Making the Cut Going from health care to hair care, an entrepreneur finds a new style.

In his years of working at different companies, Eric Griffin never felt his successes were a direct result of his efforts. Although he longed to be the one in charge, Griffin didn't want to be on his own. The concept of owning and running a business with willing help on hand is what attracted him to the Supercuts franchise and its First Salon Opening program. The franchise's program assigns an advisor to franchisees for their first year in business.

So Griffin opened his first Supercuts in Peachtree City, Georgia, in October 2005. Of course, assistance from Supercuts alone would not guarantee success. Griffin had previously worked as a marketing representative for a health insurance carrier, and though hairstyling and health insurance are miles apart, the knowledge from his former career was transferable. "My past experiences in marketing taught me that you have to ask for the sale," says Griffin, 42. "Because almost everyone needs a haircut, every person I meet is a potential customer."

This helped Griffin overcome one of his first challenges. When his store opened, nearby road construction made it difficult for customers to get in and out of the parking lot. Griffin turned the problem into a positive situation by walking up and down the road offering coupons to the drivers held up by traffic.