Veterans Winning at Franchising: Cheston Syma

When Cheston Syma returned from serving in the Iraq war as a Marine, he went looking for his next challenge. With the money he saved while serving, he joined the Sport Clips* system in 2004 and now owns and operates 7 stores in the Houston area.

In 2013, Syma decided to partner with another veteran of the Iraq war, Edwin Greer, in order to help him get established with Sport Clips. With Syma’s guidance and support, Edwin now operates four stores in the Chicago area that the two own jointly. Syma and Greer now plan to open six more locations that they will own and operate together.

How did your military service prepare you for franchising?

There are two aspects that I took from my time in the Marines. The first was discipline, and how to be disciplined in setting and reaching goals.

Secondly, I learned leadership and how to motivate people. Not everyone gets motivated by the same things, but I discovered that whether it is workplace happiness, money, or convenience, I need to do whatever it takes to make the team successful.

I was a sergeant in the Marines for 8 years, and during that time I was a platoon sergeant in charge of 33 marines. In a war zone it is paramount to know your marines, and now as a franchise the same goes for my employees. In a war zone it is a matter of life or death… it is not the same stakes now but the skills still translate.

What is it about Sport Clips that attracted you?

I had never even heard of Sport Clips before, but when I came back from Iraq I went and got a haircut there. I loved the whole concept, and that it felt like a place for guys.

I did my research, read reviews, and decided to use the money I saved from the military to buy my first franchise. I was always interested in a franchise because it is turnkey and a proven model for success.

What advice would you give to veterans who are looking to get into franchising?

Be prepared to put in the long hours, especially in the first few years. If you aren’t able to put in the same hours and level of discipline as you did in the service, you better start looking for a corporate job instead.

What does franchising mean to you?

Following a system. Franchises are proven, and if you follow the model your success rate will be much higher. Just like in the Marines, you cannot try to go rogue and reinvent the wheel.

What would you like to achieve in the next five years?

I am already planning to open four more stores and have the leases signed to open two this year and two next year.

After that, the Houston market is pretty saturated, but I am always on the lookout for more opportunities with Sport Clips, perhaps even with mergers and acquisitions of some smaller owners in the area.