The barber shop is a unique industry that private equity has been unable to penetrate despite investing millions every year for the past 40 years. Over 80% of barber shops remain independent and chains like SuperCuts have been falling behind. The corporations have been unable to find footing despite brand recognition, unprecedented scale, and even first-mover advantage. They slash prices and offer loyalty programs but still can’t match local rates. They renovate and advertise but still can’t pull in high-end clientele. The industry continues to be led by the independents as new upscale concepts coexist alongside the established old-school traditionalists. In this Modern MBA Original, we go from the macro-lens to micro-lens to understand this business from the chains to the independents. We'll cover the rise and fall of Regis - the largest PE-backed owner-and-operator of barber shops in the world behind the once-dominant SuperCuts from the 80s to present.