EP03: Loe Flores of Faderz Barbershop LLC

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign. [00:00:10] Speaker B: You are now listening to Respond, if you please. This is the space where we sit down with real people in real life making real moves. We aren't interested in the highlight reels or the polished scripts. We're looking for the grit, the grind, the process, and the stories happening right outside your front door. [00:00:27] Speaker C: See? [00:00:27] Speaker B: Sit back, lean in, and join the conversation. [00:00:33] Speaker C: All right, we're back. Thank you, everybody, for tuning in to the last episode. We are here with a new episode, episode three, respond if you please, where we sit down with real people in real life and have real conversations. Because Facebook is just highlights and Instagram is just highlights. But with that being said, we got a great episode today. One of my biggest influences is in anything creative. I say it all the time because this guy is the type of guy who's always said, just go for it. Like, do it. Go for it. He puts his money where his mouth is. He goes and goes for it. And I. I want to share his story to everybody because I want to share his story with everybody because a lot of people don't realize the road it took for him to get here and in this shop and have his own business and be a small business owner and have the support of the community behind him. So, ladies and gentlemen, give it up for my brother, Mr. Low fades. [00:01:32] Speaker A: What's up? [00:01:33] Speaker C: One day we're gonna have a live audience. I keep saying one day we're gonna have a live audience. I want to do a live. I want to do a live audience for here, but, I mean, we would add two people. The m. The camera's all the way back there. I'm sure we could have set it [00:01:44] Speaker A: up a stadium seating. [00:01:45] Speaker C: Yeah, stadium seating. We could add something. Thank you, bro. I appreciate you for. For agreeing to do this. For those of you that don't know, Low is basically my brother, I've. I tell everybody there's two people I can remember from being, like, a young kid, like, five or six years old when we first moved to town. We moved to town in 91. Yeah, I was 91. I was born in 86. I was, like, five or six years old. Two people. I remember the most from moving to town, which was our very first friend in the neighborhood. We lived on Angela Street. His name was Kevin Simmons. Rest in peace, Kevin Simmons. But Kevin Simmons would come over and play Nintendo with us. We're like. I said, My brother was 6. I was 5. And then the second person I remember from. Man, what grade is that? First grade? Second grade. I guess five or six is first. [00:02:43] Speaker A: Second grade. Like first. Maybe first grade. [00:02:46] Speaker C: Yeah, first or second grade. The second person I remember is Low. And. And ever since then, it's always been us and Low. And so if this. This. If Low is the person I remember since I was a. I mean, I guess second grader, first grader, I consider him a brother. And I know he considers. [00:03:08] Speaker A: Yeah, it's been a long time. [00:03:09] Speaker C: It's been a long time. Yeah. So I know his backstory. I know his origin story. And we're talking earlier, and some people are. Will come into the shop and they'll say. They will say, man, dude, you're. You're. You're successful. You do this, you do that. And I was like, it must have been easy. And honestly. [00:03:32] Speaker A: Nah, it's definitely not easy. It wasn't easy. It's not easy road. There's still, you know, obstacles. [00:03:39] Speaker C: Yeah. I tell everybody, like, yes, low cuts and lows. Like, deep into the community, but also Low started when we were in. I think he was like, in eighth grade. No, he's probably younger than that. [00:03:51] Speaker A: Sixth grade. Sixth grade. [00:03:52] Speaker C: So I was like, in fourth grade. My brother was in. I think Oscar. [00:03:57] Speaker A: He was sixth grade. Sixth grade. [00:03:58] Speaker C: Yeah. So then I was in fifth grade. He was a sixth grade. And that's when Low started cutting hair. And it's crazy to think that because [00:04:06] Speaker A: we're messing everybody up. [00:04:08] Speaker C: And we all had the same haircut. [00:04:09] Speaker A: Hot clippers. [00:04:11] Speaker C: Oh, I remember. I forgot about hot clippers. [00:04:13] Speaker A: Dude, they're burning. [00:04:14] Speaker C: Yeah, Clippers were burning. And then I remember Low came. Would always come with a fresh haircut or come outside or we'd play or whatever. We'd see him in the neighborhood. I'm like, man, bro, you get your hair cut every day or what? Like, yes. No, I. I've been doing it myself. And once he said that. Oh, man, it was on, bro. We're like, oh, Lord, you do me. No, you do me. And he'll do it. But we all had the same haircut. [00:04:38] Speaker A: Little restroom or outside? [00:04:39] Speaker C: Outside. You had a. Yeah, the. [00:04:43] Speaker A: No, I had just the. You know's. Real cheap, thin mirrors. It was like a foot wide. Like three. Oh, yeah, from Walmart. And I stack two or three shoe boxes and then put it in the corner of the. The restroom and close the door in the restroom. And I'd cut my hair. [00:04:58] Speaker C: And then you. Would you use the. The medicine cabinet and, like, turn it. [00:05:03] Speaker A: No, I would. I learned how to cover my left hand. So I'd cut my left hand, cut edge up, like, everything. Like, so it was bad. [00:05:09] Speaker C: Oh, Is that how you got the left hand layer? [00:05:11] Speaker A: Yeah, but it was like a. [00:05:15] Speaker C: So six. [00:05:16] Speaker A: That's another story. [00:05:17] Speaker C: That's another story. Sixth grade you started cutting hair, right? And then of course, high school, you're still cutting every now and then. Were you cutting in high school? [00:05:27] Speaker A: I was cutting in high school. At the house for sure. And I was cutting like in the restroom on the locker room, just a little bit. Not nothing too crazy. So you know where I go to a friend's house, cut hair and stuff like that. But it was mainly at the apartments. Mainly at the apartments with my mom getting mad and getting hair all over her dining. Her dining room chair and all that good stuff. [00:05:50] Speaker C: And then. So after high school, you didn't go to barber school? [00:05:54] Speaker A: I didn't. I did not go to barber school. I went to medical school. [00:05:58] Speaker C: I remember that. [00:05:59] Speaker A: In Arizona, in Phoenix, Arizona, went to medical school. [00:06:02] Speaker C: That was a weird time too, because it was like when you were gone, it's like, man. No, you know what? [00:06:06] Speaker A: One thing I do remember about this, and it's funny, I don't know if you're going to remember it, but you bought me for my graduation present. Do you remember what you bought me? I. You bought me a radio. And it looked like an alien. It was red, like a maroonish color almost. No, it was like a darker, like. Like the westoso. The scar. It was like that. And it was a radio. And I took it to school. [00:06:27] Speaker C: Was it like a circle? [00:06:28] Speaker A: It was like around. Yeah, it's like a circle. One kind of looked like, almost like an alien, but it was like. [00:06:31] Speaker C: And it had the CD player on top. Yes. And it had a handle. [00:06:34] Speaker A: Yes. [00:06:34] Speaker C: I don't remember. [00:06:35] Speaker A: Oh, man, I. I remember that. I remember you brought it to my grandma's house. That's where we had the. The little barbecue. [00:06:40] Speaker C: I don't remember that, bro. [00:06:41] Speaker A: Yes, I. That's like the only gift I remember getting. [00:06:45] Speaker C: I like giving gifts. [00:06:46] Speaker A: No. Yeah. I like getting money. [00:06:51] Speaker C: I don't. I don't do money, cuz. It's like, man, I like doing gifts. Or it's like, what can somebody use? Like even when you open the shop here. Oh, man, like, I got you the. I got you the mini. Mini toolbox. [00:07:02] Speaker A: The toolbox? [00:07:03] Speaker C: Yes, I got you the mini toolbox to put. I mean, whatever you need and if you're gonna put it. [00:07:08] Speaker A: I tried putting clippers in there. They don't fit. Even the te address don't fit. But yeah, I was like, I could put my money in there and then. [00:07:16] Speaker C: Oh, sorry. Make too much money. A little toolbox? [00:07:19] Speaker A: No, no, it was like, nah, we can't do that. You can't lock it. [00:07:22] Speaker C: Yeah, no, you. Yeah, yeah, you can't lock it. So after high school, you didn't cut, right? You started. Was it like a surgical tech or something? [00:07:36] Speaker A: I went for surgical tech. Yeah. I was going to school for. As a surgical tech. Went to Phoenix, and then I was there for a while, and then I transferred and went to Florida. One school in Florida. Worked in Florida. I was, man. I worked at Old Navy, Banana Republic, Gap one school. I was at Foot Locker out there. [00:07:58] Speaker C: You did the whole mall run? [00:07:59] Speaker A: Yeah, man. Did the whole mall thing over there. And. [00:08:02] Speaker C: And all through all the. Throughout all that time, were you still cutting? [00:08:05] Speaker A: Oh, I was cutting my own hair over there. Yeah, I put my own hair in. [00:08:09] Speaker C: Yeah, you can cut your own hair everywhere. [00:08:11] Speaker A: And I. But I wasn't cutting anybody else in Florida. It was like, kind of like a dead stop, you know, being in there. So they're jamming out there. That was about to get crazy. [00:08:20] Speaker C: I know. I thought. I thought, let's go. I thought somebody hit something. But this food truck, it's a. [00:08:24] Speaker A: Next door, they had a big old pachanga outside. Yeah. [00:08:28] Speaker C: So he's still cutting? Yeah, he's still cutting, but he's working, doing other things. [00:08:35] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:08:36] Speaker C: And you come back to town, move back to Corpus. [00:08:38] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:08:39] Speaker C: And then you start. [00:08:40] Speaker A: I started