Description
In this episode of The Daymakers Podcast, we chat with Rob, a proud Barber alumni from Tricoci University. Rob shares his inspiring story of growth, resilience, and skill-building as he navigated his journey from student to professional barber. Tune in to hear how Rob overcame challenges, found his passion, and built a thriving career in the barbering industry.
Find Rob On Social Media:
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/robthabarber/
TikTok- https://www.tiktok.com/@robthabarber
Show Notes
– Introduction to Rob and his background
– What inspired Rob to pursue barbering
– Lessons learned during his time at Tricoci University
– Overcoming self-doubt and gaining confidence
– Memorable experiences that shaped his journey
– Advice for aspiring barbers and beauty professionals
– Key takeaways on resilience, learning, and career growth
Links
YouTube: https://youtu.be/Gbwa0wO0Zpc
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3vOhrbjVL8wTvjxTeSiRDI?si=cc7f9c630fcc483f
Transcript
We are here to make people feel good about themselves.
We really have to feel like we
are a day maker for the guest.
You’ve made my day.
How great is that when you
hear those words from your guest?
Welcome, everybody, to the Daymaker podcast.
I’m your host with the most, David Dolce.
I have the privilege today of interviewing Rob.
Rob, welcome to our show. Thank you. Thank you.
You are very welcome.
Rob, you’re special to me because I
got to watch your whole career. Right.
You were at the campus that I was at.
I feel like I know you very well.
I’ve seen you do amazing things in this industry,
so I’m very proud to have you here today.
Since you’re being here, I appreciate it. Yeah.
So how, like, why’d you choose barbering?
Like, what happened?
What inspired you?
So it started when I was around 11.
I was going to this lady that
was cutting my hair, and she was.
As the time went on, she started to age a little bit.
So the haircuts went from looking,
like, really good to, like, okay.
So I was like, okay, let me.
Let me try to fix this up.
So I went to my dad’s little closet.
He had, like, some clippers, and
I started cutting my own hair.
So I started, like, lining myself up.
Of course I messed it up, but it was just like.
That was, like, how I started to love to cut.
So after that, she used to, like, leave, like,
little lines in my head, so I was like,
okay, let me get my dad’s other clippers.
And then I started actually cutting hair.
And then once I got more comfortable,
I started cutting my little brother.
Of course that was bad. It was bad. It was bad.
Our families are always our first client.
Families is always the first to get it, no matter
what, even if you want to cook or whatever.
But, yeah, but he was my first.
He was my first client.
To this day, I still cut his hair for
free, so it was like, oh, that’s cool.
So when he come in, he like, can I get the same one?
When I was 9 years old, can I get the same haircut?
I’m like, no, dude, you’re gonna get this
nice little haircut, and you get out.
That’s awesome. It is. I love him, though.
That’s my little brother.
But, yeah, I love that. So you never.
Yeah, you don’t charge your family like that.
Someone that’s been there from the beginning.
Your first haircut. That’s true. Yep.
I got clients from when I first. First started.
Ever, Ever, Ever? Yes.
So a lot of them I’m Like,
I haven’t really raised their prices much.
I’m like, but they know.
They know that makes me feel good.
So this is so common with barbers.
Like, most of the barber students that
we have have already been cutting hair.
Yes, Right.
So why did you choose to get licensed?
Okay, so I choose.
I chose to get licensed because in my barbershop,
one of the guys, one of the owners of
the barbershop, he was a stickler on license.
License, license.
Now, when I first started cutting hair, I
started cutting hair in a barbershop in 2005.
I didn’t know anything about a license at that time,
but I knew the guy that owned the shop.
And I was like, okay, I just graduated high school.
I’m pretty good at cutting hair.
And he was like, okay, if you bring like a.
Like a client with you that you can cut in front of
me, and if it’s good enough, I’ll let you cut hair.
And I was like, oh.
I’m like, okay, cool.
I never knew anything about a license.
So I was cutting hair, started to get
good at it, then I ended up moving.
So where I’m at now, in Gurnee.
And then the.
The owner of that barbershop, he was like,
I need you to get your license.
