How Sharkey’s Owners Make Semi-Absentee Ownership Work

• Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids offers semi-absentee, manager-run franchise ownership opportunities.
• Franchise owners can maintain their careers or other interests while overseeing their businesses with the help of a management team.
• The award-winning children’s hair salon franchise is approaching 300 locations nationwide, with more in development.
• Sharkey’s franchisees share how they balance their careers, manage their teams and grow their businesses.

Who says you have to quit your day job to become a franchise owner? For professionals looking to build something of their own without walking away from a successful career, semi-absentee franchise ownership can offer an appealing path. With the right business model and a strong team in place, owners can grow their investments while continuing to pursue other professional interests.

Award-winning Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids brings this opportunity to a franchise business built around something families always need: haircuts. That everyday necessity makes the business more resilient during economic ups and downs. “Kids will always need haircuts, and you cannot get that on Amazon or AI,” says co-founder and CEO Scott Sharkey.

But Sharkey’s is no ordinary hair salon. With themed chairs, cartoons, video games and plenty of kid-friendly fun, Sharkey’s turns a routine haircut into an experience children and families look forward to. Founded in 2001 by husband-and-wife team Linda and Scott Sharkey, Sharkey’s is a business for entrepreneurs, executives and investors who want to build a team and grow a business. “We are not looking for hairstylists or people with haircutting experience. In fact, we prefer owners who have never cut hair,” Scott says.

At Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids, haircuts are all about fun! From kid-friendly entertainment to stylists trained to make little customers feel comfortable and excited, every visit is designed to be a great experience.

While their teams ensure kids have a great experience at Sharkey’s, franchise owners can focus on the bigger picture. Sharkey’s semi-absentee, manager-run model allows franchise owners to rely on trained managers and stylists to run day-to-day operations while they oversee finances, marketing, staffing and growth. It’s not a hands-off investment, but it can offer the flexibility to build a business without making it a full-time job.

In the following profiles, Sharkey’s franchisees share how they balance successful careers with business ownership, why they chose the brand and what they’ve learned about building reliable teams.

The Bromleys

> We weren’t looking to purchase a business that would require us to personally work 40 or more hours a week to make it successful.

For Dennis and Sandi Bromley (above with family and top with team), the idea of owning a business wasn’t spending every day in a shop behind the counter. They wanted something they could grow while making room for other responsibilities.

The Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids franchise opportunity offered a way to put their different strengths to work. Dennis brought experience in leadership roles in financial services. Sandi, a licensed cosmetologist, understood the salon side. The children’s haircut franchise appealed to both of them.

“We weren’t looking to purchase a business that would require us to personally work 40 or more hours a week to make it successful,” Dennis says.

They also liked the family atmosphere, straightforward service and help getting started. “Sharkey’s provides a comprehensive package that includes much of what is needed to get a salon up and running,” Dennis says.

Growing Together

The Bromleys opened their first salon in South Jordan, Utah, in December 2018. A year later, they purchased two existing locations in Gilbert and Mesa, Ariz. They added a new salon in Saratoga Springs, Utah, in 2022 and acquired a location in Scottsdale, Ariz., in November 2025.

“Something that has made our journey particularly interesting is discovering just how different each of our locations can be, even though they’re all part of the same franchise and owned by the same people. Every community has its own demographics, customer expectations, competitive environment, and market dynamics. Operating in different cities and states has challenged us to learn what works best in each location rather than assuming the same approach will produce the same results everywhere,” Dennis says.

Today, they own five salons with more than 35 employees. Their division of responsibilities helps make that possible. Sandi now spends approximately 20 hours a week supporting five salons (three to five hours a week, with one to two salons) and its operations, working with managers and stylists on staffing, scheduling, employee development and service standards. Salon managers handle daily responsibilities at each location.

Dennis has been spending about two to five hours a week per salon on finances, marketing, strategy and growth while serving as executive director of Courage Reins, a Utah nonprofit providing equine-assisted services to help people improve their physical, emotional, social or cognitive well-being. He is transitioning away from that full-time position to devote more time to their salons.

“Our complementary roles, combined with strong salon managers and established operating systems, have allowed us to manage multiple locations without needing to be physically present in the salons every day,” he says.

Staying Involved in Semi-Absentee Ownership

Flexibility is central to semi-absentee franchise ownership. Managers oversee daily operations while owners remain involved in leadership and business performance. “The most important thing we would tell someone is that semi-absentee ownership does not mean passive ownership,” Dennis says.

Staffing has been their biggest challenge, particularly finding, developing and keeping good stylists and managers. The couple focuses on developing managers, improving scheduling and service, tracking performance and keeping families coming back. “We believe good leadership means developing capable people and empowering them to succeed rather than trying to do everything ourselves,” Dennis says.