refinery work. [00:08:41] Speaker C: Refinery work? [00:08:42] Speaker A: Yeah, man, I. I started doing refinery and I just got stuck. The money. I thought the money was amazing. It was good. But I mean, at the time, I mean, you're working 84 hours, and I was making $1200 a week. Make working 84 hours a week because I was like killing myself, you know, so it was good at the time. Yeah, but you grow, you know, I was growing. I was learning, getting certifications and all that good stuff. So just. [00:09:10] Speaker C: And that's what. That's what. That's what I. I tell a lot of people when they. They. They ask about you, right? And they're like, how long you known? Low. I mean, what. What time is he open? What time is he close? Well, people ask me that all the time, right. Because they're always trying to get fit in. And I'm like, look, if you're gonna play, if you're gonna pay, love's gonna be there. And that's what I tell everybody. Like, your success starts with your work, work ethic. I mean, what. What would you say to somebody who wants to start something and doesn't really have the work ethic. [00:09:41] Speaker A: It's not gonna, it's not gonna fully work if the work ethic isn't there. It, the success that you're looking for. You're not going to get the return if, if the work ethic isn't there, if the hunger isn't there. [00:09:54] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:09:55] Speaker A: So you definitely gotta be willing to do anything and everything to. [00:09:59] Speaker C: Because when you're in the plant life, I mean, you start at what time? [00:10:04] Speaker A: I was up at 3:30 in the morning, 4 in the morning, you know, getting up, going to the gym, getting food, be at work, you know, by 5:30, ready to go till 5:30. And sometimes it was like 16 hour shifts. So there were, there were long days, There were tough days. Yeah, there were some tough days. [00:10:22] Speaker C: So those long days here don't compare. [00:10:27] Speaker A: Nah, nah. So, you know, I tell like a lot of the young guys that are, that want to be barbers, but they, they say they want to do it because they see like the things that we do outside of the shop or because we're hanging out and you know, we get to hanging out on a Tuesday. Yeah, Tuesday. Or they see me at the baseball game games or the football games or you know, stuff like that. And you're, you're like, I get to be here. It's like another home for me. So I get to watch sports, listen to sports, movies, music, have good conversations. [00:10:57] Speaker C: Yeah, he's saying that, he's saying that right now. We got the USA vs Dominican game on right now. Yeah, so, so you, yeah, so. I mean, you're always in the know. [00:11:05] Speaker A: Yeah, all the time. So kind of going back to like, like the work thing. Like if it, if, if I love it, like, it's not really work for me. I'm in love with it. I'm in love with cutting hair. So it doesn't feel like work. Yeah, you know, I love being here. The girls, they get mad because if I can come in, I'll come and I'll come cut hair. You know, I'm, I'm here. I get calls, text messages all the time, all hours of the day, all hours of the night. You know, people set up appointments at three in the morning, four in the morning, and I'm, and I'm accepting them, you know, because I'm awake already and they're like, geez, you're already up? Like, yeah, like it's time to go. So I'm in here usually six in the morning. So. Yeah, yeah, that's a lot of my clientele, you know, and that's one of the things, you know, having to cater to them. [00:11:52] Speaker C: Yeah, that's another thing you offer. That's. That's what. Having a small business like where you're going to be successful, Is that it? What can you offer that the. There's a barbershop right here. Right. There's a barber shop right there. What. But what can you offer that these other guys aren't offering? Because I mean, every. We got a lot of good people in town that can cut. [00:12:10] Speaker A: Man, there are a ton. I know I have a lot of good friends. I have some. Not a ton. I got a group of good friends that can. That are really talented, that cut really good hair. And especially the shop that I came from, a few of us start opening up our own shop and man, they're really talented and they're getting other guys in their shops that are talented as well. So it's kind of like, you know, it's, it's growing. Like the community is getting really big in like the barber industry over here. So there's probably about eight shops like, just down the street. But you got to do some things different, like, you know, set yourself apart. [00:12:42] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:12:43] Speaker A: And stuff like that. So I mean, we just kind of like try to, you know, set a [00:12:46] Speaker C: different trend and I'm sure with others we can. With the work ethic of coming in at six o' clock in the morning and I mean, because if it's me and if, look, look, I'm going to be up already, like, if you can cut me at six, I'll come right. Right. And I really need it. Like I'll come right. [00:13:01] Speaker A: And I have a lot, a lot of clients like that. [00:13:03] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:13:03] Speaker A: Just. They don't care. Yeah, they just want to get in the shop, so they just want to get their haircut and because they're, their schedule is so busy. So I try to get around like, you know, such a busy schedule that they got. So. Yeah, it's, you know, I feel like it's important to be able to, you know, cater to the customer while you're trying to build your business because that's the only way that it's really gonna work. You know, I can't. You can't show up at 12 in the afternoon and leave at 4 or 5 and you know, you know, and to be like fully scheduled, fully booked and, you know, do good for yourself and your family if you're not putting the time in. You know, I remember when I first started, I, I was cutting some people and. But my schedule wasn't Crazy at all. And I was calling, like, people, hey, come this, let me do a video, let me do a haircut. Let me, you know, Facebook, Instagram, remember that? So, I mean, I was doing stuff like that just to get them to come back after, like, you know, that cut. But it was tough. It was really tough trying to get the clientele in. Sitting there for 10, 12 hours a day, getting there 8 in the morning till 8, 9 o' clock at night and not having any haircuts. Yeah. And now we're about 130 to 150 haircuts a week. So. [00:14:09] Speaker C: For the shop. The whole shop. [00:14:09] Speaker A: For me. By myself. Yeah, me by myself. And then I can see, like, the rest of the group, like the crew, like, starting to grow. [00:14:18] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:14:18] Speaker A: So the traffic is getting there. [00:14:20] Speaker C: Regulars. [00:14:21] Speaker A: And, like, it's. Yeah, it's starting to get busy. It's starting to get busy. So it's really good. I like seeing everybody win. [00:14:26] Speaker C: Yeah. So it's cool. [00:14:27] Speaker A: It's really good. [00:14:27] Speaker C: Yeah. So where are we at? You're working, refinery work. You're working long days, long hours, which is. Which translates to a business owner. Like, being a business owner. Because I. I had a. A small business a while back. I. I took some lessons. It was kind of tough. But one thing I did learn is that when you're a small business owner, if someone calls, like, I gotta work, you gotta work. Like, so I see you taking that opportunity a lot, which is, I mean, that's, it's. It's just the name of the game. Right. Because it could all end tomorrow. [00:15:04] Speaker A: Right. Facts. Yeah. [00:15:05] Speaker C: I mean, you built the clientele right, and everybody's hair still grows, but, I mean, they can easily go somewhere else. [00:15:10] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, yeah. It's. Yeah. And there's a ton of great barbers, like we said, you know, so, you know, just being good to people and, you know, giving out good haircuts, have. Making good relationships and, you know, keep, like, turning the. My biggest thing is turning the business relationship into a friendship. That's the most important thing to me. You know, I want to, you know, make sure everybody's good, everybody's right, and, you know, all that good stuff. So, I mean, if we could turn the client relationship into a friendship, then that's even better for me. [00:15:36] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:15:36] Speaker A: So I have clients that I don't even like, some that can't get in, and they have to go somewhere else, but they still text, they still call, and they still. And I'm worried. How's the family? How's this? How's that. And, you know, so it's all good. You know? It's all good. It's just the way it's been for me lately because the schedule is so busy. Yeah. You know, so sometimes you have to. Sometimes I gotta go. They gotta go to Tino or to pad or, you know, whoever. [00:15:56] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:15:57] Speaker A: It's just, you know, it is what it is. We. You have to do it. [00:15:59] Speaker C: Yeah, all the time, bro. [00:16:00] Speaker A: All the time. [00:16:01] Speaker C: I just walk in, I'm like, whoever can get me. Yeah. I don't care. Like, if you can't mess this, you mess this up. Like, I'm okay with it because it takes the. It takes the distraction off my face. Yeah. Because I'm already hurting here. Right. I'm ugly to begin with, but it comes out live. [00:16:16] Speaker A: Every. [00:16:16] Speaker C: Yeah, but the haircut always comes out live. So if they mess up my hair, it's just a distraction for my ugly face. That's all I gotta say. So you're. You're working refineries. You're working refineries, and you finally say, all right, I want to cut hair. [00:16:35] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:16:35] Speaker C: Like, take us through that. Like, when was it? Because, I mean, people don't realize it, but, I mean, had to. Been around. [00:16:43] Speaker A: It was right. Be right as Covid was happening. [00:16:46] Speaker C: That's