Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jonah Castillo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Jonah , thanks for joining us today. In our experience, overnight success is usually the result of years of hard work laying the foundation for success, but unfortunately, it’s exactly this part of the story that most of the media ignores. So, we’d appreciate if you could open up about your growth story and the nitty, gritty details that went into scaling up.

While I don’t have a firm, or a suite, I’m a a barber at East End Barber in Houston Texas and operate on building my own clientele inside the shop, and growing my clientele to scale up.

When I first started it was in the heat of the pandemic. Imagine starting walking on a trail with two broken legs lol. And so it took time and dedication to overcome no one wanting to get haircuts, slow seasons across any face to face businesses. But one by one you build your clientele. Staying late after hours to squeeze in a walk in, skipping a lunch break to fit in more appointments, sitting in your shop while grueling hours of nothingness pass you by waiting for one client to come in and you cut their hair on the CHANCE that you do good and they return.

When you first start cutting hair you’re not great, you’re learning all the time from everyone and that learning doesn’t even start until you’re on the floor in your first shop. You have to find something to separate yourself from other barbers to build clientele outside of just a haircut, and I believe for me that’s my connection to people and the ability to relate to most people. I came from a single mother household, poor, no father, and I lived through a lot of events that let me relate to not only the best of times for people but also some of the worst of times too.

My mother taught me to work hard and be kind to people all the time, and I think that’s something that shows everyday in my line of work. I’m incredibly blessed for those lessons she taught me.

If you can connect with a person AND make yourself available to clients regularly I think that’s a special recipe for growing a consistent clientele and it’s been proven time and time again.

Jonah , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I got into barbering through playing music. I was looking for a career that would let me be able to tour and also be able to make a great living.

I work at east end barber in Houston Tx and we provide all classic barbershop
Services (haircut, beard trim, razor shaves, ect)

I think our ability to make clients feel like they’re apart of our community is what sets us apart along with giving a great haircut.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Being available. 100% this is the answer. Showing up and staying for your whole shift, taking walk ins, being reliable for your clients. Working long hours to fit people in, just doing whatever you can to be available for people.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I think by interacting with your clients and creating memorable conversations, making them a friend rather than just another person you’re cutting. As a barber I’m so blessed to be in my clients life’s so making them know I care about them and what’s happening in their lives absolutely helps with loyalty I believe.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Eastendbarber.net
• Instagram: @fullheadclub

Image Credits

Ben White