This episode is with Laura Torres, the manager of Sport Clips Palm Desert in California. Her store currently has eight different fundraisers to support the Sport Clips VFW Help A Hero Scholarship Fund. In this interview, she shares how her team has come together to raise funds for veterans returning to civilian life. Laura also chronicles her phenomenal success since joining Sport Clips, becoming a U.S. Citizen and what's next for her career and family.
| Episode Air Date |
Guest Name |
Guest Title |
Topic(s) |
| November 1, 2019 |
Laura Torres |
Manager |
Organizing multiple fundraisers for Help A Hero. |
Each episode of the Podcast is also available on iTunes and the Google Play store.
Transcription:
Chad Jordan: Hey everybody, this is Chad Jordan. This is another edition of our Sport Clips Hall of Fame Podcast. Today's going to be a fun episode. If you're watching this on YouTube, hello. You can see we're wearing some special hats. I have driven, and my guest here knows this, actually it was my wife who drove most of the way, I have driven six hours, I spent today in the car, to get to this store because they were having a very special occasion that I wanted to be a part of. So, fortunately, my wife was able to come along, we had kind of a date, and she drove. I worked on the computer. And, we made it all the way here to lovely Palm Desert, California. This is part of the Mojave Desert. And, it's funny, because I come here every year, every summer with my family. So, it's kind of weird not having my kids with me.
And, I come here and I visited this store. In fact, the young lady we're going to hear from here, before, she has cut my hair, done a fantastic job. I think we did a time-lapse video-
Laura Torres: Yes, we did.
Chad Jordan: ... one time we did, right? So, anyways. But, there is a very special reason I came, not during the summer, but I came here in the fall. It's really nice to wear a jacket, here by the way-
Laura Torres: I know.
Chad Jordan: ... which I've never had to do before. But, let's get to who you are, and then we'll get to why I'm here. So, first of all, why don't you tell me your name, your role here at this store, how long you've been working here, you're Sport Clips OG, so you've been working here since out of beauty school, but give me a little bit of your background. Who are you, and what are you doing here?
Laura Torres: All right. First, I want to start by thanking you for coming in and making it.
Chad Jordan: My pleasure, mm-hmm (affirmative).
Laura Torres: My name is Laura Torres. I've been with Sport Clips for six years, this upcoming January.
Chad Jordan: Okay, six years here. All right.
Laura Torres: Yes, and I've been managing this store for almost two years.
Chad Jordan: Okay. So, you're the manager of the Palm Desert location. So this is, we said, CA 680?
Laura Torres: 601.
Chad Jordan: 601, okay.
Laura Torres: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Chad Jordan: Were you at the store the whole time?
Laura Torres: The whole time.
Chad Jordan: Okay, so all six years.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Right out of beauty school?
Laura Torres: Yes. Two months after.
Chad Jordan: So, two months after. And, is there a beauty school in the area, or?
Laura Torres: Yes. El La Quinta.
Chad Jordan: Okay. Okay, La Quinta. I was at the La Quinta store earlier, so I saw Trisha and her team, and they were amazing, and they actually gave me a basket of a trick or treat stuff.
Laura Torres: Awesome.
Chad Jordan: Yeah. With a bunch of Mountain Dew in it, of course. So, the reason I'm here today, you're doing something special for Help a Hero. This is our Help A Hero time. We're recording, this is on a Tuesday, this podcast is going to air during the Help A Hero time. What is it exactly that you're doing? And, by the way, if you're watching on YouTube, hi. If you're listening to this, we are wearing our Krispy Kreme hats right now, because part of our fundraiser is a Krispy Kreme fundraiser. So, tell me a little bit about that, and how that is raising funds for our Help A Hero Scholarship.
Laura Torres: So, last year they did our first Krispy Kreme in the valley. And, I've heard before that they are really good with fundraisers, and I've done it in money with some of the soccer teams, and all that.
Chad Jordan: Mm-hmm (affirmative). And, Krispy Kreme hadn't opened until last year?
Laura Torres: Yeah, and so, last year-
Chad Jordan: Oh, so it's new to the area.
Laura Torres: It's new to the area.
Chad Jordan: Oh, that's even better. Okay.
Laura Torres: Yes. It's near to the area. Everybody likes Krispy Kreme.
Chad Jordan: Yes, mm-hmm (affirmative). I've been known to like-
Laura Torres: Oh, yes.
Chad Jordan: ... and Have a Krispy Kreme doughnut, a time or two. All right.
Laura Torres: Yeah, so I thought, why not approach them and see if we can work together. And, it's not far from here. It's about 10 minutes away from here. I approached them, we fill out the application form, and they were up to it. We decided to do the fundraiser two ways with the BOGO cards.
Chad Jordan: Okay. The Buy One Get One free cards.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: They're $20, right?
Laura Torres: They're $20, and there were the 120. Because-
Chad Jordan: So, and of the 20, the store keeps 10, right?