what I was gonna say. [00:16:46] Speaker A: Yeah, it was right. Right as Covid was happening. I remember walking into the plant, and it was already starting to, like, die down. Like, where they're telling people, you can't come in. In. Yeah, you got. You're off for three months, you're off for four months. Yeah, we'll do all this good stuff. So that's when. That's when it started to happen. But I remember going into. Going into work one day, and I'm badging in. As I'm badging in, I'm, like, telling myself, man, I can't wait to get out of here. [00:17:18] Speaker C: Damn. [00:17:18] Speaker A: And I'm. I haven't even started work yet, and I'm already, mentally, like, checked out. So that was like. Man, at that. At that point, I was already like, it's time. Like, yeah. Like, I. Like, I'm not happy anymore. [00:17:31] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:17:32] Speaker A: You know? And. [00:17:33] Speaker C: And you were, like, in Port Lavaca. [00:17:35] Speaker A: No, I did. I was already here at Lionel at the Liondale Planet. We've been there for a long time. [00:17:39] Speaker C: But I remember there was a point in time where you're going back and forth to Port Lavaca for, like, years, right? [00:17:43] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. It was, like, 16 months, like, back and forth, and I ended up staying out there. And I was out there when we bought, I bought our first house. We bought our house. And then I was gone when Jade was born, actually, Jade was born, yeah. So I was gone. I was in. [00:18:00] Speaker C: I didn't even know that, bro. [00:18:01] Speaker A: Yeah, I was gone. I was on the road, so I was coming back and forth all the time. And then we end up staying out there because they gave us a bigger contract and it was, it was insane. It was such a mess, you know, so it, it was tough, you know, [00:18:14] Speaker C: but that's the thing with like, like you take you, you, you work a job that pays the bills. At the end of the day, it's going to pay the bills. But it sucks, cuz you're, you might not be happy. [00:18:24] Speaker A: Yeah, you're number one. [00:18:25] Speaker C: You're gone, right? You miss, you miss Jade being born. [00:18:28] Speaker A: So you're already not happy. Yeah. [00:18:29] Speaker C: Now you're here all the time and you're like, nah, no kids. [00:18:31] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But the luxury of that is that, you know, they get to come and hang out and chill and, you know, whenever the kids want to come, they can come and Manny can come in and sit down and, you know, do her. Straighten her hair, do whatever she wants to do and talk and I, I don't have to sit down and eat lunch in front of the, the equipment, the exchangers. Oh, dude, that, you know, that I'm going to be working on in 20 minutes. You know, where I was on the contractor side and you couldn't leave the plant, you know, so one of those, you know, better things that, you know, I get to burn off and leave and eat lunch and I could book whatever, hour, two hour lunch if I want, or hour and a half and just kind of break away for a little bit. So it's. I want to eat with people sometimes. Sometimes I need to just be by myself. So, yeah, you know, so it's, it's good. It's, it's, it's been a real blessing. [00:19:20] Speaker C: So 2020, you're like, all right, this, this ain't working for me. And you finally sit down, you're like, all right, I, I'm, I'm good. I got a little savings. Yep. I'm going to start barber school. What was the reaction from people when you told them, like, starting barber school? [00:19:36] Speaker A: Nah, they didn't, they were. Some people were just more. Actually almost everyone was like, nah, that's crazy. [00:19:43] Speaker C: Right? [00:19:43] Speaker A: You know, because I was doing, I was doing good already in the plant where I was making money. I know I was making really good money and I was on a crew that always had work. You know, I mean, we're like, we couldn't not work, you know, there was so much work for us. So I was working with a really good, really good group of guys. But yeah, people were just like that thought I was crazy, like, for leaving the plant because it was, you know, good money. [00:20:06] Speaker C: I mean, it was good money. You're making a living. [00:20:07] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:20:08] Speaker C: You bought a house. [00:20:09] Speaker A: Bought a house with it, everything. [00:20:10] Speaker C: I think that for me, that was the hardest thing for us to do, like, as adults. And I'll say it, and people can say whatever they want, but to buy a house and to get everything lined up and you're like, all right, we gotta have this, we gotta have that. Like, oh, let's just buy this house. I can't. We just put money down, they sign for it. Right. [00:20:26] Speaker A: It's. It's. [00:20:28] Speaker C: When you got a lot of money, it's easy that. I'm sure it works like that. But I mean, that's something you, of course, you. The earlier you buy, the better it is for you. [00:20:36] Speaker A: Right, Right, right. [00:20:37] Speaker C: The earlier you buy, the better it is, the better if you get it. If you're. If you get a good spot and you get a good interest rate. But you start early. Right. So that by the time you're in your 50s, hopefully by the time you're in your 50s, that house is paid off. Every 30 year note or whatever the case is, is. [00:20:53] Speaker A: Yep. [00:20:54] Speaker C: So, yeah, it's. It's tough, man, because you, You. You're working a living and then you're just like, all right, I'm gonna take time off and it. Yeah, it takes what, a year? [00:21:06] Speaker A: It's. So you could do like six months, nine months a year. You know, just depending like, really how you pay. Like if you paid in full, you could do it in six months. If you know, however you set up your payment, that's if. Know how long you're going to take to do it. So I did my. I set mine up for a year and I finished in nine months. [00:21:24] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:21:24] Speaker A: So it was. I was able to work well, actually a day. I got laid off going into barber school, got laid off the plant, and then I went days and nights to barber school, got laid off. And then when we had that. Remember that big old freeze we had? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So they called me back like five weeks later, and five or six weeks later, they called me back that emergency shutdown. And there was. Because of the freeze. Yeah, because the freeze, their fire water was busting everywhere or something and well, so we were like a 15, 16 week turnaround or something like that. So I was turn around at night time, you know. [00:22:03] Speaker C: Yeah, that was like in February of 22 or 2021. I'm sorry, 20. [00:22:08] Speaker A: No, it's 2020. Yeah, it was. Oh yeah, 20. Yeah. [00:22:10] Speaker C: Cuz nothing had shut down yet. [00:22:11] Speaker A: Yep. So it was, it was, it was, it was. [00:22:14] Speaker C: So you went during, while working at, at, during the freeze. [00:22:20] Speaker A: During the freeze, yeah. [00:22:21] Speaker C: All day. [00:22:21] Speaker A: Yeah, we're out there like, we're getting it. Yeah. [00:22:24] Speaker C: Oh, in line. [00:22:25] Speaker A: In lineale. Yeah. During the freeze. Yeah. So we're out there for long. [00:22:28] Speaker C: For weeks and weeks and still. [00:22:29] Speaker A: And still going to barber school. [00:22:31] Speaker C: And then once that job finished, they're like, all right, let's go to the next job. [00:22:34] Speaker A: No, no, we, I, I had stayed there ever since then. Before that I was already there for, for a few years and then they, we got laid off. I started barber school, went back a few weeks later and we stayed there on maintenance. Oh yeah, we stayed on maintenance. Yep. [00:22:51] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:22:51] Speaker A: Yep. [00:22:52] Speaker C: So for those of you that don't know what that means, when you're, when you're a contractor, there's a, there's a, there's a scope of work. Right. And it's going to be. Here's the start point. This is what we're going to do. We're going to do all this stuff and here's the finish point. But when you're on maintenance, you're just. There's something that's always breaking. So you're always fixing routine work. [00:23:08] Speaker A: Yeah. So you basically turn around work. You work yourself out of a job. Yeah, basically. So. But maintenance, you stay and like, okay, what else broke? Yeah, yeah, yeah, let's go fix that. Yeah, just maintenance work. [00:23:19] Speaker C: So, so I mean, maintenance work is, I mean it's, it's considered like, it's considered better because there's always work. [00:23:27] Speaker A: Yeah. There's always some kind of. Almost guaranteed. [00:23:29] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yeah. In a way it's guaranteed because something's guaranteed to break. [00:23:33] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:23:34] Speaker C: Something's guaranteed to leak or something's going to need to be like changed out or whatever the case is. [00:23:39] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:23:39] Speaker C: Oh man. So yeah, that, that's probably a harder decision to make then. Right. If you're, if you're going from maintenance, [00:23:46] Speaker A: like guaranteed work to not, to not making anything. [00:23:49] Speaker C: Yeah. To going to school to start over. [00:23:51] Speaker A: To start completely over different career that I've already like, I was right there, you know, So I was Busy. I was working. So, yeah, there was. Yeah, it was tough. Yeah. I went from making decent money to making no money, basically. So it. So it was, you know, luckily that, you know, I had the support I had with Mandy, you know, so. Because if not, it was. Man, it was tough. Yeah. There was some tough days where I've, you know, as a man, you know, you're not bringing the money in that you're used to bringing in, you know? [00:24:21] Speaker C: Yeah, no, for sure. [00:24:22] Speaker A: It's tough, man. [00:24:22] Speaker