People are requesting information about our franchise on a daily basis. The two most often asked questions I get are, “how much does it cost?” and “how much can I make?” These are questions that most interested franchise buyers have the right to know. If I may, I'd like to offer prospective buyers a question that would answer the other two and save everyone a lot of due diligence and research. You see, I think the most important question that franchise buyers should ask is, “How many of your locations have closed?”

Closing locations are the BIG RED FLAG of franchising. Why? Closing locations are a sign of several franchising problems.

Number one (and the one most people don’t ask enough) is that closings are caused because the franchise may not make enough money. This may not even be the fault of the franchisor, it’s just that it may not be a franchisable business model with enough demand from its customers. Remember: most franchising systems need several key components to be successful. The system must be easily taught to someone else, and that person in turn can teach it to someone else. Most successful franchising models create a recurring revenue model that continuous to expand and produce more and more revenue over time. That’s called scalability.

Number two is that closed locations can be a sign of poor support and training. Franchisors that don’t properly train and then support their franchisees usually suffer from lots of closed franchise locations. Running a business is hard and franchise systems that don’t help get their franchises “over the hump” and through the most difficult part of business, the startup, usually have closed locations.

So how do you know how many of a franchisor’s locations have closed?

The FTC requires that a franchise list all of their closings in the back of their Franchise Disclosure Document (also known as the FDD). If there are no closings listed, then make sure that you ask the franchisor to make sure. Under the FTC’s guide for buying a franchise, which you can find online, they'll say that if the numbers show that more than a few franchised outlets have closed, transferred to new owners, or transferred to the franchisor - then it could be due to problems with the franchsor’s support or because franchises aren’t profitable. 

This is not to say that there is a franchising system that exists with no closings. All franchising systems have locations that close. Running a business is hard and it takes lots of time, effort and perseverance to succeed, no matter how good the systems are. Plus, many people just lack the skill it takes to run a business. But if it were me, I'd always be sure to ask the question, “how many of your locations have closed?” Asking that one question will save you a lot of time and money!

Shear Madness Franchising franchises Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids salons. We have worked with franchise stores in providing franchisee support (in order to encourage continual growth), and have sometimes seen the unexpected happen!  When it does, we help by identifying and helping with challenges that might arise for franchisees. Additionally, we work to present options that can help prevent these events as well. As many franchise owners may not have opened a business before, having someone who can advise them is a significant advantages of franchise ownership!

Are you interested in learning how YOU can join the Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids family and run your own  small business? We are one of the fastest growing kids hair salons and franchise systems in the industry today! If you would like to learn more about small business marketing, great marketing strategies, resources for small businesses, business tips, how to grow your small business, or how to become a owner of your own kids hair salon franchise business, please click below or call 1-888-98 GONE MAD!

What are prospective franchise buyers looking for when it comes to buying into a franchise system? We opened this question up to some of our Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids franchisees, and this is some of the feedback we received. We hope it helps you as much as it did us!

1. Communication is Key: It may seem like a given, but it's true! Franchise communication is important through all aspects of franchising - from being able to effectively communicate with customers, to being able to have great communication channels between potential area developers, franchisors, franchisees, and everyone in between. As such, franchise buyers should be looking for a communication system that ensures consistency and timeliness of communication. Similarly, a means by which franchisees throughout the system can easily and effectively communicate with each other is also very helpful. Many franchisees join a franchise for the systems and support, so it's critical they get it!

2. Process Support and Education: Running your own franchise can be a challenging, yet rewarding experience. That's why when a Franchisee needs help, especially during the start-up phase, there's a tried-and-true system in place that gives them the support they need. This includes great communication channels with the franchisor and other franchisees, as well as franchise training provided through conferences and monthly meetings.

3. First Class Marketing: Franchisees want to know their marketing dollars are going toward creative, expressive messages that effectively reach their customers and help build their business. Some of these marketing efforts might include social media advertising, traditional advertising (newspapers, magazines, ads in sporting venues), posters for the store to use, banners for outdoor advertising, and much more!