Laura Torres: Uh-huh (affirmative). Out of the-
Chad Jordan: Right. So, you got to give 10 back for every card sold, and then 10 goes to Help A Hero?
Laura Torres: Exactly.
Chad Jordan: And then, it's buy one get one free, like 10 dozen doughnuts or something, is the way that work.
Laura Torres: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Laura Torres: And, you can redeem three per day.
Chad Jordan: Okay. Yeah, that sounds like something I'll do. Okay, so that's one way. But then today... I mean, by the way, again, if you're watching on YouTube, you've seen, we've already polished off some of these doughnuts here. So, you've got glazed doughnuts that you've purchased...
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: And, by the way, they are so fresh. I picked one up, it started to fall apart in my hand, it was so fresh and soft.
Laura Torres: Only Krispy Kreme.
Chad Jordan: It was delicious. So, you picked those up, and you paid $6 a box, right?
Laura Torres: Correct.
Chad Jordan: And then, you sell them for 12?
Laura Torres: We're selling them... Correct.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Laura Torres: So, a $6 profit.
Chad Jordan: So, $6 goes right to Help A Hero. And, you're able to do this... Because, I actually did it, I participated by buying a box. With the kiosk-
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Tell me how you got it, so that funds get tracked properly.
Laura Torres: So, what we're going to do, I bought the 25,000 doughnuts for 150.
Chad Jordan: Right, okay.
Laura Torres: And, all the credit card ones that go out into the kiosk will be directly towards Help A Hero.
Chad Jordan: Uh-huh (affirmative).
Laura Torres: And, I'll take off my 150 out of cash donations.
Chad Jordan: Got it. Okay.
Laura Torres: So, then it'll be even even.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, I see. And, the way that it works is, when a client goes to checkout, that he can put a donation towards Help A Hero, and hits-
Laura Torres: Yeah, and you click other.
Chad Jordan: Hits the other button, and then types in $12.
Laura Torres: Correct.
Chad Jordan: Right, and that's how that works. And, you're able to track it that way. So, I've seen, and by the way, hopefully you guys have already seen the video that we've recorded here, we put it on Facebook and Instagram, of us showing, it's not just Krispy Kreme Doughnuts that you're doing for help a hero, but we'll talk about that in a second, but you're tracking your progress. You're trying to hit, I know you said $2,500 but we're... We're-
Laura Torres: We're going to aim for 3,000.
Chad Jordan: 3,000, because then everybody wins. Especially, because your online check-in percentage is high already, right?
Laura Torres: [crosstalk 00:06:17].
Chad Jordan: So, if it's above 40%, and you got $33,000 in Help A Hero, all your team members won the "Do it with passion" shirt. And then, some fun pep rally game that we get to do. So, you're doing the Krispy Kreme, which I came down here for. And, by the way, Laura is so sweet. I mean, again, I try to see her every year, if I can, or see her at Huddle. And, she had reached out to me, and had told me, "Hey, I think I got a reason that you should come to Palm Desert, in the fall." And, it was at Krispy Kreme Doughnut fundraiser.
So, when I saw that and it was for Help A Hero, of course I wanted to come be part of it, but I didn't realize that you were doing all these other things, as well. I was just thinking, okay, well cool, you're doing Krispy Kreme, and that'll raise... that'll get you, hopefully, maybe, to your $1,000, or something like that. But can you quickly, and by the way, I do want to capture a little bit of your story, because we got some great things that are going on with you. But, tell me a little bit about the other things that you're doing with... It's not just health, it's not just crispy cream. You got raffles, and pie in the face. Give me a overview of all the stuff that your store is doing.
Laura Torres: Okay. So, first we're doing a $1 donations for pie on the face, and I got-
Chad Jordan: Okay. So, when do you ask the client about that? When he's sitting in the chair, as he's checking out, as he's coming in for the huddle? When are you bringing that up?
Laura Torres: We usually tell them, often, when we're checking them out, after they said no to doing the raffle tickets, which are $5 and $10, we'll be like-
Chad Jordan: So, the raffle is the high ticket thing?
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Yeah. Like, they got to spend a lot of money, 5 or 10 bucks. But, if they only want to spend a buck, you got to way to get them?
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Laura Torres: And, we always tell them there's a couple stylists that are doing a... have pie on their face. And, we make it even fun-er, we let them know that the owner is participating, and it automatically gets them.
Chad Jordan: Everybody wants to put it in for that guy.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Which H, Harry, goes by "H," is participating.
Laura Torres: So, that's the number one thing. And then, we're doing $5 tickets for a carwash, mobile carwash, and then we're doing-
Chad Jordan: Now, hold on. Is that a raffle, or they get the car wash for $5?
Laura Torres: No. It's the raffle ticket for $5.
Chad Jordan: Okay, uh-huh (affirmative).
Laura Torres: And, all this raffles-
Chad Jordan: Oh, it's a mobile detailing?
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Oh, I see. Okay.
Laura Torres: It's mobile detailing car wash. And, all the raffles are going to be held on November 11th, on Veterans Day, at the end of the day.
