We recently connected with Rebecca Strickland and have shared our conversation below.

Rebecca, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

Absolutely! I have definitely had days where I thought to myself that things might be less stressful if I wasn’t a business owner. Those thoughts fade fast once I remember the pros of owning my own business. Some of those pros are having my own schedule and being in charge of hiring people that have the same work ethic as me. It also taught me that I can accomplish hard things. I believe in myself a little more with each day.

Rebecca, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was born and raised in Lexington, South Carolina. Even from a young age, I was fascinated with the beauty industry. It was amazing to me how much confidence a haircut can bring to someone.

I took cosmetology classes my junior and senior of high school to get my foot In the door of this industry. I graduated high school and passed my State Board exams in 2008.

I knew I needed to learn and grow a lot to get ( and keep) loyal clients. I worked full time at a chain salon while also taking college courses for business management. I went from being a new stylist to an assistant manager within a few years.

Ten years into my career doing men’s hair, I decided I was tired of working for other people and making them money. I was 6 months pregnant, but decided to take a leap of faith and open Lexington Gentlemen’s Salon in 2019.

Initially, I was the only one who worked in my shop. I knew I wanted to expand and wanted the best people with me to do that. I now have 4 employees that have helped make my brand come alive. We truly take our time with each person that walks in the door. We want everyone to have a personalized experience. We do not rush clients in and out the door, and we pay attention to details. You are not just a number when you come into my shop, and that is what I’m most proud of.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Posting on social media has helped so many new clients find us. It’s a very obvious strategy, but if done well, it exposes new clients to my shop. The ability to ‘like’ and share posts brings more attention to the shop.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

My business was closed for 8 weeks at the height of the COVID pandemic in 2020. Planning for a pandemic was not something that had even crossed my mind when I opened my barbershop a year prior. South Carolina, like most places, had mandatory lockdowns put into effect.
During this time, I sat at home for 2 months having no income. I was terrified that I would never catch up on finances and have to close shop.
However, our loyal clients helped support us as soon as we were allowed to reopen. This trial helped me realize what I needed to do in case there was another unexpected emergency.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lexgentsalon.com
• Instagram: @lexingtongentlemenssalon
• Facebook: Lexington Gentlemen’s Salon