4. Transparency: Franchisees want to clearly see evidence of the franchisor's support of the franchisee's efforts to attain and maintain success. There needs to be the feeling in the franchisee's heart that every day, everyone is working towards success.

5. Independence, Flexibility and Personal Challenge: Many franchisees are seeking to escape the politics, rigidity and frustration of working for others. But they also don't want the risk and harsh learning curve of trying to start a business entirely on their own. Franchisees are also highly motivated by achieving results directly linked to their own creativity and hard work. A successful franchise system allows for all these things!

6. Respect: Each franchisee is going to have different motivations, but ultimately they need to be treated like business owners, and not employees. Franchisees desire the respect of friends, family and peers, and are often a helpful force in the development of new initiatives and programs. Their experience and desire to succeed can also identify emerging trends in their respective industries.

7. Making a Difference: Franchisees often treat their staff as extended members of their own family, and take pride in helping them grow personally and professionally. They also get great satisfaction in helping customers and making a contribution to their local communities!

8. Utilizing Expertise: A franchisee wants to leverage upon the expertise of a franchisor, as well as using the name of an established brand that a franchisor has acquired. A franchisee also expects the franchisor to provide assistance in helping with staffing, training, business planning, operational and business related troubleshooting. This is so the franchisee can accomplish their business goals through an organized business mechanism in the minimum possible time!

There you have it!  If you are evaluating several franchise opportunities this will give you an idea of what to ask about!

Are you interested in learning how YOU can join the Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids family and run your own successful small business? We are one of the fastest growing kids hair salon franchise systems in the industry today! If you would like to learn more about small business marketing, great marketing strategies, resources for small businesses, how to grow a small business, or how to become a successful owner of your own kids hair salon franchise business, please click below or call 1-888-98 GONE MAD!

First Opening Expected in Orange County this Fall. Shear Madness Franchising, LLC of Overland Park, Kansas announced the signing of an Area Development Agreement covering 5 counties in Southern California. The agreement allows for multiple locations to be developed over a number of years. Doctor Andrew Elmasri of Lake Forest, California, a managing partner of California Children’s Salons, LLC and President of CA Anesthesia of Laguna Niguel California signed the agreement with Shear Madness Franchising in early May. The agreement calls for California Children’s Salons to open and develop multiple locations over an extended period of time. “We have a growing demographic of young families in Southern California, and we are excited to bring the unique concept Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids offers to this area,” commented Elmasri. “After visiting with management in Kansas City earlier this year, we feel like the opportunities for positive expansion is a great fit for our area.”

Janon Otto, CEO for Shear Madness Franchising, also sees many opportunities in the California market. “With California’s large population base and impressive demographics, this is certainly a market that we’ve been interested in,” commented Otto. “Additionally, as we recently opened in New York State in December of last year, it gives us a presence on both the East and West coast – as well as allowing us to continue our goal of providing a fun and memorable haircutting experience for children across the nation.” Paula Thurman, a partner in the Franchising Company and COO commented, “We’ve always felt like the kid-friendly atmosphere of our stores would do well in California, it just came down to finding the right partner. Dr. Elmasri and his team share the same values and principles that we do, and we’re excited to have California Children’s Salons expanding the Shear Madness Brand in California.”

Shear Madness Franchising LLC, was founded in 2010 to expand the Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids concept that was originally opened by Paula Thurman in 1997. Combining the magic of childhood with kids haircuts, parties, salon services and a fantastic kids boutique filled with toys, hair products, jewelry and more, Shear Madness currently has franchise locations open in Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Iowa, New York and New Mexico. For additional information contact Jim Otto, Director of Franchise and Corporate Development, jim@shearmadnessfranchising.com.

Are you interested in learning how YOU can join the Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids family and run your own successful small business? We are one of the fastest growing kids hair salon franchise systems in the industry today! If you would like to learn more about small business marketing, great marketing strategies, resources for small businesses, business tips, how to grow a small business, or how to become a successful owner of your own kids hair salon franchise business, please click below or call 1-888-98 GONE MAD!