Chad Jordan: Uh-huh (affirmative). Are you going to do it on, like, Facebook Live, or something like that?
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Cool.
Laura Torres: This will be our second year doing it.
Chad Jordan: Okay, awesome.
Laura Torres: And, it totally works.
Chad Jordan: Yep.
Laura Torres: We have Tramway tickets, our Aerial Palm Springs tickets. We have that.
Chad Jordan: Yep. And so, if they don't know, there's a tram that takes you up the mountain, right?
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Into The Living Desert, or somewhere, whatever is over there.
Laura Torres: No, it takes you all the way to the San Jacinto mountains.
Chad Jordan: Okay. Yeah, it's awesome and, so-
Laura Torres: It's beautiful, and then during the winter, it gets a lot of snow.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, so it's really cool to take the tram up there, so you can win raffle tickets. You can win a ticket to that. And then, there's other things?
Laura Torres: Yes. We have our annual Tennis Gardens. Indian Wells.
Chad Jordan: Yes. Serena, and, all them come there.
Laura Torres: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: Yeah.
Laura Torres: Yeah, the very famous one, I think, is a top two in the world.
Chad Jordan: Yep. Yep.
Laura Torres: We got two main stadium tickets for donated.
Chad Jordan: Wow! Now, how are you getting these donated? What's going on?
Laura Torres: We caught the director.
Chad Jordan: Okay. So, you have relationships with these-
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: ... okay, people, uh-huh (affirmative).
Laura Torres: Yes, they're all clients.
Chad Jordan: Okay. Awesome.
Laura Torres: And then, we have a round of golf for two people, with Desert Willow, which, they're across the street from us, and we've done different golf events with them, as well.
Chad Jordan: If you're unfamiliar with the Palm Springs, Palm Desert area, it's all golf courses-
Laura Torres: It's all about the golf.
Chad Jordan: ... everywhere! Okay. So, you got some golf course stuff.
Laura Torres: Golf, tennis, and then we have a 50" TV.
Chad Jordan: Yeah. No, no, no, 55"!
Laura Torres: 55 TV, H.
Chad Jordan: Come on. H, the team leader has donated that, and it's here, like it's literally in the box. Clients can see it. And so, is this $5 for that, or $10?
Laura Torres: $10.
Chad Jordan: $10 for that ticket.
Laura Torres: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Laura Torres: Which has been a really big hit.
Chad Jordan: Right. Oh yeah, for 10 bucks, to win a TV like that. I mean, that's amazing.
Laura Torres: Yeah, it's been a big hit. And, we also partnered with Denny's, the restaurant.
Chad Jordan: Okay. Yep, uh-huh (affirmative).
Laura Torres: I got to meet him on a Backpack Bonanza event that we did at the beginning of the school year. I got to meet the owner of the Coachella Valley Denny's.
Chad Jordan: Cool.
Laura Torres: I got to talk to him, and he's an awesome guy. Gary, his name is Gary, and he donated breakfast cards, which we're doing it for $5 donations. And, we also have an event coming up in November 8, which is going to be a benefit night, and he's going to donate 20% of the sales.
Chad Jordan: So, he's doing two things.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: He donated the $5 gift cards, right? Essentially-
Laura Torres: Yes, 100 of them.
Chad Jordan: Okay. So, people can buy breakfast for five bucks, essentially.
Laura Torres: Yes, mm-hmm (affirmative).
Chad Jordan: That's amazing. And then, the second thing is, they go, on November 8th, for dinner, you said?
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Okay, to go for dinner, which, Denny's is mostly a breakfast place, so this is cool, because it'll bring people in to dinner, for them. And then, if they mention-
Laura Torres: 20%.
Chad Jordan: If, what, do they mention Sport Clips, or Help A Hero, or something?
Laura Torres: Yes, they only have to mention Help A Hero. We'll be there.
Chad Jordan: Oh, okay.
Laura Torres: Because we're going to be raffling out the TV there, and we'll be mentioning, also, promoting our veterans event, for the free haircuts.
Chad Jordan: Okay. So, the TV gets raffled off at Denny's?
Laura Torres: No, on Veterans Day, on the 11th.
Chad Jordan: Okay. Okay, okay. But, you're just mentioning that when people come-
Laura Torres: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Chad Jordan: Got it, okay.
Laura Torres: And we're bringing the TV, just to raise more funds for-
Chad Jordan: And, there's a couple of reasons I had asked Laura to join us on the podcast, and one was because she is doing so many different things for Help A Hero. It's one thing to hope clients will donate because it's on the kiosk. And I met some managers, and some stores, that's all they're doing, because clients are pretty gracious and generous, and they will do that. But, for you guys, I'm always looking for next-level kind of stores, and it seems like you are just going to that next level to find different ways. You're not just hoping clients are generous, you're incentivizing them, making it fun. I mean, your team seems to be loving all of this activity, and the energy. It is tremendous.
