Snip-its - Making The Cut

A kid-friendly hair salon left no doubt in one couple's minds: They wanted their turn in the chair.

When Jo Ann Wilson first walked into a Snip-Its salon with its wacky, brightly colored décor and cast of cartoon scissors, combs and clips, she said, "This is exactly what I've been looking for!"

Jo Ann and her husband, Eddie, 39 and 40, respectively, had owned and operated a day-care center for five years. After selling it, Jo Ann missed working with children and began looking for a new business to start. She says she was immediately drawn to the Snip-Its franchise concept because "kids could come for an adventure, not just a haircut." While they're in the stylist's chair, children are kept busy--they can watch a Snip-Its movie or play video games featuring Snip-Its characters. And at the end of their visit, they receive a prize. The salons also offer fashion show-themed birthday parties.

The Wilsons opened their salon in December 2006 in Rockaway, New Jersey, and while they knew all about kids, they didn't know much about the hair-care industry. That's where Snip-Its corporate came in, offering advice on marketing and free training for the Wilsons' stylists. Without the company's know-how, says Jo Ann, "it would have taken us a lot of trial and error to [get] where we are now."

Where they are now is an average of 450 customers a week and 2007 sales of about $300,000. And with the success of their first salon--both as a business and as a place kids love to visit--the Wilsons have made plans to open two more locations. 

Entrepreneurship Magazine