 

When you are looking for a franchise to buy, there's a lot of due diligence that needs to be done. One of the things that I would recommend that you look for is current franchisees who are opening up additional locations. When a franchisee is opening up additional units it tells you a couple of things, number one is that there's a very high likelihood that they are either making money with their first location or they feel comfortable with the support and training that they are getting and the trajectory that they are on to continue to expand. Scalability is one of the most important elements of franchise success and opening additional units is a great sign of scalability. Multi-unit owners are really important in franchise systems that don’t have a 10 or 20 year track record. Everyone knows that McDonalds, Taco Bell and Subway have expandable and scalable systems, but if you are buying into a newer franchise system the importance of multi-unit owners is magnified. A lot of this relates back to the issues that I have mentioned previously, namely a proven track record and the support and training that you receive from your franchisor. With everyone looking for a new and exciting franchise opportunity, looking for franchise systems where franchisees are opening up additional units is a great place to begin your search! 

Another good question to think about in regards to scalability and the growth of your business is the following: What do people consider a necessity rather than a luxury? Or put another way, if the economy slows down or even goes into a recession, will my franchise business survive? One example of this is how haircuts are something that most people consider a necessity and not an option, and no matter what the economy is doing hair is always growing - and it always needs to be cut! Child care is another one. People will always have a strong desire to have a family. If people spend money on anything in good times or bad, they will ALWAYS spend money on their kids. We can probably all think of companies whose products have either gone out of style or are no longer relevant. The most recent example is Blockbuster entertainment. The video rental store has been replaced by Netflix and other on demand movie services. Another example is Borders. Borders book stores unfortunately didn't keep up with Amazon's online book stores, and recently closed most of its locations as well.  Again, it's hard to imagine a time when hair care is no longer a need - no matter what happens with technology.

Lastly, when trying to determine how successful a potential franchise system really is, it's a good idea to contact franchises and talk to the franchisors, look at the Franchise Disclosure documents and the Franchise Agreement, and compare business models. For example, Shear Madness Franchising franchises Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids salons. We have worked with franchise stores in providing franchisee support (in order to encourage continual growth), and have sometimes seen the unexpected happen!  When it does, we help by identifying and helping with challenges that might arise for franchisees. Additionally, we work to present options that can help prevent these events as well. As many franchise owners may not have opened a business before, having someone who can advise them is a significant advantages of franchise ownership!

Are you interested in learning how YOU can join the Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids family and run your own successful small business? We are one of the fastest growing kids hair salon franchise systems in the industry today! If you would like to learn more about small business marketing, great marketing strategies, resources for small businesses, how to grow your small business, or how to become a successful owner of your own kids hair salon franchise business, please click below or call 1-888-98 GONE MAD!

You hear people talk all the time about scalability, but what exactly does that mean? I would recommend that you find out exactly what that means as it relates to the Franchise you are thinking about buying! If you are not buying into a “scalable” system, then what you might be saying is that you're content with NOT growing your business. For example, have you ever watched the TV series Shark Tank? In this show, one of the first question they ask is, "What are your revenues?" Another good question that they ask is, "What were your revenues last year?" They ask this, because what they really want to find out is if the model growing, if it's creating more revenue than it did last year, and if it's scalable. Scalability, the ability to grow revenues and expand on an ever increasing workload, is one of the main characteristics of a franchise system. This is where the link can be found between the systems that the franchise has in place, and how those systems function under the ever increasing revenue that is produced. There are lots of ways to measure scalability for lots of different business models, but here are some of the most important when it comes to franchising;

• Is there a market for the service? Without demand for the product, how will you grow?
• Can you teach someone else to do it? Scalability relies on the fact that whatever you are doing can be taught to some else who can then teach it to others.
• Standardization: Can it be repeated successfully over and over, the same way, and continue to produce more and more revenue as it grows?
• Recurring revenue: I would venture to say that very few franchise models can survive without services or products that meet a need and require customers to come back again and again to get them.