C: You're, like, looking at Mandy like, hey, [00:24:24] Speaker A: I believe in you. Yeah. Yeah. [00:24:26] Speaker C: Like, let's go. She's like, I think I'm going to have to get a second job. You're like, I. [00:24:30] Speaker A: Like, I made a big face. [00:24:31] Speaker C: You can do it. [00:24:32] Speaker A: It was just coming out of work. [00:24:35] Speaker C: I think I'm going have to get a second job to take care of us while you're at barber school. You're like, I believe in you. You could do it. Yeah. [00:24:43] Speaker A: Also, number one fan. [00:24:44] Speaker C: Number one fan. You were like the. The. The ladies who. Whose husband worked turnarounds. Now you're like, watch me make my wife lunch for the bank. [00:24:53] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. So sweeping and vacuuming all day. [00:24:57] Speaker C: Oh, that's funny, bro. Heck, yeah. So, man, to turn down maintenance, you're like, yeah, I already started barbers. You had already started barbershop. I. I, like, I'm already, like, I'm sure you already paid something. [00:25:08] Speaker A: Yes, I was already invested, like, yeah, I'd already paid, man. I think when I first got in there, I paid almost half down. [00:25:16] Speaker C: Geez. [00:25:17] Speaker A: Yeah. So it was. It was, you know, know, it's a big investment going in. So then that's one thing. Mandy was like, you can do it. Like. Like, yes. But you're going to finish. [00:25:27] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. [00:25:28] Speaker A: Like, you're going to finish. So it was. Man, it was tough. It was scary. It was. It was one of the scariest things ever, was letting that job go. [00:25:37] Speaker C: Dang. [00:25:37] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah, it was. It was crazy. Yeah. So. [00:25:41] Speaker C: So then you. You're in barber school. You finish, right? And then you have, like, 300 clients right off the bat. [00:25:52] Speaker A: No. [00:25:55] Speaker C: 3. [00:25:57] Speaker A: Drop the zeros. [00:25:58] Speaker C: I remember when he was in barber school, he's like, man, I need people to cut. I was like, all right, bro, I'll show up. And I posted pictures on my Facebook, and I'll probably find that picture. [00:26:07] Speaker A: Oh, man, don't find that picture. [00:26:08] Speaker C: I'm gonna find that. I was so proud of that haircut. I was like, low cut my hair, hair. And he's like, we're gonna have to go. We're gonna have to go short. I need a short haircut. Like, all right, go short. I never let anybody go short on my hair. Like, my hair is already thin to begin with, so I was like, all right, let's go short. And it looked better because I was probably about 30 pounds lighter. [00:26:29] Speaker A: Like when you used to box. [00:26:31] Speaker C: Nah, not that. [00:26:32] Speaker A: Yeah, not that much. [00:26:33] Speaker C: I was about 30 pounds lighter. My hair was a little bit thicker than it is now, but it still wasn't like. It still wasn't. Like, I shouldn't have walked around with that short, short haircut. [00:26:46] Speaker A: It was good. [00:26:47] Speaker C: Yeah, I should have walked around with that short haircut. [00:26:49] Speaker A: No, but I see cuts, and I'm like, you know, like, when you do the haircut and back then it's like, oh, yeah, like, shoot. Like, getting out the chair. You're, like, trying to pump them up. [00:26:59] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:27:00] Speaker A: And you go back and you look. You're like, oh, my God. This is pretty bad. [00:27:03] Speaker C: That. No, I. That was. I was so proud of that haircut. I was like, low cut my hair. He's in barber school. He's doing it. And I posted a picture on Facebook. And then, like, I look in my head, and I'm just like, hey, miss a spot here. So he missed the spot. [00:27:18] Speaker A: It's a little higher over here. [00:27:19] Speaker C: I was like, it's all right. It's like, I'm. I'm good. Like, if this what it takes for. For Low to get his reps in the time under tension, like, I'll sacrifice my hair. [00:27:28] Speaker A: Yeah, it was a good sacrifice price. [00:27:30] Speaker C: It was well worth. Was well worth it. Yeah. So you finished barber school? Did you shop around for shops? [00:27:38] Speaker A: No, I didn't. I stayed. I stayed at Lyndale. After I finished, I stayed in the plant. [00:27:43] Speaker C: Yep. [00:27:43] Speaker A: I stayed working on that turnaround got done, and I stayed plant. Yep. I stayed there until they said, hey, we're gonna have another layoff. And I was like. And every time you hear it, like, when you're there, like, even though, like, you know, I mean, we, like, Mandy's a good saver. Like, she does well with saving money and stuff. It still makes you nervous when you know you're gonna get, like, laid off or fired, you know? [00:28:08] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:28:09] Speaker A: So I was kind of a little nervous still. And I remember it was on a Saturday when I was getting laid off, and they're like, we're gonna lay you off. And it was in the morning, and I'm like, golly. So I call Mandy, and I'M like, hey, they're laying us off. We're gonna be off for three months or something like that. She's like, what do you want to do? I said, man, I'm not coming back. Oh, I'm not coming back to. I'm not coming back to plan. I want to cut hair. [00:28:34] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:28:35] Speaker A: So I. I. I asked my. My boss, which was a really good friend of mine, David. He's. His name was David at the plant. And he's like, I tell him, lay me off at lunch. Can you lay me off at lunch? And he's like, what? I was like, leave me off at lunch. I'm gonna go. I need to get against a barbershop. [00:28:51] Speaker C: We're gonna put a plaque a day. [00:28:52] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And. And. And he's just like, why? Like, there's no way. I said, yeah, let me off. Like, I'm done. [00:29:03] Speaker C: And that's the thing, right? That's the thing, right. People who get laid off, they're usually at the bottom of the totem pole. [00:29:08] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:29:08] Speaker C: Right. And they'll keep some people on. You do some administrative stuff. [00:29:12] Speaker A: No, we were the only crew in there. Wow. We were. I. Out of the whole plan plant. There was only like five or six of us. Just one. One crew out of the whole plant that was. That they had working. [00:29:23] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:29:23] Speaker A: Even. Even if they. So I was. They had a maintenance group, and then I was on. Not on that maintenance group, like the house maintenance, but we ran the maintenance, like, part of the maintenance for the plant. And it was only five of us on in that company that stayed there. And I was just like, nah, like, I'm done. Yeah. Like this. Like, I'm gonna go into a plant. So that night, I remember he laid me off, and we went. We ate, we chilled and everything. And I remember being at Target Saturday night, and I called my buddy David, D3, and he owns faded vision, And I'm like, hey, I'm ready. Like, I'm done. I have everything. I'm good. And he just says, hey, meet me at the shop tomorrow morning. [00:30:05] Speaker C: Sunday morning. [00:30:05] Speaker A: Yep, Sunday morning. And I go, look at that. [00:30:08] Speaker C: It shows Hustlers still hustling on a Sunday. We're here on a Sunday. [00:30:12] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:30:13] Speaker C: And there were still people here cutting. Lo said he was cutting this. [00:30:15] Speaker A: I was cutting early this morning. Yep. [00:30:17] Speaker C: So even. Shout out to D3 for even. Like, he could have said, hey, wait till. Wait till not even Monday, because usually these guys are off on Monday. Yeah, a lot of barbers are off Monday. [00:30:25] Speaker A: Tuesdays, they just say, Just see me on Tuesday. Like, you know, I'll see me Tuesday. [00:30:29] Speaker C: Wednesday. I'll catch up with you Thursday. [00:30:31] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:30:31] Speaker C: Nah, he said, all right, I'll see you Sunday. [00:30:34] Speaker A: Come in tomorrow morning. [00:30:35] Speaker C: Yeah. Which really says a lot about his character and the way he runs his business. Because he's like, no, no, no. Like, why are we gonna put it off? [00:30:42] Speaker A: Just. [00:30:42] Speaker C: Yeah, come in on a Sunday. [00:30:43] Speaker A: If you know him, like, if you know David, anybody that knows him, he's a really good barber. He's. And good business owner, good person, good friend, good barber. And he just took a chance on me, you know, just barely getting in, you know. So it was, man, shout out to David, you know, appreciate that. And I get in Sunday morning, gives me the key. I'm setting up. And the crazy thing is that, check it out. We get a. He get there, walking, a walk in comes in. And at this point, the shop had only been open for like two or three months, only it was a fresh, brand new shop. And a walking comes in and he's like, you want to get them? I'm like, yeah, like, I'll get him. And he's like, all right. So I'm not even done setting up. I start cutting the guy and everything. And then he gives me $50. And I'm like, oh, it's. It's 30 bucks or 25. I think I was charging like 25 bucks at the time. And he's was just like. And that was. That was. Back then. I was 25. And then. [00:31:35] Speaker C: And then that was. That was. That was new. Low price. [00:31:38] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, that was. That was a new me. [00:31:40] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:31:40] Speaker A: And he's like, no, you're good, man. 50. It's yours, man. I appreciate it. Looks good. I'm like, Dang, $50. I was like, dang. I was like, man, it's gonna be like this every day. I was like, yeah, I didn't cut another head for like five days after. [00:31:55] Speaker C: Oh, dang. [00:31:55] Speaker A: Yeah. Five days after. Wow. Yeah. So stop. The shop was real fresh and it was kind of hidden. So the walk ins weren't too