How to Become a Master Barber: Shop Talk with Anthony Walker
Anthony Walker came to American Institute of Beauty with big dreams and a passion for the craft of barbering. We sat down with him to talk about his experience in school and becoming a licensed Independent Barber. Anthony shares his story from future professional to successful Master Barber and offers our current future professionals advice as they pursue their dreams!
Why are you Passionate about the Barber Industry?
Anthony: I love the Barber industry basically because you can be your own boss. You can make your own schedule, kind of come and go as you please. Set your own prices. You can bring in your own clientele, people you know. It’s honestly really fun! I love it because I’m always learning something new, I’m always doing a different cut every day. I’m perfecting my craft every time I cut. It’s really fun and you’ll learn a lot because that’s just how the industry is set up. You’re set up to learn and just go far with it. So, that’s why I love it.
Why Barbering?
Anthony: I chose Barbering because…well, I started off doing dental assisting for about 2 years and it just wasn’t really my lane. I wanted to change things up, switch paths. Barbering came to me because I was actually cutting my brother’s hair just casually before then and I ended up really liking it. I was like you know, I can do this as a profession, actually, make a career out of it, and take it places. So I chose Barbering, it ended up working out, and it’s great.
Why AIB?
Anthony: So, the other schools I checked out didn’t really have everything I was looking for. They didn’t have all of the services and what they offered education wise, like curriculum and things to practice on. AIB was the perfect choice for me because it was close to home, affordable, and of course they accept financial aid, so that really helped me out. It was a great place, good location, and I met with the instructors and they seemed really cool.
What Advice do you have for Current Future Professionals?
Anthony: Really what helped me get through the program was: (1) lots of prayer, (2) motivation, and (3) dedication. Sometimes it’s hard to even wake up in the morning to get to school, but sometimes you have to make sacrifices. Whatever you have going on at home, you have to try to motivate yourself and get through it. Honestly, the curriculum is going to guide you itself. Try to stay focused, make it to school, and especially make it to theory class. That’s definitely what helped me.
Fresh Graduate Tip!
Anthony: A good tip, just to help out, start working on marketing yourself now. You don’t have to be graduated and licensed to start making business cards for yourself, advertisements for yourself, start talking to people. Talk to everyone you meet, it doesn’t matter who they are. Let them know you’re in barbering school, or cosmetology school, or the nail program. Talk to everybody. Tell them this is what I am going to be doing, when I graduate, I’ll let you know. Hit me up, contact me. Start your advertising now and it will help out. When you’re in the shop, it will be hard to leave to do those things because you want to get walk-ins too. You want to build up your clientele in the shop. So, the more you put yourself at a head start while in school now, it’s going to help out later. It’s definitely a process and it’s going to take time and dedication. You just have to stick through it. It will come though, and you’re going to do good!
What are your 5-year Professional Goals?
Anthony: In 5 years, that’s a long time to think about, but hopefully owning my own barbershop and being successful in the industry!
Join Our Family!
If Anthony’s story inspires you, then contact American Institute of Beauty today to learn more about our programs! Our experienced staff and educators want to help you pursue your career goals in barbering. Whether you’re interested in barbering, nail technology, cosmetology, or skin care , get in touch with us today! We can’t wait to meet you.
