It's TOUGH to be a Barber in 2023 (Here's Why)

Barbers, you don’t need to feel alone…

I have had the opportunity to travel all over the world this year and believe it or not, the pain that people feel is the same whether it is in the USA or out of the country.

See here’s the thing…

When we live on social, we get to share, feel, and see EVERYTHING people post all at once. We are more connected than we really think. Remember the 7 degrees of separation?

Barbers have a hard time staying focused on themselves because the world is forcing us to see all the great things that people are doing which sometimes leaves us to feel like we AREN’T doing enough. If this is you, trust me, you are not alone because I feel this too. The pressure from all the barber “gurus” telling you what you should be doing or else you suck. The information is hitting you left and right and you getting lost at knowing who’s advice to follow.

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to SLOW DOWN. It can feel like you are falling behind, but I can tell you this from personal experience…if you don’t slow down and think about this situation, you will burn out and lose motivation.

Something I’ve learned along the way is that when we feel stuck, that is a blessing in disguise. That means we have a moment in time to really reflect about where we are at, what we need to change, and where we want to move towards next. Not just making a move, but asking yourself, what is the right MOVE for YOU?

The road to success does not look the same for everyone. We can land in different places and find success, but the only way we can get there is if we take the time to understand what is important and follow through. Keep that word to yourself. It matters.

If you are a new barber, more than likely, you are just trying to build your portfolio and get busy in the shop. It’s tough when you are new and have zero experience and it can be very discouraging if you’re on social media all the time seeing everyones highlights.

Let’s say you’re a middle tier barber, a few years in, you have your clients and you are decently booked, but you feel like there is something more you want and do not know how to unlock. So, you are consuming content everywhere, reading books, taking classes, but it still leaves you feeling unsettled. Sound familiar?

Down to the busiest barbers who love the grind and love being in the shop, but even they wonder if there is another way to lessen the load so they can spend more time with their family. Maybe they are new to parenting, are in a new relationship, or have a new pet that they want to have more work-life balance with.

As you read through a couple of those example scenarios, it could be you, some co-workers and friends and see thats the thing: No two people are going to be on the same path so how could we all follow the same directions to get there?

I have been in the education space for 7 years now and teaching others has helped me a lot to develop as a human being and learn about all the people out there in the world. It is huge. I used to feel very strongly about what I taught people to follow, exactly my same steps so they could reach the level of success I was feeling, but the truth is, that’s not the reality that most people are going for. I don’t have kids, I don’t even have pets. Just my partner who is equally as obsessed with work as I am so we can dedicate 97% of our time to work-related activities.

I learn every single day. I am a student of life and love barbering and education. One of my goals is to leave my experiences and knowledge with the world and allow people to just see a different perspective of barbering. NOT to follow without thinking and choosing, but to open up their mindset to possibilities. Learn about the different pay structures, different types of clientele, and ideas that are different from your own or what you’ve learned. The more you open yourself up to learn, the more you realize how much you don’t know. What you don’t know and grow to learn is what will separate you from the masses.

At the end of the day, you choose between two things: evolve or repeat.

I’ve never written a newsletter before. This is my first one. If you got to the end, thank you for reading. It felt really good to get this out of my head.

PS. Don’t forget about why you got into barbering… keep that feeling alive.

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!

Sof!