So, from somebody from the company headquarters, like me, to get to see this, it's such a joy, because the enthusiasm and the passion that you guys are bringing to it. By the way, she did get her "Do it with passion, or don't do it at all!" Brittany Fitzgerald shirt, because I visited her store. She is... this is a manager that is doing it with passion, who's bringing passion, and her team, to Help A Hero, in this very important fundraising time.
So, that's the first part of this podcast, is, I wanted to capture this energy, and all the activity that you've got going on, and hopefully inspire other stores who might just be hoping clients will donate a dollar here or there, but let them know there are other things that they can do-
Laura Torres: Definitely.
Chad Jordan: ... and it does take some work. We're not going to beat around the Bush, right? It is-
Laura Torres: It really does. At the beginning, we... I started planning this two months prior to Help A Hero. I started gathering up all my ideas, and even the stylists, at that point, we had just hired one of the stylists, who is in charge of social media, now. And she told me, "Oh, you know..." Because, she came from another Sport Clips in Seattle, and she had done that in the past. And, she's like, "Laura, you have so many ideas, we'll see if we actually do them. We are going to make it possible."
Chad Jordan: So, you made a plan, and you put it together, and you got your team to buy in. Here's a question, at a pep rally, did you talk through all this kind of stuff, or what?
Laura Torres: Yes. We had a pep rally a month prior to Help A Hero, and I mentioned all the ideas, and then we had a really quick meeting the first day of Help A Hero. It was just about an hour meeting, and explained all the needs that we had in hand at that time.
Chad Jordan: I love it. Yeah.
Laura Torres: And, just confirm with them the pricing, and explain to them how to make it fun for the clients, to donate, and explain to them, they're really-
Chad Jordan: I've been here, I don't know, an hour or so, every single client has done something, whether they bought doughnuts. I think all the ones I saw bought doughnuts, and the pie in the... have done other things. So, that's why I'm so passionate about letting stores know, do something, because your clients will engage, and they're actually going to enjoy, and feel like they're giving back, but at the same time, there's something in it for them. So, it really is a win-win.
So, that is the very first part of the podcast that I definitely wanted to get with Laura, about. And then, the other part is, you're such an amazing woman, and even just listening to you... Yeah, we already talked about... I may have to clarify, because I may not always understand, and even when I've come in here over the summer, sometimes, I'll say, what can you repeat that? So, give me your background. Where were you born? Give all that kind of stuff. If people aren't picking up that your accent is... for somebody like me from the South, I'm used to one type of accent. So, where's your accent from?
Laura Torres: All right. So, I'm originally from Mexico, from Sinaloa. A lot of people don't know where it is, but I mention, near Mazatlán.
Chad Jordan: Yep. It's beautiful there.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Yes.
Laura Torres: I've never been there.
Chad Jordan: Uh-huh (affirmative). Since you left, right?
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, well.
Laura Torres: I came here when I was seven years old, so I've been here almost 20 years.
Chad Jordan: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Yep.
Laura Torres: Graduated high school.
Chad Jordan: Did you come to the Palm Springs area?
Laura Torres: No, I live more on the east side of the Coachella Valley.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Laura Torres: So, I live more in the agriculture part. I don't like the big city, so I stay away.
Chad Jordan: Yeah.
Laura Torres: I graduated high school in 2012. At that time I was dating my husband, now.
Chad Jordan: Uh-huh (affirmative). You almost said ex-boyfriend, because he is!
Laura Torres: No, no, my husband!
Chad Jordan: He is your ex, because you upgraded. But yeah.
Laura Torres: A year after then, right after high school, I went to beauty school for a year. A year after that, we got married. And, I became a citizen two days after I got married.
Chad Jordan: Wow.
Laura Torres: So, I got married March 21st, and became a citizen March 23rd.
Chad Jordan: You became a citizen on your honeymoon, right?
Laura Torres: Yes!
Chad Jordan: Yeah, so that's cool.
Laura Torres: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: You came right out of high school, since you did beauty school, had you known all that time, you wanted to be a stylist, or what happened?
Laura Torres: I come from a big family. Typical, for a Mexican family. I have four brothers, my sister, and myself, plus my dad and mom.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Laura Torres: So, my dad, when I was 16 years old, he used to do his haircut at home. And, he's like, "Laura, cut my hair." I'm like, "What?" He's like, "Yeah, cut my hair." He used to do a three on top, and a one on the sides and back. And I'm like, "Okay dad, I'll do it, but I don't know."
Chad Jordan: Yeah.
Laura Torres: And then, he was the one to give me the pair of clippers, and I started doing it.
Chad Jordan: And, it turned out good, I guess?
Laura Torres: Yes! Since then, I've been doing his hair cut, and that was when I was 16 years old. In high school I was taking AP classes. I was a good student.
Chad Jordan: Yeah.
Laura Torres: They wanted me to go to a four year university. But, I was never a good reader. A good reader, I was not. No. It was not for me.
Chad Jordan: You just didn't like doing it.
