It’s only one day, gentlemen – that is the primary thought to keep in your head.
After the wedding day, of course, you can feel free to spend as many hours as you wish sporting a two day stubble and your hair resembling a flattened squirrel. Well, we should say, as many hours as your new wife will tolerate – and don’t expect miracles in that department.

For your actual wedding day, however, the groom has just got to be properly groomed – or, for the rest of your married life, your spouse will be pointing emphatically at the large framed wedding picture of you two on the shelf and explaining in great detail just how horrible you look and why. She may do that anyway, but why aid the effort?
Instead, all of us at Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® want to give you a few general tips on how to look like a star as you walk down the aisle – and, when we say “star,” we’re talking Brad Pitt, not Seth Rogan.

It all really happens at the barbershop – preferably a Kennedy’s location, of course, where our barbers and staff are trained to make you “look like a gentleman – and feel like a man.”

Make a barber appointment well in advance of the morning of your nuptials – so you make sure to get in with your favorite barber at the time you wish to be attended to. And this is not the time for a Supercuts special or a quickie at the mall. Go to a quality barbershop that offers a lot of extras. We can think of one particular one that starts with a “K” but we hate to belabor the point.

Your face will end up being constantly photographed – much to your horror. So get a mini-facial, if it’s available, as well as having what we call “The Gent’s Wax” – which involves getting your ears, nose and eyebrows attended to so you don’t resemble the Wolfman. That would confuse many people, especially if it’s not even a full moon.

Then, you must – we repeat, must – have a professional straight razor shave. We don’t want to say your face will end up smooth as a baby’s bottom – we really don’t like the imagery – but a skilled barber (such as one that works at a barber franchise whose name rhymes with “Fennedy’s”) will leave you with a soft and silky magnificence. Whereas if you attempt to shave yourself, your nerves causing your hands to shake like Britney Spears in her latest music video, you just might wind up walking up the aisle with little pieces of toilet paper stuck to your various facial cuts. Not a good look.

Finally, let’s talk hair. Obviously, this isn’t the time to experiment with a Mohawk or the Bruce Willis’ chrome cranium look. Work with what the Lord gave you and what your barber knows he or she can do with it. You may want to get the haircut a couple days before the wedding, if you tend to want to spend the hours immediately following a trim hiding under your desk at work. You know your hair. You know what works. Go with that – and when in doubt, let your barber be your guide.

Make yourself look good – maybe even spring for the above treatments for your groomsmen – but, whatever you do, don’t make yourself look too amazing (if that’s an option – with many of us, we don’t have to worry about that ever being a possibility). It’s your bride’s day to shine – you merely have to appear to not have anything wrong with you. It’s harder than it sounds – but we’re sure you can pull it off, with the help of a quality barbershop that specializes in serving fine gentleman. Have we mentioned Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® , for example?

Find out more about how we can serve you and your groomsmen at http://www.kennedysbarberclub.com/news/barbershop-franchise-kennedys-all-american-barber-club-now-offering-the-ultimate-grooms-experience.php. You might as well look your best before you spend the rest of your married life in old sweat pants and that ripped Nike t-shirt watching ESPN. Take it from us – your future wife will love you for it. The wedding day part, we mean, not the old sweat pants part.

Kennedy’s International Franchising, LLC is announcing the sale of the remaining Master Franchise Territories for Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® in the state of Florida.

Orlando, Fla. – December 29, 2009 – As Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® franchises take root across the country, the latest territory to be sold will encompass the entire state of Florida. Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is a barbershop franchise concept that uses a patent-pending membership-based system to add recurring revenue opportunities for its franchisees.

Recently, an investor group purchased the remaining available master franchise territories. This purchase will exclude all of the current Kennedy’s Barber Club® locations currently in operation throughout the state. The investor group plans to add approximately one hundred Kennedy’s All-American Barber Clubs® throughout the state over the next five years.

Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is quickly becoming famous for its signature straight-razor shaves, as well as its luxurious accommodation for men who enjoy an exceptional grooming experience that is affordable. Kennedy’s offers an old-fashioned barbershop experience with modern amenities.

“We are very excited to have this large sale come about so quickly in our franchise program and believe it will help with expansion of our franchises across the country,” remarked Chris Hurn, CEO of Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club®.

Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is a member of the International Franchise Association (IFA) as well as VetFran. Along with offering franchises to the general public, VetFran allows Kennedy’s to give special financing opportunities to American Veterans who have been honorably discharged. Kennedy’s is also a part of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) National Franchise Registry – where fewer than 30% of all franchise systems qualify for listing – offering expedited SBA loan processing. This means that the Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® concept is approved for any type of U.S. Small Business Administration financing programs and part of an elite group of national franchises.