crazy. [00:32:04] Speaker C: Yeah, it was. [00:32:04] Speaker A: So you have to learn the social media thing and. [00:32:07] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:32:07] Speaker A: You know, do the videos and all that. [00:32:08] Speaker C: Good. Yeah, I remember those days because you're like, hey, I'm here, guys. [00:32:11] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:32:12] Speaker C: Anybody. Anybody needs a haircut? Yeah, I'm thinking in my head, bro, I just. You just cut my hair two days ago. [00:32:18] Speaker A: I know, it's. [00:32:18] Speaker C: Bro, I know, I know you need a haircut. [00:32:22] Speaker A: Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Yep. [00:32:23] Speaker C: Yeah. So I remember those Days, too, which is crazy to think. Like, five days pass, and then now you're at the weekend. And if you're used to being off on the weekend, it's like, man, to be in a shop and not know if you're gonna get a cut or not, it's like, all right. [00:32:40] Speaker A: It's tough. [00:32:41] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah, it's. I'm sure it was, like, crazy to think, like, all right, here we go. Let's see if anybody comes in. [00:32:47] Speaker A: Yeah, I remember, like, two. Two or three months in, and, man, I. I left the shop one night. It was like 10, almost 10 a night. And I think that day, that week, it was hard toward the end of the week, and I probably had, like, seven clients the whole week. And I remember getting to the car and, hey, I called Mandy, and not [00:33:04] Speaker C: all of them paid 50 bucks. [00:33:05] Speaker A: No, no, no, no, no, NO. It was 25. Haircut, like, you know, and, you know, and it. I mean, 25, 25. You know, some tips, some don't. You know, it's all good, you know? And I get in the car and I call Mandy that night, and I'm, like, crying. Like, I'm, like, shedding a tear, and I'm like, I can't do it. Like, I can't do this. Like, you know, I'm not making any money. I can't. Like, I can't support a family like this, you know? And there's no way this is gonna happen. Like, I'm not gonna allow this. [00:33:31] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:33:32] Speaker A: And she's like, no, absolutely not. Like, you're gonna stay. [00:33:37] Speaker C: And what year. What year was that? [00:33:38] Speaker A: That was in at least 20. 20. 20, I think it was. [00:33:42] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. [00:33:44] Speaker A: 20 20. Almost 20. 21. Yeah. Because, remember, I stayed at the plant still a little. [00:33:49] Speaker C: A little longer, so probably, like, the end of 20 or. [00:33:51] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:33:51] Speaker C: Beginning of 21. [00:33:52] Speaker A: Y. [00:33:53] Speaker C: Which is crazy to think, because you went from 20. You went from 20 to the freeze, still working turnarounds. And then by the end of 20 or 20, beginning of 21, Christmas and everything, like, you're starting a new job, and then it's like, all right, is anybody coming in? Yeah. [00:34:06] Speaker A: Yeah, man. So by that time, it was starting to roll. By the Christmas. By Christmas and stuff, it was like, okay, my Saturdays are getting booked, and then Friday started getting booked, and then Thursday a little bit, you know, so. But before that, you know, after having that conversation with Manny that night, she was like, no, we're gonna work on social media. We're gonna. You're gonna get a cut in. You're Gonna do this. And I'm talking to David at the same time also, D3. And I'm like, bro, like, I need a feel. Figure this out. If not, it's not going to work. So. And I'm trying to cut hair fast. I'm like, I'm thinking if I cut fast, I'm gonna get more people. Like, I can cut more hair. Which was not the case. You know, I had to learn to, like, step back. [00:34:44] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:34:45] Speaker A: Take my time. Do the videos. Do nice, clean, precise haircuts and real symmetric. [00:34:52] Speaker C: Package it and package it nice. [00:34:54] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:34:54] Speaker C: Like, when I say package, of course you can't package a haircut, but you're putting a product out there. [00:34:58] Speaker A: Exactly. [00:34:59] Speaker C: Into everybody's. Into everybody's hand. [00:35:02] Speaker A: Yeah. So you can't. Like, the. The. The speed didn't matter, you know? And I'm thinking speed matters, and speed at that time didn't matter. For me, it was the product. The type of product that, you know, I was putting out. So I had to, you know, move my times from 30 minutes, 35 minutes to an hour, hour, and 15 minutes. Make, you know, doing the video, the content, and spinning the chair around and doing all this stuff. Stuff, you know, and the haircuts were getting better. The videos were nice. Like, they were super clean cuts. And. And then after that, man, it started to. [00:35:33] Speaker C: And that's. That's one thing that I've noticed from D3 is that he branded his stuff. He. Brands. Yeah, he. Well, he. I say branded as in, like, I. I'm an old guy, right. So I don't pay attention. But I was paying attention to him, but. Because, I mean, I would go to you to get a haircut. So I walk into the shop, and, I mean, he's got, like, legit hats. He had legit. I'm sure he had stickers. [00:35:59] Speaker A: I'm sure he had merch. [00:36:01] Speaker C: Yeah, he had merch. He had everything. So his barber shop wasn't just a shop. Like, it was a brand of clothing that you can wear. And his. His. His. His actual book of business was like his own brand. [00:36:16] Speaker A: Right, right. [00:36:16] Speaker C: Especially with the name. Like, with the name D3. I mean, how many people are going to walk around town, say, well, I'm D4. Like, come on, dude. Yeah, you can't do that. Yeah, yeah. It's the only one who's also for Brandy. [00:36:28] Speaker A: It's great for Brandon. [00:36:28] Speaker C: It's great. It is super smart for. [00:36:31] Speaker A: So the strategy is amazing. [00:36:32] Speaker C: You know, the strategy is amazing, but, like, you have to find your. Your. Your niche. And you have to find your crowd. But also, none of it matters. [00:36:44] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:36:44] Speaker C: If your product is trash. [00:36:46] Speaker A: Yeah. It's. And. And. And cutting hair is so cutthroat, it's crazy, you know. [00:36:52] Speaker C: Oh, bro. [00:36:52] Speaker A: Because no one wants to walk around with a crazy haircut. [00:36:55] Speaker C: No. Especially, I mean. [00:36:57] Speaker A: I mean, especially pain. [00:36:58] Speaker C: Like you said back in the day, it's 25. [00:37:01] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:37:01] Speaker C: I mean, now it's 30 or 40 or whatever it is. [00:37:04] Speaker A: 50, 60 a hair. [00:37:05] Speaker C: But to walk around with a 40 haircut and not be happy with it. [00:37:09] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. It's insane to pay, like, those prices and not have a. A great haircut. You know, we're not even talking about decent haircuts anymore. We're talking about having a good, great haircut. [00:37:19] Speaker C: Yeah. Like a great haircut. [00:37:20] Speaker A: Yeah. Because I mean. [00:37:22] Speaker C: I mean, the way that these clippers are. Yeah. The way these clippers cut nowadays and they cost. [00:37:27] Speaker A: There's, you know, they're pricey clippers. Everything is, you know, expensive, you know, so, you know, some people don't know that, you know, the price of clips, the amount of clippers you got to have or, you know, know how many times you got to buy razors and shavers and, you know, if you drop something. [00:37:39] Speaker C: Oh, man. Oh, it's got a calibration and. [00:37:42] Speaker A: Oh, man, it's. It's insane. [00:37:43] Speaker C: The teeth in there are so fine. [00:37:45] Speaker A: Everything. The just. The blades are 50 to $80 for just blades, you know, and if the blade messes up and the clipper's good, you're buying a 58 blade. And then if blade's good, but you drop a clipper and the clipper messes up, then you're paying 275 to 3, 400 for a clipper. [00:38:02] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:38:02] Speaker A: You know, so. And you got several of them. You don't just have one pair of clippers, you know, so. And that's another good thing. You just call David and buy a. Get a pair of clippers from. [00:38:09] Speaker C: There you go. [00:38:10] Speaker A: I just walk through 30 seconds down the street. [00:38:12] Speaker C: Yeah. Also, don't drop them. [00:38:14] Speaker A: And don't drop them. [00:38:14] Speaker C: You're gonna put them around your neck with the chains so you don't drop them. Yep. [00:38:18] Speaker A: So. [00:38:19] Speaker C: So. Yeah. So branding, right? Branding is a big deal. When. When you found your. I guess when you found your. Your lane or your brand, when did you think it was time to go ahead and step out and open your own spot? Was that always in the game plan or was it like, I'm just going to chill here and I'm just going to keep cutting forever? [00:38:42] Speaker A: No, it was nice, you know, it was nice cuz the environment was cool and everybody. It was like a family, you know, family environment over there. You know, it started to grow and get more barbers and, you know, you get close to people and you know, they're, you know, the bond is, you know, real good. So real good friendships and. And they're good people to be around. So. No, I, I knew David and I knew myself before telling David, but also talking to him while I was there was. The plan was always to own my own barbershop. So even when he would cut my hair, when I was in the plant and not even going to the shop or anything like that, I hadn't been in the shop yet. David was already cutting my hair. And I would, we would talk about barber school and everything and I would tell him like, I'm gonna have my own shop. I'm gonna have my own shop. And he's like, oh, I'm gonna open one up too. And he did it, you know, So I was like, oh, like, he did it. So it kind of like drove me more to like, okay, like, you