1851

Named Sport Clips Haircuts Team Leader 2016 Rookie of the Year, Walid Haddad felt the entrepreneurial tug early in life. At just 19, he took over his father&rsquo;s gas station operation, running it for 12 years.&nbsp; He then went on to own his own gas station for another 16 years before investing in Sport Clips. &nbsp;More recently, his Sport Clips store in Lancaster, CA outperformed all other first year stores in the network.

With his entrepreneurial spirit, innovative marketing and commitment to always improve, Haddad exemplifies the <a href="http://www.sportclipsfranchise.com/why-sport-clips-/our-team-culture/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=2016-sport-clips-team-leader-rookie-of-the-year-exemplifies-the-heart-of-a-champion-2704263" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">heart of a champion</a>. And with his second location about to open, his momentum shows no signs of slowing down.

Prior to investing in Sport Clips, Haddad found owning and operating a gas station to be very labor and time intensive. With high overhead costs, and his lease not being renewed, he decided it was time to look into a new investment, one that better fit his long term <a href="http://www.sportclipsfranchise.com/documents/2017-Sport-Clips-Personal-and-Financial-Goals-Worksheet.pdf?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=2016-sport-clips-team-leader-rookie-of-the-year-exemplifies-the-heart-of-a-champion-2704263" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">financial and lifestyle goals</a>.

&ldquo;<a href="http://www.sportclipsfranchise.com/blog/2017/may/three-types-of-franchise-ownership/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=2016-sport-clips-team-leader-rookie-of-the-year-exemplifies-the-heart-of-a-champion-2704263" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Owning and operating</a> a gas station is a lot of work. With it being open 24 hours a day, you have to be ready all the time,&rdquo; explains Haddad. &ldquo;It seems like everything that can go wrong, goes wrong in the middle of the night. It was time for a change.&rdquo;

Haddad took his search to the internet. He began <a href="http://www.sportclipsfranchise.com/facts-stats/day-in-the-life/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=2016-sport-clips-team-leader-rookie-of-the-year-exemplifies-the-heart-of-a-champion-2704263" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">exploring investments that would require less of a time commitment</a> than the gas station, as he did not want to be stuck in a store all the time. He wanted something that would allow him to get involved with his community. His search led him to the Sport Clips offering.&nbsp;

&ldquo;It was a perfect match for what I was looking for. The <a href="http://www.sportclipsfranchise.com/why-sport-clips-/our-model/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=2016-sport-clips-team-leader-rookie-of-the-year-exemplifies-the-heart-of-a-champion-2704263" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">semi-absentee business model</a> was ideal. And the model is highly scalable, meaning the opportunities for growth are there,&rdquo; Haddad states. &ldquo;The concept is great and really something I could get behind. I also appreciate how transparent the leadership is. I knew I wanted to be a part of the brand.&rdquo;

Haddad also credits <a href="http://www.sportclipsfranchise.com/why-sport-clips-/our-training-support/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=2016-sport-clips-team-leader-rookie-of-the-year-exemplifies-the-heart-of-a-champion-2704263" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sport Clips&rsquo; support system</a> with helping him get through his first year. &ldquo;I received constant support from Sport Clips as well as other Team Leaders. They gave advice and welcomed visits to other stores. Everyone was always available to answer questions and give guidance. The Team Leader Training and weekly calls and guidelines were extremely helpful in helping me devise a strategy.&rdquo;

He goes on to say, &ldquo;<a href="https://sportclips.1851franchise.com/details/2704025/How-Sport-Clips-Haircuts-Leverages-Technology-and-its-Unique-Culture-to-Recruit-Top-Quality-Stylists?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=2016-sport-clips-team-leader-rookie-of-the-year-exemplifies-the-heart-of-a-champion-2704263" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sport Clips&rsquo; reputation among the Stylist community</a> has been extremely helpful in my recruiting efforts as well. The brand is known as a good place to work with opportunities for career development. I have Stylists who commute quite a distance just to work here.&nbsp; Finding quality candidates has never been an issue for me, even in Lancaster, a community that is off the beaten path.&rdquo;

Haddad credits his store&rsquo;s outstanding first year performance on the quality of his staff. &ldquo;After we got off the ground, we never looked back. It had a lot to do with the fantastic manager and team I had in place. They delivered that ultimate championship experience Sport Clips is known for and it kept people coming back again and again.&rdquo;

Further contributing to Haddad&rsquo;s successful first year was his enterprising marketing, getting as many Clients into the door to experience the championship experience. &ldquo;The use of Buddy Cards really helped get our name out there in the community. The return rate is exceptionally good.&nbsp; And once we got them here, they became loyal.&rdquo;

Haddad was not afraid to give away complimentary haircuts and took the short-term losses for long term gain, doing a lot of promotions within the community and local businesses. He says, &ldquo;I gave away boxes of coupons to business owners to put by their cash registers and to companies to put in their break rooms. There is a prison in our area, which employs more than 800 people. I gave them over 1,000 coupons to give to those employees, &ldquo;

&ldquo;I went all-in in my community.&nbsp; I took out ads on the local radio stations and sponsored AAA baseball teams, little league teams, contributed to school fundraiser gift baskets and local charities. The strategy was to get people in the doors and the experience provided by my team would take it from there. &ldquo;

