Surviving Your FIRST Year in the Barbershop

The BEGINNING is always the hardest.

I was so nervous when I walked into my first interview at my neighborhood barbershop. At the time, I had one set of corded tools to get me through it all. No foil shaver yet, just a good ol’ Wahl Taper 2000 clipper and trimmer with stock set blades from my school kit. I could not afford tools for at least 2.5 years from this point and only because they were completely dead and wouldn’t turn on! If you have the luxury to buy a nice set of tools or be gifted, that is an amazing start! If not, that’s alright too. Start with what you have just like I did.

Early Days: The Learning Curve

I was not only nervous about how to cut each customer, I was barely aware about how to hold my tools in the right position. Imagine feeling this, trying to fulfill each new clients request with the possible chance that I had no idea how to do it yet WHILE a line of people in the waiting room just staring at me and watching how I worked. It was rough. 

The Stress of Being New and Visible

It took me 2 years to start talking to my clients because I was so hyper-focused on the cut and not messing up. THIS was normal then and it is very normal still today. You can be 20 entering the field like I was or 50 and beyond! It doesn’t matter your age, as long as you know why you got into it. We have advancements and opportunities now in the educational space to teach people lightening speeds faster than how it used to be. With this in mind, we should be able to learn faster now than I did in 2009.

The most stressful part of starting anything new is being bad at it. Not just bad at it and only your co-workers being to see it, but being bad online while all your friends, family, and strangers watch. That’s the new world we live in today unless you’re old school and you prefer to not be on social. Note: I would like to advise not to avoid social because it’s been a great tool for me that I hope others could benefit from as well.

Think of the beginning as your muscle memory building stage. It’s like the gym and we’re trying to build a certain muscle. You can’t just go once a week, a few times a week, or even twice a month. You know that unless you’re constantly focusing on building that muscle, it’s not getting bigger. That means doing a fade once a day, once a week, twice a month will never get you prepared for the real world of barbering where it can be cut-throat. It’s highly competitive and people can be rude.

Obviously, we can’t avoid it, but we have to trust the process. The process of sucking and being bad at it and feeling confident that in due time, it will continue to get better because YOU are not going to give up on yourself. You have to commit to your word of not giving up when things get hard and even find a way to lean in when things are difficult. The more you fail and become aware with why, you’ll get better at deciding on what to do next time that will get you better results.

As a new barber, you’re feeling all the pressure. You've got to get people to trust you with zero to entry-level skill, think about how to execute each cut, map out the time it takes depending on where you work, and balance conversation if clients want to talk, all while deep down you know you have no idea what you’re doing yet. If this is how you're feeling, trust me, we ALL go through that. I know it's tough for most people at this stage because we’re still trying to make money to afford the nicer tools we see online. But if you don’t have them, don’t let it discourage you because there are still many things you can do in the meantime that will add to your growth and confidence.

Here are some things you can start doing that don’t cost anything but time, to prepare you for what's to come.

FREE Steps to Practical Growth

1. Practice on Friends and Family: Offer free haircuts to friends and family to build your skills and build confidence. Like I said before, you need reps. I cut my brothers and uncles every single week while adding on friends as I went. Anything to stay busy cutting.

2. Utilize Online Tutorials: Watch free barbering tutorials on YouTube and other platforms to learn new techniques and styles: our BabylissPro Barber YouTube Channel is a great place to start that I’ve personally helped put together.

3. Social Media Marketing: Don’t avoid starting now. Create a presence on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook to showcase your work and attract new clients. This is going to be your modern day portfolio to show them. It’s hard to convince people through a conversation, but your work doesn’t lie. Doesn’t matter what level you are, everyone starts at the same place. It’ll put more pressure on you to get better.

4. Network with Local Barbers: Connect with other barbers in your area to learn from their experiences and get advice. This can be inside the shop you get into. I learned a ton just watching my co-workers and asking questions when there was breaks.

