On Air Now – KBOB 89.9fm – Tulsa, OK

The barbershop, itself, has become a brand new experience. I am sure there are hundreds more barbershops and thousands more barbers than there used to be, at a given time. Business may not be booming for everyone, but as an industry, we are definitely expanding! There are chic upscale shops aimed at a higher-end clientele, corporate and franchised outfits, traditional barbershops, shops that hire on salary, commission and hourly wages, suites and huge 40 chairs mega shops. Finally, the licensed barber has as many options to find a good fit as the client does.

We are, now, experiencing a Barber Renaissance, and it is a welcome change after the hard hit our industry took after the Beatles and the Britsh Invasion, Vietnam and the rebellious culture of the hippie era. The cause and effect of those times resulted in hairstyle trends that were longer and required little to no styling or maintenance. Thousands of professionals left the field and hundreds of shops closed down.
In the mid to late 90’s, Hip Hop came in like a breath of fresh air and was a huge catalyst for growth in the African-American barbershop, and it has been a major influence ever since. Actually, the ‘Fade’ and its cousins (the slope, flattop, box, etc.) were all introduced during this time and had men and young boys headed back to the barbershop on a weekly basis. Until, the drug and violence that destroyed.

Now, that the flow is back in the barbershop, and barbers are becoming local and international celebrities, how do we continue to move forward and maximize this resurgence?
We stand here on the brink of the future of Barbering and in this moment we could be making critical decisions toward furthering the expansion of an industry that could spawn a cultural revival that makes the world a better place. Sometimes I wonder how Dr. Martin Luther King felt, just wanting Black bus riders to be treated fairly. Did he know at that time that there would be other campaigns? Did he foresee the lunch counters and separate bathrooms? Was he planning to be an advocate for voters rights? Or, the trash collectors? The resurgence has made an impact in our industry; but we’re just getting started. How do we take this Barber Renaissance and turn it into a movement that can stand the test of time?
We stand here in history together, with every opportunity to craft the future of Barbering. Let change things for the better, starting with ourselves. Let’s develop solid relationships between each other. Let’s develop relationships with our clients, and the communities we do business in.…

It will be a cultural revival: the Barber Renaissance. We will return to the traditional values of character, business and skill. We will push the envelope with creativity. We will adopt a social responsibility agenda and look to resolve needs in our communities, our nation and abroad. We will be health conscious and environmentally aware and we will develop tools, products and system that support these new mindsets.
Our clients wear their haircuts as an expression of who they are, how they think and what they are passionate about. Just like them, we need to to send a clear message of who we are, collectively, and individually. We need to create a collaboration between our vision and our abilities to create an identity that sparks passion in those who haven’t considered building a lasting relationship with their barber.
We are making history and that is exactly what this book is about!….
“Righteousness never uses Power to abuse others; Righteousness uses Power to serve them!
I am l Leader worldwide
All elements of USA & Africa
Up down inside and outside