Capturing the Cutting Edge

After 22 years in corporate sales and marketing, Jim Butenschoen of Springdale, Ark. decided that he’d had enough. “Corporate became more important than the customers. Internal processes and procedure, while important, were valued more than the needs of our clients. I really wanted to control my own destiny.”

Butenschoen spent five years searching for the perfect business to buy and decided on a beauty school. It’s not the industry he thought he’d join, but he liked the idea of growing a mom-and-pop operation.

Before his schools were up and running, he utilized Guidant’s iFinance service for funding. “The most impressive aspect of Guidant was their comprehensive approach to the entire process from incorporation of the business with all of the supporting documentation to the annual reporting requirements.”

Now, business is booming—Butenschoen has opened a total of four schools and moved the first two to larger facilities to accommodate continued growth. A beautiful business, for sure.

For more information on the Career Academy of Hair Design, visit their official website.