When Brenda finished cosmetology school, she went the traditional route: a full-service salon. Then she got married, had kids, and worked in retail for a while, until a friend from school called with a suggestion. 

Try Great Clips. 

“The Great Clips brand was new to the Baltimore area, so I wasn’t sure what to think,” Brenda says. Still, she interviewed for a job with a local franchise owner. Her goal was simple: to get a stylist position, nothing more. Yet within two weeks of being hired, Brenda was an assistant manager. 

From Stylist to GM in Seven Years 

Fast forward a year and a half, Brenda was promoted to salon manager. Shortly after, she was given a choice to manage a new Great Clips salon that her franchise organization was opening 30 minutes from home with the chance to build her team from scratch or stay at her existing salon which was conveniently just 8 minutes from home. 

She chose to stay but kept her eye on growth and opportunity for the salon and her team. “Early on, I noticed a few things that could improve the floor plan of the salon, so I set a goal,” Brenda says. “If we could hit a record week, I’d talk to my franchisees about altering the layout of the salon floor.”  

It took Brenda’s team two weeks to achieve that goal. 

"They redesigned the floor! It’s still laid out that way today," Brenda says, smiling. 

After seven years managing that location, Brenda stepped into a general manager role. That was 23 years ago and today, she oversees seven salons across Baltimore. 

The Award She Didn't See Coming 

In 2022, Brenda and her team traveled to Convention, an event that brings together Great Clips leaders, franchisees, and salon team members from across the U.S. and Canada. During the award ceremony, Brenda was named Great Clips General Manager of the Year.  

"I was shocked, and also proud of myself and proud of my team,” Brenda says. “I am so blessed with the managers I have! They have been with me a long time. It's the culmination of their work that makes me successful." 

Corie, a member of the Great Clips, Inc. operations team, wasn’t shocked by the win. “Brenda’s greatest strength is her care for her team,” Corie says. “She has built a culture of support, accountability, and growth, addressing challenges head-on and protecting the health of the business. She is truly a hidden gem who generously shares her knowledge, mentors others, and grows herself.”  

“Brenda excels at teaching, challenging, guiding, and protecting the standards that make the brand strong,” adds Christian, a franchisee who owns and operates 17 Great Clips salons, including the salons Brenda manages. “Her leadership, consistency, and commitment to excellence are exactly why she is so deeply respected across the Great Clips system.”  

What It Takes to Lead Well 

Ask Brenda about her management philosophy and she doesn't hesitate. 

"Communication must be open, honest, and transparent. And managers need to be humble. Sometimes you have to listen to opinions you don't agree with, but everyone has a voice and we can learn from each other." 

Her leadership style? People first. 

"It took a long time to learn this,” Brenda chuckles, “but my way is not always the right way.  I’ve found that there's so much more buy-in when your team has a voice and a say." 

She's also intentional about developing people from the beginning, long before they're ready to manage. "I always want my teams to understand the whys behind things. I want them to be successful." 

Brenda looks for specific qualities when identifying future managers: selflessness, a willingness to step in, a desire to learn, strong customer service, and the ability to lift others up. 

What She'd Tell a Stylist Considering Great Clips 

If a stylist is on the fence about Great Clips, she has a clear message. "Don’t hesitate," she says. 

Brenda points specifically to the education that’s available. While optional, the one-on-one technical coaching sessions have become a touchstone for her team, including her most senior stylists, who keep signing up and coming back. 

"They learn so much! These sessions are not just about the basics. They get stylists re-engaged with different techniques they haven’t seen before. It feeds their soul!”  

Before each session, the trainer asks what area the stylist wants to focus on. "It's tailored to their unique needs and goals," Brenda says. "That means something." 

Thirty Years In and Still Going 

What's next for someone who has achieved everything she set out to do, and then some? 

"I'm going to keep on keeping on," Brenda says. 

She's exactly where she wants to be: leading her team, developing the next generation of managers, and building on three decades of work. 

Are you ready to explore your career options? 

Locally owned and operated Great Clips® salons offer stylists a great place to start and stay!

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All Great Clips® salons are independently owned and operated by third party franchisees. Franchisees, not Great Clips, Inc., are responsible for all hiring and personnel matters at their individual salons.