The island of Oahu, in the city of Kaneohe, Hawaii… At first thought, you think of the beautiful island and want to travel to it. Now imagine being blessed to wake up every morning doing that one thing you were born to do and to call it home.
“I’m a third generation barber. My uncle is a barber, my brother was a barber, so following in my family’s footsteps made all the sense to me.” Words spoken with pride from Hawaii’s premiere barber/stylist, Will Pierce. This talented barber has been blessing the island with his amazing work for a decade or so. “I remember my mother dropping me off at my uncle’s barbershop in Richmond, Virginia and working for him, sweeping
hair. It was my first job and I fell in love with the art” said Will when we at The Line Up Barber Magazine got the chance to speak with him.
As a child, Will would be in his room playing “barbershop.” He had a chair and some combs and clips and would act out the daily activities of the barber he saw at his uncle’s barbershop
at an early age. “It was my first interaction where I truly felt I was a barber.”
“Middle school was when I turned the clippers on and tested the waters with cutting hair. I enjoyed it and appreciated my friends allowing and trusting me with being able to do so. I continued to cut hair throughout high school, following in my uncle and my brother’s footsteps in the family business. With only three years of high school and graduating early, I knew I needed to do something with my life. I enlisted in the Marine Corps where I was the “Battalion Barber.” I cut everyone in my platoon. It was an amazing time in my
life. I was sharpening my craft all the while serving my country.
They say “Sometimes in TRAGEDY we find our life’s PURPOSE.” I lost my brother while I was stationed and my world came crashing down. I felt lost and didn’t know where to turn. I thought long and hard about what I needed to do… go back to the mainland and be with my family or continue my life and make something of myself like my brother wanted me to do.
After my time in the Marines, I wanted to follow in my brother’s footsteps and finish what he started in this industry. This took me to The Hawaii Institute of Hair Design where I gained
the experience in both barbering and cosmetology. The barbering part flowed easily with having the experience and background in it. The science of hair color and the dynamics of cutting and styling did not come as easy but I adapted and got it down.
During my time at the institute, whenever I found myself having a rough time, I always had my uncle to turn to. He was my father figure and always had the best advice to help me through it all, telling me what clippers to purchase and how to make life as a barber easier with tips and shortcuts. My uncle is still that figure for me to this day and continues to give me advice as a barber.
Every time we are on the phone, that time with him and the education he gives me is priceless. He helped me through school and having my brother on my mind and heart, it truly kept
me focused on the tasks at hand. Everything I do is for my family and my brother and I thank him every day for being my influence in this business. My brother was both a barber and a stylist.
He knew if he mastered both sides that he would forever have clientele and keep himself busy. That was the one thing that drove me to wanting to do both myself.
Three years ago I met a barber who screamed everything all barbers should be like. Tyrik Jackson’s work ethic and his ability to speak and reach people who want and dream of being a barber or stylist is amazing. Tyrik’s ability to show everyone that success is there and it is up to us all to go get it just motivates me to push hard and work harder.
“THRIVING TO BE BETTER THAN I WAS YESTERDAY’ is my everyday purpose. Being married with five children keeps me grounded and having the support of my loving wife is amazing. She has always told me to “never settle for less.” She pushes me to be better every day.
We asked Will what it is that sets him apart from any other barber and got a humbling response, “We are all the same. There will never be anything that I can say about any other barber on a hate type comment. I am proud of all the barbers everywhere that are doing the same thing I am doing which is providing for their families. How can anyone hate on that?”
EXECUTIVE GROOMING is my company. Bringing hair care products to the island that we don’t normally receive gives me the opportunity to network with these companies and with the barbers by teaching them how to use and what to use on different types of hair. Education is another passion I find myself falling for. Being an educator with the travel team for Frederick Benjamin and a sponsorship with ColdLvbel is truly a humbling experience that I know my family and myself are proud of. I hope I have made my brother proud of me too.
