Todd Schoeberl

 Why I want to be Barber (and Hairstylist)  

by Todd Schoeberl 

A barber had once told me a long time ago when I asked him about being a barber. He said, “Hair never
stops growing… barbering is time and recession-proof, so you will always be in demand.” 

Have you ever sat in a barber’s chair and wondered what it was like to be on the other side? Do you
walk past a red, white, and blue barber pole and think about what it would be like to work in a barbershop? Barbering isn’t your typical day job. It’s creative, fast-paced, and makes your clients feel rock-solid awesome.  

It all started that one day back in college in 1987; I went to a barber/hairstylist/ cosmetology college to get my college student discount (cheap) haircut. The barber student asked me how I wanted my haircut, and I told her that I wanted a flat top with lines on the sides and back that particular day. She looked a little overwhelmed at my request. She proceeded to work on the flat top first and struggled a bit on it. Mind you, I had been sitting in the chair for close to 1 hour by now. The instructor came over and took her clippers and fixed my hair by freehanding the rest of the cut, and I was amazed at his skill with the clipper. I said to myself; this is what I want to be when I grow up. Having a mom as a hairstylist, I was used as her guinea pigs with new men’s cuts. Thank goodness that only lasted until I was about 10 yrs old.  

Ok, back to my story, the student proceeded to put in her lines with shaky hands, and I told her that it was good, which they were terrible but didn’t want to deflate her ego any more than it had been already. Afterward, I went back to my dorms and washed my hair to see what it looked like. As I styled it, I knew that it needed some help. So I went down to a friend’s room and asked to use his clippers and comb. I told myself that it couldn’t be any worse than it was, and if I needed to, I would shave my head. I got back to the bathroom with clippers and comb in hand. I remember how the instructor had freehanded my cut, so I took a stab at it, and I got my hair to shape up nicely and looking rather distinguished now. Then I proceeded to fix the lines in my head by straightening them out and making them consistent. I was rather proud of what I did with simply a comb and clippers.  

That was the start of my wanting to become a barber. After that, I cut my hair regularly and tried different techniques. Sometimes they were good and sometimes…not so good. Once my college friends found out about my new hobby, it was game on. This was when I got to try out my new skills on friends without any repercussion on how it turned out. After college, I went into the Army and continued to cut my hair and my military friends. This continued for about 35 years now, and since retiring, I finally want to learn how to properly cut hair on both men and women and be licensed while putting some money in my pockets. 

The barbering industry is hot right now. Men want to look their best and feel confident more than ever, and a great haircut can help them do just that, the same as women do.  

You can say that you enjoy doing what barbers do, see a bright future for the profession, and feel you have the right personality and skills for the position. There are many places your clients could go to get a haircut or a shave. While being great at what you do certainly helps, you also have to ensure that your customers get the best experience possible when they come into your shop, which someday, I will have my shop. My barbershop will be clean, have an excellent aesthetic, and have a friendly professional staff. I will focus on my clients, listen to their needs, and make them feel comfortable. And let my confident, exuberant personality shine. 

After I graduate, I will continue to learn more and improve. I will find a mentor who can give me advice
and help me hone my skills. I will stay on top of the latest tips, trends, and techniques. And won’t be afraid to try new things. The more I learn, the better I’ll get, and I’ll become more confident. Soon my services will be in high demand. 

I believe that the barbershop is a creative environment. There will always be new styles and techniques to learn, with the possibility of inventing some yourself. You won’t be stuck in a cubicle all by yourself. Making good conversation as a barber is part of the job. It makes the time fly faster for both you and your clients, and it’s just excellent customer service. By getting to know your clients, you make yourself feel more like their friend than just someone they pay for a service. Many barbers are self-employed, which means you can set your own hours. Self-employed barbers also handle their marketing and set their rates. 

No matter what shape the economy is, there will always be a demand for barbers. After all, there will always be a need for haircuts and clean shaves. The industry is expected to grow at a steady rate for the employment of barbers, hairdressers, and cosmetologists, which should grow faster than the average through 2028. 

I find out that you get to help people look and feel their best. Whether they’re preparing for a job interview, cleaning up for an anniversary celebration, or just stopping by for a monthly appointment, you get to perform a service that makes people feel good. And there’s no better occupational reward than that. 

I am a people person who wants to get to know the person who is seated in his chair. I am also interested in volunteering my services by giving free haircuts and shaves 1-2 times a week for homeless VETs struggling mentally and physically. If I can make one person feel like they are important to themselves and society, I can change the world one haircut at a time. I have been looking into how to start a foundation to gather a team of military barber VETs to go around to different cities providing free haircuts. 

To be dual licensed in Barber and Hairstylist (need additional 200hrs of Cosmetology) 

Hair never stops growing… barbering is time and recession-proof, so you will always be in demand.