After 15 Years of Building Other People’s Careers, a Florida Mom Is Reinventing Herself With Pigtails & Crewcuts Franchise

Rachel Breejen is moving full steam ahead to begin the next chapter of her career as owner of Pigtails & Crewcuts in Odessa, Florida. She has no experience in cosmetology, but that’s never been the point. For 15 years, Breejen built a career helping other people launch and reshape their professional lives through talent acquisition. While she loved connecting people with new opportunities, she eventually realized she had stopped building the life she wanted for herself.

Burned out by the demands of corporate recruiting, Breejen wanted the flexibility to be the kind of mom who could say yes to her daughter’s school events instead of another work meeting while still pursuing a meaningful career of her own. She found that opportunity in franchising, where she could continue helping people in a different way by creating a welcoming place for local families.

Her daughter also helped uncover the business opportunity. With the nearest kid-focused salon about 25 minutes away, Breejen saw an underserved market in one of the area’s fastest-growing family communities. She hopes to fill that gap while proving that passion, strong leadership and the willingness to learn matter more than having a cosmetology background. She also credits the collaboration and support she received from Pigtails & Crewcuts’ franchise development team with giving her the confidence to make the transition.

Breejen sat down with 1851 Franchise to discuss how motherhood reshaped her career priorities and why Pigtails & Crewcuts offered the right path forward. Here’s what she had to say:

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Rachel Breejen: I’ve spent the past 15 years leading teams and helping people find meaningful careers. Becoming a mom in 2020 reshaped my perspective and strengthened my desire for balance and purpose in both my professional and personal life. Outside of work, I love spending time with my family and exploring new places — whether we’re traveling across the U.S. or discovering destinations around the world.

1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Breejen: I've been in the talent acquisition/recruiting space for the last 15 years, and I love it. I love meeting new people and helping others, so I really enjoyed the opportunity to combine both and help others start their careers or make a career change.

I reached a point where I was feeling burned out at one of the last major companies I worked for, and I knew I needed to step back. I ended up taking about eight to nine months away from work, and during that time, I realized it was an opportunity to completely pivot — to make a meaningful change in my life and take ownership of my future. I wanted a career path that allowed me to build something of my own, have flexibility for my personal life and still grow professionally. As a mom, that balance matters to me.

That’s what led me to explore franchising. After many conversations and researching different businesses, I noticed a real gap in our local market. I have a 6-year-old daughter — the exact target customer for Pigtails & Crewcuts — and the closest kid-focused salon is 25 minutes away and appointment-only. Anyone with young children knows how challenging that can be. With so many new neighborhoods, schools and daycares opening in our area, it surprised me that families didn’t have a convenient option.

I realized I was looking for a new professional chapter at the same time our community clearly could benefit from a business like this. Those two things aligned perfectly. Pigtails & Crewcuts felt like the right franchise, the right opportunity and the right fit for both me and my family.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Breejen: I used to think of franchises strictly as fast-food giants like McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A — mostly restaurant and hospitality brands. But once I started exploring the franchise world, I realized just how many industries operate under a franchise model. That was my first big wake-up call: There are countless types of franchises far beyond what most people imagine.

I also assumed franchise owners were largely on their own — that you paid a huge amount for the name and then handled everything yourself. As I dug deeper and had more conversations, I learned how wrong that assumption was. The level of support surprised me: branding, marketing, financial guidance and operational processes — all the foundational steps you need to build and run a business come with hands-on help. It’s a far more supportive and collaborative experience than I ever expected.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Breejen: I didn’t have any prior familiarity with Pigtails & Crewcuts, but as a mom, we’ve visited other kids’ salons like Cookie Cutters and Sharkey’s. Once I started exploring this industry more seriously, I looked into several different children’s salon concepts. Pigtails & Crewcuts immediately stood out — their branding and overall look felt clean, professional and thoughtfully designed. I also really connected with the team during the discovery process; my conversations with Michelle [Holliman], Hannah [Swanson] and everyone involved were warm, genuine and incredibly supportive. The whole experience felt collaborative and family-oriented, and ultimately, it just felt like the right fit.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?

Breejen: A big part of this decision is about having the work-life balance I need. I want to be a fully present mom — to go to my daughter’s events and to show up for her. That’s my first priority.

At the same time, I still want a career that gives me purpose and a sense of identity. I know my daughter will grow up and eventually move out, and I want to have something meaningful that’s mine when that time comes. Building a business allows me to maintain that balance now while also creating a professional path I can continue to grow into. I don’t want to reach the empty-nest stage and feel lost because my passion walked out the door — I want to have something I’m proud of, something that’s just for me, too.

1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?

Breejen: The first question people ask when I tell them about this new venture is, “Oh, I didn’t know you did hair,” or, “Are you going to cosmetology school?” It’s been eye-opening to learn that you don’t have to be an expert in a specific trade to start a business — you just need the drive, the passion and the willingness to learn. With this franchise model, I don’t need to be a hairdresser to be successful. What I do need is dedication, the ability to hire the right people and the judgment to make smart business decisions. The support system behind the franchise allows me to focus on leadership and operations while relying on trained professionals for the technical side.

About Pigtails & Crewcuts: 

Pigtails & Crewcuts is a kids' hair salon franchise designed with family in mind. Franchising since 2005, it has become a premier destination for children’s hairstyling and a stress-free experience for parents. Pigtails & Crewcuts provides a range of hair care services for boys and girls aged zero to 12, and offers a custom line of child-friendly hair products, hair accessories, toys, and gifts. Each salon is a fun, engaging space where children can feel comfortable and enjoy their haircuts, complete with activities, event areas and a family-friendly atmosphere. With over 80 locations across more than 20 states, Pigtails & Crewcuts is continuously expanding and establishing itself as a leading franchise in the growing niche market of children’s hair care. To learn more about Pigtails & Crewcuts or to find a salon near you, please visit www.pigtailsandcrewcuts.com. To learn more about franchise opportunities with Pigtails & Crewcuts, please visit www.pigtailsandcrewcutsfranchise.com.