Amyn Sachedina spent 20 years as a software engineer, but he didn’t see himself staying in the corporate world.

“I’ve always wanted something of my own,” said Sachedina. “At the 20-year milestone, it was either you stay and push the corporate ladder or find something more substantial.”

What could be more substantial than opening a handful of high-end men’s barber salons? Last month, he opened his first 18|8 location, part of a growing franchise of luxury salons for men. The West Hollywood salon is the first of five he plans to open over the next few years.

Before investing in razors and shears, Sachedina worked as senior manager of operations and engineering for security software company Symantec Corp. in Mountain View. But he left the company, earned an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University last year and spent six months evaluating business options.

Lots of options, in fact, from security consulting to medical tourism and even a rubber plantation before deciding to get involved with 18|8, which was launched in 2002 and now has 370 locations open or in development. He liked the idea of being able to open his own business rather than acquiring an existing one, and said he felt drawn to 18|8’s concept as a potential customer.

“I knew I would have been sold 20 years ago,” he said.

Sachedina met with 18|8 co-founder Scott Griffiths early last year and signed a territorial agreement to open four locations between Santa Monica and the Hollywood Hills over the next five years. So far, he’s invested about $500,000.

The West Hollywood location, which opened May 15, is doing well, he said, and beating his projections. He hopes to serve an average of 50 clients a day before thinking about his second location.

The next few years will be busy for him as he opens the rest of his salons, but Sachedina said there’s nothing he’d rather do.

“I love the interaction with people; I love bringing people what they want,” he said. “I couldn’t be happier.”

– Nicole Piper