Learn more about Kennedy’s franchise opportunities by visiting http://www.KennedysBarberClub.com or contact:

Bryan Glass, Franchise Development, Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® at 1-800-31-SHAVE or Bryan@KennedysBarberClub.com

About Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club®:

Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is a Franchise Concept for discerning gentlemen who are looking for an experience that is the polar opposite of your everyday haircut from the “big chains.” Like most gentlemen, the founders felt out of place at the salons frequented by their wives and the local strip-mall walk-in “chop shops,” so they decided to create a place where they would ENJOY getting the grooming services they need . . . rather than dreading it. While most hair salons cater to women and children, Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® caters to discerning gentlemen looking for a fine grooming experience with the old-world charm of your father’s barbershop. Offering the finest in haircuts for men, the lost art of straight-razor shaves, and a modern selection of grooming products, Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is sure to be your favorite sanctuary to relax and enjoy The Best Haircut and Straight-Razor Shave You’ve Ever Had, or it’s Free™!

There are currently seven Kennedy’s Clubs open, with 52 more sold and to be developed over the next five years.

Learn more about Kennedy’s by visiting http://www.KennedysBarberClub.com

It’s no secret that one of the reasons we started our Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® franchise was to help resuscitate one of the last bastions of guy goodness – the traditional barbershop. Before the 70’s came along, a man could count on going to a barbershop and being treated like a man, not to mention having ready access to a Sports Illustrated that was seven years old.

Then came the unisex chop shops with their weird yellow-green-pink color schemes and the next thing we knew, old Joe the Barber was selling out his business to make room for another pilates studio.

Today, men are under attack from all sides – they’ve lost jobs at a faster rate than women, they’re portrayed as moronic husbands on TV sitcoms, and Clint Eastwood is officially too old to ever play Dirty Harry again. No wonder testosterone levels have dropped about 20% in the past 20 years – soon, we’ll all be watching “Project Runway” and sipping Cosmopolitans.

That’s why all of us at Kennedy’s are excited at the new ad campaign for Dockers, just starting to roll out now. The “Wear the Pants™” ads are designed to sell manliness – and not a retro brand of masculinity where you have to go drink deer blood in the woods (sorry, all you “Red Dawn” fans), but one that fits modern life today.

The Dockers Revolution will be televised.

“The intent of the campaign is to put forth a new definition of masculinity, one that embraces strength and sensitivity and appeals to men who can change a tire AND a diaper,” says Jennifer Sey, Global VP of Marketing for Dockers. “We’re not trying to shame men. We want to make them laugh at themselves and at the state of manhood. And, at the same time, encourage them to dress up, man-up and embody today’s new definition of masculinity.”

Since Dockers is introducing their new manly campaign, we’re also going to introduce our new one – “Kennedy’s. Look like a gentleman. Feel like a man.” Meaning, we can make you can look your best, but, thanks to Kennedy’s classic barbershop ambiance, you’ll still get the most out of your guy-ness.

So man up yourself and head over to the nearest Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® franchise location for one of our signature straight razor shaves. Let’s all start increasing our testosterone, instead of watching it slowly seep away.

Start by switching from “Project Runway” to “American Gladiator.”

Find out more about us, our franchise locations and our franchise business opportunities at http://www.kennedysbarberclub.com.

Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club®, an old-world style barbershop franchise, recently launched its Ultimate Groom’s Experience package for Grooms and Groomsmen on their “Big Day.”

Orlando, Fla. – December 8, 2009 –Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® knows that brides are not the only ones who want to look and feel their best on their wedding day. So, Kennedy’s is now offering “The Ultimate Groom’s Experience” for gentlemen about to “take the plunge.”

Several Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® locations around Central Florida, and also in Rockville, Md., are offering packages that include a relaxing haircut, straight-razor shave, nose/ear/back waxing (where available,) complimentary beverages and customized Kennedy’s cigars for the groomsmen. This package is available to grooms with a minimum of three groomsmen. Kennedy’s is also offering the groom three free month’s of their “Pursuit of Happiness®” Membership, if one of their groomsmen becomes a new Kennedy’s member during the Experience.

Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® CEO, Chris Hurn, said, “When we first thought of this experience, I was instantly envious of the Grooms that will take advantage of this opportunity. Where was this experience when I got married? What better way to relax and come out looking and feeling your best for your big day? Plus, the brides really appreciate our focus on making him look so good.”

