Benefits of Being a Barber

If you’re reading this, you might be considering a career as a professional barber. As you may already know, a barber is an individual who cuts hair and also either shaves or helps to trim facial hair, styles hair, does facial treatments, and more.

 

While barbers used to predominantly work in a place where men would just come to get their hair or beards trimmed, times have changed. Now, it is a growing industry for both personal expression and creativity.

 

If you’re considering embarking on the path to becoming a professional barber, you’ll have to understand that some pros and cons come with the job. Below, we’ve detailed some for you to take note of.

 

Pros of being a barber 

 

As with any job, below are some pros to being a professional barber.

 

Creativity

In the past, most clients would come into the shop and have the barber proceed with a standard haircut (they call it the REGULAR HAIRCUT) that most other men have. Now, that’s no longer the case.

 

While there are certainly some that want a simple trim, there are also clients that want a more detailed haircut that even incorporates a design. As a barber, you’ll be able to utilize your creativity while testing your skills, so you’ll never be bored and will feel challenged continuously.

 

These are some of the haircuts I was doing back in 2014 when Designs were getting really popular.  This is the kind of art that fuels your ambition as a Barber.  It is definitely a benefit to being a barber.

 

 

Every client that comes through that door, will bring excitement as he/she sits down.  During the Client Consultation you will figure out if they want a simple trim or if they are looking for the works.

 

Creativity keeps your career as a Barber, in the new Century, keeps you fresh and excited to be in the shop doing what you love.  Haircuts have changed dramatically.  Haircuts also have been blended with so many different styles, that you can have 3 haircut styles in one, and that guys, is the one of the most fun things you can experience as a Barber.

 

Career Growth 

While working as a barber, it’s recommended to put together a portfolio that details the haircuts or trims that you’ve done. As you continue to expand your portfolio, you can post it online and use it as a way to grow your career.

 

Using Social Media can boost your clientele much faster than before.  Instagram and Facebook will keep everyone that follows you and their followers up to date with the latest styles and haircuts that you can do at the time of those posts.  Check out my INSTAGRAM A at: @pandothebarber.

 

 

 

 

My growth began when I started to Cut my Own Hair.  As you saw in the Video above, it is not easy.  With time and practice your growth is sure to come.  I started cutting my hair when I was 11 to 12 years old.  I am now 29 and have grown so much.

 

After you’ve worked in a shop or from home for a certain period, you can even consider setting up your own shop. While it’s definitely hard work, it’s also both fulfilling and rewarding.

 

Having your own shop allows you to do as you please.  You make your rules and people that work there with you will have to abide by these rules.  If you are a solo barber and work by yourself in your shop, then your whole persona is the atmosphere of the barbershop.

 

Edgar B’s Barbershop I started in 2014.  I had a friend create my logo, I created a Facebook and Instagram around my logo and went from there.  Then I began to grow in the Photo taking Industry haha.

 

 

 

Flexibility

As a barber, you have flexibility in a number of areas. One of the best areas that you have flexibility in is with your working hours. You can choose when you’d like to come to the shop and when it’s time to go.  Even if you rent a booth at a barbershop you still have that flexibility, if you are appointment only.  If the shop you work at only does walkins, then you must follow the rules given by the shop owner on working hours.

 

If you have your own barbershop, you’re your own boss and can decide when you want your vacation days to be. You also won’t need to have a dress code and will be able to set your own prices for the shop.  It is not as easy as it is said.  You have to be knowledgeable in the quality of your work and in the quality of experience you provide.

 

You can change the prices of the shop as often as you’d like, but with that comes greater responsibility and risk.  It takes time with perfecting your haircuts and perfecting your relationships with all of your clients.  You do not just cut their hair, you actually build solid relationships with your clients, and that there is even more important than the quality of your haircuts.

 

Make Someone’s Day

As a barber, you’ll regularly be meeting new people and helping them achieve the haircut or trim of their dreams. There’s nothing like the feeling of being able to help someone get the haircut or trim that they’ve always wanted.

 

Every time someone sits in your barber chair, it’s basically like a blank canvas to work on. You’ll be able to unleash your creativity and be in control of the situation while making someone’s day.

 

AN EXAMPLE OF THE CHANGE TO SOMEONES LIFE

 

You never know how the haircut or trim might help someone, it could boost their self-esteem or even help them get that job they’ve always wanted.  If you look great, you feel great.  It is one of the most rewarding things I can think of when it comes to being a Barber.  I’ve always wanted to help our world out and could never figure out how.  Well now I get to do it every day about 10-12 times per day during a work day.  It is so fulfilling.

 

Always be aware that you are changing someone’s life every time you do a haircut.  Think about a time when you have had a great haircut and felt like a different person as you walked out of the barbershop and for the days to come.  That is the mentality you must have in order to keep your clients fresh and coming back to you.