I want everything to be legit.
And I was like, what?
Like, I didn’t know anything about a license, you know?
You didn’t even know you needed a license?
I didn’t even know I needed one.
I never knew it was a thing. So.
So he told me about Mr. E. Well, Mr. Elazar.
And he was like, yeah, Mr. E.
He’s a teacher at your coaching.
And I was like, oh, no kidding? So.
So I called up to the school and I got.
And I came in and I was. It was. I loved it.
I was like, I didn’t know anything about, like,
cutting hair, like coloring hair and everything like that.
And I seen one of the promo videos
when I was sitting there waiting for. Waiting to get.
Waiting to talk to somebody at the front desk.
And I was like, I want to do that.
I want to learn how to color hair.
And, like, I seen, like, it was like some woman on
the screen with, like, pink hair and, like, sky blue hair.
I was like, I want to learn that.
And I was like, this is where I want to go.
That’s really cool.
That’s the best part about the barber program.
You don’t realize it.
You’re learning color.
You’re learning the barber manicures, the
facials and all of that.
The more that you can bring to your client, to
the chair, the more money they’re gonna spend on you.
It’s a commission based job, which is how you get paid.
And for me, like, my clients that I, that
I have, didn’t they never experience the facial.
They never experienced like the
manicures or anything like that.
And that’s something that when I graduated, I started
to implement into my regimen for cutting hair.
And I was like, okay, I like this because now
it’s like more like you can upcharge for stuff.
So, yeah, they teach you about upcharging. So I like.
So when I get like a person that
want a facial, okay, it’s this price.
But if you want to get a facial,
it’s this price, then what’s a facial?
And I get to explain it to them.
Then I learned about product management
from being at your Kochi.
So it was like, okay, I like this a lot
because I get to be able to teach my clients
while I’m servicing them at the same time.
Yep, that’s all.
That’s what it’s all about.
Teaching them what you do so they can
look good at home, not just when they’re. Exactly.
I love it.
You’re picking up all the good stuff from Tecochi.
I love it.
Like, I love it.
So did you ever be in a situation where you
got somebody else’s client because somebody wanted color, they wanted
a facial, they saw what you were doing, and then
that other barber’s like, I don’t do that. I just fade.
Yeah.
So I sit more in the middle of the shop so
clients from both sides of the barbershop can see me.
So when a client, if I’m doing a facial, I got
the steamer, I got everything going, and then the client come
in, they look back and they looking like, what’s that?
And they be like, oh, he doing a facial.
Do you do those?
They’re like, nah, I don’t do those.
Yes, see, I got you.
Yes, I got you. I love it. But that’s the thing.
I love it because the barbers that don’t dabble into that
kind of area, they’ll tell the clients, go see Rob.
That’s cool.
And I love it because we have that
camaraderie between us that actually do that.
Or another client come in, they see me doing a facial,
I always let them know, like, okay, I can do it.
But at the end of the day, you got to go back
to your barber, because I want to make sure that they’re me.
Personally, I never like bad blood in barbershops
because of client stealers and stuff like that.
So in my barbershop, we never do that.
So even if, say, of another barber and they’re too busy
and they say, rob, can you cut one of my clients?
If I got some free time, I’ll cut them.
But while they’re in a chair, I gotta let you know,
hey, I’m cutting your hair, and how was your day?
And everything like that.
But you got to go back to
your barber, because that’s my friend.
That’s my brotherhood.
Yep, exactly. So that’s why.
That’s why I always let them know.
Even when I do facials, everybody like, oh, my
God, you want to cut my hair too?
No, no, no.
Like, that’s your barber.
I’m just doing a facial for you because I really appreciate
that, the fact that you wanted to get in my chair.
But that’s your barber. Good for you.
I love that you mentioned, like, the rapport
you have with the other people in your
barbershop, because that’s something that I’ve noticed.
The first I was working for Tecoti,
like, a few weeks, and Ms.
Amy’s like, oh, you’re coming with
me to this barber battle.
It’s when we first started to get the
program, and we wanted to be present.
And when I went to that barber battle and
I saw what the barber culture was about, I
was sold from the minute I walked in there.
