After a year focused on getting the fundamentals right, Boardroom Salon for Men is heading into 2026 with a deliberate, performance-first mindset. Led by CEO Jeff Helfgott, Boardroom has taken a disciplined approach to growth rather than chasing speed. Helfgott, a multi-unit operator, Army combat veteran, and seasoned executive, has kept the focus on unit economics, franchisee support, and delivering a consistently strong in-salon experience.
Today, Boardroom operates 46 locations nationwide and has built a reputation for strong average unit volumes, a sticky membership model, and measured growth that protects franchisee returns. In the Q&A below, Jeff explains how that philosophy guides Boardroom’s expansion decisions, strengthens systemwide performance, and sets the brand up for long-term success in the years ahead.
Franchise Chatter (FC): Many franchise brands prioritize visibility and rapid expansion. What led Boardroom to pursue a more measured growth strategy, and how has that approach influenced unit-level performance?
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Colin started as a team member at 21 and now owns 6 locations in Tampa Bay. Lisa came from marketing and built 21 in San Diego. The most successful multi-unit owners move early and secure markets with room to grow. Use our free tool to search multiple ZIP codes and find franchises where you can still stack locations, before someone else does. A franchise specialist will be in touch to present what's available.Jeff Helfgott (JF): More companies die of indigestion than starvation, and that is doubly true in franchising. I want to make sure we are growing at a pace that allows us to deliver for new franchisees who are committing their net worth and their reputation to Boardroom. Just as important, we need to continue delivering for our existing franchisees before onboarding new ones. It takes time to learn how to do this the right way, and I am building Boardroom to succeed for the next 22 years.
FC: Why do so many men’s grooming brands struggle to sustain strong unit economics once growth begins to accelerate?
JF: Many brands underestimate operational complexity. This is not a passive income stream. It is a relationship business, and relationships are hard to scale unless you have committed partners who are willing to invest in their communities.
Boardroom is fairly unique in that we own and operate our own salons. When we talk about the operational complexity of attracting highly skilled stylists and barbers, labor scheduling, member utilization, and service mix, we are doing so from a position of 22 years of hard-earned experience.
FC: Boardroom’s average unit volumes approach seven figures without aggressive expansion. What leadership decisions were made to support sustainable growth and protect unit economics as the brand matured?
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When I owned a UPS Store, I learned firsthand how much your ZIP code shapes your outcome. I sold my store at a premium because my territory was in a high-value area. The best areas go first, and once they're gone, they're gone. Enter your ZIP code, and a territory specialist will walk you through the franchises still available near you, drawing on information that isn't publicly accessible, saving you months of wasted research.🔴Free Webinar: 6 Under-the-Radar Franchise Concepts That Serious Buyers Should Know
Every month we feature 6 standout franchises that could be the opportunity you've been looking for, each evaluated on disclosed financials and matched to the type of buyer most likely to succeed with it. Can't attend live on October 27 at 6PM EST? Register now and we'll send you the full recording the next day. Reserve your spot here.JF: Three decisions mattered most:
First, we invested heavily in stylist recruiting and retention. We are a people business, and we need the best stylists and barbers to deliver the best experiences. That is why our recruiting team makes up more than 12 percent of our salon support team.
Second, we optimized for frequency and retention. Our membership economics were designed to reward consistency, not discounting.
Finally, we made meaningful investments in marketing, which led to a more than 40 percent increase in new clients.
All of these changes came from listening to our franchise partners and our internal team, and they were informed by the best data stack I have ever seen in a business of this size.
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When I owned a UPS Store, I learned firsthand how much your ZIP code shapes your outcome. I sold my store at a premium because my territory was in a high-value area. The best areas go first, and once they're gone, they're gone. Enter your ZIP code, and a territory specialist will walk you through the franchises still available near you, drawing on information that isn't publicly accessible, saving you months of wasted research.📈Dreaming of Multi‑Unit Success? Lock In Prime Territories Before They're Gone.
Colin started as a team member at 21 and now owns 6 locations in Tampa Bay. Lisa came from marketing and built 21 in San Diego. The most successful multi-unit owners move early and secure markets with room to grow. Use our free tool to search multiple ZIP codes and find franchises where you can still stack locations, before someone else does. A franchise specialist will be in touch to present what's available.FC: You’ve spoken about building infrastructure before accelerating growth. In practical terms, what does that mean for a service-based franchise system?
JF: Building the plane while you are flying works in VC-backed businesses because investors expect it. Franchisees expect performance.
Our business intelligence capabilities are second to none for a brand our size. We have invested in a sophisticated HubSpot solution, with daily improvements to automated lifecycle marketing that have contributed to our best-ever customer retention. We have optimized our website to reduce clicks for members and improve new-client conversion. We have also brought learnings from multiple industries into our membership platform, which has helped us achieve churn levels on par with, or better than, streaming services.
All of this creates predictability for franchisees and removes uncertainty so they can focus on what matters most: their team and delivering a great client experience.
FC: How do corporate-owned locations help validate operational changes before they’re introduced across the broader franchise network?
JF: If something improves cash flow, retention, or stylist productivity in corporate salons, it earns the right to be rolled out systemwide. If it does not, we end it quickly. While we are constantly learning and sharing insights with franchisees, one of the strengths of a franchise system is the entrepreneurial energy franchisees bring.
From time to time, franchisees come to us with ideas they want to pilot. If they believe in an idea enough to invest their own capital, and if it builds on Boardroom’s reputation, we all benefit from their willingness to try new things.
FC: With labor pressure and rising costs affecting service brands nationwide, how has Boardroom equipped franchisees to respond proactively rather than react defensively?
JF: In my experience, the best franchise systems write their playbook in pencil, not pen. Client behavior, provider needs, and the macroeconomic environment all change. We have examined everything from our in-salon supply chain to our build standards, and value engineered where needed to ensure we are investing in the areas that truly delight customers.
We also use data to hold a mirror up to both our corporate salons and our franchisees so we can see where P&Ls can improve. Sometimes that means making larger investments if they drive stronger revenue. These decisions are guided by system-level data, not personal opinions.
FC: What operational habits or management disciplines consistently distinguish Boardroom’s highest-performing locations, and how are those expectations reinforced across the system?
JF: Relationships. There are thousands of barbershops, and many of them are good. What makes Boardroom different is the investment we make in relationships with our clients.
We have members who have been with us for our entire 22-year history, and we have stylists who have been with us since the very beginning. We earn that loyalty by being exceptional in our services and in the relationships we build with both our team and our clients.
FC: As deal flow slows across franchising, how does a performance-first mindset reshape the way you evaluate growth opportunities heading into 2026?
JF: It forces discipline. We are less interested in how fast Boardroom can grow and more interested in how well it performs.
We are prioritizing well-capitalized operators who are ready to earn a place in their communities, markets with durable demand, and opportunities where infrastructure already exists or can be built before scaling. Anyone can sell licenses for a few years. We are focused on building a Boardroom that our kids’ kids can own.
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