area manager and managers,” he explains. “I also visit the stores for personal face time and to make myself available to the team. I want to show my support and keep communication open, but I also don’t want to helicopter, that doesn’t empower.”
He continues, “Technology has played a huge part in helping everyone stay on the same page. Sport Clips uses some of the best in the industry.”
Buxbaum credits Sport Clips’ infrastructure as setting the foundation for success. “The support and resources available to team leaders are broad and strong, and the values and team culture truly set the brand apart from the others,” he states. “High-quality stylists and manager candidates are attracted to this brand because of the development opportunities available to them.”
As Buxbaum has grown his business, he has found the semi-absentee business model has aligned with his leadership and management skills. “Success as a team requires a people-first mentality. You must be in this business for the people,” says Buxbaum. “Relationships take time and presence to build. This is not for people who are not willing to invest in that way.
“Creating a positive environment and team culture is so important and takes intention. Some of the ways we do that is by recognizing birthdays and individual accomplishments. Ialso like to host parties for my teams.”
Buxbaum’s journey to owning five stores took time. “This business model is not a get rich quick scheme. It took me until about the fourth of fifth year to really hit my stride, which is what I had expected.”
He concludes, “My goal is to perhaps expand to six or seven stores. This is where I feel is my sweet spot. I feel I’ve struck a really nice balance and am enjoying that. Stick to the model, it really does work!”
Join the Sport Clips franchise family today!
Let us help you be multi unit franchise owner! 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!
How Sport Clips is Helping Hildamay Cruz Create Her American Dream
Hildamay Cruz and her parents immigrated to the United States from Cuba when Cruz was a young girl. They started out in this country with very little, and upon their first Christmas in their new country, six-year-old Cruz received a pair of roller skates from a local adopt-a-family Christmas program.
This past December, the Council Bluffs, Iowa Sport Clips Haircuts team participated in a similar program. Cruz, the store’s manager, still remembers what those roller skates meant to her as a kid, and feels fortunate to now be able to give back.
“When I found out our store would be adopting a family, I became very emotional. It felt like my life had come full circle. I am so grateful. I really feel that with hard work, you can turn the tables,” says Cruz.
No stranger to hard work, Cruz has come a long way since receiving those roller skates. She started her first job at only 14 years old, while also enrolling in her high school’s cosmetology program. At age 17, after completing high school, she went on to work as a stylist at a full-service salon.
One day, after discussing how much she enjoyed doing men’s cuts, a friend encouraged Cruz to apply with Sport Clips, leaders in the men’s haircare industry. “Immediately, I could tell Sport Clips was a great fit for me,” she explains. “I love the culture and values of the company. It is well structured, and a stylist can start making money right away.”
The flexibility offered was also important to Cruz. “Because I can make my own schedule, I am also able to attend school full-time, something that has always been a dream of mine,” she states.
Cruz started at the reception desk and quickly advanced to a stylist role. Team leaders Dan and Angie Roberts saw her potential and encouraged Cruz to apply to become a manager. “The Roberts have been so supportive. They saw me as a leader even before I saw myself as one, and helped me to grow professionally.”
Developingteam members is a keystone of Sport Clips’ effective manager-led business model. An empowered and motivated manager almost always leads to success for a store. Under Cruz’s management, her store quickly became the top performer in the entire state of Iowa.
Communication is key to Cruz’s effectiveness as a successful manager. “A positive store culture is everything,” she says. “You have to show your team you care about them and appreciate their hard work. You also have to take the time to learn what their individual goals are and help them grow toward those.”
Cruz’s career with Sport Clips has put her on a path to accomplish many of her goals. “I never imagined I would be where I am today, let alone at only 24 years old,” she states. “My husband and I are both full-time college students, and because of the stability my income provides, we haven’t taken out any school loans. We were even able to pay off my car two years ahead of schedule and put a down payment on a house.”
Most importantly for Cruz, her career has positioned her to take care of others. She recently bought her parents plane tickets to visit family in Cuba. “This is something they haven’t been able to do, and it is an amazing feeling to be able to do that for them after they have done so much for me,” Cruz says.
When asked what the future holds for this dynamic store manager, Cruz says, “Personally, my husband and I are looking forward to doing some more traveling as well. We have already been to France, Italy, the Bahamas, Jamaica and Mexico. Professionally, I think earning my degree in communications will help me be an even more effective team member and manager. There are so many incredible opportunities for career development with this brand.
“I feel very fortunate to be a part of Sport Clips, with its culture of giving. I was especially reminded of it this last Christmas when our store participated in the Adopt-A-Family event. It feels incredible to give back.”
Learn more about the Sport Clips franchise opportunity
Sport Clips’ Operational Support Team Offers Comprehensive Support
Dedicated to franchisee success, Sport Clips Haircuts offers its team leaders extensive ongoing support from the Operational Support Team. Recently, Sport Clips added value to its support in the northeast market with the addition of Patti Carr as vice president of Operations.
Joining the team in August, Carr brings expansive expertise in operational support and almost three decades of experience across multiple franchise brands. Along with a team of six coaches, comprised of five technical coaches and one operational coach, Carr helps team leaders in the northeast implement the brand’s winning formula and maximize their revenue.
After a store has completed its first six months with the grand opening support team, support does not end there. “Sport Clips provides team leaders with support that is ongoing and in perpetuity,” explains Carr. “My team brings another layer of support after the store has gone through the grand opening process, and stays with them, offering individualized and comprehensive operational support.”