Laura Torres: No.
Chad Jordan: Right? Yeah.
Laura Torres: I didn't like. I didn't enjoy it. And, when I turned 17, I know that I always was doing my makeup, my hair, my nails, and I'm like, you know what? There's got to be something for me, that I'm really going to enjoy, and it's not going to take me four years, or six years. And, when I started my senior year, I started researching. I did a 45-minute drive to school, for a year, to cosmetology, and I just fell in love with it. I just fell in love with it. I was a pretty good, awesome student at cosmetology school. And, yeah.
Chad Jordan: Did you know you wanted to do guys hair, or you just knew you wanted to be in the industry, and kind of-
Laura Torres: Oh, I just want her to be in the industry, at that point.
Chad Jordan: Okay. Uh-huh (affirmative).
Laura Torres: My plan was so crazy, because I graduated at the beginning of December. And, at the beauty school, they used to tell us, "Oh, do your resume, we're going to send them out to different salons, and they'll call you. I was doing beauty school and working full time for about nine months, out of the whole year of cosmetology. So, I was doing 40 hours of work, and 30 hours of beauty school, for nine months.
Chad Jordan: Oh my gosh.
Laura Torres: So, when I graduated-
Chad Jordan: Were you married, at the time?
Laura Torres: No.
Chad Jordan: Okay, okay, uh-huh (affirmative).
Laura Torres: I was dating my husband. At that time, I was like, you know what? I'm going to take a break when I finish beauty school. I'm going to take a break, I'm going to take vacations, and I'm going do-
Chad Jordan: Yeah. Enjoy life.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Yeah.
Laura Torres: Yes, I'm going to do a few months off. And, January 19th, on the 18th, they called me from a Sport Clips.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Laura Torres: And, I had just got home from walking around the mall, looking up, there is a launch.
Chad Jordan: Oh. Uh-huh (affirmative), yeah.
Laura Torres: Just to get an idea.
Chad Jordan: Right, right, right.
Laura Torres: And, I got home, and they gave me a call, and we're like, "Oh, this is it."
Chad Jordan: Wow!
Laura Torres: I'm like, "Sport Clips? What is this?"
Chad Jordan: So, you hadn't heard of Sport-
Laura Torres: Never, never.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Laura Torres: And I'm like, "It'll be my first interview, I won't get hired, it's just going to be an experience."
Chad Jordan: Yeah.
Laura Torres: And yeah, I came the next day, January 19, I came in, it was an hour and a half interview.
Chad Jordan: Did you have your technical interview, at the time, or?
Laura Torres: No.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Laura Torres: A day after it, I came in to do that interview.
Chad Jordan: All right. Who... Was your husband your...
Laura Torres: No, it was one of my brothers.
Chad Jordan: Okay. All right.
Laura Torres: It was one of my brothers.
Chad Jordan: Hey, you probably cut his hair a million times, right?
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Yeah. Oh, that's comfortable.
Laura Torres: It was my brother. And then, January 21st I got hired.
Chad Jordan: Oh my gosh.
Laura Torres: And then, since then, I've been here!
Chad Jordan: Yeah. I mean, you're what we call an OG, original. You came literally out of beauty school. You didn't learn any bad habits anywhere else. She came right into Sport Clips, and, to this store.
Laura Torres: To this store.
Chad Jordan: Right? And now, you've been here, you said six years.
Laura Torres: Oh, yes.
Chad Jordan: Yeah. And, you've got a, a pretty good team. I mean, I've met, not your whole team, but I met-
Laura Torres: Half of them.
Chad Jordan: I met half of them today. I've seen them before. I mean, I just checked your performance board out, I mean it looks like you guys are doing it. Your team, you're staffed really well right now.
Laura Torres: Yes, thankfully.
Chad Jordan: Which, it's been a haul, right? I mean, it's been-
Laura Torres: Oh, yes. The last two years, we've been sticking together.
Chad Jordan: How did you get through that? With being short staffed, and-
Laura Torres: Oh, that was tough times.
Chad Jordan: Yeah.
Laura Torres: Throughout my six years, I went through two different managers. So, I started here one year after they opened this door.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Laura Torres: So, it was fairly new.
Chad Jordan: Yep.
Laura Torres: I always tell them, they miss me their first year.
Chad Jordan: Right, exactly.
Laura Torres: I was getting prepared.
Chad Jordan: They were practicing. Yeah.
Laura Torres: Yes, I was preparing to come here. It was really slow at that time, and we had five or six at that time. We didn't had a great retention with stylists. And then we kind of got second manager, which she was managing two stores on the moment. And then, at that point, we were really struggling. It got to the point that we were working the store with three or four stylists. It was tough. It was really tough.
And then, that manager trained me for assistant. But she just started training [inaudible 00:22:27] assistant manager, and managing the store more. And, I learned a lot of culture stuff with her. She was really a role model for me. And then, six months prior taking over the store, we hire four people in January. And, I'm glad to tell you that there still here. One of them left, and she's coming back next week.
