NateTheBarber: Revolutionizing the Hair Grooming Industry One Haircut at a Time.
For such a niche industry as hair grooming, few have managed to redefine the industry as profoundly as NateTheBarber. Coming from humble beginnings in 2013 to building a brand that boasts a chain of salons and a high-profile clientele, NateTheBarber has set the standard for excellence in hair grooming. With a vision to elevate the profession's status and a relentless drive for transformation, he has not only transformed perceptions but also paved the way for future barbers to dream bigger.
In this interview, NateTheBarber takes us through his inspiring journey — from breaking stereotypes to overcoming the challenges of entrepreneurship. He shares insights on staying ahead in an industry marked by constant change, his approach to personalized hair grooming, and aspirations to expand internationally while continuing to impact the next generation of barbers.
Join us as we poke around the mind of a trailblazer whose passion and commitment has made a lasting mark on the hair grooming world.
NateTheBarber.
Image by CREATIVE MAGAZINE
CREATIVE MAGAZINE: What inspired you to expand beyond individual grooming to build a thriving business?
NateTheBarber: When I finally decided to get into male grooming full-time after my education in 2013, the industry wasn’t reputable to an extent where people wanted to associate themselves to it so I decided if this is something I’d want to do then I’ll have to bring something different to the table. I then took inspiration from some of the established brands and barbering salons I was seeing in movies from the West. I had a standard I wanted to offer from how I carried myself, how I handled my clients and how I wanted people to see, and treat me. My goal was to change the stereotype around barbers, I think that’s where it all started from.
C.M: In your experience working with high-profile clients, what have been the most valuable lessons in understanding and delivering personalized grooming services?
N.T.B: I believe it starts from how you carry yourself as a person which translates into getting people who relate with such. I carry myself with a lot of self-respect, I execute things at the highest level and if I want to invest, I go all out. So, I think that’s what draws the attention of these high-profile clients.
C.M: Opening a chain of salons is no small feat. What challenges did you face during this expansion, and how did you overcome them to ensure the success of your brand?
N.T.B: When you’re trying to start a business here you can’t get access to any credit or loans, you’d have to finance it yourself with your own savings. Now when you’re done with setting up the business, you’ll need to have a stash of cash that can help keep the business running for a while before you break even and start seeing profit, for instance, you need to make provision for a backup generator due to the unstable power supply. Lastly, I think it has to do with employees. Getting likeminded ones who are ready to embody the vision and the way to carry themselves is often hard to come by. I believe these are the main challenges I have encountered, but despite that we have 5 branches and counting.
NateTheBarber.
Image by CREATIVE MAGAZINE.
C.M: As someone who has set trends in grooming, how do you stay ahead of the curve in an industry that is constantly evolving?
N.T.B: It is very important to do things from within, I don’t copy and paste! Every time I do something, it’s something I have insights on. I like to create because every time, I get new ideas. I also don’t like being at a certain level for a long while. So, I think it’s the constant urge to learn, challenge myself, change and grow. These are what have defined that part of my journey.
C.M: Looking to the future, what are your aspirations for your salon chain, and how do you plan to continue making an impact in the grooming industry, especially for the next generation of barbers?
N.T.B: For the next generation of barbers, it will all depend on their willingness to learn. If you set out to do something certain people have already done successfully; it is only wise that you understudy the person to learn from them. Secondly, when I started my brand, I initially set out to bring some prestige and respect to the grooming profession because as kids no one ever dreamt of being a barber. That was the main driving force behind how I was thinking, executing, the people I was meeting and how I positioned myself. Now, I have my eyes set on solidifying the brand’s status as a household name. We now have the opportunity to set up a salon Virginia, so I’m exploring ways to expand to other parts of the US as well. I also want to continue with my pop-up tour and to do that on a bigger scale.