know, and he did like, I can do this too, you know. And I always, like, I tell some of the clients like, you know, I used to tell like old man Vic, he's a barber at Can Be Faded. Yeah. And Tim, the barber, he cuts hair also. And they were cutting my hair when I was in junior high and high school, after I'd mess up my own hair and I'd go to them and they'd fix it and I'd go cut my hair the next week. And every other week I was going over the stake and fix it, right? And I would tell them, I'm gonna cut hair, I'm gonna cut hair. I'll be a barber. You know, I tell Toby, I'm gonna cut hair one day, I'm gonna cut hair. And man, it's like I see him and you know, sometimes and I'll talk to him, whatever. And, and it's cool because like now I'm cutting hair, you know, so. And Tim is a really close friend of mine and. And he always sees me all the time and he's like, you did it. Like you did it. So, yeah, it's kind of cool, you know. [00:40:21] Speaker C: So the game plan was to always [00:40:23] Speaker A: own my own shop. Own your own shop, Always. That was always the plan. So they, like, Mandy is like, like, what did you want to do when you grew up? What did you want to be? What were your aspirations? Your goals, like, what did you really want to do? And I'm like, Troy Aikman, Troy Aikman, quarterback for the Cowboys. I really want to be a quarterback, you know, and I want to play with the Chicago Bulls because I thought I was, like, a live point guard, so I was gonna play with Michael Jordan, and then it was be a barber. [00:40:53] Speaker C: Yeah. Like, all right, I'll be a barber. [00:40:54] Speaker A: Yeah. So I, you know, the. The height requirement didn't work for one of them, and, you know, I couldn't touch the backboard for the other one. And so, you know, I mean, these. [00:41:04] Speaker C: These work. [00:41:05] Speaker A: Yeah, these are great. [00:41:06] Speaker C: Yeah, the hands work. [00:41:07] Speaker A: Yeah, man. So it was like, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bulls, barber. There you go. Yep. So we. [00:41:12] Speaker C: That's not bad, bro. [00:41:13] Speaker A: No, it's not. Yeah, it came true. So, you know, and it was tough. Like, you know, it's great seeing everything now from the inside out, because the life that, you know, we knew how it was growing up for us, you know, it was tough, you know, growing up, you know, we didn't have a lot, you know, stuff like that. So it's. It's nice, you know, seeing, like, the things that we've done, like, growing up and, you know, we're homeowners and, you know, we're family men. I know. Yeah. Everything. So it's like, that's. [00:41:41] Speaker C: That's what I like to tell. [00:41:42] Speaker A: It's cool. [00:41:42] Speaker C: That's what I like to tell the guys or the brothers. I'm like. I always like to point out and be like, you're. You're a good dad. You're a much better dad than your dad was. Yeah. Good job. Yes, sir. Good job. You're doing great. [00:41:55] Speaker A: Yeah. You're doing amazing. [00:41:55] Speaker C: But I mean, it. [00:41:56] Speaker A: It. [00:41:56] Speaker C: It's true. I mean, we. We both come from the west side of town, and it's. It's. I mean. I mean, no knock on why we were there or whatever, but I mean, it. I think it helped build, like, the tenacity. Yeah. And the. The fight and the. The. The attitude of why not? [00:42:15] Speaker A: Yeah, why not? Why not? Why couldn't we do it? [00:42:18] Speaker C: Yeah, why. Yeah, why can't. Why can't we do it there? It shouldn't be like, there shouldn't. [00:42:22] Speaker A: There shouldn't. [00:42:24] Speaker C: If there's something stopping us, like, what. What can we do? [00:42:26] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:42:27] Speaker C: To move around it, to. To. To press forward. Right. [00:42:29] Speaker A: Yeah. Because everyone has the same opportunity, really, no matter what type of situation you're in. You know, everyone has an opportunity. You can choose left or right. You know, and I just chose not to stay, you know? Yeah. [00:42:45] Speaker C: I mean, you could have stayed in the plant. [00:42:46] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. I could have stayed in the plan and things still could have been good, you know? [00:42:49] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:42:50] Speaker A: But I feel like life is a lot better now with your quality of life. Quality of life is way better, you [00:42:57] Speaker C: know, I mean, especially. And you work, when you work at the plant, you don't go to baseball games and basketball games and they all the, all the, all the, all the cool kids are like, hey, what's up? Little fades. [00:43:06] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. No. [00:43:07] Speaker C: What's up, boilermaker? What's up, Boiler? [00:43:11] Speaker A: I'm not walking around my wrinkle inches, you know. [00:43:12] Speaker C: Yeah. Oh, that's a nice twit card you got there, dummy. [00:43:16] Speaker A: Yeah. So there's nothing really cool about that, you know, H2S monitor. Just chilling. [00:43:20] Speaker C: I'm just kidding, guys. There's nothing wrong with working. [00:43:23] Speaker A: No, no. Yeah. If you walk around for a walkie talkie, you don't do it. [00:43:25] Speaker C: Yeah. But if, if you do have something you want to go after, I mean, go after it. [00:43:31] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:43:32] Speaker C: Even if it isn't to like the fullest extent. Right. Like, like, with me, I have a full time job. Right. But I have things I want to do in comedy that I. I'll tell you guys, right. And I'll tell you my game plan. And the thing I get from low is do it like. [00:43:49] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:43:49] Speaker C: Put a plan in place. Do it like, it could take six months, it could take two years, it could take 10 years. But I mean, and it's like the, the thing that I, I want, the message I want to convey is that if you, if you have something you want to do, like, work on it. [00:44:07] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:44:08] Speaker C: I'm having people on this podcast to let them know, like, hey, these people did it, right? This is their story. Like, I hope that it motivates you to push and do it. [00:44:19] Speaker A: Yeah. 100. Yeah. Do what you want. Take a chance and have a plan. Execute. Execute your plan and, and just do it. [00:44:29] Speaker C: Really? [00:44:29] Speaker A: Because, I mean, there's no, no one stopping you but you, you know, so, you know, the, the risks are going to be, you know, high, but the reward is great for sure. [00:44:36] Speaker C: So what. Which risk was harder? The risk to start the barber school or to start your own business? Because now you look around, there's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 chairs, right? 11, 12. There's 12 chairs in here, right? [00:44:55] Speaker A: Yeah, 12. [00:44:56] Speaker C: So was it harder for you to say, okay, I'm gonna be a barber, or is it Say, or is it harder for you to say, okay, I'm going to open my own shop and I'm gonna put 12 chairs in there? [00:45:08] Speaker A: No, it was harder just to become a barber, to quit and say, hey, this is it. Like, we're starting from zero, ground zero. That was the hardest thing. Did like, putting it together was like four fun, you know, it was. It was exciting, you know, because we got. Coming here. [00:45:26] Speaker C: Oh, yeah, we got teared up, man. Yeah, we painted the walls and the floor. Yeah, I helped with that. I got some videos that we won't. Oh, man, we won't show because not only did we paint the walls, but we also painted our faces. [00:45:38] Speaker A: Yeah, it was insane. [00:45:39] Speaker C: We'll get canceled for those. We didn't do it on purpose, but we'll get canceled for some of those videos. [00:45:44] Speaker A: I know it. But yeah, that was definitely the hardest part. But opening up the shop is still a little like, nerve wracking. But there was like, you know, a lot of, like, things that you. That you thought could go wrong, you know, but majority of everything went the way we wanted it to. And there's still room to grow. You know, there's a lot of things that you're learning still. And, you know, you ask questions, your friends, questions that other friends at home barber shops, and they're calling and they're, you know, you're just. You talk about things, you know, things that can be better, you know, things you will and will not allow in the shop and stuff like that and kind of try to stay different, you know, while my biggest thing is like, supporting, you know, like showing love and still supporting, like, others, you know, Even though there's a ton of heads to cut in Corpus. Yeah, there's a ton. So I don't see any reason for anyone to hate on anybody or not show love to another barber or anything because, man, we're just so busy. [00:46:40] Speaker C: There's more people. [00:46:41] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:46:41] Speaker C: They need a haircut than there. Than there is time in a day. [00:46:44] Speaker A: Yeah. No facts. You know, in fact, there's not. There's never enough time. [00:46:47] Speaker C: That's what I'm saying. [00:46:47] Speaker A: Yeah, there's never enough time. You know, there's never enough time. So. Yeah, man, show love and show support and talk and communicate and, you know, give advice and that. That's. That's the biggest thing. If I have friends that want to come and watch and cut. Watch us cut or watch me cut and ask questions and they want to see me roll a perm and do a bunch of stuff, or they ask about can show them. And I'm down with it. Like, it's like, it's cool. You know, if I can't get someone in, I'm sending them somewhere else. Or. Yeah, I get calls for, like, braids and stuff like that. And I'm sending them to, you know, David shop or Jones's shop and all that good stuff. And, you know, just kind of a. Like a little circle, you know, this little rotating thing where we show love to each other and show support. Everybody's making money. [00:47:30] Speaker C: Yeah. And that's one thing I remember about you open in the shop is that there was. I remember when you. When you. When you started barber school, and you're like, I'm doing it, I'm doing it. And you can. We could see that nervousness. But, I mean, of course we're encouraging you. [00:47:48] Speaker A: Right. [00:47:48] Speaker C: The whole time. But when you open the shop, we're like, are you nervous? And we'd ask you, you nervous? You're like, nah, I'm good. I'm good. Like, I'm gonna work till midnight. [00:48:00] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:48:00] Speaker C: To pay the bills and to make sure the. Stop the shop. Sorry. Make sure the shop is moving is progressing. [00:48:08] Speaker A: But we're here. [00:48:09] Speaker C: We're here. Like, I'm gonna do. I'm gonna have my own spot. It's gonna work. It's like, I know that if I work late, like, you already knew. All right. I got the clientele. If I stay open, I know more people will come. [00:48:21] Speaker A: Right. [00:48:21] Speaker C: If I book early in the morning, I know people will show up. [00:48:25] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:48:25] Speaker C: So I know if I work hard, like, the shop's going to be successful. [00:48:29] Speaker A: Right. 