 

Great Income

While it could be a little rough in the beginning, as you expand your network and hone your skills, you can rake in a pretty decent income through barbering.  In the beginning you will have to have a another job to supplement your income.  When I first began I was doing haircuts for free in order build up my skills.  Then I proceeded to charge $3 for the people that were wanting haircuts from me.  Then I moved up to $5 per haircut and I stayed there for about 6-7 years.  I built up my clientele dramatically at this price range, but I was only able to do it because of my second job.

 

If you decide to set up a shop, it’s also important to do some research on the location of where you’d like to set it up as well as the type of haircuts your customers generally go for.  It is important to be a part of your community in order to see what kind of setting you will be in around your town or city.

 

A 2011 study indicated that the top 10 percent of barbers could receive an annual income of $46,000 while a regular barber’s annual income sits at around $28,050.  Not bad for having the amount of joys and flexibility that comes with this career.

 

It is now 2020 and the Average Income for a Barber starts at $50,000 and is unlimited from there, because of the power of social media and branding.  We do not just sell haircuts now, we sell hair product, we sell lifestyles and much much more.

 

Cons of being a Barber 

 

While there are certainly a number of pros in being a barber, there are also some cons that you should know of.

 

Liability

As you’re dealing with someone’s hair, there are also liability issues that may stem from it. As you work with the customer, issues such as cut, scrapes, patches and even bruises could occur.  Our biggest responsibility is Sanitation and Disinfection of our tools, our work area, and ourselves.  This is the biggest liability as DORA states when getting licensed.  60% of our Testing to get our license is on Sanitation and Disinfection therefore it is a big deal.

 

When that happens, you’d need to be responsible for the damage you’ve done to the customer’s hair. There’s also the issue of a customer not being happy with the haircut you’ve done for them.  You must keep them in mind always.  What I do if a client does not like the haircut I gave them is give them that Haircut for free plus an extra haircut for free.  At the same time you must talk to your client and let them know, the more you cut their hair and get to know them the better your haircuts and experience will get.  So for them to give you a chance to do their haircut in the future would be great.

 

If you communicate properly with your customer before the cut (Client Consultation) and be careful when you execute it, these issues shouldn’t occur.

 

Your clients are putting all the responsibility into your hands, and that responsibility should be accepted with love and passion.  Grab a hold of the responsibility and do the best you can with every client.

 

Working during Weekends and Holidays

Even though you do have flexible working hours, chances are, you’d have to work during the weekends and holidays.  Everyone likes to be fresh and have a fresh haircut during the holidays and weekends.  It is definitely a must to be available Fridays and Saturdays to accommodate for this.

 

It’s no secret that a large chunk of a barber’s customer base happens during the weekends and holidays as that’s when most individuals are free to get their hair cut.  It is something you must learn to live with early on in your career or you can be miserable, but the benefits and pros of being a barber out weight this con.

 

Holidays, everyone wants to look their best for friends and family and for themselves too.  If you want to be a successful barber, you will want to take the importance of a great haircut during the holidays.

 

While you can decide to not work during the weekend, you’ll be missing out on a large portion of your revenue – which I do not recommend.  You can work Monday through Friday and Still make great money though don’t ever think you can’t. I made great money only working 4 days a week and that went very well for about 2 years.

 

Physical Health

Being a barber is tough work as you’re on your feet the whole day. In the long run, this could cause damage to your back as well as your legs.  You must know that you will be moving around your work space constantly and taking an outrageous amount of steps in your 8-9 hour work day.  Your back and legs definitely strain out after a day of Barbering.

 

To alleviate these symptoms, you should invest in a good pair of shoes and stand on a proper floor mat that has a bit of cushioning. Remember to stretch when you’re back home and get plenty of rest.

 

 

Your diet is key to your success in the barbershop.  If you are consuming foods that are causing you to drag or feel fatigue, you may want to consult with a trainer and see what is recommended for your health.  I Intermittent Fast throughout my work day, but I would also consult with a trainer to see if you are in proper health to begin doing this.  Diet is Key.

 

Exercise is also key because it will allow for your muscles to be less tense during the whole day that you are standing.  I workout every morning around 6am for about 45 minutes in order to be in the best shape of my life as well as to be able to take a whole day of work standing up.  Doing what you love makes it easier to stand all day, but the fact of the matter is that your body is put under strenuous work all day as a Barber.

 

Conclusion

There are both pros and cons to being a barber. However, as long as you’re aware of the drawbacks and willing to put in the work, you’ll be on your way to being a professional barber.  The Pros to being a Barber definitely out weight the Cons.  If you have any questions about being a Barber definitely shoot me an email and we can get you going with a Career in Barbering.  My Email is found on the ABOUT US page here on my site.

 

Also, I would recommend you check out the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS page here on my site as well to learn a little bit more about Barbering.