Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sebastian Alvarez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Sebastian, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
Man, those two, what haven’t they done is the real subject! One word always comes to mind when I have been asked this question: SACRIFICE! This is an ongoing subject in my daily routine, whether it’s with friends, family, clients, or my career. I ask myself, “what can I SACRIFICE for the other person involved?” Quite honestly up until the last five to six years of crafting, that word has shown me what my purpose is to humanity. My mother and father are polar opposites, and they sacrifice themselves in different ways. I grew up watching two completely different people build and mold me. Through them, I have grasped most concepts when it comes to sacrifice, adversity, and the polarizing “idea” of family.
Through many situations, they have placed me as a child and currently as an adult. To this day, they show me that if I want something I have to work for it! As a child, I never really asked for much but if I did it came with a price to see how badly I wanted it. As an adult, it has been shaped to see if the want outweighs the need. Those two subjects, wanting and needing, now tell me, “okay what are we sacrificing here?”. I’m always asking myself this.
In my family, I was the youngest of four and I was dragged everywhere. Yes, dragged! I joke saying this but I still see myself dragging in an oversized GAP long-sleeve, overly worn blue jeans and size 7 shoes, thinking I could get away with wearing “outside clothes” because I swore everyone was waiting for me to come outside to play. Meanwhile, my mom is throwing me into a silver Ford Winstar with one sliding door to do something I dreaded having to go do. The agony! Now, my dad gave those looks that melted your soul through the pavement. All it took was one look or one word (fortunately, some I will not say). I mean picture a guy six foot two in a rustic dad hat, an oxford work polo shirt, and creased khakis telling you to get in a car, with a look. Let’s just say the filter I am using is PG. Either way, those two mean the world to me. Back then I did not see the reason, but now I do. Sacrifice.
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 have been a resident of Georgia since 96′. I’m originally from Houston, Texas. With that being said, I have family all over this continent and from all backgrounds. My family is my backbone. When I say BIG FAMILY, it’s BIG! When we get together time does not move! I love them dearly! I can not put into words how much I appreciate each one of them! I wish they were the ones telling their story and not mine. They keep me honest and humbled. I love it!
In a nutshell, I got into grooming because I knew I would not be comfortable with gatekeeping in corporate America. It has truly been a blessing in disguise. I have been able to accomplish goals and aspirations that I still cannot believe! I owe my mentor for taking me in unselfishly and teaching me the landscape of this industry. The hair industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. Like anything, there is an opportunity for anybody, and I am visualizing it every day! Also, being able to stay disciplined through all the distractions helped with all the opportunities that have fallen into my hands.
As far as setting myself apart with grooming, I focus on giving the best haircut and experience a man could have! I ask questions, give suggestions, and produce a product that leaves an everlasting impact. The little things in with a gentlemen’s grooming experience go a long way! I do the little things right every time. I learn from mistakes and ask questions along the way. Whether it’s a forty-five-degree haircut or a ninety-degree, I’m still hungry to grow. That is the formula. That is the product. That is my primary focus every time I have a new or current client in the chair. Every day is something new, so creativity is endless!
I try to solve all problems, whether it is repairing another product from a previous experience, or consulting my clients through their everyday walks of life. Barbering is more than draping a client or making sure the fade is finished. Barbering is a release for the client and myself. It is one of the only opportunities where the gloves are off and no lines are drawn. There are not very many safe places, but the barber chair is! Solving problems in this industry for me is priority number one. I ask myself, “How can I improve this situation on an everyday basis?”. The answer has always been to consult yourself, have accountability, and take everything one step at a time.
I would say I am most proud of being able to share all of this information with the readers and have the opportunity to continue to learn and grow. Also, being able to still keep those strong individuals in my corner that hold me down when the going gets tough. Keeping those bonds tight is extremely important to me.
Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?
NFTs are the future! I think the evolving technology around NFTs will soon latch on and people will understand its real purpose outside of the artwork and videos that are available now. I also think that the availability for everyone to make the buying process easier will be to everyone’s liking. Like anything new, people are afraid of them. However, I believe when the language is broken down behind why NFTs are important and why they can be trusted, then we will see progress. Right now, the Web3 space is going through a cleanse, and my peers will agree that the cleansing was needed. There are projects in that space that are actually doing amazing things when it comes to security and software development, and the NFT market is just a piece of that.
Another factor about the Web3 space that I know is that it’s growing faster than we believe, and NFT technology will be a prominent figure in our everyday lives. NFT technology will be in our grocery stores, gas stations, real estate transactions, and even traveling. This might not happen in the next five to ten years, but the autonomy that NFTs will create will be revolutionary!
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?
This is a great question! I believe this is THE topic for creators because creating is an uphill battle! There is no “employee handbook” or an HR department to give direction. Every day is something new! The amount of time and effort it takes to have control of everything moving around the creative axis is not an easy task. Most of the time, creators have to find solutions to problems through trial and error. Creatives also curate a check and balancing system so that whatever comes and goes can be seen. This isn’t just a financial climb. This is a climb that decides whether the job can be done at a sufficient rate so the business is reflected in a positive manner. It’s being FEARFUL and understanding that there are going to be BIG mistakes. So roll with it; the time will come! I’ll also add that non-creatives have a hard time understanding the time and effort it takes to make sure that what is created or being created can work on its own one day. The “bigger picture” is always the focus for creators because that picture is literally written down. Trust it. Amazon or Apple, would not be would it is today without that process.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://web.getsquire.com/book/groomed-gentlemens-parlour-atlanta
- Instagram: @thegroomtician
Image Credits
@madisonvictoriamedia @nalaophoto