Ryan McLachlan, Co-Founder, Discusses the Franchisee Experience
What is the ideal customer at Starks Barber Company?
The brand appeals to a lot of people. We’re a little bit upscale, but not mega fancy. We are definitely a customer service space. So anyone looking for a great experience should come to Starks. We have a lot of cool elements, like you can book an appointment online, we’ve got an app, and we try to make it more convenient for that busy professional. We’re looking for that busy professional who wants a good experience, but the brand speaks a little bit louder than that.
Is Starks Barber Company a scalable franchise model?
Once you understand how the business model works, it’s not hard to get another location off the ground. We have more than a few franchise owners who have already bought their next location. Once you understand it, it’s easy to replicate. Because the main thing that you’re doing is scheduling and keeping the machine running, once you understand the nuances of the business model, it’s much easier to jump from location to the next. With our help, you’re able to forecast better, and there’s a lot of markets Starks would work well in.
What is an ideal location to open up a Starks Barber Company Franchise?
One of the big things we do to help market our shops is community oriented marketing. The barber shop historically has been a main street type of business. It’s the heartbeat of the community. So the best location for you is one that you live in, or a community that you care about, or can come to care about. Starks can work in a lot of different markets, but it’s got to be one you can feel passionate about. It can be a Main Street business, and we’ve recently had a lot of success in power centers. As long as they’re anchored by the right things. Starks is a high end brand, so it doesn’t fit well in strip malls, anchored by dollar stores and things like that. But it does work well with anything higher end, like a power center near big office buildings, or a trendy Main Street with lots of foot traffic.
Who is the ideal Starks Barber Company franchise owner?
The ideal Starks franchise owner is somebody that loves working with people. That’s what you’re doing the majority of your time when you’re working out or on Starks, you’re working with your staff, you’re a great coach and mentor to your staff, and you’re a great problem solver. With your customers, you’re an elite reader and fun to be around. Anyone who’s great with people will be good at this business. That’s what this business is at heart. In terms of some of the profiles of people we’ve had, we have a lot of husband and wife couples, friends from college, and also mostly corporate people who feel stuck in their job, and look at their manager and say, I could do a better job than him. If this sounds like you, this would be a really good opportunity for you.
How does Starks Barber Company support their franchisees after they open a store?
It’s constant communication. The major thing we do is our quarterly commitment to excellence reviews. So we meet with each franchisee formally quarterly, and go through literally every point of the business, and make sure we’re on track and meeting the model. So that’s a major portion. Aside from that, it’s constant communication, constant contact. We have a franchisor, franchisee Whatsapp group, where we have direct communication at all times. That thing is buzzing off the hook for the first few weeks, and that’s great. That’s what we want. We want to engage franchisees who have lots of questions. We can take you through the training again if needed, and we have operations manuals that you can always go back to. We try to do a really good job of being on site and teaching you the whys. It’s all about growing and learning, and you have to love and embrace that if you’re an entrepreneur starting your own business.
Learn More about Starks Barber Franchise
Ready to learn more about owning a Starks Barber Company franchise? Owning and operating your own upscale barbershop has never been easier. To learn more about this exciting business opportunity, visit our research pages here. To start a conversation about investing in the Starks Barber Company franchise opportunity, fill out our form here. Once we have your information, we can contact you to share more details about Starks, and answer any questions you may have. We look forward to hearing more about your business development goals and if they can be met by investing in Starks Barber Company!