We were lucky to catch up with James Hartwell recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, James thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

There are things that happen everyday that may be unexpected or may knock off your schedule, a very small inconvenience for me would be losing a guard I use frequently, and when that happens, as a barber you should know how to work around it. The process may take a little longer because I’m missing some tools but the final product should be the same. A huge or even more unexpected problem would be getting my entire barber equipment (i.e. clippers, capes, and everything) stolen from me. In all of my years the feeling of something you’ve worked so hard to get and it’s taken from you is unmatched. I’ve had my set up stolen out of my car, actually kind of recent, at the time i had no clue what I was going to do or how I was going to make money. The very next day I taped my window up wiped my tears and upgraded on everything that was stolen from me. Now that I look back, I take the blame only because I left my bag in plain sight on my backseat. It’s now a lesson learned and something that will never happen again, to me at least.

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

For the folks who may not have heard about me, my name is James Hartwell better known as Phat Fades. I fell head first into this industry at a very young age and have been hooked ever since. I’ve been barbering as a career for 3 1/2 years and love every second of the business.

I’m in a industry where separating yourself from everyone is the main priority. The way that I (Phat Fades) approach each client and constantly give them top tier service is what sets me aside, some may even argue it’s the way the blend on my fade is. As a barber your steps and techniques are your lifelines in this business, if you deviate or skip a step that’s when you start to be inconsistent.

I’m for sure proud of my overall progress as a barber. The road it takes to get where I am is by far the easiest thing, it’s taught me patience and believe it or not to be a better man. I’m excited to look back 10 years from now and to see so much more progress. For anyone interested in experiencing my services and creativity, Phat Fades is always welcoming new clients so hopefully you’ll come stop by.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the absolute best aspect of a haircut is knowing once I finish my client is satisfied. Most people wouldn’t realize how much artistic ability goes into a service while maintaining the best customer service possible. Seeing my clients smile and maybe even a head nod to let me know I’m still consistent is the most rewarding aspect of being an artist.

How did you build your audience on social media?

This is a great question for me because I have came from just fifty followers on social media to now over three thousand. Starting out on social media you want to know what type of content you are going to produce to the community of people who follow you, Is your page more personal and family related or business and marketing. My start up on creating content and gaining followers started from my content, the visuals, pictures and sounds I would post would be something I made sure is going to grab someone’s attention, whether it’s a sound, popular song, or certain hashtags. My advise to anyone trying to build their social media presence, NEVER STOP POSTING YOUR CRAFT! Regardless on how bad you may think it looks someone is always watching and keeping mental tabs on your progress, so whatever you do, keep posting!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://phatfades.as.me/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/phatfadesatl?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Image Credits
@shotxbuddies