Franchisee Finds Success Outside of Corporate America with Sport Clips

For more than 30 years, Al Rodriguez worked his way up the ladder of corporate America. But even after paying his dues and building a strong career, he knew he wanted more. So he decided to go into business for himself.

But there was one barrier blocking Rodriguez from opening up his own company—he wasn’t in a position to leave his full time nine to five in order to build his own business from the ground up. That’s why he decided to pursue a franchising opportunity with Sport Clips*, the nation’s premier salon for men and boys. The brand’s proven business model gave Rodriguez the support of an established company while providing the flexibility he needed to keep his day job at the same time.

“Sport Clips really stood out to me because it gave me the opportunity to work on the business rather than in the business,” said Rodriguez. “As an owner, I have the ability to control the quality of service and establish a recurring base of customers who come back time and time again. That really opens up the door for unlimited growth.”

The brand’s option to work as a semi-absentee franchise owner initially helped fuel Rodriguez’s growth. That’s because Sport Clips’ business is set up in a way that on-site managers and employees are able to keep the day-to-day business going. With the help and backing of the brand’s corporate support team, Rodriguez was able to fill his stores with talented and driven employees.

“My whole team—myself included—has grown tremendously since I first franchised with Sport Clips. It’s been incredibly rewarding for me to give someone a shot after they graduate cosmetology school and then see them move up the ranks,” said Rodriguez. “Between my strong network of barbers and managers and the Sport Clips corporate team, I’ve been able to expand at a pace that I didn’t think was possible.”

Now, Rodriguez has left his job in corporate America behind in order to focus on owning Sport Clips’ entire Western Pennsylvania market. He’s signed on to open up 25 Sport Clips locations in the area—10 of those units are currently open for business, with construction underway at two more locations.

Rodriguez credits his success as a full-time, multi-unit franchisee to Sport Clips’ unique model—both from the business owner and consumer stand point.

“Sport Clips provides top quality services that can’t be found anywhere else. That’s why customers keep coming back,” Rodriguez said. “Its strong brand loyalty and recognition has almost made it easy for me to grow as an entrepreneur. I’m excited to continue working with the brand to take my salons to the next level in the months and years to come.”