Beginner to Pro: Transform Your Fading Skills with Grit & Confidence

Barbering isn’t only physical work; the mental load is high for the craft.

We are building a skill, whether that's in forming a technique or building grit inside of us that lets us push past daily challenges. You have the opportunity to grow at every moment.

If you have followed me for a while, you may have seen some of my earlier work. My fades and tapers were BAD when I first started. I received negative reviews, even complaints from clients, and got passed up at the shop by guys. But, that did not stop me. I kept going, but how did I do it?

When I had zero skills, zero portfolio, and zero speaking skills to keep my clients returning…a quote that I have pretty much applied to all of my life comes to mind: when problems arise, you can’t go around them; you have to go through them.

Thinking back to how long I’ve been doing this, I was once in your shoes (not all that long ago). Being new and building something you want people to enjoy is a big reason why we get into it. We want to serve; we want to make people feel good. That’s 95% of the answer I get when I ask random barbers what they love most about what they do.

This newsletter is to remind and empower you that at all levels, you can continue to develop and grow your skill sets in barbering.

Skill Building Exercises

Use photos as a reference - I would grab a skin fade or taper from someone I looked up to. I would study it and try to mimic that same style on my clients. Taking a picture each time so I can see my work progress.

Use mobile phone to capture - Capturing photos and videos gives you a different perspective. Intentionally look for flaws so you can improve your technical eye over time. You can’t fix what you can’t see.

Different Types of Learners - Which One Are You?

Visual Learners

   - You learn best through seeing.

   - You benefit from demonstrations, videos, and diagrams showing techniques like fading.

   - You might prefer to study a style or technique by observing it closely before trying it yourself.

Kinesthetic (Feeling) Learners

   - You understand best through doing and feeling.

   - You excel by physically practicing techniques, like holding the clippers and feeling the hair texture.

   - You often learn best in a hands-on environment, perhaps by practicing on mannequins or actual clients under guidance.

Auditory (Sound) Learners

   - You absorb information through listening.

   - For barbering, this could involve listening to detailed explanations, audio guides, or even the sound of the clippers to understand different lengths and textures as you are cutting.

   - You might benefit from discussing techniques out loud or listening to podcasts or talks on barbering skills.

And in many cases, many of us could also be a combination of these learning styles. When I think about how I like to learn, I love being able to watch and then follow up with hands-on practice. I feel that I understand best when I can apply what I’m seeing right away. As time went on, auditory learning started to help me because I could hear where my blades were cutting the hair, which let me know where I should stop or continue moving up.

This self-awareness can significantly enhance your learning process, especially in mastering a skill like fading. I was too nervous to ask questions in the beginning, so I was better at trying to teach myself while watching others from afar. Because once you get better in this area, you can self-analyze your work and not have to rely so much on others to validate you and your work. It becomes a very frustrating and anxious state of mind if you are only chasing what you want people to say about your work. Let it speak for you. Here’s a running quote I find refreshing that has helped me when it came to my work and artistry.

After identifying your learning style, it's crucial for barbers to balance patience and resilience during your skill development.

Patience in Learning

Understand Growth Takes Time

   - Skills like fading don't develop overnight. It's a gradual process with ups and downs.

   - Set realistic expectations and goals for progress.

Value Repetition

   - I can’t stress the importance of consistent practice. The more you work on your technique, the more natural it will feel.

   - Even if it feels small, daily practice sessions can lead to significant improvements over time.

Celebrate Small Wins

   - Little progress is STILL progress. This keeps motivation high and makes the learning process more enjoyable.

Build Resilience

Embrace Mistakes as Learning Opportunity

   - Frame mistakes not as failures, but as valuable lessons. Each error is a step towards mastery.

   - At this point, I have been able to change how I view them. I look at failure as a part of the process. It’s going to happen; we know it’s there, and we have to continue to go through it.

Seek (Organic) Feedback

   - Social media LOVES to give it. Embrace it. If one of your reels blows up (which is so common these days on IG or TikTok. Metrics aren’t the same as they used to be. You can be a creator with fewer followers, but if the story or video is good, it’ll do well), it’ll be seen by many, offering various perspectives on your work. You can use this as a way to critique and improve! I know this may sound scary, maybe even crazy to want this type of attention, but it’s helped me so much. I’m able to see my work through another pair of eyes and adjust even minor details that improve my finished work, or just the way it was captured, and much more.

   - Feedback, whether we ask for it or it's given to us at random, is crucial for understanding areas of improvement and for reinforcing what we’re doing right. It's like when we attend shows or classes and hear someone using a technique like ours, there’s a nod of approval that comes along with it like, “Yes, ok me too!”

Stay Adaptable

   - The barbering industry is constantly evolving, so being open to new techniques, tools, and trends is key.

   - Constantly explore new educational resources, workshops, or seminars. Keep your mind refreshed!

Maintain a Growth Mindset

   - I can’t say this enough, but being ACTION-BASED will allow you to consistently build and improve with daily work. Once it becomes a part of your lifestyle, it won’t feel like work. You will actually enjoy your time while you are learning.

   - Embrace this process as a journey rather than a destination.

By combining patience with resilience, I believe you can effectively navigate the learning curve, continuously improve youtheir skills, and stay motivated and engaged in your craft.

We need a daily goal every single day; we get a new chance to do what we enjoy. Without reflection and the reminder of why we started anything, it's really easy to lose our way. Learning can be frustrating, but it’s worse to give up and never know how it turns out. The interest is the doorway in and the building process itself is the golden nugget. They stay for as long as you stay committed to it. Something I heard along the way kept me very inspired: If it hasn’t happened for you yet, you’re just still in preparation mode until the opportunity hits. Your time isn’t wasted; you’re just getting ready.

Find ways to stay inspired! Don’t forget why you started!

I’m here for you. Have a great week,

Sof!