It's a fact that running a business can be hard work and encompasses many challenges that most people have never encountered. But it's arguable that when you invest into a salon franchise system, you have a greater chance of success. Plus, most salon franchises (like Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids) do offer the advantage of a successful business history and scalability. However, as implementing a salon franchise system does take effort, you'll want to make sure all your questions are answered through doing a little research. Contact salon franchises, reach out to the franchisors, and compare business models!  You'll also want to take a look at the Franchise Disclosure document, the Franchise Agreement, and talk to current franchisees. Seek out a franchise business that currently has a long track record of success. Keep in mind that the franchise system itself may be younger than the actual concept itself.  Find out how long the franchisor has had a history with the concept itself.  Have they really figured it out before offering the franchise?

Shear Madness Franchising franchises Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids salons, and we have worked with our franchisees in growing their business and making sure they are on a path to success. Why? Because having someone who can offer expert advice on growth and scalability is one of the significant advantages of franchise ownership! And simply put, scalability as it relates to franchising allows you to consistently grow your revenue in the future, just like the Sharks on Shark Tank like it to!

Are you interested in learning how YOU can join the Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids family and run your own successful small business? We are one of the fastest growing kids hair salon franchise systems in the industry today! If you would like to learn more about small business marketing, great marketing strategies, resources for small businesses, how to grow a small business, or how to become a successful owner of your own kids hair salon franchise business, please click below or call 1-888-98 GONE MAD!

Ok, so here’s the deal, according to a recent article I read, a new franchise starts in the United States about every 8 minutes. There are several things that bother me about this trend. Number 1 is that many new concepts have no history of operating successfully, so how does a business know that their systems works and can be taught easily to franchisees? Furthermore, without going through all kinds of economic environments and all the various issues that a business can face over a long period of changing business climates, how do you know if the concept will stand the test of time? One of the biggest advantages that I see of buying into a franchise is the “benchmarking” that they are able to do for a franchisee to make sure they are on pace to succeed - and those metrics only come from watching a business over a long period of time. If a franchise can’t show you a track record of success, don’t risk trying to create one for them! 

Number 2 (and this one really bothers me), is how many franchisors are out there selling franchises without actually running the concept. Heck, some franchisors out there have never even run their own concepts successfully. You will hear things like, “we are too busy running the franchise system and supporting our franchisees.” To that I've got to say, if your concept is that difficult to run, then you probably shouldn’t be franchising. And secondly, guess who is testing new ideas for the franchise system? You guessed it, the franchisees and not the franchisor. Look at some of the most successful franchise systems, like Buffalo Wild Wings - who runs about half their stores on a corporate basis. This is the same with Panera Bread! Even McDonald’s owns half their locations. We wouldn’t spend our money on a franchise where the Franchisor doesn’t own and run the concept successfully, so why would you?

It's a fact that running a business can be hard work and encompasses many challenges that most people have never encountered. This is why a strong case can be made for opening a salon franchise, as many offer the advantage of a successful business history. However, even getting a salon franchise off the ground takes effort and careful analysis when researching franchises.  Be sure to contact franchises and talk to the franchisors, look at the Franchise Disclosure documents and the Franchise Agreement, and compare business models. For example, Shear Madness Franchising franchises Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids salons. We have worked with franchise stores providing franchisee support, and have seen the unexpected happen!  When it does, we help by identifying and helping with challenges that might arise for franchisees. Additionally, we work to present options that can help prevent these events as well. As many franchise owners may not have opened a businesses before, having someone who can advise them is a significant advantages of franchise ownership!

Are you interested in learning how YOU can join the Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids family and run your own successful small business? We are one of the fastest growing kids hair salon franchise systems in the industry today! If you would like to learn more about small business marketing, great marketing strategies, resources for small businesses, how to grow a small business, or how to become a successful owner of your own kids hair salon franchise business, please click below or call 1-888-98 GONE MAD!

Ever heard the saying, slow and steady wins the race? It applies a lot to franchising. When I was a stockbroker, guys in the office were always coming up with a “hot” stock pick. Most of the hot stock picks my clients and I invested in never worked out. Sure, they may have gone like gangbusters for a while, but they usually flamed out after a while and plummeted back to earth - and took my money with them! Meanwhile, the older guys in my office were always buying Blue Chip stocks, which means that these were stocks with steady companies in steady industries that did well in any environment. This is why I think there's an interesting comparison here between franchising and buying stocks.

