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Franchisee Focus: Houston Rising

chairs in a barbershop
This is the latest in an ongoing series highlighting the talented and interesting Strategic-partners that are building the newest TGP clubs around the United States. Our last profile was of Peter Terracina in Chicago.Jeffrey Stocks is no stranger to building businesses: it’s been something he’s done since graduating from Duke University. He started a small accounting and consulting firm while at his first job out of college at Ernst and Young. After some time in the corporate world, Jeffrey returned to school, not just to pick up a law degree in the US (where he graduated first in his class) but he flew across the pond to pick up a Masters’s in International Business Law at the London School of Economics.

With an accounting and law background, Jeffrey was even more sought after, a reality underlined by a few years at Baker Botts where he practiced corporate and securities law. It was also during this time that Jeffrey started offering his services pro bono for children who immigrated to the United States completely on their own – with no parents or family. He was recognized in 2010 for outstanding work in this field with the Frank J. Scurlock Award from the State Bar of Texas.

Restless to build, Jeffrey became a turnaround consultant for two businesses over a four-year period. He then purchased a commercial construction company and increased its revenue by 30x. It went on to grow and make another acquisition before being acquired by JE Dunn in 2010. Never one to rest on his laurels, Jeffrey was already hired as a CFO by industrial and environmental firm PSC during the acquisition of his companies. He helped PSC sell two divisions in the past 4 years before coming across The Gents Place opportunity on Facebook.

“I was intrigued at first because I saw the opportunity to really capitalize on something that was a necessity (haircuts), not just a luxury,” Jeffrey noted. “But it was when I got to meet the owners and founders of The Gents Place that I was really sold: not just on their vision, but on the secret sauce of providing exceptional service to customers.” Not long after, Jeffrey signed on the dotted line to open a total of six locations in the Houston area.

The first of those locations had its challenges due to Hurricane Harvey, including a bit more time than usual to get a building permit, but the momentum built after that was obtained, and the location has been in build-out mode since November 2017. It is set to open in February 2018 in a great location in the River Oaks area of Houston with lots of parking and strong anchor restaurants nearby.

Jeff has strong ties to Houston (he’s a Memorial HS graduate) and with plans to open five more TGP clubs there in the coming years, he is excited to bring the next level in men’s grooming to a town he calls home.