1851

In 1988, at the age of 27, Steve Hockett was working at what was then First Bank System. The company was successful, and filled with a lot of potential. But over time, Hockett grew restless, and he realized that banking wasn&rsquo;t the best fit for him. That&rsquo;s when he decided to take a big risk that would eventually chart the course for the rest of his career.

Hockett knew one of the first <a href="http://www.greatclips.com/about-us/own-a-great-clips-franchise?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-franchisee-to-ceo-steve-hocketts-ongoing-journey-with-great-clips-11529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Great Clips</a> franchisees, Roger Ledebuhr. Intrigued by what he heard about the opportunity, he decided to invest in what was still a small&mdash;but rapidly-growing&mdash;franchise. He loved the brand and what it embodied, and he soon became one of the earliest Twin Cities franchisees. But Hockett struggled to maintain the profitability of his location, and he began to worry that business ownership wasn&rsquo;t the right career path for him.

&ldquo;It got into my blood. I loved the business and I loved working the people,&rdquo; said Hockett. &ldquo;I was undercapitalized and over-leveraged, and I didn&rsquo;t have the funds to expand on the franchisee side. That&rsquo;s when I moved over to the corporate side because of the culture, the industry and all of the opportunities that came with it.&rdquo;

Current CEO, Rhoda Olsen, saw a lot of potential in Hockett, and the two kept in touch even after his salon failed. Then, in 1993, she offered him a position as a marketing manager on the <a href="http://greatclips.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-franchisee-to-ceo-steve-hocketts-ongoing-journey-with-great-clips-11529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Great Clips</a> corporate team. Hockett stayed with the company for almost a decade before leaving to become president of Fran Choice, a franchise consulting firm, where he gained valuable insight into the nuances of the evolving industry during his four years at the company. It was there that he also realized how Great Clips truly was one of the best-run, small-box retail franchise systems in the U.S.

From there, he used his expertise to lead an ink and toner franchise called Rapid Refill Ink, which he grew from 30 to over 100 locations during his tenure from 2006 to 2008. &nbsp;

During all this time, however, he still maintained his contacts with Great Clips. In May 2008, Hockett bounced back to Great Clips as vice president of operations, starting his ascent up the corporate ladder. Today, he&rsquo;s president of the 4,091-unit company, and he&rsquo;s preparing to transition into the role of CEO by the end of this year. Looking back, Hockett attributes much of his success to finding the roles he enjoyed, leveraging his strengths in the workplace and leaning on the mentors who inspired him along the way.

&ldquo;Ray Barton, Dave Rubenzer and Rhoda Olsen were all early leaders in the business. I had the incredible opportunity to watch them and learn from their leadership style and their vision. I saw how their focus on helping people achieve their dreams &ndash; which in a way is what franchising is all about &ndash; really connected with me. I liked what they represented as leaders, and I wanted to work with and for them to build the brand,&rdquo; said Hockett. &ldquo;Today, I attribute a lot of my own leadership traits to what I&rsquo;ve learned from them.&rdquo;

Hockett has also come to realize the importance of taking risks. If he hadn&rsquo;t taken a chance on Great Clips back in 1988, he may have never gotten to where he is today. That&rsquo;s why, to those just starting out in their career, Hockett says to not be afraid to put yourself out there, take calculated risks and step out of your comfort zone.

Now, as Hockett and the rest of the Great Clips team eases into this&nbsp;transition period, he&rsquo;s eager to work alongside Rob Goggins, who will be assuming the role of president, to achieve new milestone figures. Olsen has long said that Great Clips has the potential to reach as many as 10,000 salons, and Hockett is dedicated to making that happen. With the transition into the role of CEO, Hockett is also excited to tap into new and old markets, focus on generational franchisees and strengthen how corporate can better help current franchisees achieve their goals.

Much of that success, he says, comes down to communication, and being able to accurately and effectively tell the Great Clips story.

