Fantastic Sam's
The John McCurry Story

Franchise Success Stories

By Amy Covington

John McClurry is no stranger to the franchise business. Having worked on the franchisor and corporate side in the automotive sector for over 20 years, he knew a thing or two about the franchise game and wanted to put his skills to use for himself.

"I was in the franchise automotive business with Midas," said McClurry, who now owns five Fantastic Sam's franchises in Texas. "I was also COO of Procare in the Midwest. I sold a lot of franchises and knew a lot about the franchise business."

Surprisingly, when McClurry worked for Midas, he competed with hair care franchises for market share, which is what sparked his interest in the Fantastic Sam's organization. "I wanted to get out of the automotive industry. Now days they are building cars so well. Automotive franchises were becoming less and less profitable. Cars aren't breaking down as often. I went with Fantastic Sam's because it does not rely on technology and is not subject to seasonal upturns and downturns."

As part of his due diligence, McClurry looked at other franchises outside of the hair care industry. He also considered Great Clips. At the time, getting back to Texas was important to McClurry. After spending years in the Midwest, he was ready to get back to his roots.

"Originally when I was looking at franchises I wanted to move back to Texas, which is home. I thought I would have to move back and get a job first," McClurry said. But luck was on his side. "There were four existing Fantastic Sam's franchises available through resale. So, I cashed in my 401K and bought the existing franchises. I was able to do it full time and didn't have to split my time between a full time job and a franchise operation."

What's not surprising is that McClurry has been successful with his franchise endeavors. In addition to the four locations he purchased, he recently opened a brand new store. As is the case with most entrepreneurs, McClurry has a strong work ethic and unyielding determination, which contributed to his success. Getting his start as a manager trainer in a Midas shop, he worked his way up to the executive level.

McClurry is humble about his success. "I got a lot of support from the regional owner and still receive it," he said. "It was a big factor in my success. He developed the franchise in this area; he'd already made the mistakes so I didn't have to."

McClurry's background without a doubt allowed him to make the transition from employee to franchise owner. "From my experience at Midas I already knew how to run a small business and the ins and outs of the financial aspects."

Despite his veteran status, there were a few things McClurry had to learn. "For me the most challenging part was transitioning from an all male dominated industry to an all female dominated industry in terms of staffing. I had to become a kinder and gentler John. I needed to learn that. Working with women is a pleasure but it's definitely different than working with men."

What advice would McClurry give to those considering a franchise? "My advice is to do your due diligence," he said. "Location is extremely important, as well as training your employees in advance of opening. Staff for success. All of my employees were trained and were ready when we opened [a new store]. We had the receptionists hired and training so when we opened the customers got great service.

"Be involved. An absentee ownership does not work for small businesses. The greatest success comes when the owner is involved."

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