In less than thirty years Great Clips has achieved worldwide leadership in the hair salon industry and its lead is widening every day. To have the largest and fastest growing brand in its entire industry is a remarkable achievement for any company. It's even more remarkable considering that the company was started in a backyard by three entrepreneurs who had no money no new ideas no new product no experience in running a business and even a shortage of rapport among themselves.
This book documents the incredible rags to riches story and highlights the value of having an uncomplicated business model avoiding the temptation to change it sticking with the basics and paying attention to all of the stakeholders-especially the customers. How Great Clips has capitalized on the franchising phenomenon that has swept across the business landscape will provide special interest for any follower of winning business models.
Vision to Legacy: The Great Clips Story was co-authored by Shelby Yastrow and Steve LeBeau. Yastrow the retired general counsel executive vice president and secretary of McDonald's Corporation has been on the Great Clips Board of Directors since 1995 and resides in Scottsdale Arizona. LeBeau is a writer editor and former journalist who lives in St. Paul Minnesota.
"Having spent an entire career with McDonald's I can appreciate how Great Clips has capitalized on the most important­-and most-often overlooked-elements needed to lead an industry: Sound basics, simplicity, consistency, and of course providing exactly what the customer wants. My congratulations to Great Clips and to its entire workforce for delivering its brand 70 million times a year-and still counting!" -Jim Skinner, Retired CEO McDonald's Corporation
"Highlighting consistency fairness execution and most of all believing the authors cleverly unfold the Great Clips story by revealing the fundamental business principles that have guided Great Clips through countless obstacles human drama and adversity to become one of the most compelling franchise success stories in history. A fascinating case study Great Clips is a must read for anyone who has a passion for knowing what it really takes to succeed in franchising."-Beth Walker Department Chair and AT&T Professor of Services Marketing and Management W. P. Carey School of Business Arizona State University
"A cutting edge book that examines current-day franchising through the incredible Great Clips success story. The company's history and achievements are especially remarkable in light of the overwhelming self-inflicted stumbling blocks that had to be navigated in the early years. The authors correctly underscore that the many key ingredients to a franchisor's success must include integrity and solid franchisor/franchisee relations. This book is a must read for anybody interested in franchising."-Morton Aronson Former Director International Franchise Association recipient of the Total Quality Franchising Award for Lifetime Achievement