Kennedy’s offers an old-fashioned barbershop experience with modern amenities. Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is a membership-based barber club that is quickly becoming famous for its signature straight-razor shaves, as well as its luxurious accommodation for men who enjoy an exceptional grooming experience that is affordable.

Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is a member of the International Franchise Association (IFA) as well as VetFran. Along with offering franchises to the general public, VetFran allows Kennedy’s to give special financing opportunities to American Veterans who have been honorably discharged. Kennedy’s is also a part of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) National Franchise Registry – where fewer than 30% of all franchise systems qualify for listing – offering expedited SBA loan processing. This means that the Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® concept is approved for any type of U.S. Small Business Administration financing programs and part of an elite group of national franchises.

Learn more about The Ultimate Groom’s Experience and Kennedy’s franchise opportunities by visiting http://www.KennedysBarberClub.com or contact:

Bryan Glass, Franchise Development, Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® at 1-800-31-SHAVE or Bryan@KennedysBarberClub.com

About Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club®:

Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is a Franchise Concept for discerning gentlemen who are looking for an experience that is the polar opposite of your everyday haircut from the “big chains.” Like most gentlemen, the founders felt out of place at the salons frequented by their wives and the local strip-mall walk-in “chop shops,” so they decided to create a place where they would ENJOY getting the grooming services they need . . . rather than dreading it. While most hair salons cater to women and children, Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® caters to discerning gentlemen looking for a fine grooming experience with the old-world charm of your father’s barbershop. Offering the finest in haircuts for men, the lost art of straight-razor shaves, and a modern selection of grooming products, Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is sure to be your favorite sanctuary to relax and enjoy The Best Haircut and Straight-Razor Shave You’ve Ever Had, or it’s Free™!

There are currently seven Kennedy’s Clubs open, with 52 more sold and to be developed over the next five years.

Learn more about Kennedy’s by visiting http://www.KennedysBarberClub.com

There’s been a whole lot of talk – and a few new laws created – over the safety issue of using cell phones while you’re driving a car. It’s unbelievable that some people try to text while they drive – there’s a reason why keyboards never became one of the standard dashboard instruments.

But while that particular problem has gotten all the media attention, another safety issue has gone completely ignored – that of using cell phones in a barbershop. Well, in little old New Zealand (which is not a part of Australia, by the way), one barber has taken a stand. Peter Bradley, co-owner of “The Stylish Man,” a barber franchise in the city of Auckland, has banned his patrons from using cell phones during haircuts.

“When people are running around trying to answer their phones it could be quite easy for them to get their ears cut,” Bradley told “The New Zealand Herald.” “It’s never happened but we’ve had a couple of close calls.”

While we can’t say any of our Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® customers has ever had a painful conclusion to one of their cell phone calls during a haircut, we understand Mr. Bradley’s point.

And we would also have to say that having a cell phone to your ear could also be dangerous on aesthetic grounds – the barber might be forced to trim around the phone, leaving the visible outline of an iPhone in the hair on the side of your head.

Nevertheless, we aren’t going to launch an official ban on cell phones at any of our Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® franchise locations. Frankly, most of the men who come into a barbershop are looking for a place where they won’t be told what to do.

However, there are a few additional activities, besides answering one’s cell phone, that our customers shouldn’t attempt in the barber chair, especially when receiving one of our sublime Straight Razor Shaves. They include:

• Flossing
• Forehead exercises
• Playing the harmonica

The management thanks you in advance for your cooperation.

Find out more about Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® , our franchise locations and our franchise business opportunities at http://www.kennedysbarberclub.com.

Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® was recently featured in an article in Entrepreneur Magazine about Franchises that are “Breaking The Mold.”

Orlando, Fla. – December 3, 2009 – Entrepreneur recently ran an article in the “Breaking The Mold” section called “Getting in on the Ground Floor.” Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® was listed with others, in a variety of categories, as a new franchise concept that are capable of becoming “the next big household name.” The listing gives information of promising companies that began franchising in either 2008 or 2009.

Kennedy’s offers an old-fashioned barber shop experience with modern amenities. Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is a membership-based barbershop club that is quickly becoming famous for its signature straight-razor shaves, as well as its luxurious accommodation for men who enjoy an exceptional grooming experience that is affordable.

Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® CEO, Chris Hurn, said, “We are proud to be recognized by such a well-respected publication. We are confident that our franchise concept is one that is relevant in every community across the country, and we are excited to be in the beginning stages of making that a reality.”

Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is a member of the International Franchise Association (IFA) as well as VetFran. Along with offering franchises to the general public, VetFran allows Kennedy’s to give special financing opportunities to American Veterans who have been honorably discharged. Kennedy’s is also a part of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) National Franchise Registry – where fewer than 30% of all franchise systems qualify for listing – offering expedited SBA loan processing. This means that the Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® concept is approved for any type of U.S. Small Business Administration financing programs and part of an elite group of national franchises.

Learn more about Kennedy’s franchise opportunities by visiting http://www.KennedysBarberClub.com or contact:

Bryan Glass, Franchise Development, Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® at 1-800-31-SHAVE or Bryan@KennedysBarberClub.com

About Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club®:

Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is a Franchise Concept for discerning gentlemen who are looking for an experience that is the polar opposite of your everyday haircut from the “big chains.” Like most gentlemen, the founders felt out of place at the salons frequented by their wives and the local strip-mall walk-in “chop shops,” so they decided to create a place where they would ENJOY getting the grooming services they need . . . rather than dreading it. While most hair salons cater to women and children, Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® caters to discerning gentlemen looking for a fine grooming experience with the old-world charm of your father’s barbershop. Offering the finest in haircuts for men, the lost art of straight-razor shaves, and a modern selection of grooming products, Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is sure to be your favorite sanctuary to relax and enjoy The Best Haircut and Straight-Razor Shave You’ve Ever Had, or it’s Free™!

There are currently seven Kennedy’s Clubs open, with 52 more sold and to be developed over the next five years.

Learn more about Kennedy’s by visiting http://www.KennedysBarberClub.com

Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club®, a reinvented old-world style barbershop franchise, is celebrating the grand opening of its newest location in Rockville, Md. by giving away 250 complimentary Signature Haircuts™ and Straight Razor Shaves.

Rockville, Md. – November 20, 2009 – Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club®, a barbershop franchise concept that uses a patent-pending membership-based system to add recurring revenue opportunities for its franchisees, is announcing the grand opening celebration of its newest Kennedy’s club, located in Rockville, Md.

Local businessmen, Dave Gagner and Jeff Bochner, purchased the franchise this past summer, and are ready to open the doors of the first Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® in Rockville, Maryland. This location, located at 110 N. Washington St., like all Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® locations, will involve an exclusive grooming experience for discerning gentlemen of all ages.
The grand opening will take place from November 23rd through December 12th, 2009. In celebration of the opening, Kennedy’s will be giving away 250 complimentary Signature Haircuts™ and Straight Razor Shaves™.

Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is an upscale men’s Barbershop concept that operates membership plans allowing unlimited haircuts and shaves at various price structures. The clubs are designed in the upscale, classic tradition of America’s bygone years, when men took a break from the stresses of the outside world to enjoy a high quality grooming experience at the neighborhood barbershop.

Kennedy’s CEO Chris Hurn said, “We’re very excited about the opening of Maryland’s first Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club®. We are confident that Dave and Jeff will do a fantastic job. If our current locations are an accurate indicator, the gentlemen in Rockville are in for a great treat!”

Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is a member of the International Franchise Association (IFA) as well as VetFran. Along with offering franchises to the general public, VetFran allows Kennedy’s to give special financing opportunities to American Veterans who have been honorably discharged. Kennedy’s is also a part of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) National Franchise Registry – where fewer than 30% of all franchise systems qualify for listing – offering expedited SBA loan processing. This means that the Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® concept is approved for any type of U.S. Small Business Administration financing programs and part of an elite group of national franchises.

Learn more about Kennedy’s franchise opportunities by visiting http://www.KennedysBarberClub.com or contact:

Bryan Glass, Franchise Development, Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® at 1-800-31-SHAVE or Bryan@KennedysBarberClub.com

About Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club®:

Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is a Franchise Concept for discerning gentlemen who are looking for an experience that is the polar opposite of your everyday haircut from the “big chains.” Like most gentlemen, the founders felt out of place at the salons frequented by their wives and the local strip-mall walk-in “chop shops,” so they decided to create a place where they would ENJOY getting the grooming services they need . . . rather than dreading it. While most hair salons cater to women and children, Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® caters to discerning gentlemen looking for a fine grooming experience with the old-world charm of your father’s barbershop. Offering the finest in haircuts for men, the lost art of straight-razor shaves, and a modern selection of grooming products, Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® is sure to be your favorite sanctuary to relax and enjoy The Best Haircut and Straight-Razor Shave You’ve Ever Had, or it’s Free™!