His advice to other Team Leaders, &ldquo;Your staff can make or break your business. Always treat them well and respect them. Recruiting the right people is important. We use contests and rewards to get people excited and motivated. And then it is about being available and approachable. When I am in the store, I try to help them out as much as I can. I like to bring in lunch when I can. My manager is great at remembering birthdays. We have a &ldquo;treasure box&rdquo; with little incentives. It&rsquo;s all about making people feel appreciated. When you do that, they want to give you their best.&rdquo;

Haddad adds, &ldquo;It is also important to look for ways to improve.&nbsp; When you stop trying to improve, you lose your competitive edge. You become stagnant. As a brand, Sport Clips is constantly improving. Their recent upgrade to Salon Ultimate is an example. The online tools are fantastic. The new system has been really helpful in running my store. I now have more data on performance and averages and the online check-in capability is going over great with Clients. &ldquo;

2016 was a dynamic year for Haddad, and 2017 is shaping up in much the same way. His commitment to putting people and community first and his drive to constantly improve has been an asset to the Sport Clips network. With another store opening this year, Haddad is well on his way to achieving his investment goals that brought him to the brand.

For more information on the Sport Clips offering and whether it is right for you, <a href="http://www.sportclipsfranchise.com/request-more-info/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=2016-sport-clips-team-leader-rookie-of-the-year-exemplifies-the-heart-of-a-champion-2704263" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">click here</a>.

2016 Sport Clips Team Leader Rookie of the Year Exemplifies the Heart of a Champion

1851 Franchise

Through engaging his community, generosity, and the addition of a second store, this Team Leader Rookie of the Year is continuing his incredible momentum beyond his impressive first year. 

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

2016-sport-clips-team-leader-rookie-of-the-year-exemplifies-the-heart-of-a-champion

Layne's Chicken Fingers

Layne's Chicken Fingers - VP of Culture Operations - Cuyler Esposito - 1851 Franchise

Layne’s Chicken Fingers Appoints Cuyler Esposito as Vice President of Culture Operations

laynes-franchise-cuyler-esposito-vp-culture-operations

Jollibee

Jollibee Franchise - EOY 2025 - Momentum 2026 - 1851 Franchise

Jollibee Closes Out Landmark Year With Strong Franchise Momentum Across the United States and Canada

jollibee-franchise-expansion-2025-north-america

Fitness Premier

Fitness Premier Franchise - Looking Ahead to 2026 - 1851 Franchise

Building a Fitness Business With Staying Power: Why Fitness Premier Is Looking Ahead to 2026

fitness-premier-franchise-2026-growth-strategy

Fresh Coat

Fresh Coat Painters - Seph Duggan - Lakeland Florida - 1851 Franchise

Multigenerational Contractor Seph Duggan Launches Fresh Coat Painters of Lakeland, Florida

fresh-coat-painters-franchise-lakeland-seph-duggan

Fresh Coat Painters - Mary Steele - Franchisee Feature - 1851 Franchise

How a Major Life Pivot Led This Military Spouse to Open a Fresh Coat Franchise in Melbourne, Florida

fresh-coat-franchisee-mary-steele-melbourne-florida

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

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

Domino's Franchise - North Pole - Dec 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Domino’s Pizza Brings Delivery Cheer to North Pole, Alaska

dominos-pizza-franchise-north-pole-alaska

California Pizza Kitchen’s Sale Is the Latest in the Era of PE-Backed Turnarounds in Franchising

california-pizza-kitchens-sale-is-the-latest-in-the-era-of-pe-backed-turnarounds-in-franchising

Buying a fitness franchise, people exercising

Boutique vs. Big Box Gym Franchises: Which Offers Best ROI in the $7 Billion Fitness Market?

buy-fitness-franchise-boutique-big-box-comparison

Pieology Pizza Enters Chapter 11 Following Costly Bid To Save Struggling Stores

pieology-pizza-files-chapter-11-bankruptcy

CNBC: McDonald’s Will Assess if Franchisees Are Offering Value for Customers Under New Standards

mcdonalds-franchise-standards-value-metric

image of michael panos and michel panos, owners of mellow mushroom in Atlanta

What Makes Mellow Mushroom a Strong Franchise Investment? Insights From the Panos Family’s Metro Atlanta Portfolio

mellow-mushroom-franchise-panos-restaurant-group-metro-atlanta

1851 Franchisee Spotlight graphic with photo of Eli Cohen, Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

C5 Restaurants Grows its Texas Footprint with 40 Layne’s Chicken Fingers Locations Planned Statewide

eli-cohen-laynes-chicken-fingers-texas

image of jerome hanway from right at home Las Cruces, New Mexico 1851 franchise franchisee spotlight

Jerome Hanway Is Building His Right at Home Franchise Around His Mission To Serve

right-at-home-franchise-las-cruces-jerome-hanway

image of stephen westerman and matthew westerman, owners Fort Walton Beach Two men and a junk truck

Twin Brothers Move From Managers to Owners with New TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK Franchise on the Gulf Coast

twin-brothers-two-men-and-a-junk-truck-fort-walton-beach

Photo of group of dogs standing together in day care facility

Top Pet Boarding and Day Care Franchise Opportunities for 2025

top-pet-boarding-daycare-franchises

Do You Qualify? A Look at the Chick-fil-A Franchise Requirements

do-you-qualify-a-look-at-the-chick-fil-a-franchise-requirements

The Top 15 Pet Supplies and Retail Franchises for 2025

the-top-15-pet-supplies-and-retail-franchises

Christmas Decor Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

christmas-decor-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

The 15 Top Pet Grooming Franchises To Consider for 2025

2016 Sport Clips Team Leader Rookie of the Year Exemplifies the Heart of a Champion

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS