new to the game

Hello to all of you in the Barber world.
My name is Chris and I am 37 and I am hoping to shoot down the myth that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. I am thinking of going to Barber school here in Orlando florida and then either moving to Mass. or Miami to be closer to family. I guess my question is if anyone can give me any advice in this field like what to make sure I get out of the school and or which of these locations is better for employment? Any advice really would greatly be appreciated. I don't want to be the fade & blowout Barber Although there is nothing wrong with that , its just not me .I like the traditional cut & shave . Thank you all & I hope to speak with you all often.

Well, I would not choose either state. Florida because there is already a TON of barbers and when the snowbirds go North, it really slows down, Miami may be a different story, I do not know. I would not go to Mass. because I just moved south from NY and have no desire to go North again...LOL If I HAD to pick one, I would choose Mass. over Miami. Barber school? Don't expect to learn much, just get your papers and move on, you learn it in the shop, not the school, atleast the ones around me are like that. I worked in about 6 different shops and took a little from each and threw the rest away until I developed my own style. I am 38, and we need more younger barbers but what I find today is most do not even know what a barber is, or what they do. Salons satisfy them just fine, because they do not know what they are missing in a barbershop. Good Luck whatever you choose.

Papa Hart,

Barbering is a fine career and you can make a decent living in it. I've never worked in Florida, but I live in an area of Tennessee to which many former Floridians (Miami Area) have relocated. I've been told many times that a good number of the barber shops in south Florida are bootleg shops that are operating without a license.

I don't know for sure if this is true or not, but if it is, you'll certainly have to work hard to carve out your own niche. Of course, you need to be prepared to work hard anyway, but depending on where you set up shop, you may end up competing with other shops that cut for dirt cheap because they don't worry about the legalities.

Barbering is a good career. I've been in it now for five years and I own my own busy shop. Your success or failure is up to you, your attitude, your business acumen and your work ethic.

[SCBarber] I only chose Miami or Mass. because thats where my family is trust me if I had the cash I would choose Virginia Beach Va. I am 13 year Navy vet and I have some great ideas for a shop @ the Oceanfront.P.S when you said "We need more younger barbers" do you mean like us or younger than us? Thanks for your reply & advice it truely means alot.

[TNBarber] I am in Orlando and I have seen those bootleg shops and there is no Traditional shop here either its Hip Hop & blowouts and crazy designs. I visit your website a lot and Thats what I like a Pop Shop. I guess I will just keep searching for a good start to my career & I thank you as well for your advice it truely means a lot.

PH,

I would consider anyone younger than 45 or 50 to be a "younger barber." 50 may seem "older" to some, but if you're talking about traditional barbers, 50 isn't old at all. I think most people deem a person to be a younger barber if they feel like they can go to them for many years to come without them retiring or developing health issues within the next few years. I know of states in which the age of the average barber is over 60.

Sounds to me like you may find what you are looking for in a retirement communtiy. Which shouldn't be hard to find in Florida. Look for those areas near your family and I think you will be happy. I have alot of customers that have moved back up also. THey say a good barber shop was hard to find down there. Lots of younger people live and work in these areas too. Golf courses resturants etc.... makes for a well rounded customer base. Hope this helps. Best of luck to you.

marco wrote:Sounds to me like you may find what you are looking for in a retirement communtiy. Which shouldn't be hard to find in Florida. Look for those areas near your family and I think you will be happy. I have alot of customers that have moved back up also. THey say a good barber shop was hard to find down there. Lots of younger people live and work in these areas too. Golf courses resturants etc.... makes for a well rounded customer base. Hope this helps. Best of luck to you.

Marco were is your shop located and what did you mean you have customers who have move up also? What areas were you talking about?

I'm in Calabash,NC a small retirement community on the coast about ten minutes from myrtle beach SC. As for the customers who have moved up they are what we call half backs. They retire to florida from the north don't like it for what ever reason and move to NC ( half way back) thus the term half backs. I'm not familar with Florida so I don't know where those towns are but around here its the coastal golfing areas thats what so many of them love. I think florida has alot of this also. If you hear more northern accents than southern ones... you're there.

We have the exact same "halfback" phenomenon going on in middle Tennessee. A good number of my customers fall into this category.

Yep. Too hot in Florida too cold up north. Anyhow glad to have them.

Hell, I think it's too hot where I live in Tennessee! Having grown up in the upper Midwest, the summers here kill me! But yes, glad to have the halfbacks. They're good customers.