There are currently six Kennedy’s Clubs open, with 51 more sold and to be developed over the next five years.

Learn more about Kennedy’s by visiting http://www.KennedysBarberClub.com

If you haven’t had a chance to read our article, “Barbershop Bonanza: The World’s Most Expensive Haircut,” we suggest you do so – when a man pays $23,000 for a haircut, it’s a fairly big story (especially when you run a barbershop franchise business like we do!).

The man in question is the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaula. Lucky for us, we only have to type it, not pronounce it.

We appreciate the Sultan, because he’s a man of loyalty. When he couldn’t make it to London to get his hair cut by the barber who had been attending to him for 16 years, he brought the barber – Ken Modestou – to him (speaking of loyalty, we’re hoping Ken was able to reschedule all his other customers’ appointments for that week).

But enough about Ken. Let’s find out a little bit more about Mr. $23,000 Haircut – the Sultan himself.

A few fun facts:

• He’s worth over 20 billion dollars
• He owns over 100 Rolls Royces
• He also owns 232 Mercedes-Benzes, 224 Ferraris, 245 Bentleys, 150 BMWs, 165 Jaguars, 125 Porsches, and 20 Lamborghinis.
• He’s married to a woman 33 years younger than him. Oh, and another woman too.
• He owns a Boeing 747-400 furnished with gold plated furniture.
• He operates a $3 billion theme park (no word on whether the Tilt-A-Whirl is gold-plated, but thanks for asking).
• His home has 1788 bedrooms, 257 bathrooms, and a floor area of 2,152,782 square feet. Sad to say, it’s only the second largest palace in the world, after the Beijing Imperial Palace.

What the Sultan is probably most famous for – or infamous, to be more accurate – is paying a truckload of money to have seven beauty queens – including two Miss USAs, one Miss Teen USA and the runner-up for Miss United Kingdom – shipped over to Brunei for a “modeling job.” This did not go well, and one of the Miss USA’s, after being held captive there for over a month, smuggled a note to the U.S. Embassy, which basically read, “GET ME OUT OF HERE.”

So, Ken the barber, consider yourself lucky that you got your 23 grand and a plane ticket back to London. And we’ll certainly think twice before we accept one of the Sultan’s very, very over-generous offers to visit.

If you can’t afford to spend $23,000 on a haircut, well, guess what? You can get “The Best Haircut and Straight-Razor Shave You’ve Ever Had, or it’s Free™!” at any Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® location for a lot less. And we mean, a LOT less.

Find out more about us and our franchise business opportunities at http://www.kennedysbarberclub.com.

A Sultan, a Big Payday, and One Lucky Barber

At Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club®, we pride ourselves at placing our customers in the lap of luxury at a very affordable price – and yes, our barbershop franchise has been booming. Still, maybe we’re using the wrong business model.

Apparently, the real barbershop business to be in involves cutting Sultans’ hair.

But let’s back up a moment – and begin with the former record-holder for most expensive haircut: that honor used to belong to high-class hair cutter (excuse us – hair stylist) Stuart Phillips, who is the superstar of hair salons in London. He cracked the Guinness Book of World Records in 2007 – by getting paid a bit over 13 grand to give a Brit a proper trim (and for that kind of money, we expect it should be incredibly “proper!”).

Stuart Phillips’ Salon lobby – we assume those are real diamonds in the light fixtures…

Stuart’s business is still thriving today, despite the recession. Of course, he does offer his clients bodyguards, dog walkers, a private chef, and interpreters – even special scents piped through the ventilation system. So if you want to leave his salon smelling like a rose, you can be assured this man can make it happen.

Our new contender for Stuart’s crown, however, has almost doubled the most expensive haircut record – by getting compensated over $25,000 for one haircut. And yes, this is real money, not the kind you use when you play Monopoly.

The lucky barber in question? Well, it’s yet another London-based barber by the name of Ken Modestou. Apparently only the English know how to get away with overcharging to this degree, a talent we can only dream of possessing.

The Sultan of some place named Brunei (wasn’t that the name of the last Sacha Baron Cohen comedy?) apparently wanted Ken to cut his hair – and no one else. So he booked a private suite on a Singapore Airlines flight for Mr. Modestou (the Sultan supposedly wanted him isolated from the other passengers so he wouldn’t contract the swine flu – and no, we are not making this up) and flew him the 7,000 miles to Brunei (which we just found in Wikipedia – good golly, it IS a country!).

Between the flight, the accommodations in Brunei and the actual payment for the haircut, the bill skyrocketed to over $25,000.

