We were lucky to catch up with Eric Jefferson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Eric, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

My journey to becoming a Master Barber, educator, and shop. owner was long and full of bumps and bruises. I decided to pursue barbering, having never done it before, in 2010 after walking away from corporate America, I literally learned everything from scratch. Of course I had to learn how to cut hair, but I also needed to learn how to grow clientele and how to build a business.. There were alot of growing pains starting out, but this hard times molded me. Not having any clients made me learn how to market myself. Not being able to cut hair well made me a tenacious student of the craft. Not liking the environment or shop I was working in made me figure a way to get my own space. I had to experience those things in order to define who I was going to be in this industry Our experiences mold us, good or bad. Learn lessons from the losses or you’ll repeat the cycle.

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

Well I’ve been cutting hair professionally for 11 years now. I am the Co owner of Beauty and A Beast Hair Studio, which is located in Sandy Springs, GA. I’ve plaformed and educated both domestically and internationally at some of the largest hairshows in the world such as Barbercon and the World Natural Healthy Hair and Lifestyle Event amongst others. I’ve cut celebrities, rappers, and athletes. I work with and run a business with one of my best friends, Danielle Darden. Together we opened Beauty and A Beast Hair Studio in 2016. We are an exclusive studio specializing in all thing natural hair. I cut natural hair, with an emphasis on female barber cuts. We attract amazing clients that come in and add to the vibes! We have created the ideal work environment for ourselves.
I’ve been married to my beautiful wife, fellow entrepreneur, and resturauranteur Aliah for 12 years. Together we have an amazing 11 year old son named Evan. I’m grateful for my family and how they keep me grounded and constantly reminded of my why.
With a strong support system I intend to grow my business even more and expand my footprint in order to create more passive income opportunities. Selling products, speaking engagements, hosting and judging events, and providing and receiving more education are at the top of my list of priorities moving forward.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

As a creative we have to wear so many hats. Almost all of the hats. I’ve proudly created a viable source of income on my own. I’ve learned to market myself. I’ve spent thousands of hours honing my craft. I am human resources when necessary. I handle accounting for my business. I’m the janitor. I’m maintenance. I’m the spokesperson. I’m in charge of research and development. I negotiate all of my contracts. I’m in charge of inventory. I open. I close. Creatives only get to enjoy the fruits of their labor after spending hrs, days, months, and years pouring themselves completely into their work. Our creations are our children. We raise them. We lift them. We are not employees. We are the entire business. We are driven by dreams and guided by the fear of normalcy. For us creatives, the only wrong answer is to give up. If you have ever quit your job then you wouldn’t understand. We cannot quit. There is no plan b.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Like so many others, I grew up without a father. I spent my 20s just trying to figure out who I was and what I wanted to be. I never thought I could be a business owner. I never imagined i could create my dream job. No one ever told me! Now that I’m a father, my main goal in life is to help my child pursue his dreams, whatever they may be. My wife is also an entrepreneur so I hope to show our son Evan and his generation that they can create their lives while pursuing their passions. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. No one wants to HAVE to work, but work isn’t work when you’re doing what you love!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bandbhairstudio.com
• Instagram: @easythebarber
• Facebook: Easy the Barber