Donna Jordan ran her own salon for twelve years—then made a mid-career pivot to franchise salons. She tells her story here.

In the year 2000, over a decade into her career, Donna noticed that the classic salon model was shifting. There were options beyond the small private salon, and the industry was changing. So Donna took a risk.

I sold my salon! I went to work for Regis and their family of brands.

Regis Corporation operates the best-known franchise salons, including Supercuts, SmartStyle, and Cost Cutters.

The risk paid off.

That’s where my story really began. I started as a stylist with Regis, then got promoted up to salon manager.

She just kept climbing: she managed nine locations, then fourteen.

When we transitioned into the Supercuts franchise, I advanced again, into Vice President of operations. I fell in love with the Supercuts culture—the way they encourage their stylists to grow right from day one. I knew I’d found my home.

Supercuts is a nationally-recognized salon franchise offering high-quality hair care services accessible to all. Supercuts also leads the industry in stylist support.

One of Donna’s favorite career moments came just a few years into her Regis journey. Running her own salon for twelve years had taken all of her focus. She felt like she was way behind in her education. But a special mentor saw untapped potential.

Darcy, my manager at Regis, gave me so much support. She encouraged me to learn new skills: I practiced so hard to get good at foiling! When Regis announced a coloring contest, Darcy just kept saying to me “Why can’t it be you that wins?” I’d only been at Regis a little over a year and a half. The prize was an all-expenses paid trip to New York to train at the Matrix Global Academy, and I wanted to go to that training so badly.

The news came in: Donna was one of the top thirty colorists in earnings for the entire company—that’s about six thousand salons. She’d won the contest.

Calling Darcy to tell her that I won, that was a peak moment for me. I was able to show her that all her time with me meant something. Mostly, to hear how proud she was meant everything to me.

Today, Donna is a recognized educator with eight colorist awards. She pays it forward in her role as a Supercuts VP.

I love to teach and train other stylists. I’m always looking for who I can help. Every time I grow a business, I get to hire someone else and help them fulfill their dreams. I’ve stood for countless hours behind the same chair my employees do, and that gives me a huge advantage: I share their passion, I understand their hopes, dreams, disappointments, goals, and the drive for their next level.

Donna’s advice for her beginner stylists: put your training to use right away.

It’s true what they say—use it or lose it! The best thing you can do when you’re starting out is to go into an atmosphere right away where you can practice what you’ve learned. Start at a place like Supercuts. You’ll use every skill you’ve learned immediately, because you’ll get such a huge variety of clients walking through your door every single day. One year at Supercuts is worth five years anywhere else.

So what’s her message for other mid-career artists thinking about pivoting to a franchise space like Supercuts?

At Supercuts specifically, what you’ll find is support. It’s such a safe space to grow as a professional. There’s a full array of career opportunities for anyone who wants it, and you really can follow your ambitions to the top.

That’s what I love most about our industry—I’ve gone from being a single mom with nothing more than a high school diploma and a cosmetology license to the VP of an organization! What other industry allows for that type of growth?

Supercuts is a place where artists build their craft, their communities, and their careers—at every point in their journey. Ready to learn more? Visit: https://jobs.supercuts.com/