I was raised by my mother in a single parent household along with my older sister I was 13 years old and at that age young men like myself cared about how we looked from our head to our toes so a haircut every week was ideal for me but it wasn’t in my mother’s eyes. We were in a fixed income so haircuts weren’t one of those things I could always get. So one Christmas with a video game system on the brain with hopes and prayers to open it on Christmas morning I received a gift from my mother that would change my life forever. “ You like getting haircuts now you can do it yourself ” my mom bought me my first pair of clippers and the birth of the rest of my life began.
They said “you have a gift” the kids in my school thought because I could do a haircut that someone else did and do it better on them. At the age of 18 I graduated high school and entered barber school I knew that this was an art in a different form at the age of 3 I was always drawing making something out of nothing so seeing these heads to me were like looking at a blank canvas and with 5 years of experience I knew this was going to be fun. I was 19 years old I graduated barber school I was building a clientele and was starting to truly believe this was the right career choice for me.
Mark Lightfoot was it for me he was the 1st barber I looked up to when I began cutting hair he was Randall Cunningham of the Philadelphia eagles barber and that made me feel so proud to be a Philadelphia barber. To me Mark was my 1st celebrity barber I looked up to. There are so many great barbers in this industry and there are a few I truly look up to that inspire me barbers like Tyrik Jackson, @tonytonsorial, @boomzworld , @dlmasterbarber all of these men have inspired me to be a professional in this trade to do more than just cut hair to carry myself in such a manner of the professional barber.
“ I JUST DON’T CUT HAIR… I CHANGE LIVES”
My life changed when babyliss pro reached out to me I remember cutting at the shop when I received a phone call from a friend working for the company had asked if I was interested because my name did come up in passing when babyliss pro was in search for barbers. I felt honored and proud that I would even be considered over so many barbers in the world but I knew I could handle it and would take full advantage of the opportunity before me. With 30 years of experience under my belt I still attend barber expos and battles I still promote myself on social media and through the old school methods with cards and what not… if I could pass on any advice to an up and coming barber is to be out there put yourself out there get to the shows get to know everyone it’s the only way you will get somewhere in this industry.
I have been truly blessed in this industry and in my life and to think it all began with the greatest gift I ever received on Christmas.
Thank you mom