The energy’s crazy.
You create this brotherhood with all these people.
Like, it’s a huge family. Yes.
Like, sometimes in the cosmetology world,
there’s some competition going on. You know what I mean?
But you never, ever, ever see that with the barbers.
Like, you feel like you’re part of family. Yeah.
It’s like a barber brotherhood.
I love it, man.
Everything about barbering, to me, it’s when you’re
in a barbershop and somebody comes into the
barbershop and they have, like, a problem, you
can talk about it amongst the barbers.
You know what I mean? Yeah.
It’s almost like therapy. Yup.
So if you have problems, that’s.
You go straight to the barbershop because
everybody got a point of view.
Like, I’ve never been married, and I always ask
my older clients, like, how long you been married?
Some of them say, 10, 15, 20.
How do you stay married?
You know what I mean? You get some. Some.
Some crazy answers, but you get the good answers.
Some of them keep a girlfriend on the side.
I’m like, nah, you can’t do that. But any like.
No, I’m just playing.
You just got to listen, you know what I mean?
Just listen and have communication,
you know what I mean?
And that’s what a lot of them say. Listen.
And communication is the best thing to have with your.
With your significant other.
So that’s what, that’s why I like going to the
barbershop or being in a barbershop because I get to
just see different walks of life amongst everybody.
So speaking of significant others,
you’ve got a girlfriend, right? I do. Her name’s Maria.
She’s also a tecoach University graduate. That’s true.
Went to our aesthetics program. Yes.
Have you guys maybe learned things from each other? Yes.
So she taught me about like.
So of course, when you’re in school and
they teach you about like tapotement, effleurage, petricide
and stuff like that with the facials.
But she, she actually does a facial of me at home.
So I try to take that and the motions and the hand
strokes that she used and I take it to the barbershop.
And I always ask her, like, what’s.
What’s a good facial cream to get or
what’s a good this or what’s it?
You know, I always ask a little stuff like that
just so I can be able to take it and
implement it into what I do at the barbershop.
So that was. This is always. That’s. It’s.
That’s like a win win for me. That’s great. Yeah.
You definitely do the good facial. Yes. I love it.
Like, that’s awesome that you guys
get to share ideas like that. That’s perfect.
Because you said you do the facials at your shop.
That’s fantastic.
So you chose Tracochie University.
There’s tons of barbershops out there.
I know that you were referred for Mr. E.
Did you look at any other schools first and
then Tricochie stood out to you for some reason?
I looked at two other ones and I just.
They wasn’t my cup of tea.
And when I came to the campus and I
seen that video, I think the video sold me.
And I was like, oh, yeah, I want to go here.
Because I went to the other campuses of the other schools
and everything and I was just like, okay, it’s cool.
But a lot of them, they wanted to speak
to me first about money versus my experience. Really?
Yeah.
And I didn’t like that.
I was like, you want money? Yeah.
And then a couple of other schools, I heard
like, if you pay them a little extra under
the table, you don’t have to go to school.
And I was like, I don’t want that kind of.
Yeah, I was like, I don’t want that kind of education.
I want to be able to actually go to school, learn
stuff and, you know, and graduate and get my license.
Be a professional. Exactly.
Because you can’t fake that test that
you got to take once you graduate.
You can’t fake that. That’s real. It is real.
That’s real.
And you need that education. Yes, you do.
So it was worth it.
The investment was worth it. Right?
The time investment.
You did the part time program, didn’t you?
I did the part time program.
So it took me like a year in a couple months.
And I seen a lot of barbers on the way in, so it
was like I was able to make like a brotherhood with those guys
because it was like, okay, you come in, I see you.
I can give you some experience from what I went through
and then you can take that with you when you leave.
And I knew I was going to leave sooner or
later, but it was like, okay, at least I make
an impact on these guys while they’re here.
Because a lot of them were younger, so they
didn’t really know a lot of stuff about the
barbering industry that I can, can help them with,
you know, so along with, of course, like Mr. E, Ms.
Pam, you know, Ms.
Casey and you know. Yep.
