---
title: "Pigtails & Crewcuts CEO Wade Brannon on Growth and Franchise Support"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/43260ff9-3ef2-43ac-a134-2ba012c40390
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts/franchise-qb-podcast-ceo-wade-brannon-shares-how-pigtails-crewcuts-is-growing-in-the-kids-salon-market-2730382
category: "Hair & salon suites"
industry: "Beauty & Wellness"
segment: "Hair & salon suites"
topics: ["People"]
published: 2025-09-30T20:15:41.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T00:53:00.693Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/1759263382_2730382.png
---

# Pigtails & Crewcuts CEO Wade Brannon on Growth and Franchise Support

**TL;DR:** Wade Brannon, CEO of Pigtails & Crewcuts, discusses the growth of the kids' salon brand and the importance of franchise support. The brand has grown to around 80 locations across the country since Brannon acquired it in 2004.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2025-09-30. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts/franchise-qb-podcast-ceo-wade-brannon-shares-how-pigtails-crewcuts-is-growing-in-the-kids-salon-market-2730382).*

## Story

Wade Brannon, President and CEO of Pigtails & Crewcuts, recently sat down with Mike Halpern, host of The Franchise QB Podcast, to talk about his path in franchising and the growth of the kids’ salon brand. Brannon has spent more than four decades in the industry and first came across Pigtails & Crewcuts as a parent. After seeing how the salon made haircuts easier for his own child, he recognized an opportunity to turn it into a franchise system. He acquired the company in 2004 and has guided its steady expansion ever since.

Today, Pigtails & Crewcuts has grown to around 80 locations across the country. The brand operates in the kids’ salon segment of the $60 billion hair industry, a space with plenty of room for national growth. Many franchise owners begin as hands-on operators and later step back into a manager-run or semi-absentee role, often opening additional salons as they grow.

Brannon says the goal has always been to make the salons a place where children can relax and parents don’t feel stressed. Families come back because the visit is easier than at a typical haircut shop. He also notes that giving back to the community is something the brand takes seriously. Franchisees take part in school supply drives, volunteer efforts and local partnerships, building connections with the families they serve.

Support for owners extends beyond the grand opening. Franchisees receive help with site selection, lease negotiations, training, marketing and operations. The brand has also shifted to a more appointment-based model, which has helped owners better manage staffing and improve efficiency since the pandemic.

Brannon says growth will continue but at a measured pace, to add the right people in the right markets. With an investment range of about $130,000 to $280,000, the franchise attracts those who enjoy working with families and have strong people skills — qualities Brannon believes are essential for long-term success.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- franchise growth (topic)
- Beauty & Wellness (sector)
- franchise support (topic)
- expansion plans (topic)
- Pigtails & Crewcuts (company)
- Wade Brannon (person)
- kids salon (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts/franchise-qb-podcast-ceo-wade-brannon-shares-how-pigtails-crewcuts-is-growing-in-the-kids-salon-market-2730382). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/43260ff9-3ef2-43ac-a134-2ba012c40390).