&ldquo;Especially in franchising, you have to be comfortable standing in front of a group and presenting to two or 2,000 people and showcasing what your brand is all about in a way that inspires others. How do you tell a story or send a message? How do you present yourself in front of a group and get people to follow you? For starters, you yourself need to truly and passionately believe in the business you&rsquo;re leading forward,&rdquo; said Hockett. &ldquo;This brand has been a part of my life for nearly three decades. Great Clips is rooted in this incredible people-first mentality, and it&rsquo;s my job to continue telling that story.&rdquo; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

From Franchisee to CEO: Steve Hockett’s Ongoing Journey with Great Clips

1851 Franchise

How Steve Hockett, a former Great Clips franchisee, climbed to the top of the corporate ladder. 


This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

from-franchisee-to-ceo-steve-hocketts-ongoing-journey-with-great-clips

Lawn Doctor

Design with photo of John Perry and Lawn Doctor logo

How a 20-Year Industry Veteran Tripled His Sales With a Lawn Doctor Franchise

lawn-doctor-franchise-success-story-john-perry

Fitness Premier

The Secret to Fitness Franchise Success? It's Not Just the Workouts

fitness-premier-franchise-marketing-support

Fresh Coat

Photo of Fresh Coat vehicle with ladders on top

The Rise of Home Improvement Franchises: Why Now Is the Time to Invest

why-invest-home-improvement-franchise-fresh-coat

HomeTeam Inspection Service

Photo of HomeTeam inspector in red polo and khaki pants, walking by branded vehicle

Real Estate Today: Behind the Drywall: The Truth About Home Inspections

purpose-of-home-inspection

Dog Training Elite

Dog Training Elite Franchise - DTE - National Service Dog Month - 1851 Franchise

Celebrating Service Dogs: Why Proper Training Changes Lives — And How Dog Training Elite Is Leading the Way

dog-training-elite-national-service-dog-month

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Design with American and Federal Reserve flags against light blue background

Federal Reserve Expected To Cut Rates by Quarter Point, a Move That Could Boost Franchise Growth

fed-rate-cut-boosts-franchise-growth

Potbelly to be Acquired by RaceTrac in $566 Million Deal 

racetrac-acquires-potbelly-in-566-million-deal

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities - 1851 Franchise Agg

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities 

health-care-hiring-slowdown-in-home-care-franchise-opportunities

Caribou Coffee Names Scott Kennedy CEO, Eyes Continued Growth

caribou-coffee-names-scott-kennedy-ceo-eyes-continued-growth

McDonald’s Launches New Extra Value Meals as Consumer Demand for Value Continues to Climb

mcdonalds-launches-extra-value-meals

DevHub - Meet the Supplier - 1851 Franchise

DevHub: Scalable Digital Marketing for Franchises and Multi-Location Brands

devhub-meet-the-supplier

Mike Revak - Chief Business Officer - Sky Zone - Franchise Marketing Leaders - 1851 Franchise

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Mike Revak — President and Chief Business Officer, Sky Zone

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-mike-revak-chief-business-officer-sky-zone

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Cathy Chavenet — Chief Marketing Officer, Paris Baguette

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-cathy-chavenet-chief-marketing-officer-paris-baguette

BooXkeeping: Making Bookkeeping Cool for Franchisors, Franchisees, and Small Business Owners

booxkeeping-making-bookkeeping-cool-for-franchisors-franchisees-and-small-business-owners

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

1851 Keyword - The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

part-time-franchises-picking-the-right-model

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Multi-Unit Wendy’s Operator Signs 12-Unit Deal With Layne’s Chicken Fingers

ricki-oberoi-laynes-chicken-fingers-growth

1851 Franchise Deep Dive graphic with Sparkle Squad logo

Sparkle Squad Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-sparkle-squad-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Design with school-aged child standing on pencil with text "Education Franchises" and "<$500K"

Top Education Franchises Under $500K To Explore in 2025

top-education-franchises-under-500k

From Franchisee to CEO: Steve Hockett’s Ongoing Journey with Great Clips

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS