The Shear Madness Franchise Advantage!

"YOU ARE DOING WHAT!? That's the question we heard most when we told our friends and families that we were franchising a Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids," says Janon Otto CEO of Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids Franchising - as well as a multi-unit franchisee for Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids. "They would also ask us what franchising is, and if we had gone crazy! Looking back, it's obvious that although there are franchises all over the place, most people have no idea what a franchise is. That's why the Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids franchising toolkit (available below) is so important. It really helps explain what franchising is, as well as the advantages of owning your own franchise business."

Ultimately though, it's important to understand that a franchise is a business model. When a business owner decides to expand their business, they have options.  One of those options is to franchise.  Franchising allows others to own their own company yet use the name, logo, and systems of the franchise business owner (the franchisor). And although a franchisee is responsible for the success or failure of their franchise location, there are some significant advantages to franchise ownership. This includes the following...

1. The franchisee doesn't not have to come up with their own unique business idea!
2. The franchisee can use the systems that have already been developed and used successfully by others, which dramatically shortens the learning curve!
3. The franchisee gets training and support with a business partner who knows and cares about the success of their new business.
4. If the franchise system is progressive, the franchisee doesn't have to worry about ongoing costs or keeping up with trends needed to develop the concept further, as the franchisor is responsible for this. Meanwhile, as the system grows, the name brand recognition grows - thus growing the business of the franchisee!
5. Tools to use for advertising and graphic design / marketing is usually provided as well.

And there is a BIG bonus to being in touch with business owners who are all trying to do the same think you are is a wonderful thing - many heads are much better than one!

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 business success), 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 advantage 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 salons in the industry today! If you would like to learn more about this franchise opportunity or small business marketing, great marketing strategies, resources for small businesses, franchise success, 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

There has possibly never been a better time to start a franchise business, ever. Not only is the franchising model proven, but with a pro-business administration in Washington, the regulatory, and tax environment, along with consumer spending power has never been better! Please don't take my comments as a political endorsement of any politician or political party. I simply think that the facts stand on their own.

For example:

• 4.1% unemployment rate is at historic lows 
• Consumer sentiment on the economy is high and improving
• The stock market is at record highs

When I was a Stock Broker, we would always start one place when we were looking for companies to invest in - and that was at the top! Of course we had certain qualifications that we looked for in management teams, but we always, without fail, looked at their level of education.

• The are focused and plan strategically.
• They have  solid knowledge of not only their concept, but the industry that they're in.
• They are goal and result oriented.
• They are bound by a mission statement.
• They are competitive and excellent communicators.

I was recently looking through a research report about what types of people make the best franchisees. The answer may surprise you, although intelligence, business skill, and former experience as a business owner are highly valuable characteristics. However, the fact that you have an  MBA did not get you to the top. Neither did the fact that you may have been a CEO of  a fortune 500 company. Instead, the report listed 

• In a way Sales Executives are already small business owners. They believe in their product and have to go out everyday and sell it. In addition they understand that they are paid to produce, unlike people who have been on a salary their whole life. 
• Sales Executives don't cower when times get tough. To anyone who has lived on commission you know the sales cycle can be brutal. However, you conquer these cycles by working harder when needed - always believing that things will get better. 
• Most of all, Sales Executives relish the thought of unlimited earnings potential. It's what motivates them to get out of bed everyday. 

In previous blogs we have discussed the importance of  being able to manage people and create a great team in your franchise. This doesn't happen over night, and depending on the industry you're in it may take months or even years. The key to all this may be your ability to identify the one or two employees who have the ability to lead. Identifying individuals who are the ultimate team players may very well be the key to your business success. A recent Harvard business report calls these individuals "charismatic connectors". These employees will become your Managers and free up your time so that you can work ON your business and not IN your business. They will help save you hundreds of hours of time, and be your wall against you working in your business handling problems. By letting them handle the problems,  this helps free you up to work on growing your business. 

These ultimate team players have the following characteristics: 

• They have the ability to engage any type of personality! Ultimate team players communicate with everyone equally.
• They don't show favoritism! Every team member has something to offer and these ultimate team players have the ability to bring that out.
• Their enthusiasm is contagious! 
• They show tough love. No one respects anyone that they can run over. These ultimate team players have the ability to put their foot down when necessary, and they can do it in such a way that the others on the team don't show resentment. Instead, they show respect. 
• They lead by example, often working long hours and going the extra mile because they like what they do.

Welcome to Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids Franchising! Not only do we offer an amazing franchising system that can potentially offer an impressive return on your investment, but we really do value being able to help make a positive difference in the lives of kids and their parents. From stylists who truly care about their customers, to franchisees who work hard at helping make a positive difference in their communities, Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids is THE kids hair salon where EVERY child matters! But we also understand that while the concept is important to a potential franchisee, they also want to know how owning a Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids might be a sound business investment too. That's why we thought we'd put together the following list of ten reasons why Shear Madness isn't just a cool place for kids (even though it definately is that), but it's also a concept that may potentially translate into long-term financial success! 

A Record of Success: Franchisors like Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids will have a proven record of success. Through years of experience marketing to their customers, they usually understand what works - and what doesn't. Through becoming a franchisee, you automatically gain this valuable business advantage.