100%. Yeah. That was always on my mind. [00:48:33] Speaker C: Yeah. And it took. How many. How long did it take to get. I guess the majority of these. [00:48:40] Speaker A: So when it first came into the shop, when I first came to shop, it was Pat. Pat Day. She's a day one. Like, since 2009, I work with Pat's side by side at. At Dupont. And that's always been a conversation. Cutting hair, opening up a shop. And then came in and Tino came in right away. Chris came in right away. So it was four of us. [00:49:06] Speaker C: Four. [00:49:07] Speaker A: Yeah, Four of us. Right. Just Right. Day one, it was four of us. Yep. Since day one. And then little by little, the rest starts, like, trickling, like, little by little. So. So we were pretty full, like, within the first year. [00:49:20] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:49:21] Speaker A: Yeah. So, you know, people. [00:49:22] Speaker C: Which is crazy to say because, I mean, it takes. It takes a while to build, number one, a book of business, but to build clientele or a book of business and walk ins for the whole shop to stay busy. [00:49:34] Speaker A: Yeah, [00:49:37] Speaker C: it, it's, it's. I mean, it's, it takes longer, right? [00:49:40] Speaker A: Yeah, it does. It takes a lot of time. People say, I have other friends that own businesses that themselves and they're like two years, two to three years, then you're going to see like a return and you're going to see like the difference, the growth. And the guys are coming back and they're getting haircuts in the middle of the day, early in the morning, middle of the day or at night time. And they're like, Jesus Christ. Like, this is crazy. Like, this is happening way too fast. Yeah, like, where, like where are you going next? What, what's the next, where's the next shot? Next shop. Shop gonna be at? And it's like, man, like, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this, you know, which there's always like things going on, like, in my head where I'm like, what's next? Like, what else am I gonna do? Like, you know, am I gonna. When I get topped out, you know, whatever. Like, what's the next thing? So things like that always go through my mind. I'm always having conversations with Mandy about that. But man, the growth is insane. Like, how fast it's grown. It's been crazy. And, and I love that. Like, you know, y' all are here all the time. Time. Y' all come get haircuts and y' all see it and I. It's. It's awesome when you, you get a client and they haven't been here. Like my college students that go to school and they're gone and then boom, the shop is full with like barbers and they're like, what? Like, this is the same shop. Like, yeah, when you were here the last time, there was only four people. [00:50:55] Speaker C: Oh, because you have college students coming here. [00:50:57] Speaker A: Yeah, coming here. Like, I was cut them in high school and they would leave for college and then they come back during the breaks and stuff like that to come get a haircut and they're just like, man, this is not the same shop. Like, now there's 11 people in this shop. [00:51:09] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:51:10] Speaker A: So now we have 11 barbers. And. And things are moving. The walk ins are crazy. You know, people love it. They're all over Google, Google reviews, everything. [00:51:19] Speaker C: That's what I wanted to bring up too. Right. So Google and like all the Internet stuff. People don't realize how important it is nowadays, but it's super important. It's. I Mean, one thing that really shows you have a lot of support behind you is last year you won locals. Locals. This favorite barber, the Ben's local is favorite barber for 20, 25. And then the shop won. Did the shop win? [00:51:45] Speaker A: The shop got first. [00:51:46] Speaker C: Yeah, Faders got first. [00:51:47] Speaker A: And then I got first in barber for barber. And then Chris, one of my other barbers, she got third in barbers also. So we're in the top three. Wow. Yeah. So in our less than a year. [00:51:59] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. [00:51:59] Speaker A: Of opening, we are, you know, at the top already. So, you know, it's pretty awesome, you know, to see the love and support, you know, from everybody, you know that, you know, walking through and just calling, talking and just come to see the shop and stuff like that. So there's guys that get cuts elsewhere and they come in here and just talk and see the shop and it's cool, you know, it's all good. Yeah, it's all love. So, you know, it's really awesome. [00:52:20] Speaker C: Yeah. And that's, I mean, that shows a lot of shows, a lot of support. And then also, like I said, the Google reviews. Right, Right. I mean, if they're good, like how many, how much you get business from that as well? [00:52:32] Speaker A: Oh, that's. We get a ton of walk ins. They're. You like the number, the amount of people that go on to Google and you know, hey, barbershops and Corpus or barbershop. And you know, it just, you know, we pop up first, you know, so it's pretty cool to see that, to see that, you know, on the top, you know, on top of the list. [00:52:52] Speaker C: And it's brought people in. [00:52:53] Speaker A: Oh, 100. 100. You know, people come in and they're returning clients. So, you know, a lot of our barbers are, you know, you know, they're getting busier and busier. So it's really nice. [00:53:04] Speaker C: You know, people come in from out of town. They Google. [00:53:06] Speaker A: Yep. Oh, that's. [00:53:07] Speaker C: What do they say? [00:53:08] Speaker A: They Google, they barbershop. Barbershop in Corpus. Oh, wow. Yeah. Barbershop and Corpus. [00:53:12] Speaker C: That's pretty vague. [00:53:13] Speaker A: Or just barbershop shop and it just boom, Faders. Wow. And it send you. We have this big old list that comes out with a picture of the shop and everything. And then now when you go on the cut and you look up faders, Barbershop. The cut itself has like the page. Faders has the page itself like that shows the pictures of the shop and all the barbers all together. [00:53:33] Speaker C: That's what I was going to say. [00:53:34] Speaker A: So it's Pretty cool. Yeah. [00:53:35] Speaker C: If I ever book with anybody else, I'll look on the cut and the Cuts, an app for where you can book appointments. [00:53:42] Speaker A: Right. For your haircuts. [00:53:43] Speaker C: And I look on the cut, and I'm like, well, where's. Where's. I know Tino's. Well, where's Joe's? Where's dro's? Where's Gabby's? Where's Pat's? If you look on the cut now, it has everybody on there. It didn't do that before, right? [00:53:56] Speaker A: It didn't, no. So Mandy's, like, my tech person and everything else, because we talked about, like, the Internet and social media and all that good stuff and, you know, our ages and when we were in first grade. So I'm not big on the whole social media thing. So Mandy is. Does my everything, you know. [00:54:16] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:54:17] Speaker A: On social media. So she's the one that sets everything up. [00:54:19] Speaker C: And Mandy has her own business and [00:54:21] Speaker A: South Texas glitz and glam. So she owns, runs and. And. And. And runs her own business and does everything. So, man, I want to talk to. [00:54:28] Speaker C: I want to talk to Mandy about South Texas glitz and glam. [00:54:31] Speaker A: Right. [00:54:31] Speaker C: And a tongue twister. Yep. [00:54:33] Speaker A: South Texas glitz and glam y. I [00:54:35] Speaker C: want to talk to her about that because, man, some of the stuff she does, it's like, bro, it's impressive. [00:54:39] Speaker A: Bro, it's crazy. It's all custom, and she's. She's party favors. [00:54:42] Speaker C: I mean, but it's everything. [00:54:43] Speaker A: No, she. And the funny thing is that I have her running around, like, crazy, like, all day, where she's like, either. And it's like, you know, just crazy things, whether it's, like, the LLC stuff or the taxes and, you know, getting the towels done so that the barbers can have towels and, you know, know, keeping the fridge stocked and, you know, doing, like, you know, anything that I need, she's, like, doing it throughout the day. And then South Texas glitz and glam kicks in, you know, at two in the morning, three in the morning, four in the morning, and she's working, and [00:55:12] Speaker C: you hear the machines at night or whatever. [00:55:14] Speaker A: No, no, no. She's, like, in the front of the house now. So she's like, you know, she took over Jaden's room, and she's got, like, the big old screen, the tv, the monitor, the Apple monitor, and she's, like, moving things around, and. And if I go to the kitchen, I can hear, like, the machine, like, printing, and, you know, I can hear her, Her. Her watching her show while she's working or she's on the phone or she's even. She's