I mean, you’re a great student.
You were like the go to.
Hey, Rob, can you help me carry this?
You have to move this. You help me? Yeah, sure. Always.
You’re always up helping everybody.
That’s how I connected with you.
You just were a part. You didn’t care if you
were an esthetician, a cosmetologist.
You were all, I used to like
your shoes with the nice shoes.
Yeah, that’s Mr. David.
Oh, I love my shoes.
That’s awesome. I love.
So what I know, like, I follow you
on Instagram and maybe that’s TikTok, but I
see those videos on Instagram because I’m older.
You are hysterical, Rob.
I was seeing these videos of you with the blow dryer.
People’s lips are going like, it cracks me up.
How did you get into all of that and how
did that play a big part in, like, your career?
So for me, it was more of I, I went into
the haircutting tutorials, then I seen like the numbers behind that.
Then I went to the.
This is what you do if you’re in
this kind of situation, type of haircuts videos.
And then I went from that to, like,
doing, like, the special, like, flip the cameras
and to, like, do nice transitions with your. With your.
With your phone, then go on
cap cut, and, like, edit them.
And I was like, you know what?
I never went the comedy route, but.
And I also never showed my face because
I was, like, a nervous person on air.
But I was like, okay, let me just,
like, step outside the box a little bit.
Let me do something different.
So I looked at my analytics on my Facebook
page, on my Instagram page, and I seen, like,
okay, this is the demographic that I have.
This is the age of everybody that I
have, and this is where the locations are.
So what I did was I started checking those
locations and see what almost, like, what barbers in
the area are doing to get notified, like, to
get, like, seen on social media.
And I was like, okay, I’m a funny guy.
I think I got, like, a calling with this.
So I was like, okay, you know what? So I got one of my.
One of my clients. He’s an actor.
His name is Bobby.
And I was like, would you.
Would you like to do a skit with me?
And he was like, what? Yes.
He said, I watch barber skits all day.
And I was like, what?
I was like, let’s do it.
He was like, okay, let’s do it.
So I went and.
And I got, like, some.
The little, small, little microphones
that you get, you know?
So I got a bunch of those.
Well, I got a couple of those.
And then I just said, okay, let’s sit down,
and what do you want to talk about?
He was like, you know what?
Let’s turn on the camera and just do a haircut.
And we just gonna go with whatever
happens at that moment, and we gonna.
And that’s how we did our first video.
And it was such a success.
It had, like, what, like 20,000 views and,
like, crazy five hours or something like that.
Getting your first one. Yes. And I was like.
After that, I was like, okay, I got something here.
This is what I’m doing.
I want to do, like, the comedy route.
But it’s pretty nice, though. I love it. You do?
Like, I crack up.
I’m in bed, wherever. I’m with my husband.
I’m like, look at that. That’s Rob.
He was our student. He’s like, I know.
You’re telling me about Rob all the time.
Real quick, why don’t you
share your handle with everybody?
So my Instagram is ob.
The barber R O B T H A Barbara.
B A R B R.
And that’s on Instagram.
That’s on TikTok as well. Awesome.
I want everybody to have the opportunity
to be entertained like I am. Yes.
Like the ones that I did with my,
with my other friend, his name is Nate.
We did a couple videos and like, oh,
those, those like did a lot of numbers.
Like they did like, it’s almost like, it’s
almost at a million views right now.
That’s crazy.
I get like 20 likes a month
and I’m like, oh, look, 20, yes.
Oh my God.
So I love it because you cut without
a license, you cut with a license and
you have a pretty high end clientele.
Do you think getting that license help
you develop the clientele that you have?
I feel like the license helped me with my ability to.
If I wanted to leave and go somewhere else, I
can without that because I can go anywhere and have
my license and I can feel like I belong there.
And, and having that license, that actually helped me get a
lot of the Bears players get a lot of the, like
I got a couple rappers or, you know, stuff like that.
So that it helped me in that and
that kind of aspect because it really.
Like one of my clients, he’s a, he’s an actor
and before I went to school, he told one of
the directors or whoever you talked to, and he was
like, I want to bring my barber on.
And they were like, okay, cool.
And that was going to be my way to like
get grandfathered into the whole barbering of a movie set.
Wow. Yeah.
So I was like, oh, perfect. Perfect.
I’m like, oh my God. They were like, all the things
they need is your license.
Well, what kind of license are you talking about?
He was a barber license.
I’m like, no, I’m like, I don’t have a barber license.
Yes.
And that was, and it was like, that was
like 2018 and they was gonna be, they was
gonna be doing a movie for Static Shock.
It’s like, it’s like an African
American superhero type of guy.
And they wanted me, and they wanted me to come
to the set to cut hair for it because it,
because my client was going to be the main character.
But they said, I just said I didn’t have a license. So.
Rob, that’s crazy.
But you said you’re doing rappers,
you do Chicago Bear players.
I mean, you got the clientele that
you got to close the shop down. Yeah.
For the guys that’s like really well known.
I close the shop down.
So at night I said, I’m coming like 8:30, 9:00,
because I take my last client, like 7, 7:30.
So I let.
I get a chance for everybody to leave the shop.
And then I cut. Those guys cut.
Then I’d like close the shades down or whatever, have.
Just so I can make them feel comfortable.
But a lot of them, to be honest,
they just come in during regular hours too.
And they just.
I treat them normal and everybody treat them normal
because we get to see like a athlete on
it almost on a daily basis because we get
like Spice Adams come in, which is Anthony Adams.
He’s very big on social media.
And everybody just when they come in,
he just say, what’s up to everybody?
And we just go from there.
Just so fun.
It makes them come back to
you because they can feel comfortable. Yeah.
Like a normal person.
And I don’t treat them like.
I don’t treat them like I’m a fan.
It’s more like, how you doing today, bro? You good?
Okay.
What you doing for the weekend?
I talk like that versus, hey, can I get free
tickets or can I get a picture with you?
I never ask for pictures unless they want to see.
Just like you said, you see my videos,
they’d be like, man, can I do it?
Can we do one of those videos? Yeah.
I was like, I’m like, yeah, let’s do it. Yeah.
I got, like, few signature questions that we
like to add and ask on this podcast.
Being a daymaker, when did you realize that you have
the power to actually become a day maker for somebody?
So that’s the best feeling to have as a barber,
when somebody comes to you, especially a new client.
If they come to me and they say
I went here, they messed it up.
And I did, and I decided to make them feel comfortable.
Okay, I got you. You came to the right place.
I always try to make them feel comfortable.
That’s the, that’s, that’s.
That’s the prime thing that you need to do.
Make them feel comfortable.
Once I make them feel comfortable,
I know my skill set already. That’s gonna be.
That’s gonna be a given.
But I want the experience that you have in my chair
to be one of the best experiences you ever had.
That’s when I bring out the steamer and the
facial, massages, everything like that, stuff that they don’t
get when they go to other barbershops.
So that’s what I do.
So once they leave the chair and I give them the mirror,
I try to keep them away from the mirror at all.
Times because I don’t want them to see it.
Because a lot of. A lot of.
A lot of clients be nosy.
They are trying to turn around to get like a clipper.
They’d be like, you know, I walk away and
I see him peel open the foil and take
a picture with the phone to make. Yeah.
I’m like, you’re gonna be orange. Yeah, Showing you.
So I don’t know what to take exactly.
So what I did now is I got like a
little sign to say, stop being nosy on the mirror.
And I got like a little hand to point like this.
So now that when they turn around, they see it.
I’d be like, yep, you got you, didn’t it?
They’re like, yeah.
So once they get out the chair and I turn
around and they see their haircut, they’re like, oh, my
God, this is what I’ve been looking for. But.
But the thing is, mister, you always
taught me make sure your con.
Your consultation is a one. Awesome.
So I always make sure that I
ask what length they want their hair.
Do you have a picture of reference? Do you need.
What do you want, like a fade on the side?
What do you want exactly? So then I.
Then I repeat it back to you.
So you want this, you want a number four on this
on the top, you want a two on the side, you
want the size taper, you want the back taper, and you
want your line, your beard razor lined like this.
And they’re like, yes, just like that.
And I’m like, okay, cool. I got you. Yeah.
Because like, we know the lingo and we
say things just comes out of our mouths
like it’s our own vocabulary, Right? Exactly.
Clients don’t know.
Some of them don’t know what a balayage highlight,
a low fade, a mid fade, high fade, where
that’s going to take you on level. Exactly.
The consultation is everything. It’s everything.
And Misty always said the consultation is key.
And I was like, okay, I got you.
So I always remember that to this day,
I can still hear his voice, not the
saying, but his voice telling me that.
So I was like, okay, cool. I got this. Mr. E.
He’s a good man. Yeah, he is. He’s great. And Ms. Pam.
Oh, my God, I love Ms. Pam. I know.
I’m all about that campus now.
I travel around all the different campuses.
You got your home, right? That’s right. Home base.
That’s right. So I started.
That’s where it all started.
So if you see me at the Beauty Blitz,
you Know I’m a be cheering for cw. That’s right. Yes.
Yeah. You’ve been to our Beauty
Blitzes, and that’s really cool.
I see your enthusiasm.
We didn’t have those back in the day, right? Yes.
I was huge.
When I seen it for the. Exactly.
When I seen the first one, I was like, this is amazing.
Then when I went to the second one, I was blown away.
It was massive.
I was like, okay.
I got chills, like, in my.
Because I’ve been in doing.
I’ve been doing in a hair industry
for so long, it’s like, you.
It’s hard to get excited about something.
And I really got excited about that beauty bliss.
And I got chills. I was like, oh, my God. I get nervous.
And I wasn’t even on stage, and I was
still like, oh, my God, this is amazing. Like, the.
The camaraderie amongst everybody. Yeah.
Even, like, the school spirit, like, with
every school, like, oh, my God.
It’s so overwhelming. And I love it.
I say I want to go every year.
Like, I’m there every year.
And I was like, I want to be.
I want to be a part of it some kind of way.
I know I won’t be able to hit the stage.
Like, that one lady, she goes, I know I can’t
do that because I don’t have that kind of energy. Yeah.
But I want to do something because
I was like, you will rob.
I will get you involved for sure.
100%.
I love it.
I went and I looked at, like.
Because I recorded almost everything.
Like, my phone was like, okay, dude, like, calm down.
It’s too many pictures and videos.
But I went back and I just looked at
it, tried to re immerse myself in it.
Oh, my God. It was amazing.
I was like on the inside when everybody’s getting
ready to pile in and I hear these noise
makers in these blows, and it was like.
Sounded like the walls were gonna come down.
And then we open these doors,
and everybody’s rushing in, cheering. Yes.
And if you look on y’all, if you look on
the Chikochi website, on your Instagram, you can see.
See me running in, because I’m
like, I’m gonna watch for it. Oh, my God.
I got tears in my eyes.
Because you work at these schools all day long,
and sometimes it takes a lot of effort for
you to get that person to just stand up.
You know what I mean?
And seeing them so enthusiastic about the business.
I love it. I love it. And their school. Yeah.
I can talk about the dude, like, I
was on a high for like, two weeks.
Yeah, you was flying around like, I’m
like, how you doing this day?
Hey, Rob, how you doing?
He was flying.
I was like, oh, my God. Working today. Working.
It took some weeks of working, like, yes.
So how do you think the way that you treat
your clients, they’re going to take that when they leave?
So beyond the chair, how do you
feel like you affect their daily lives?
So for me, I think about every
time a client comes into the shop.
Well, I want to say like a customer.
When a customer comes in, your main focus
is to turn them into a client.
Customers go anywhere, clients come to you. Yes.
So that’s what I always try to do. I try to make sure.
I always ask, like, so where did
you get your haircut at last?
What made you leave?
Then once they tell me their
problems, that’s a great question.
Become the solver. So I want to make sure. Oh, he.
The other barber used to this take to
take not enough time on my haircut.
They try to speed through a
haircut or they smell like something.
You know what I mean?
Or, you know, And I always
try to say, like, okay, cool.
So I know exactly what not to do,
even though I don’t do it anyway.
But it’s like, okay, I got you.
So I always ask questions.
And my thing is, even with the new barbers, when I
talk to new barbers, I always tell them, like, if you
got a new client in your chair or a new customer,
your chair, get your phone after they leave, ask some questions.
What’s their name?
Oh, you just getting off of work now?
You know what they do for a living? Yup.
You got any kids now?
You know if they got kids or not. Are you married?
Stuff like that.
But it’s not like you’re not interviewing them.
It’s more like a casual conversation.
So with that casual conversation, you learn
a lot of stuff about them.
Then once they leave, I write
everything down on their contact information.
So now when they come back for a
haircut and I see ours, it’s David.
Oh, he got this and that and this and that. Okay, cool.
How you doing, David? How you doing?
Oh, can I get a haircut? Okay, I got you.
When they come in for the haircut.
The next haircut.
So how’s that job going?
Did you get the interview?
How was the interview?
I hired two kids doing.
Oh, you remembered that. Yeah, I did.
But in actuality, I just wrote it down so I can
make little small notes about the person so I can learn.
So I can.
And then that kind of stuff leads to word of mouth.
Then I got your brother or I got
your cousin or I got your husband.
I got somebody that’s gonna be willing to come
and get a haircut by me so they can
get that same experience that you got. That’s great.
And that kind of ties into.
My next question was like, how does
all that help you retain clients?
Oh, yeah, my retention is, is, is amazing. Yes.
It’s crazy.
Like, I have to.
Sometimes I gotta find time for some of my clients
because everybody, when they’re in the chair, they like to
talk to me because I like to talk. I’m a talker.
So they like to talk about different stuff
or they like to talk about what kind
of shoes about to come out stuff.
If I notice something about you when you first come in, I
give you like a once over and I see that you into
shoes, or I see that you went to watches, or I see
you got a ring or you got a manicure, anything like that.
I always try to.
Okay, so we get your manicure or any little
thing so I can make you feel special.
So when you leave, you know you want to come back to me.
That’s awesome.
That’s a day maker. Yes.
Rob, thank you so much for being here with us.
I hope actually I can get you
even to come into the school sometime. I would love to.
Barbers, because they need some
motivation and inspiration too.
You know how it gets halfway through the program,
you’re like, I still got 750 hours to go,
so I would love to have you anytime.
I would definitely come through because I
want to see this new generation of
barbers, like, just blow up, dude.
Like just take it to the next level. Because the.
Because I started in 2005 so the
barber and plateau was so high.
But now it seemed like everything
is getting better, which is. I love that.
But I want to see the new
barbers that’s still in school right now.
Don’t give up, don’t.
Just because you’re not getting it now,
don’t mean you won’t get it later.
Yeah, and that’s what, that’s all
I want to tell everybody.
Because a lot of people get discouraged.
I don’t want you to get discouraged.
Just do your best. Especially today.
Instant gratification right there on
your phone every five seconds. You don’t realize.
Exactly. Just wait a minute.
You’re gonna get good things. Exactly.
Because a lot of people, what they do now
is they take a picture, doctor the picture up.
Then when it’s barber and barber school see it.
They think that, oh, this picture is so perfect.
But my haircuts don’t look like that.
When actuality a lot of people just
edit videos and stuff like that.
Edit pictures.
Just because yours don’t look like that
don’t mean that you can’t strive to
make it to get that perfect haircut. That’s right.
You’re an inspiration, Rob.
Thank you again, so much. Anytime. So much.
I’m glad you did this with me. Oh, yeah? Yeah.
I jumped on the opportunity to call you right away.
You’re like, yes.
I was like, what?
And as soon as I said yes and I
sent it, I was like, oh, my God.
I never did a podcast before. Oh my God. It’s fun.
But I was like, if it was you,
I was like, I gotta do it. I love it. Thank you, Rob.
Anytime.
I’m glad we have that relationship. But that’s what.
What it’s all about. Definitely. I’m here. Thank you.
Thank you. Let me know when you need me. Call me.
You got it.