We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dwayne Washington. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dwayne below.

Alright, Dwayne thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you scale up? What were the strategies, tactics, meaningful moments, twists/turns, obstacles, mistakes along the way? The world needs to hear more realistic, actionable stories about this critical part of the business building journey. Tell us your scaling up story – bring us along so we can understand what it was like making the decisions you had, implementing the strategies/tactics etc.

After coming home from prison in 1998, I decided to enroll into barber school because job options were very limited being on parole. I was ready to be the best barber I can be. I believed it to be a great decision, you know doing something positive with my life because going back to the streets wasn’t an option. I didn’t receive the feedback I expected from my family. I heard things like “you need a real job” and “cutting hair is a side hustle”. That was my first lesson on family and business. I followed my dreams anyway despite the discouraging words thrown at me. Started school and was one of the worse barbers in the building but I still had big dreams. I used to tell other students that one day I’m going to cut celebrities hair. Of course they laughed and made jokes because of my poor haircutting skills. I eventually had to drop out of school because it was tough trying to manage school hours and provide for my 3 kids without a job. Luckily I was able to enroll in the barber apprentice program and began to work in a shop while earning my barber license. That was a long, tough road to that license especially because I was slipping back into some of my old ways. Sometimes after paying my weekly booth rent I’d be broke with bills on top of bills. It was a real challenge just to pay the rent. Still was taking criticism from the family but I stayed on course and got it done. It was very hard, I had to wear the same pants every day because I simply couldn’t afford anything else. I paid close attention to the more experienced barbers. I became obsessed with mastering my craft because I knew to cut the best clientele I had to be if not the best but one of the best barbers in the city. Once I received my license I got the opportunity to work in the shop that inspired me to become a barber. It was where some of New Orleans most prominent people got their haircuts. Football and basketball players, entertainers, politicians etc were all patronizing this shop. I was finally starting to feel like my prayers were being answered. I was there 2 years, building a solid clientele. No celebrities though but I was closer to my goal just by being in the building. Then my dream was taken away by having to relocate because of Hurricane Katrina. After bouncing around for a couple of months and only doing house calls we settled in Dallas. Unfortunately we were in an area of Dallas that was not very promising. The first shop I worked at in Dallas was so terrible I enrolled in school to become a realtor. The night before my first day of realestate school I ran into a guy in Walmart that used to sell candles and air fresheners at the shop I worked at in Nola. He said “it’s a shop in north Dallas by the galleria where the Cowboy & Mavs players get their haircut”. He didn’t know the name or address, all he knew was it was the only black shop in the area. I didn’t know where north Dallas or the Galleria was but a bell rang in my head and I knew it was God that made us run into each other at Walmart. So everyday for about two weeks I jumped in my car getting lost trying to find this shop. Once I did find it, I received the job and the stars started to align, literally. After I cut my first Mavs player I became very popular to other players around the league. I stayed in that shop for nine years building a solid clientele that consisted of athletes, entertainers and everyday people. I kind of outgrew that shop and decided to take my talents to downtown Dallas in hopes of building even more. Didn’t pan out the way I expected. The shop closed after nine months of me being there, leaving me without a job once again. This time I wasn’t worried as much because of the skills I developed and my clientele was solid. I’d built great relationships with millionaires and was able to get one to invest in me. He knew I was dedicated and a hard worker that didn’t give up easily. Since then we’ve opened 3 locations and has had a staff of more than 40 barbers and stylists. We’ve also launched a line of haircare products as well that’s doing pretty well. I’ve become a mentor to many barbers and stylists in multiple states. Barbering has been a tremendous blessing for me and my family. My message is you should never doubt yourself or what God has in store for you. Stay on course and give God his glory and everything you desire will be granted to you. Don’t let anyone put their limitations on you. Get inspired by people in positions that you aspire to be in. Never have too much pride to be teachable. Everybody makes it, except the ones that give up.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I put 100% in every haircut, salon and product. This is my way of contributing to a better world. If we look good we feel good and if we feel good we perform good. It’s my job to be dependable and available for my clients. I understand the importance of a haircut when it’s needed. A great haircut can be life changing. It could help land your dream job or dream mate. I never take my clients for granted.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I believe the most effective strategy to build clientele is to be in the presence of the clients you desire. If it’s a party, get dressed and be there. No matter where they are, you need to be there, sharp, confident and ready. I call it groundwork. Meeting people in person gives them a first hand look at your character and feel your vibe. That’s something that’s very important if you want to be a person’s barber.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

The one thing that helped me build my reputation within my market was being consistent. Whenever my phone rang or someone just walked in for a cut, I made sure I was ready and available. I never turned clients away because nothing else was more important to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: WWW.Famousthebarbershop.com
• Instagram: @FamousWayneLLC

Image Credits
Charles Brakes aka CB3