The success of the Just Cuts model continues to grow with group turnover last financial year $154 million and a record 4.3 million Clients styled, and the franchisees with the largest salon footprint in the network are celebrating a decade of small business success this year.
Strong demand for the no appointments, just walk in model will see the franchise expand into Canada and open 5 more salons over the next year in New Zealand and 4 in the United Kingdom.
Multi salon owner and Melbourne couple John and Georgina Apostolou both didn’t have any hairdressing experience when they began their Just Cuts ownership journey ten years ago.
They now own 11 salons across Melbourne, Tasmania, and regional Victoria.
John says he felt comfortable purchasing salons he couldn’t physically visit once his Mildura salon was up and running.
“We had experience running a salon remotely with Mildura which worked perfectly thanks to the digital management technology Just Cuts uses,” said John. “Having real time data about your business in the palm of your hands meant we were comfortable with expanding into another state.”
“Technology improves every element of Just Cuts. The owner’s app really helps our productivity and contactless check in simplifies the Client journey in salons. Our loyalty app is particularly popular with workers who check in on their lunch break or regional Clients who live further from the salon.”
“I see each of my salons as separate businesses as the data varies substantially between them. As a Just Cuts Owner you can track sales in real time: you can see how many Clients are in chairs, view the cut rate of your Stylists – you have complete visibility.”
John assesses his salon data daily, particularly to help with rostering as Just Cuts Owners can identity busy periods down to the exact hour to determine when more Stylists are needed on the salon floor.
“I employ over 100 Stylists so our technology is essential for rostering, leave and payslips,” said John.
“Technology reinforces our core brand promise of convenience. While our no appointments, just walk in model always brings Clients to our salons, technology is helping to evolve our promise.”
In 2023 Just Cuts reached 234,000 active loyalty app users, an increase of 63,000 new members in less than 12 months.
John describes Just Cuts as a lifestyle business, and his secret for small business success has always been the same whether you own 1 or 11 sites.
“You need working capital and an understanding that it takes months to build a business, it doesn’t happen overnight,” adds John.
“The Just Cuts system means I get more time to myself. I have a management team to run my salons for me, including individual salon team leaders and overarching area managers to support them.”
“My proudest moment in 10 years of Just Cuts was when my wife Georgie was able to leave her full time job in corporate finance, allowing us to spend more time together as a family. I manage the day-to-day aspect and HR and Georgie looks after the salon’s bookkeeping.”