5. Participate in Online Forums: Join barbering forums and online communities to exchange tips, get feedback, and stay updated on industry trends. This can be helpful if you feel like it’s hard connecting in person. This can help you break out from your insecurities to get your questions out there and answered.

6. Offer Services at Community Events: Volunteer to cut hair at local events or charity functions to gain exposure and practice. A good way to show face and build your community presence. People always love and appreciate people who show up from their local communities.

7. Self-Learning through Books, Articles, and Podcasts: Read free online articles, blogs, and e-books about barbering techniques and business strategies. I learned a ton on personal development, communications to topics like social media marketing. I also spent a lot of time driving and listening to podcasts on mindset building and business mentality.

8. Seek Mentorship: Reach out to experienced barbers for mentorship or guidance, which can often be arranged for free or in exchange for assistance in their shop. I never went through this route, but I know of some people who do offer this. It’s worth a shot when possible. The benefit has to go both ways for this to work.

9. Barbering Meetups and Groups: Attend local barber meetups or groups to network, share experiences, and learn from peers. Depending where you live, people host networking events at barbershops. Whether that exist or not, maybe you know someone who wants to set it up once a month? It’s really dope once you leave your shop and finally branch out and talk to other like-minded people in your city. You’ll be able to learn some new perspectives from one another.

10. DIY Marketing Materials: Use free graphic design tools to create your own business cards and promotional materials. Especially now with us living in a video content world, apps like CapCut for free templates is an easy way to create content with zero experience and follow easy trends. It’s not the way to truly grow value and creative pieces, but it’s a great starting point to get you going and to understand some fundamentals of video editing on a mobile phone.

Perseverance and Growth

I survived my first 2 years on a super tight budget. My first year in the barbershop, I made $12k after a full year. I didn’t give up. I had to share a car with my mom for that first year. I didn’t give up. I had a few bad reviews that first year. I didn’t give up. I was the last picked barber in the shop, but i still didn’t give up. The bigger picture that I was aiming for was to be the most booked in that shop with a great portfolio of work and that’s what I kept holding onto. (Think about what YOUR goal is and keep it in the front of your mind)

Embracing the Process

You are in this to fight for the choice and dedication needed to build your skills, create your lifestyle, and establish your income flow. This is your life, and it should be guided by no one but you. Your career may never get easier, but you'll get better as you progress and commit to growth.

You may get anxious and nervous in the beginning, but how FAST that goes away often depends on how much work you do and action you take. Some people need to go slow and some people can go fast. Both ways will take you where you need to go (but if you’re like me, I like to go fast). I make mistakes as I go, but I also learn quickly and keep adapting. The action will be forgotten by your next move and especially if you get better and build more confidence. Don’t fear the idea of not being good enough. Just think about how great you’re going to feel once you achieve what you want to do. If that is getting booked and having your work be appreciated, let that feeling drive you NOW and do what you can to get there. Think about how great that’s going to feel. Don’t let it paralyze you from making daily progress, but let that memory inspire you to stay connected to your mission (whatever that may be).

You've got to start building positive outlooks now. While barbering is a physical task, the mindset you adopt will be what sets you apart and gives you a long-lasting career.

This is my LAST Newsletter of 2023!! Thank you for coming along this ride with me and trusting as me a source of inspiration. Everything I share is only through things I’ve experienced and gone through. I only wish it helps you along your journey! Whether that’s a thought, an idea, inspiration, or any motivation. You were put on this earth to make a difference in your own way. It’s here for all of us. It’s a mission we all have to figure out in our lives to get there. Usually its disguised in our personal struggles. That’s going to be your GIFT to others someday.

I hope you guys finish this year off reflecting and envisioning yourself in the this next version of who you want to be. There’s nothing you can’t do. It’s all a mindset and strategy and you simply can’t get better without the two. Keep learning, stay open-minded and go for IT.

Happy New Year’s Y’all!

SOF!