Just Right

Azeb Manyahele, Luke Sheehan and family at Just Cuts Westfield Newmarket

Just Cuts couple plan hair today, more tomorrow

Growing up in Ethiopia, Azeb Manyahele and her friends spent hours braiding and styling each other’s hair. Now a qualified hairdresser, Azeb is living the dream – with husband Luke Sheehan, she is the owner of the Just Cuts salon in Westfield Newmarket.

The couple, who have two children, purchased the existing Just Cuts Newmarket franchise in May this year. With Azeb on the scissors three days a week, Luke handles administration, and says that the systems are so simple to operate that he is already looking at opening more Just Cuts salons.

Let’s do hair

‘After 10 years managing supermarket departments for Foodstuffs and then owning a small juice franchise, I saw my future in FMCG or the financial markets,’ explains Luke. ‘But, having sold the franchise, we wanted to be in business together. We had capital from investments and selling our home, so Azeb said, “Let’s do hair!”

‘Our local Just Cuts in New Lynn is always pumping with clients, so we started looking into the brand and very quickly appreciated why it is the Southern Hemisphere’s largest and most successful hairdressing group. We spoke to some Just Cuts franchisees, who told us how much they valued the franchisor team’s practical and moral support, particularly during the Covid lockdowns. The training is excellent and very thorough and, if we’d needed finance, Just Cuts has a great track record with the banks.

‘Another reason for choosing Just Cuts is the way the business can ride out any economic hiccups. Hair always needs cutting and we’re very affordable, so even in hard times people come to Just Cuts. Hair cutting can't be done online, either, so it's a very sustainable business - another reason we're looking at opening more.'

Just Cuts is a full-service salon, apart from hair colouring. ‘No colouring means a chemical-free environment that extends to our own-brand haircare products,’ says Luke. ‘In addition, there are no appointments needed, and we offer set-price cutting and styling backed by a seven-day written guarantee.’

No experience needed

As an experienced business manager, Luke says that you don’t need a hairdressing background but having the right staff is vital. ‘Currently we have seven at Newmarket, including Azeb – all brilliant, experienced and passionate hairdressers. Their reputations are a big contributor to the fact that, in just a few months, we are already averaging a profitable 350 haircuts per week. And having great staff also means we’re getting more time with our kids.’

Just Cuts franchise opportunities are available in locations throughout New Zealand, with investment levels ranging from $170,000 to $270,000. The simple flat fee structure requires a commitment of just 14 haircuts per week. Azeb and Luke sum it up: ‘For us, Just Cuts is a profitable, repeat client opportunity which is head and shoulders above anything else.’

Advertiser Info

Just Cuts

Contact Zenardia Anderberg

P 0061 2 9527 5444 M 0061 4 8860 0036

mailto:bdm@justcuts.com

https://justcuts.co.nz/

Luke Sheehan and Azeb Manyahele: 'The business can ride out any economic hiccups'