Chad Jordan: Awesome. She wanted to wait till I came and left, before she came back.
Laura Torres: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: She didn't want to be here when I came.
Laura Torres: So, she's coming back to our team.
Chad Jordan: No, that's cool.
Laura Torres: So, I'm really happy to have them, all four, for that. It's going to be two years.
Chad Jordan: Yeah. Well, and I can tell they love you, they love working here, they love being part of this team. The energy here is great. You're doing a wonderful job.
Laura Torres: Thank you.
Chad Jordan: So, keep going. And especially, come may, you're really going to need this team.
Laura Torres: Yes!
Chad Jordan: So, tell me what's happening around May 15th, May 16th, or so.
Laura Torres: Okay. So I'm 11 weeks pregnant. My first baby.
Chad Jordan: You don't know yet what you're having, right?
Laura Torres: No, it's my first baby.
Chad Jordan: Are you going to find out, or are you going to let it be a surprise?
Laura Torres: No, we're going to find out the week of Thanksgiving.
Chad Jordan: Oh, okay. Oh, wow.
Laura Torres: Yeah, we're planning on doing-
Chad Jordan: Are you going to do a gender reveal party, and all that?
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Laura Torres: We're going to be doing gender reveal Friday, after Thanksgiving.
Chad Jordan: Okay, cool.
Laura Torres: Yes. So, all my team had been waiting for it, because-
Chad Jordan: You know what? That should be a fundraiser. Like, a 50/50 fundraiser, where they bet on if it's going to be a boy or a girl, and then-
Laura Torres: Yes! Because, I've been married for five years, and they would always tell me, "Oh, you're going to get pregnant, you're going to..." I'm like, "No, my husband and I, we always wanted to wait for a good timing in our life." And yeah, it came in perfect timing.
Chad Jordan: Well, and the really funny part is, so in most of the country, the summer is like the tourism season. Here, the summer is kind of when it's slow-
Laura Torres: Oh, it's the other way around.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, it slows down. Because, people come here for the winter and all that kind of stuff. So, that'll actually be a good time for you to take a break.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: And be home with the baby.
Laura Torres: Actually, yeah, I talked to the owner, to H, and I'm like, "You know what? It couldn't have been in any other perfect time."
Chad Jordan: Yeah. This is great.
Laura Torres: Because, I'm leaving right before we're starting to slow down, and I'm sure my team will be great without me.
Chad Jordan: So, okay, what does your husband hope you have?
Laura Torres: Actually, today, he woke up, and he said that he had a dream that I was going to be a baby girl.
Chad Jordan: A girl? Okay. I had girls first, and I highly recommend it for the dad, because it teaches you how to be sensitive, and more caring, and all that kind of stuff. And you, I mean, you had four brothers and a sister, right?
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: So, you might like a girl, too, just because you've had so many boys. Yeah.
Laura Torres: Yes. And, he only has one sister, too.
Chad Jordan: Oh, okay. So, have you started thinking about names, yet, or is it too early?
Laura Torres: No, you know what? We did. We have name for a boy or girl, already.
Chad Jordan: Okay. And, we know the boy, Chad. All right, the girl is what? What's the girl going to be?
Laura Torres: His name is Lewis, and my name is Laura. So, we're going to keep it with the family-
Chad Jordan: Oh, the L?
Laura Torres: ... with the L.
Chad Jordan: Okay. All right.
Laura Torres: So, if it's a baby girl, we're going to name her Lydia. And, if it's a boy, we're going to name him Lucas.
Chad Jordan: Oh, I love it. That's awesome.
Laura Torres: Yeah. So yeah, that's the plan. Hopefully everything turns out good.
Chad Jordan: No, that's great. And, you know it's just one, right? You're not having twins?
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Okay, okay.
Laura Torres: It's already been confirmed.
Chad Jordan: Okay. All right.
Laura Torres: One baby.
Chad Jordan: All right. Well you're such a pro at Sport Clips, as a manager, obviously pulling off fundraisers. You have told me a couple times, you're an avid listener to the podcast.
Laura Torres: Oh, yes.
Chad Jordan: So, you know that I ask questions at the end of the podcast. But what you didn't know is, I have new questions for you. So, this has been such an amazing visit, store visit, for me. Most of the podcasts I record aren't in the... by the way, aren't in the store themselves.
Laura Torres: I'm lucky.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, you are. Well, I don't know. I mean, I'm lucky.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: But most of them, we're in a conference room somewhere, or whatever, or at headquarters. So, to get to do this and have the energy of your store is pretty cool. But, I've got 10, some of them are new questions, but that I need to to ask you, and then we'll let you get back to selling those doughnuts.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: All right. You ready? So, question number one. Can you tell me one of your nicknames?
Laura Torres: I've never had a nickname. I think Lauris. Lauris. That's pretty much it. That's my name.
Chad Jordan: Who calls you that?
Laura Torres: My brothers.
Chad Jordan: Okay. Why?