The Sultan: Care for a $30,000 straight razor shave with that haircut?

By the way, don’t worry yourself sick over the Sultan’s overspending getting him into financial trouble. Turns out he’s worth about 20 billion. Give or take a hundred million.

And one final note on The Case of the Outrageously Overpriced Haircut. Modestou’s normal charge for a haircut at his London barbershop?

50 bucks.

This does prove, however, that there is real money to be made in the barbershop business. So you just might want to look over the magnificent franchise opportunities at Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® at http://www.kennedysbarberclub.com.

And you might also want to begin searching for Sultans on Facebook and Twitter as well. Book a couple of them with Kennedy’s memberships and you’re set for life.

Our Ongoing Picks of the Gents Who Best Exemplify the Kennedy’s All-American Spirit

At Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club®, we respect – and make every attempt to emulate – those who turn business into an art; CEO’s who, through their originality and audaciousness have made themselves bigger than any company they’ve begun and at least as big as any entertainment superstar who’s made the front cover of “Entertainment Weekly” or “The National Enquirer.” They are truly their own brand – and as worthy of our respect just for becoming successes by sheer force of their unique genius and personality.

That’s the reasoning behind this round of Ideal Kennedy’s Man picks. All three of these living legends can, on occasions, be controversial, outspoken and criticized – but none of the three can ever be ignored (but at least one of them might consider a trip to a nearby Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® for a new hairstyle – you can decide which one we’re talking about…).

So, without further ado, meet three super CEO’s who went beyond their balance sheets to join the Ideal Kennedy’s Men Hall of Fame!

RICHARD BRANSON

Who: The man who made Virgin an international brand attached to everything from airlines to soft drinks.

Why: Because he successfully promoted a brash, adventurous image while very carefully and cautiously building a business empire. Because when you think of Richard Branson, you think of a combination of James Bond and Donald Trump. Because he still holds the record for crossing the English Channel in the quickest time and he was knighted by the queen for his achievements in entrepreneurship. And because he has made cameo appearances in a James Bond and a Superman movie, and got into a water fight with Stephen Colbert on “The Colbert Report.” And mostly because he makes running an international empire look like fun.

Fun Fact: Branson titled his 1998 autobiography, “Losing My Virginity.”

Extra Fun Fact: Kennedy’s co-founder, Nick Nanton, scored a quick and memorable interview with Branson this past October 28th – check out the video (and see Nick and Sir Richard’s photo together) on Nick’s Facebook account at http://www.facebook.com/Nicknanton. And let us know if you can figure out what Sir Richard is actually saying!

DONALD TRUMP

Who: “The Donald.”

Why: Because Trump has made himself the international symbol of success. Like all super-successful businessmen, he’s had his share of ups and downs when it comes to his vast real estate and casino holdings – but he’s made an indelible impression on the entrepreneur landscape through his best-selling books and his top-rated reality show, “The Apprentice.” And most of all, because he had the cajones to take on Rosie O’Donnell – who has about a hundred pounds on him. You don’t like him? “You’re Fired!”

Fun Fact: Trump has hosted two WrestleMania events at Trump Plaza. Neither involved a match with Rosie O’Donnell.

STEVE JOBS

Who: The CEO of Apple, who works for the huge annual salary of…$1.00.

Why: Because he not only revolutionized the computer business when he formed Apple in 1976, but he also revolutionized the entire music industry with the iPod and iTunes. Because he insisted that the traditional boring beige boxes that housed computers needed more pizzazz – and so did the computer itself. Because his Macintosh operation system begat Windows and the modern computer interface as we know it, and his iPhone is now the hottest cell phone on the market. Because his amazing innovative marketing and product development has made Apple one of the most known brands around the world – a brand that almost crashed and burned when the company he began actually fired him in the 1980’s and sunk into a traditional corporate rut without him. In 1997, Jobs returned and made the company bigger than ever, despite some major health problems that plague him to this day.

Fun Fact: In the 70’s, Jobs dropped out of college, dropped acid, shaved his head and backpacked across India.

We’ll be back next month with three more of our Ideal Kennedy’s Men. In the meantime, please, feel free to email your own nominations through our website at http://www.kennedysbarberclub.com – where you can also check out Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® locations and franchise opportunities. And, as always, feel free to stop in at any of our Barber Clubs – where we can help transform you into an Ideal Kennedy’s Man by providing “The Best Haircut and Straight-Razor Shave You’ve Ever Had, or it’s Free™!”