For Jason and Alyssa Bowman, diving into franchising wasn’t a reckless gamble. It was a move backed by logic and a clear view of the future. Today, they lead an impressive portfolio of 24 Sport Clips Haircuts locations across Idaho and Utah, proving what happens when disciplined growth meets a system that actually works.
The Bowmans’ journey began nearly two decades ago, when both were still working in corporate America.
“I graduated from college with an engineering and finance background, went to work in corporate America at some bigger companies like Capital One,” Jason said. “We are both trained engineers. Alyssa worked in manufacturing for the most part. Over time, I realized that the corporate world was not something I wanted to do forever.”
That realization sparked a search for a business model that would allow them to transition thoughtfully without taking on unnecessary risk. “Franchising really fit the model I was looking for,” Jason said. “We had a family, we had kids, we had obligations. Jumping into something completely unknown was not the right fit and felt a little risky. The franchise model felt like a good, structured fit for getting into your own business.”
The Bowmans opened their first Sport Clips in 2006, while Jason continued working his corporate job. “We were able to grow our Sport Clips stores on the side,” he said. “I worked for another seven years, opened five stores during that time, and the income from the business at that point was becoming enough for me to leave the corporate world.”
For Alyssa, the early years required a different kind of commitment. “For the first seven, it was really me running it with Jason helping when he could,” she said. “When he quit his corporate job, he was able to take over operations full-time.”
From the beginning, the Bowmans were intentional about choosing a concept that aligned with their risk tolerance, lifestyle goals and growth ambitions.
“Some of the factors that led us to Sport Clips were the fact that it was an ownership model based on managing teams,” Jason said. “The economics of the business were also attractive — it’s a steady, recession-resistant and scalable business. It was reliable. The haircut business appealed in that sense. People will always need haircuts, regardless of economic conditions.”
They were also drawn to the brand’s growth stage. “We didn’t want to be the 10,000th Subway franchisee,” Jason said. “We wanted to be a part of a new and upcoming concept. We knew we’d have that runway of potential growth.”
That early entry paid off. The Bowmans became the first Sport Clips franchisees in Idaho, positioning themselves to capture market share and scale alongside the brand.
Like many operators who began in the mid-2000s, the Bowmans quickly faced a major test: the 2008 recession. But rather than slowing them down, the downturn created unexpected advantages.
“It turned out the recession was a long-term benefit because we were able to hire better talent because more people were looking for work,” Jason said. “That resulted in very rapid growth. At the five-year mark, we were basically where we thought we would be. From there, we had all the systems in place to grow.”
Over the past 20 years, the Bowmans have taken a measured, consistent approach to expansion. “We’ve added around one store a year for the past two decades,” Jason said. “It’s been smart growth the whole way. This is a business that requires a little bit more long-term thinking. We are okay with slow and steady growth. It doesn’t have to be explosive or gigantic growth.”
Their approach aligns seamlessly with the Sport Clips model, which is designed to support multi-unit operators through a manager-led structure and strong operational systems.
“The idea back then was spending 10-to-15 hours per store a week,” Alyssa said. “For the first three stores, we knew we could do that on our own. That was something for us that also fit our lifestyle.”
As their portfolio grew, the Bowmans quickly realized that sustainable success would depend on building the right team. Today, their organization includes approximately 300 employees and a leadership team that has grown from within.
“One of our stylists has grown to become our VP of operations, for example,” Jason said. “We have several employees who started as stylists who have become really critical components of our company.”
Creating a reputation as a strong employer also played a key role in their ability to expand. “We had to establish that we were a good team to work for,” Alyssa said. “Once that became well-known, it was much easier to grow.”
Now operating at scale, the Bowmans have reached the level of operational freedom they originally set out to achieve.
“We are at a scale now that is great,” Jason said. “We as owners can now hand off all the main components of the business — we aren’t really involved in the day-to-day business as much.”
That outcome is a direct reflection of both their disciplined approach and the strength of the Sport Clips system.
“You really develop connections with clients,” Jason said. “Once you get enough returning clients coming back, everything gets a lot easier at the same time. It’s a very strong business model. And we feel very lucky to be a part of it.”
With nearly 1,800 locations and a manager-driven structure designed for scale, Sport Clips continues to attract operators who, like the Bowmans, are focused on long-term growth rather than short-term wins.
For more information visit: https://sportclipsfranchise.com/
Sport Clips
SPONSORED
From corporate careers to full-time entrepreneurship, the Bowmans leveraged Sport Clips’ manager-driven model and steady demand to grow a multi-state portfolio with long-term, disciplined expansion.