Laura Torres: I don't know. They just call... Because it's Laura, and they just go by Lauris. That's pretty much it, right?
Chad Jordan: Okay. All right. All right. No, that works. I'm [Chaddy 00:27:27] boy.
Laura Torres: Oh, there you go.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, uh-huh (affirmative). That's my nickname, as a kid. Can you tell me somebody who is a personal inspiration to you?
Laura Torres: Personal inspiration for me.
Chad Jordan: Like, a hero of yours. See, you weren't prepared for these, uh-huh (affirmative)?
Laura Torres: No, I wasn't.
Chad Jordan: You probably had all the other questions ready.
Laura Torres: What can I think of? Well, work-wise or family-wise?
Chad Jordan: I don't care. It's whoever motivates you, whoever you look up to. It could be a parent. It could be somebody at work.
Laura Torres: Okay. I would say my mom. Yes, my mom, she is a really-
Chad Jordan: Is she still around?
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Okay. Great.
Laura Torres: She's a strong woman.
Chad Jordan: Yeah.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: What's your mom's name?
Laura Torres: [Adelia 00:28:26].
Chad Jordan: Adelia?
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Okay. So, hopefully she hears this. And, what is so inspiring about her? You said she's a strong woman.
Laura Torres: Yes. She-
Chad Jordan: Raised six kids.
Laura Torres: [inaudible 00:28:43]. That's a big one. And, at that time, she raised all of us, six of us, pretty much most of the time, by herself, because dad was over here in the United States-
Chad Jordan: Oh, wow.
Laura Torres: Providing our food and everything, working about-
Chad Jordan: Wow. Yeah. So, she was kind of a single mom.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Even though, they were still together, but-
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Yeah.
Laura Torres: Yes. They were still together, but dad was providing the economical... the money, and then my mom was supporting us, raised us.
Chad Jordan: What do you call her? Mama, mommy?
Laura Torres: Mom, yeah, mama.
Chad Jordan: Mom? Mkay.
Laura Torres: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Chad Jordan: Well, shout-out to mama.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: When you retire one day, it's 50 years from now. Where do you want to retire? What place in the world?
Laura Torres: I haven't, in my short period of lifetime, I haven't traveled much, but I've been to this little town, close to you-
Chad Jordan: Really?
Laura Torres: ... that I love. Morro Bay?
Chad Jordan: Morro Bay, yeah, with the Morro Rock.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Of course, yes.
Laura Torres: I just love it there. I've been there twice. It's so quiet, so peaceful.
Chad Jordan: Yep.
Laura Torres: And for a retirement, I think that would be perfect.
Chad Jordan: Yes. Okay, well then that's great for the next question. Here's the next question. Would you rather be too hot, or too cold?
Laura Torres: To hot.
Chad Jordan: Yes. Which is why you're here!
Laura Torres: I can't-
Chad Jordan: Most of the time, it's too hot, but that's my problem. Morro Bay gets chilly.
Laura Torres: Yes, it does.
Chad Jordan: So, you're right, you got to be... So, how about this? When you retire, how about your winters are-
Laura Torres: Here.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, here. And then, your summers are Morro Bay.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Okay, okay. We got it. Next question. What is the bravest thing you've ever done?
Laura Torres: What's the bravest thing I've ever done. I think, taking on into the manager position here.
Chad Jordan: Mm-hmm (affirmative), yeah.
Laura Torres: Because, it came into my life in a really hard time of my life. And, I was scared of taking it.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, that's great.
Laura Torres: Because, it was a period of my life that it was really hard. But-
Chad Jordan: Is that when you had your car accident, or-
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Laura Torres: I had a car accident, and I was like, "Ugh." I was going through a lot, emotionally, personally. But, my husband's, and my family support helped me a lot. And, going into management helped me a lot to just focus on management and growing the store, and not focusing on that all.
Chad Jordan: Right, right.
Laura Torres: So, I think-,
Chad Jordan: It ended up coming at the right time, even though it felt like at-
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Yeah. No.
Laura Torres: It really did. It really did. It changed the whole perspective. And, the owner at that time, they didn't know that I was going through that, because I kept it to myself, and after a year, I talked to him, and I told him, and he's like, "No wonder why you were always on the store." And I'm like, "Yeah, I was just giving it all to the store." Because, I'm always telling my team, "I'll be here for you guys, and anything you guys need, but we got to draw the line, where personal problems stay behind that door, and work, work. And, once we get into this training room, then you come to me, and I'll talk to you guys, and I'll try to help you guys with anything you guys need. But, cutting floor-
Chad Jordan: But, on the floor, yeah.
Laura Torres: Cutting floor, it's all work. It's all about work." And, that's how the management position came up to me, and I just gave it all to management position, and to my team members, and growing them.
Chad Jordan: What a great... I mean, I wasn't setting you up. I didn't know what you were going to say, the bravest thing you ever did-
Laura Torres: Yes, I didn't know it would be a surprise, but yes.