The Bromleys enjoy seeing employees take on new responsibilities and welcoming families who have visited for years. “For us, the greatest satisfaction doesn’t come from the number of salons we own,” Dennis says. “It comes from happy clients, great employees and the relationships we’ve built along the way.”

The Luevanos

Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids franchise owners Laurie and Andrew Luevano (right) with members of their team and their 4-year-old son, Hudson, who is also a happy Sharkey’s customer!

> Building a business isn’t about doing everything yourself; it’s about building a trusted team that can execute the vision alongside you.

Laurie Luevano spends her weekdays helping shape the future of artificial intelligence partnerships at Google. On Saturdays, she steps into a different world — one filled with kids, colorful salon chairs and fresh haircuts at Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids.

For Laurie, owning a franchise with her husband, Andrew, has opened the door to entrepreneurship without putting her successful 12-plus-year career on hold. The key? Building a strong team and knowing when to let them take the lead.

“Building a business isn’t about doing everything yourself; it’s about building a trusted team that can execute the vision alongside you,” she says.

Semi-absentee ownership has been ideal for the couple’s goals. With a dependable team managing daily salon operations, the Luevanos can focus on the bigger picture, from supporting her employees to finding new opportunities for growth.

Finding the Right Fit

During more than 12 years at Google, Laurie has developed strategic partnerships, managed a $1.5 billion investment portfolio and taken on her current role as global program manager for AI partnerships. Along the way, she has learned about building strong teams, developing relationships and managing growth — skills that translate naturally to franchise ownership.

As their growing suburban community was welcoming more young families, the Luevanos noticed there were few quality businesses catering specifically to children. Sharkey’s stood out as a way to fill that gap. The brand combines an everyday service families need with a fun, kid-friendly experience. Its focus on families, innovative use of technology and supportive culture won them over.

“From day one, you don’t feel like just another franchisee — you feel like an essential part of the Sharkey’s family,” Laurie says.

The Luevanos opened their first Sharkey’s salon in Kyle, Texas, in October 2025, and they’re already looking ahead. A second location is planned for November 2026 in Dripping Springs, Texas, with a third in their sights for 2027.

Trusting the Team

Laurie spends about three to five hours a week running the business, handling payroll, marketing, scheduling and hiring. She speaks with her management team at least daily and makes herself available to employees.

Saturday visits provide time to connect with staff, talk with families and enjoy the salon’s seasonal decorations. “It keeps us grounded in why we started this business in the first place: to create a joyful, vibrant hub for our community,” she says.

A salon manager and stylist leads daily operations and will also oversee the new location. An assistant manager, who has been with the business since opening, helps mentor and train stylists.

The Luevano’s business currently has 13 employees, including high school students studying cosmetology who gain experience as salon assistants. Laurie loves supporting young people while helping develop future talent.

Staying Connected

Even with experienced managers in place, semi-absentee ownership requires ongoing attention to everyday staffing needs, including scheduling, employee retention and maintaining consistent service levels. These are normal aspects of running a service-based business and can be effectively managed with the right team and systems in place.

The Luevanos addresses those issues through ongoing recruiting, clear policies and scheduling that considers both employee needs and busy salon hours. Their managers reinforce expectations and resolve problems as they arise. “The most important thing to know is that ‘semi-absentee’ does not mean ‘hands-off,’” Laurie advises.

The rewards are personal, too. The Luevanos enjoy seeing children look forward to haircuts and watching young employees gain confidence. Building the business together also gives their son a firsthand look at entrepreneurship.

“You don’t have to limit yourself to one path,” Laurie says. “You can maintain a thriving corporate career while building a successful local business.”

About Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids

Founded in 2001 by Linda and Scott Sharkey, Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids has grown into the world’s No. 1 children’s hair salon franchise, transforming everyday haircuts into fun experiences for kids and families. Since beginning franchising in 2006, the brand has expanded to more than 220 locations across the United States, with another 78 in development and approximately 40 scheduled to open in 2026. Under CEO Scott Sharkey’s leadership, the company is planning international expansion in 2027, putting it on track to surpass 300 locations worldwide. The award-winning brand ranked No. 1 in the children’s hair care category, No. 346 on the Franchise 500 and No. 118 among the fastest-growing franchises in Entrepreneur’s 2026 rankings. Sharkey’s ambitious growth plans reflect the continued strength of franchising as a path to business ownership. According to the International Franchise Association’s 2026 Franchising Economic Outlook, more than 12,000 new franchise establishments are projected to open nationwide in 2026.

For more information about franchise ownership opportunities, visit Sharkey’s Franchising Company.