Meeting with team leaders in their market, Carr says, “I do a thorough business review and visit the stores, talking with managers and team members. It’s about seeking to understand and see where they could use some help operationally and financially. From there, we follow up with team leaders with an action plan.”
In addition to providing highly individualized support, the team performs regular success checks and offers classes for team leaders and their managers on a monthly basis. They also provide a variety of resources and tools, including weekly webinars.
Five of the coaches on Carr’s team are professionally certified technical stylists. “Stylists are the most important part of this business. We want to give them the tools and resources to provide an MVP experience. We are able to work one-on-one with stylists, as well as provide monthly classes for their continued development,” explains Carr.
With so many years of working closely with franchisees, Carr understands what goes into creating a successful store. “Follow the system. It’s tried and true, and it works. Beyond that, you also must be able to recruit and retain quality team members,” she states. “Store culture is important to retention. Keep them motivated and keep communication open. People don’t just stay for the money, they stay when they feel valued and appreciated.”
With a dynamic and expert support system in place, the northeast is poised for tremendous growth. Carr explains, “This is an emerging market for Sport Clips with the potential for exponential growth. Brand awareness continues to grow. There are exciting opportunities for someone to come in and scale.”
Carr has worked with a variety of other franchise brands, so she has a unique perspective on what it takes to become a franchisee with Sport Clips. “The selection process used to vet potential franchise candidates is unlike any I have seen in franchising. Being so dedicated to franchisee success, the process is about really exploring whether this is a good fit, both ways. Sport Clips takes the time to educate candidates. Transparency is important.”
Carr concludes, “This is a great company to be a part of. The culture at Sport Clips sets this brand apart. The team is incredible to work with. Everything I was told about the brand has shown to be true.”
Learn more about the Sport Clips franchise opportunity
How Sport Clips Haircuts Came to Define Their Values
How Sport Clips Haircuts Came to Define Their Values
At Sport Clips Haircuts, three simple rules sum up what it means to have the Heart of a Champion.
Do what’s right
Do your best
Treat others the way they want to be treated
These principles sum up how Sport Clips communicates with its team leaders, how team leaders are expected to interact with their team, and how team members are expected to interact with clients. They are the foundation that has helped to shape the brand’s team culture.
The three rules are an adaptation from legendary College Football Hall of Fame coach Lou Holtz’s “Do Right” rules. Holtz spent 33 years bringing groups of college athletes together and molding them into championship football teams. He is credited with turning fledgling football programs around and is the only college football coach to lead six different programs to bowl games.
Known for his high standards and straightforwardness, Holtz’s practical approach to coaching is applicable beyond the field, in both life and business. In addition to his football teams, Holtz taught this value system to his own children, and brought it to organizations and audiences as a motivational speaker. In these simple rules, Holtz says, is the formula to help anyone reach their true potential.
Early on Gordon Logan, founder and CEO of Sport Clips Haircuts, understood the importance of defining an organization’s value system. “Values are a guidepost to always keep in mind when making difficult decisions, when doing the right thing may not be the easiest choice,” he explains.
Holtz’s message resonated with Logan, who found alignment with the coach’s insight. He says, “We were using Coach Lou Holtz’s ‘Do Right’ videos in our local training even before we started Sport Clips, since his values were and are consistent with ours. His book, ‘Winning Every Day’ is great, we even keep copies of it in our reference library for our team members.”
Soon after Sport Clips was started, Logan wrote to the coach, asking for permission to use his materials in the company’s training. Logan recalls, “Coach Holtz wrote back and graciously gave us permission to do so. His encouraging letter meant a lot to us: We had it framed and it’s still hanging in the conference room to this day.”
Over the years, Holtz has been generous with his support for Sport Clips. “When we opened our first store in Columbia, SC, he was the head coach at University of South Carolina; we asked if he could give us an autographed jersey or helmet. He responded that he would do better than that, he would be our first client,” recalls Logan.
“He came out to the store one morning right before our grand opening. He even took the time to speak with the local TV station that was there. We told him there was no charge and he said, ‘The way I work is that if I don’t pay, I don’t come back.’ So, he paid!”
Holtz also has provided words of wisdom for team leaders. “Coach Holtz spoke to our Huddle in 2003, when we celebrated 100 stores, and again in 2008. He is a great storyteller, he captures a room’s attention,” says Logan.
Defining Sport Clips’ value system with an adaptation of Holtz’s rules captures the essence of how the brand operates. Logan explains, “These three values combined with three key questions – Can I trust you? Are you committed to excellence? Do you care about me? – are a great guide to life and how to run a business, how to be a good person and a good coach. Trust, caring and striving to be the best are qualities everyone can relate to. They are so natural and logical, they are easy to remember and implement.”
Logan concludes, “Great companies have a clearly stated set of values, and these have served us well over the years. Good values enable us to hire and retain the quality people we need to deliver our championship client experience and help us create a positive environment where everyone is valued and developed, so they can reach their potential.”
Staying true to these values has helped position the Sport Clips as a leader in the haircare industry, as well as in franchising. Sport Clips is committed to our team leaders’ success by providing comprehensive training and support programs. If you have a Heart of a Champion and want to learn more about joining the Sport Clips team, schedule a conversation here.
It is an honor and privilege to work for Sport Clips, a leader in the haircare industry. Every day we are guided by these three simple rules and every team member has the Heart of a Champion. If you are looking to start a business, you should seriously consider a Sport Clips franchise. #itsgoodtobeanowner#companyculture#peoplefirst#franchising
“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.” 