Robust Industry: Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids offers services that are in high demand. The children’s segment of the recession resistant Hair Salon Industry is one such example, It's currently worth around $19 billion. To date, there are around 45 million kids in the Shear Madness age group – and this is expected to grow by about 7 million by the year 2020! 

Marketing Support: Ask anyone who runs a business, and they’ll tell you that marketing not only takes a lot of time – but can cost a lot of money too. However, an effective marketing plan is critical in letting the community know about what your business does, where it’s located, and so much more. For example, Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids understands this, and offers great resources and strategies to help businesses attract new customers.  

Buying Power:  Franchisors usually have experience in knowing what products sell well and what don’t. Additionally, they have the knowledge on how to negotiate for the best prices on everything needed for the successful operation of the business. Many times the sheer number of franchise locations allows the franchise to negotiate for better pricing.

Store Location: Where to locate is an important question any business owner should consider. Franchisors help study your community in order to help you find the best possible location for success.  They know the numbers and other criteria that allow for the possibility of a successful franchised business.

The Brand: A franchise brand is a powerful tool. As an example, the Shear Madness Brand is one that is instantly recognizable as being fun. Those who own a franchise with Shear Madness are automatically connected to the tens of thousands of parents and children who love who we are and what we do. This translates into many repeat customers who share with friends and family about their great Shear Madness experience! 

Building your Store: One of the benefits in buying a franchise is the franchisor's expertise  in designing the layout of a prospective business, working with the right contractors, and knowing how much furniture and equipment will be needed. Again, this helps a business owner save time, money, and keeps the headaches to a minimum! 

Networking: Franchising can be a little like a group of trusted friends, and should be a great environment of sharing and building each other up. Franchise owners who work with other franchisees and communicate what works and what doesn’t will have a competitive advantage over those who don’t! 

Training Support: Great franchise systems have worked hard to develop many training resources to help you achieve success. For example, with Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids, we provide our franchisees with in-store training with stylists, and encourage opportunities to network with other franchise owners. Because of this, you’ll have access to a wealth of business knowledge at your fingertips.

Minimizing Risk: Ultimately, as a potential owner of a franchise, the success of your store will be up to you. But through being a part of a franchise system like Shear Madness Haircuts for Kids, the risk of starting a new business is significantly reduced. Sure, there will still be challenges that come your way, but as a franchisee, you’ll have greater confidence and know-how in how to succeed. 

In his book START WITH WHY, Simon Sinek tells the story of a group of American car executives who went to see a  Japanese assembly line. At the end of the line the doors were put on the hinges just like in America. However, something was missing. In America the workers at the end of the line tapped the door with a rubber mallet to make sure the doors lined up properly. In Japan that job did not seem to exist. Confused, the American auto executives asked at what point they made sure the doors fit perfectly. The Japanese guide looked at them and smiled sheepishly, "we make sure it fits when we design it". You see, in the Japanese auto plant they didn't examine the problem and accumulate data to figure out the best solution - they engineered the outcome they wanted from the beginning. If they didn't achieve the desired outcome, they understood it was because of a decision they made at the start of the process. 

• How many hours will I need to work and how will that change my lifestyle? 
• How much money can I reasonably expect to make for the money I invest? 
• Can I manage people and can I find enough workers for my franchise? 
• Is there a demand for the service in my area?
• Does the franchise I am considering have a proven track record of success?  
• Do they have the training and support that I need, when I need it?  
• If my franchise fails, will I be able to recover and still live comfortably?  

 

I recently met with a top-notch franchise consultant. He had developed a franchise system that he had built out and sold for a handy profit, hence his new business of being a "Franchise Consultant". Everyone wanted to know what his secret to success was. After two days of meetings with Bob (his name for the sake of this article) he finally told me the secret. As he was describing various franchisees, he told me about his best franchisee ever.  "Our best franchisees did about 2.5 to 3 million per year, but we had one guy in Milwaukee who did almost 5 million!"

What?! That's amazing! Of course, I wondered how in the world this guy in Milwaukee did it. I asked Bob about it, but it wasn't until 2 days later that he finally gave me the secret to this Milwaukee franchisees success. Bob simply said, "He worked harder then everyone else."  

There is only one thing that is inevitable in business ownership: the

1) Great leaders never jump to conclusions before knowing the facts that caused the crisis in  the first place. They access the damage and make whatever decisions are necessary to minimize it.   Remember that getting all sides of the story is important as sometimes the crisis may just be a missunderstanding!

2) Great leaders realize that everything they say could be magnified. Therefore they praise and encourage people, both in their presence and when they're not around. If they have a problem with someone, they seek to address them in private.

3) Great leaders accept a high level of personal responsibility. They never complain, make excuses, or blame others for their problems.

4) They walk the talk - not to put on a show - but because they have the integrity and values to be the leader, and exhibit the kinds of traits that make others want to follow! 

5) Great leaders are great listeners. They value what their employees and staff have to offer and they recognize that they are the "team" that makes the business run. They understand that the people  are the most valuable asset the company has.