Because when you're out there researching franchises  - it's a good idea to start with the following question: What do people consider a necessity rather than a luxury? Or put another way, if the economy slows down or even goes into a recession, will my franchise business survive? One example of this is how haircuts are something that most people consider a necessity and not an option, and no matter what the economy is doing hair is always growing - and it always needs to be cut! Child care is another one. People will always have a strong desire to have a family. If people spend money on anything in good times or bad, they will ALWAYS spend money on their kids. We can probably all think of companies whose products have either gone out of style or are no longer relevant. The most recent example is Blockbuster entertainment. The video rental store has been replaced by Netflix and other on demand movie services. Another example is Borders. Borders book stores unfortunately didn't keep up with Amazon's on line book stores, and recently closed most of its locations as well.  Again, it's hard to imagine a time when hair care is no longer a need - no matter what happens with technology.

Additionally, be sure to take a little time to determine if the business model you are looking at makes money. Seek out a reliable franchise system that currently has a long track record of success. Keep in mind that the franchise system itself may be younger than the actual concept itself.  Find out how long the franchisor has had a history with the concept itself.  Have they really figured it out before offering the franchise? As we live in an ever changing and fast paced world, consumers demands change by the minute and are greatly influenced by technology! Look for businesses that are being done the same way today as yesterday, and will be done the same way tomorrow. Luckily haircuts (and hair care in general) is a pretty hard industry to imagine being completely taken over by technology!  This is why over the last decade more and more salon concepts have begun to franchise.

The bottom line is, just like those Blue Chip stocks, when it comes to franchising, those long established businesses that have stood the test of time are usually the best place to start looking for a business. That's why when it comes to searching out a reliable and successful franchise system, sometimes the steady concepts that do well in any environment are a more reliable investment over those that claim to be smoking hot!

Interested in learning more about how you can become an owner of your own exciting Shear Madness location? As one of the best kids salon franchise systems out there, we're also one of the fastest growing kids hair salons in the industry today! And we're always working hard to share our many great resources, small business marketing strategies and business tips so that our franchisees will have the tools to succeed! If you're interested in learning how to become a successful owner of your own childrens salon franchise business, please click below or call 1-888-98 GONE MAD!

 

Despite franchising being a safer way of doing business, it doesn't mean that it's risk free! Because of this, it's important when researching franchises to carefully look at your options, and find out which franchise systems could cause you major problems over the long run - and which franchise systems will provide you with a great formula for franchise success! Below are some of the top problem areas in why a franchise might struggle.

1.  Lack of Systems: Franchising is all about systems. Being able to replicate a successful franchise system is what makes a business franchiseable. An ethical franchise has everything documented and systemized so that it can easily be passed on to others for successful implementation. If a business doesn't have any systems and instead relies only on the skills of individuals within the business, then it shouldn't be franchised. However, some businesses will ignore this and try to franchise their business anyway. Unfortunately, these companies usually are only interested in a quick buck, and aren't overly concerned in who may or may not have the required skills for the successful operation of the franchise.

2. No Track Record: A business can only be franchised if it has a track record. We're often amazed at the amount of people who have an idea for a franchise, but then don't actually have a business! Remember: the business comes first - it's not conceived at the same time as the franchise! Those usually wanting to start a franchise without having a business are again looking to make money fast. Make sure that the franchisor has an established track record of running a business, along with a great reputation of success in franchising!

3.  Location: Half the battle of owning a successful franchise is finding the right location for your business. And depending on the nature of your business, not all franchisees need to be in a city center location or shopping mall. However, a good franchisor will help you study local demographics and work with you to find a great location.

4.  Lack of Marketing: Good franchisors will spend money on promoting the brand nationally as well as in the local area. Ask the franchisor about their marketing activities, and what they plan on doing to help gain recognition and awareness for your franchise. In today's environment there are many ways a franchisor can help market your business in your local area, if they don't plan to help you with that it is another red flag.  A franchise system should have data on local marketing efforts of other franchises in the system, access to that information saves you lots of time and money!

