There is no one blueprint for barbers. That precedent definitely holds true for Erskinne Reeves, Yousseff Barber, and Yisrael Wright. They recently sat down for rolling out’s Creative Entrepreneur Class Virtual Conference panel discussion titled The Level Up Blueprint for Barbers, powered by Patrol Grooming. Patrol Grooming provides innovative men’s grooming products for skincare, shaving, razor bumps, and beard treatment.
Reeves was a barber before he was a teenager. He’s always had a passion for the male grooming craft, and that has only grown over time.
“My journey is I’m a barber lifer…I’ve been cutting hair since I was 12, and have been working in the barbershop since I was 15. The only job I’ve ever had,” Reeves told rolling out.
“I’m not new to this, I’m true to this.”
Barber wasn’t involved in the craft quite as early. Still, he knew he wanted to be a barber before he was an adult.
“I was working in the barbershop when I was 16 and got an apprentice license in Maryland. Then when I was 18, I had a full barber license. And at 21 I moved down to Atlanta to change my life around (with his wife)…just blessed to be in what is now known as the ‘Hair Mecca’ ,” Barber explained to rolling out. Barber has several celebrity clients including hip hop artist Chance The Rapper and Atlanta Hawks basketball player Clint Capella.
Outside of school and basketball, Wright spent much of his time growing up in his mom and aunt’s hair & nail salon. When he started in the corporate world, Wright quickly realized that he needed something different to fulfill him. The next move was obvious.
“I was just kind of going through the motions to get a paycheck every two weeks,” Wright explained.
That’s when one of his friend’s in Atlanta started telling him about how he could essentially make $50 per hour as a barber. Wright jumped at the chance. And while the first year didn’t live up to that monetary standard, it proved to be well worth it, and he is now ten years in.
“That’s when I kind of really started putting my all into it and I started really getting the fruits of the labor, as I was going into year two and three and things started progressing really fast.”
Their different paths have led to different positive experiences for each. For example, Reeves cuts hair for Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields. He now admires Fields’ dedication to his craft.
“Probably 90% of the time I’m cutting his hair, he’s deep into film study,” Reeves explained.
“And that’s kind of how I am with the game. Thirty years doing hair, I’m always studying, I’m keeping my skills sharp.”
With a combined amount of experience that spans across many decades, these three grooming experts certainly have a lot of wisdom to share with aspiring barbers.
For Barber, the number one thing that any professional barber needs to be for their clients, is consistent.
“I don’t care if you come in at 10 o’clock, 12 o’clock… as long as you’re consistently coming in at that time, so your clients know when to come and find you…,” Barber expressed to rolling out.
Building on this attribute, Reeves explained how the easiest way to embody consistency, is to have a love of service.
“If you want to level up, you’ve gotta build your people skills, and you’ve got to build your love to serve others…,” he explained.
“People will see that shine through, and they’ll take you outside of the realms of just doing hair.”
Press play to view the panel discussion in its entirety.
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