Deciding to take on a franchise is not always an easy decision but for some, the decision is clear.

Jim McGuiness, a Salons by JC franchise owner who operates multiple franchises alongside his two brothers, recently opened his third Salons by JC location in Crofton, MD.   

When Jim first entertained the idea of franchising a business, he was eager to find a good opportunity, but like any good businessman, he had his standards. Jim was looking to be a part of an industry disrupting franchise he could bring to his community that also provided premium amenities the competition did not.

“We were looking for what we thought was an interesting, compelling business model and Salons by JC met and exceeded the standards we were looking for,” Jim says.

Once Jim was hooked on what Salons by JC had to offer, his brother decided to make it official and meet with the Salons by JC corporate team. After his initial discussion, he was immediately impressed. Jim and his team charged on full speed ahead and opened their first Salons by JC location in April of 2016, followed by another location just a year later in April of 2017, and most recently, their third location – Salons by JC – Crofton in Gambrills, Maryland– in May of 2018.

With his extensive background in accounting and finance, Jim is well equipped to successfully build on the unique business model Salons by JC already has in place. Before his journey into the world of franchising, Jim worked for a large financial firm in New York City at the executive level. During his 30 years at the financial firm, Jim was accustomed to handling all aspects of finance, operations, pricing, and negations with business contracts.

“I had never had experience with a salon business, but at the end of the day, that’s not what really mattered to our team. It’s more about dealing with the right people, with the right vision, and the right location.”

Though financial management is his background, Jim finds that the most interesting part of working with Salons by JC is the many roles he gets to play outside of “franchisee.”

“What I find appealing, especially after coming from a large company to a smaller partnership, is that running the day-to-day requires many hats which I actually really enjoy,” Jim shares.

From being involved and helping build a community of stylists and suite owners, to working closely with location concierges to ensure each community is well oiled and operating efficiently, Jim has found enjoyment in all his many roles and being a part of a larger vision.

Trust and Growth

For Jim and his team, the decision to work with Salons by JC became clear after his brother met with the Salons by JC corporate team. Jim recalls that what solidified the decision to take the next step was the core values Salons by JC exuded and lived by.

“With some of the other franchisors we had met with, we didn’t have a high degree of trust or confidence within the company,” Jim said. “We found what we were looking for in the Salons by JC team. We knew they had something special.”

In addition to Salons by JC values, the unique management model was one that Jim felt would prove very successful.

“We were looking to get involved with a business that was not heavy in the requirement for the management of people,” Jim shares. “Getting to work with one employee that is always on-site, the concierge, allows us to build a core team that is closely connected, and we found that very appealing as well.”

Jim looks to continue to grow successfully with Salons by JC by opening more locations in an effective and intelligent way.

“We want to make sure that we’re investing in future growth, not only for our locations but the individual suite owners we work with every day.”

Getting to Know You

Interaction is a gateway for communication. Jim often interacts, garners advice from, and brainstorms with other franchise owners through the Salons by JC franchisee portal.

“I find the portal extremely helpful as a sounding board where people can post questions and other franchisees can contribute with their perspective and experience,” Jim says. It’s an extremely valuable tool that Salons by JC provides.”

In addition to the interactions Jim has with fellow location owners, he also has the chance to interact and engage with his salon suite owners, almost daily.

“I live in New Jersey, and I have franchised one Salons by JC location in Connecticut and two in Maryland,” Jim says. “It’s a great arrangement so I may be anywhere from two to three hours away from any one of our sites.”

Though Jim makes every effort to visit when he can, he can rest assured that even when he is not available, the salon community is in capable hands with their respective concierges.

“I am heavily reliant on our capable concierge managers. However, when I am on site I try to interact or meet with as many salon suite owners as I can. I try my best to get to know them, what they do and what we can do to make Salons by JC the best environment it can be. I’m always open to hearing the opinions of everyone we work with so we can stay in tune with their perspectives and needs, and create constant improvement.

To Those Who Take the Risk

Jim finds inspiration every day in the Salons by JC community at all of his locations. From a suite owner’s first walkthrough to the day they sign on, to growing their business alongside Salons by JC, Jim finds inspiration in being a part of a community that allows small business owners to thrive in their own independence.

“Business owners who are willing to make that leap towards independence know there is a risk component, and I find their constant fearlessness really inspirational.” Jim shares. “It’s inspirational to know they are confident in us, in our mission, and trust that we are doing the right thing for them and their businesses. We hope they know we will always do our best to help them navigate that risk of entrepreneurship and navigate the unknown, together.”

About Salons by JC: In 1997, Jack Griffey and Cecil Miller began their journey to transform the beauty industry one salon suite at a time. Like most young entrepreneurs, they started out with a big idea but had to learn how to start and run a business from scratch. After much perseverance and hard work, one year later, they opened Salons by JC in Dallas, TX in 1998, welcoming beauty and wellness specialists who were ready to break free from the traditional salon model. The company has since moved its headquarters from Dallas to San Antonio, where it continues to grow through franchising. Today, Salons by JC has over 87 locations in 24 states and Canada.  For more information, visit salonsbyjc.com or salonsbyjc.com/franchise 

Blog written by:

Sammis & Ochoa