5.  Competition: Check out the competition for your franchise in the local market. If there isn't any competition, there might not be a demand for the product - which may result in it not having much future market potential. On the other hand - you may have discovered the perfect franchise for your area!  There may be a real need for this business, and being first to market can be a great advantage for you.  Additionally, if there's too much competition, introducing a new franchise might be a struggle as well. Be sure to look into markets similar to your own where the franchise is operating in order to judge how well it might do in your local area.  A good franchisor should have access to information that can help you decide whether the competition factor in your area is a plus or a minus.

6.  Insufficient Funds: One of the biggest reasons franchises can fail is that the franchisee has under-estimated how much money is needed to buy and run the franchise. It's not just about having money for the investment, but about the costs you'll incur when running the business. For example, how will you plan on paying staff salaries or having enough for supplies? If your franchise business is not making money initially, you'll need to make sure you have anough money for day-to-day operating costs, as well as paying your own bills. Over-estimating what you need is a good way to calculate the cost of running a franchise.

Are you interested in learning how YOU can join the Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids family and run your own successful small business? We are one of the fastest growing kids hair salon franchise systems in the industry today! If you would like to learn more about small business marketing, great marketing strategies, resources for small businesses, how to grow a small business, or how to become a successful owner of your own kids hair salon franchise business, please click below or call 1-888-98 GONE MAD!

2015 was another year of GREAT franchise growth for Shear Madness Franchising! We began our expansion into the Northeast United States by signing a multi-unit development agreement in the late spring and now have a location open in New York State. This agreement will allow us to expand our award winning Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids concept into our sixth, seventh and eighth state and give us continued momentum going forward into 2016. Some of the reasons Todd Danni (our New York franchise owner) selected Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids was because of our franchise experience, our commitment to multi-unit development, a healthy and balanced relationship with the franchisor, and the ability to "test" market a location. 

Meanwhile, our existing franchise locations continued to see double digit growth in sales and revenue, and our franchisee in Des Monies opened her second location in Iowa. Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids Franchise Owner Erin Nanke notes that, “Before joining Shear Madness Haircuts For Kids as a franchisee, I spent 9 months researching the children's haircutting industry and my community to ensure there was a need and it was an underserved market.  I researched over 3 dozen different children's salons from the biggest franchises to the smallest independently owned across the country.  I made a list of pros and cons about each salon, what I liked and didn't as a potential business owner and as a consumer and mom of three children. Shear Madness Haircuts For Kids by far exceeds every other children's salon in its:  culture, aesthetic appeal, business model and franchisor support."  

At our Movement to the Madness Summer Conference in July of 2015 we introduced a new Revenue Stream and a new tagline, because at Shear Madness we want to be known as the place "Where Every Child Matters". Janon Otto, CEO of Shear Madness Franchising LLC had the following to say in regards ot our awesome franchisees: "Each day I come to the office, I am inspired by your efforts! Your belief in what we are doing and your willingness to accept the day to day challenges of business inspire me on a daily basis. We could not have asked for a better group of franchisees to grow with, and I am sincerely grateful to each and every one of you!"

It should also be noted that over the past year, we've been diligent in expanding our large blog library of business tips and franchise resources, which can be found here. We've written about topics like Effective Franchise Support, Growing Your Small Business, the Five Stages of Business (Get a Head Start with Franchising), and Is a Kids Hair Salon a Good Investment?

So as we look forward to the future, we also hope that you will take the time to consider how our opportunity may fit into your expansion plans! Interested in learning more about how you can become an owner of your own exciting Shear Madness location? As one of the best kids salon franchise systems out there, we're also one of the fastest growing kids hair salons in the industry today! And we're always working hard to share our many great resources, small business marketing strategies and business tips so that our franchisees will have the tools to succeed! If you're interested in learning how to become a successful owner of your own childrens salon franchise business, please click below or call 1-888-98 GONE MAD!