For Jason and Alyssa Bowman, diving into franchising wasn’t a reckless gamble. It was a move backed by logic and a clear view of the future. Today, they lead an impressive portfolio of 24 Sport Clips Haircuts locations across Idaho and Utah, proving what happens when disciplined growth meets a system that actually works.
The Bowmans’ journey began nearly two decades ago, when both were still working in corporate America.
“I graduated from college with an engineering and finance background, went to work in corporate America at some bigger companies like Capital One,” Jason said. “We are both trained engineers. Alyssa worked in manufacturing for the most part. Over time, I realized that the corporate world was not something I wanted to do forever.”
That realization sparked a search for a business model that would allow them to transition thoughtfully without taking on unnecessary risk. “Franchising really fit the model I was looking for,” Jason said. “We had a family, we had kids, we had obligations. Jumping into something completely unknown was not the right fit and felt a little risky. The franchise model felt like a good, structured fit for getting into your own business.”
The Bowmans opened their first Sport Clips in 2006, while Jason continued working his corporate job. “We were able to grow our Sport Clips stores on the side,” he said. “I worked for another seven years, opened five stores during that time, and the income from the business at that point was becoming enough for me to leave the corporate world.”
For Alyssa, the early years required a different kind of commitment. “For the first seven, it was really me running it with Jason helping when he could,” she said. “When he quit his corporate job, he was able to take over operations full-time.”
From the beginning, the Bowmans were intentional about choosing a concept that aligned with their risk tolerance, lifestyle goals and growth ambitions.
“Some of the factors that led us to Sport Clips were the fact that it was an ownership model based on managing teams,” Jason said. “The economics of the business were also attractive — it’s a steady, recession-resistant and scalable business. It was reliable. The haircut business appealed in that sense. People will always need haircuts, regardless of economic conditions.”
They were also drawn to the brand’s growth stage. “We didn’t want to be the 10,000th Subway franchisee,” Jason said. “We wanted to be a part of a new and upcoming concept. We knew we’d have that runway of potential growth.”
That early entry paid off. The Bowmans became the first Sport Clips franchisees in Idaho, positioning themselves to capture market share and scale alongside the brand.
Like many operators who began in the mid-2000s, the Bowmans quickly faced a major test: the 2008 recession. But rather than slowing them down, the downturn created unexpected advantages.
“It turned out the recession was a long-term benefit because we were able to hire better talent because more people were looking for work,” Jason said. “That resulted in very rapid growth. At the five-year mark, we were basically where we thought we would be. From there, we had all the systems in place to grow.”
Over the past 20 years, the Bowmans have taken a measured, consistent approach to expansion. “We’ve added around one store a year for the past two decades,” Jason said. “It’s been smart growth the whole way. This is a business that requires a little bit more long-term thinking. We are okay with slow and steady growth. It doesn’t have to be explosive or gigantic growth.”
Their approach aligns seamlessly with the Sport Clips model, which is designed to support multi-unit operators through a manager-led structure and strong operational systems.
“The idea back then was spending 10-to-15 hours per store a week,” Alyssa said. “For the first three stores, we knew we could do that on our own. That was something for us that also fit our lifestyle.”
As their portfolio grew, the Bowmans quickly realized that sustainable success would depend on building the right team. Today, their organization includes approximately 300 employees and a leadership team that has grown from within.
“One of our stylists has grown to become our VP of operations, for example,” Jason said. “We have several employees who started as stylists who have become really critical components of our company.”
Creating a reputation as a strong employer also played a key role in their ability to expand. “We had to establish that we were a good team to work for,” Alyssa said. “Once that became well-known, it was much easier to grow.”
Now operating at scale, the Bowmans have reached the level of operational freedom they originally set out to achieve.
“We are at a scale now that is great,” Jason said. “We as owners can now hand off all the main components of the business — we aren’t really involved in the day-to-day business as much.”
That outcome is a direct reflection of both their disciplined approach and the strength of the Sport Clips system.
“You really develop connections with clients,” Jason said. “Once you get enough returning clients coming back, everything gets a lot easier at the same time. It’s a very strong business model. And we feel very lucky to be a part of it.”
With nearly 1,800 locations and a manager-driven structure designed for scale, Sport Clips continues to attract operators who, like the Bowmans, are focused on long-term growth rather than short-term wins.
For more information visit: https://sportclipsfranchise.com/
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