SportsClips Haircuts franchise owner Jeremy Aydell is a practical guy. Trained in accounting and certified as a CPA, the Livingston Parish native had long held onto the dream of building his own business. During the height of the 2008 recession, he made his move.
"At the time, a haircut sounded really good, because you couldn't buy it on the internet, and you couldn't outsource it," he said. In 2010, Aydell and his wife, Lori, opened their first SportsClips Haircuts location in Denham Springs. Business was good, but the couple quickly found themselves frustrated with the process of getting the franchise off the ground while banking with a larger institution.
"We closed on an SBA loan the day we opened," Aydell recalled. "It was a disaster, and I swore at that time I would never, ever be in that position again. "Still, he felt backed into a corner working with the bigger banks—trapped in a situation where, despite having impeccable financials, no one seemed to trust him, and he was regularly required to jump through multiple hoops to gain approval. “No-one even knew my name,” he said.
It wasn't until 2020, during the COVID pandemic, that Aydell shifted gears, moving his business to Bank of St. Francisville.
"One of the things that makes our relationship with Jeremy work is trust. He knows that we are going to be up-front and transparent, and he knows that when he has a need, we're going to move quickly to help him find a solution. That responsiveness is a big part of what we believe banking should be."
—Douglas Dupont, Baton Rouge Market President
Today, SportsClips Haircuts has grown exponentially, with twenty-seven locations between Louisiana and Mississippi. To help oversee the finances across all his franchise sites, Aydell relies on support from the bank that has earned his trust —one built across almost five decades upon the principle of putting customers’ success first.
It was during the early months of the COVID pandemic—when no one was getting a haircut—that Aydell was introduced to Douglas Dupont, Baton Rouge Market President at Bank of St. Francisville.
"I'll never forget the first conversation we had," Aydell recalled. "He was very personable and really hit on the fact that the bank was very relationship-based. They wanted to be my banker and would basically bend over backwards to give us what we needed." Aydell was sold—and has never looked back.
"One of the things that makes our relationship with Jeremy work is trust," noted Douglas Dupont. "He knows that we are going to be up-front and transparent with him. And he knows that when he has a need, we’re going to move quickly to help him find a solution. That responsiveness is a big part of what we believe banking should be."
"They're very honest. If they can help you, they will," Aydell said. "It's just so easy to talk to them, to explain things. They know my business. They know my background. It's easy."
Aydell chooses to be part of a winning team. That's why he agreed to join Bank of St. Francisville's Baton Rouge Advisory Board, which serves as a strategic bridge between the bank’s leadership and the community it serves. Advisory board members help identify area economic trends, report on how the bank’s products and services are meeting local needs, and provide philanthropic advice that helps leadership decide which local non-profit organizations and events will have the most impact if supported.
During a period when the bank is experiencing unprecedented growth, the Advisory Board plays a vital role. While other banks downsize or consolidate, Bank of St. Francisville continues to grow, adding a flagship Baton Rouge location that’s slated to open off Jefferson Highway in early 2027. Today, the bank holds more than $400 million in total assets. In the past three years, two thirds of that growth has been driven by expansion in BSF’s retail and commercial business in the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Area.
"There's something about Bank of St. Francisville—their growth, their vision, what they're doing for Baton Rouge," Aydell said. "It's an exciting time for this bank. I think people are going to want to be a part of what they're building here."
As it expands, Bank of St. Francisville is investing in business leaders like Jeremy Aydell, supporting the individuals working to build enduring success in the Capital Region.
"Jeremy is a great example of the type of business owner we want to build long-term relationships with," Douglas added. "He has built a successful business, understands his customers, and continues to look for opportunities to grow. Our job as a bank is to understand what he is trying to accomplish, and find ways to help him get there."
Read more stories about how BSF is fostering personal client connections to help small businesses flourish throughout the Capital Region.