Chad Jordan: ... happened to be managing a Sport Clips with that. I love that answer.
Laura Torres: Yes. And, I always wanted it. I knew I wanted to do that, but at the time that it came, I wasn't just prepared.
Chad Jordan: Yeah.
Laura Torres: But, I mean it worked out perfectly.
Chad Jordan: Oh, I love that answer. Okay. This will be especially important, because you probably are craving different things right now. What is your favorite food?
Laura Torres: Seafood.
Chad Jordan: Seafood? Okay.
Laura Torres: Which I can't have right now.
Chad Jordan: I'm here, and... Yeah, you're right. I like shellfish, and all that kind of stuff.
Laura Torres: Yeah, shrimp, all that, yeah.
Chad Jordan: You can't have crab? Right, yeah. Uh-huh (affirmative). Oh boy.
Laura Torres: Yeah, but I can't it right now, so-
Chad Jordan: I don't mean to tease you, but okay. In May... How about in June? You'll be safe to have it.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Okay. So, here's a question you may have heard me ask before. If they make the story, a movie, based on your life, okay, which actress do you want to play you in the movie?
Laura Torres: Does it have to be a woman?
Chad Jordan: No! Yeah, it doesn't have to be. I'd be surprised if it's not, but go ahead.
Laura Torres: I don't know. I just love Kevin Hart.
Chad Jordan: Okay, so you want [inaudible 00:33:25]. You want Kevin Hart in your movie?
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: That's what you're saying. Okay. All right, that's fine.
Laura Torres: Yes, and I just love How funny he is, and how...
Chad Jordan: Yes. Okay, I like that.
Laura Torres: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: Now, if we have Kevin Hart in the movie that's based on the story of your life, what's the title of the movie going to be? What should we call it?
Laura Torres: That's a good question. I really don't know.
Chad Jordan: I know, these are supposed to be good questions, so you're supposed to have to think. Like, what's the common theme in your life? Mine is, Survive in Advance, because it's my life. It's like, just get through one day, and then see what happens the next day. Just keep going. So, I already have mine ready.
Laura Torres: I would say, The Struggle's Real.
Chad Jordan: The Struggle is Real.
Laura Torres: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Okay, I like it. The Struggle is Real, starring Kevin Hart. Now, last question about this, and then I've got one final question. In the movie, The Struggle is Real, starring Kevin Hart, what band has the soundtrack of the movie?
Laura Torres: I really don't know this question.
Chad Jordan: Whatever, who's your favorite artist? Who's your favorite musician? Do you like a certain kind of music?
Laura Torres: Well, I'm really Mexican, so...
Chad Jordan: Yes, okay, so who do you want?
Laura Torres: You know, I like a lot of Vonda.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Laura Torres: I don't know if you are familiar with that.
Chad Jordan: Yes. All right. Okay, let's have that.
Laura Torres: I like a lot of Vonda, but I do other kinds, so I don't know. I don't have a specific one that I like, though.
Chad Jordan: It's just going to be bitty, bitty. It's going to be a lot of-
Laura Torres: Yeah, just happy.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, okay, all right. Okay. Yeah, uh-huh (affirmative), I like it.
Laura Torres: Just happy.
Chad Jordan: Okay, we're going to be watching the movie, laughing at Kevin Hart, and we're going to kind of be dancing in our seats? Okay.
Laura Torres: Yes, just happy.
Chad Jordan: I like it. Last question. If heaven indeed exists, if heaven indeed exists, what do you hope to hear from God when you walk through the pearly gates?
Laura Torres: Welcome, you've done it all.
Chad Jordan: I like that. Well, hey, you're doing a lot. I'll tell you that much. To be managing a location, and just a year and a half into managing, but to be an OG, already doing your second fundraiser for Help A Hero, the way that it's going, soon to be mom, US citizen, a stylist at a cosmetology school, got hired by Sport Clips. Anyways, you're doing a lot, and you're doing it all well.
Laura Torres: Thank you.
Chad Jordan: From what I can see. And, it's certainly one of the reasons... I try to come back down here when I'm visiting with my family, and then, one of the reasons I wanted to come see you, and hang out, just because of what you and your team are doing. So, thank you for everything. Thank you for representing Sport Clips so well. And, you are one of the shining stars of Sport Clips.
Laura Torres: Thank you.
Chad Jordan: So, it's great to be here with you and your team, and I think we've got, I don't know, like 10 or 11 doughnuts left, that we got to-
Laura Torres: Let's eat them all.
Chad Jordan: Let's finish those. You wrap this podcast up, and finish those. So, that's all we have. And hey, guys, do me a favor, go support Help A Hero, and the scholarship fund. We are raising funds through November 11th, and we are aiming for $1.5 million across the country, with our 1800 stores. So please, do something. Laura's thrown out a bunch of ideas, but do something next-level, and let's get those donations raised this year. Thanks so much. Until next week, we'll have another episode. Thanks Laura.
Laura Torres: Thank you.