big on social media. Like her tick tocks and her. I don't know what is Instagram or something she's always going live on. And I can hear like, yeah, she's like, talking to her clients and people that are, like, responding to her. And I'm like, Jesus, like, I want to get on there and be like, go to bed. Like, you know, but she can. Like, she's a hustler, man. Like, it's crazy. And it's kind of. [00:55:54] Speaker C: Yeah, that's the crazy thing, too. It's like now that with the Internet, if you have a good product, if you have something that's good, if you package it well and you're professional and back in the day, you could, oh, they say fake it till you make it. Yeah, you can fake it till you make it. But here you can make it and fake it. Like, you can make it because you have a good product, but you can set up your Internet or you can set up your. All your socials to look like your business is way bigger than what it is, because the packaging and the product itself is just on point. [00:56:32] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:56:33] Speaker C: Like, it's amazing. It's on another level and all that. I mean, you said with Google reviews, all of it matters at the end of the day. All of it. All of it matters. [00:56:40] Speaker A: I think we just hit like 6,6000 followers on Facebook. Like, the shop itself hit like 6,000followers. Yeah. So it was pretty big for us, you know, and everyone's just always showing love, you know, so like, same thing like, with Manny's business. Like, she's the one that's on top of everything, and she has a big response. Like, you know, people respond to her so well. [00:57:01] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:57:01] Speaker A: And stuff like that. And she's the one that pushes to go help this person, help this group or this team and, you know, do this and do that and, you know, make sure, like, hey, you know, I love to stay involved with, like, you know, what's going on in the community with the, you know, we're big with sports, with baseball and football and basketball. Like, my, our clientele, you know, not just my clientele, but hers also, because she deals with, like, the parents. I deal with a lot of the kids because I'm cutting their hair. She deals with the moms a lot, you know, and some of the dads that order stuff. So it kind of like we, we. We go hand in hand with each other, you know, so it helps a Lot, you know, it's. It's crazy. Like, she's a hustler, man. It's insane. Like, I, I just, man. So like, I want to pull her out of, like, away from the computer too, sometimes. And she knows, like, when, like, it's go time here, like, it's go time over there also. [00:57:45] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:57:46] Speaker A: You know, so it's good. It's good, man. [00:57:47] Speaker C: It's really. It's good. [00:57:48] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:57:50] Speaker C: So this takes, this is a process, right? I tell everybody anything successful or anything good, it's. It takes a long time. And it may not seem like a long time to somebody who just found you on social media, Right. Or somebody who just, like, decided, hey, I'm gonna take this leap and I want to be a barber, right. Or I want to be a business owner. I, I tell everybody it takes at least 10 years, 10 years to like, really get good at something, right? And then once you're there. All right, now, now what you do with it is a totally different story story. Because you could come into the shop, not sell yourself, not post on social media, not hand out business cards, not really get to know a customer. Hey, it's. It's a walk in. Like, I've, I've gone to other shops and I'll walk in and they'll cut my hair and they'll be like, how do you like it? Like, oh, I'm good, thanks. Yeah, I love it, man. Thanks. Yeah. None of them has ever said, like, get my number, here's my number, text me. So you can just text me now next time. Right? Like, those little things. [00:58:55] Speaker A: Yeah. They matter. [00:58:56] Speaker C: Those little things. Yeah. Really matter. So to build up that reputation and that following, it takes 10 years. So I want to ask you, where were you at 10 years ago? I guess we kind of talked about this already, but where were you at 10 years ago? And for somebody who's just starting now and wants to be where you're at, like, what would you tell them? What would you tell yourself? Yes. I guess it's two part question. What would you tell yourself 10 years ago? And for anybody who's starting now, what would you tell them about the whole process? [00:59:30] Speaker A: Don't wait. Just. Just do it. It's like, it's. I guess it's kind of like, how do you say, like, you know, when. Oh, we're not sure we're ready to have a kid. You're never ready to have a kid. You know, it's one of those things that, you know, like, you just, if there's something that you really want to do. Ten years ago, I was in the plant, and I wasn't. I was so focused on, like, the money that I was making then. Make sure I can take care of my family then versus really doing what I was passionate about and what I loved and what was really going to make me happy, you know? You know, mentally and emotionally and for my family, you know, because even though I was making good money, like we talked about, I was away still. I was still away. I was still, you know, missing birthdays and holidays and all that good stuff and not seeing them go, like, when we wouldn't lay down together, you know what I'm saying? They'd be asleep. I get home, and they'd be knocked out. I'd get up, I'd go to sleep, get up, and they'd still be asleep. And I had to be back at the plant in five hours, six hours, you know, so those are the toughest things, you know. So 10 years ago then I was, like, doing that, you know? So if that was me, then I'd say, man, I wish I did this 20 years ago. [01:00:37] Speaker C: 20 years ago. I wish I should have started 10 years ago. If you would go back 10 years, [01:00:42] Speaker A: I'd say, do it 10, 10 years before. [01:00:44] Speaker C: Hey, go back in time and do it. Go back in time 10 years, do it. [01:00:47] Speaker A: Because by now, been crazy. It would have been, who knows? Probably could have been three or four shops already and, you know, a bigger brand, you know, but the most important thing is that we're here, you know? [01:01:00] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:01:01] Speaker A: Most important thing is that we're here now and, you know, we're growing and, you know, we have a good team behind us. [01:01:06] Speaker C: But also, 10 years ago, who was telling you, like, who's really telling you, like, go for it, [01:01:13] Speaker A: man? It was. I mean, you know, we always talk about it, you know, we always. We always talk. We go eat breakfast in the mornings. We always talk about things that we want to do and, you know, the plans that we have for the future and, oh, why don't we do it? Why don't we do it? Like, oh, we should do this. [01:01:25] Speaker C: Because it's gonna be hard. [01:01:26] Speaker A: Yeah. Because I don't know if. I don't know if the warriors and. Yeah, everything, you know, and that's my. [01:01:32] Speaker C: That's my. That's my hardest. One of my hardest things to overcome, always. Especially. I mean, I. I've been telling you, I'm gonna start a podcast. I'm gonna start a podcast. I'm gonna start podcasts. And you're like, dude, do it, bro. [01:01:42] Speaker A: Do it. Do it. [01:01:43] Speaker C: But I've been saying it forever, and then now that I'm doing it, you're like, all right, cool. Yeah. Yeah, let's sit down. But it's like, I think we're our biggest sometimes. We're our biggest. I guess roadblocks is ourselves. [01:01:58] Speaker A: 100. 100. Like I said before, like, ain't nobody stopping us but us. [01:02:03] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:02:03] Speaker A: You know, we all have a choice. We all have a choice. And, I mean, is there something you want to do? Just do it. 100. Even with, like, Henry, you know, I hit him up one morning. Let's go eat real quick. It's eight in the morning. Let's go real fast. All right. And we're talking. You know, you will always lock in when we talk. And. And I think I want to do goodies. I want to think, oh, yeah, do it, bro. [01:02:24] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:02:24] Speaker A: What are you waiting for? You to. Today you. I told. I'm. We're sitting there talking to them. I'm like, right now when we leave, get. Start a nap, and you start doing your own thing. Like, forget everything else. Yeah. And, man, he called me. It was like, hey, create a logo. Yeah, create a logo. [01:02:41] Speaker C: Create a mission statement. [01:02:42] Speaker A: What do you think about this? What do you think about that? And it was like, yeah, and put it. Put it out there. [01:02:48] Speaker C: Just let it go. Start saying yes to anything and everything. That's it. And those small yeses turn into big yeses. Yep. For those. For those of you who are listening, we're talking about. I'm gonna put the. The logo up too. Yeah. Goodies is a delivery service started by one of our brothers, also here in town. But they. They'll. They'll ship. They'll ship anything to you. Wherever you're at. They'll deliver it if you want delivered. Of course. Everything. There's a fee for everything. [01:03:12] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:03:13] Speaker C: But, I mean, it's a service, right? And if it's right, if it's something that you can't do yourself and you need it done, he'll do it. You need the goodies. Call goodies. [01:03:22] Speaker A: Yep. [01:03:22] Speaker C: Right. [01:03:22] Speaker A: For sure. [01:03:23] Speaker C: So, yeah, so that's. That's one thing too. It's like, if you're already working in that industry somewhat, or if you're. You have an idea and you. You want to do it, like, let it rip. [01:03:37] Speaker A: Just. [01:03:37] Speaker C: Worst thing to happen is, like, it's going to start off slow. [01:03:41] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:03:41] Speaker C: That's how everything started. [01:03:42] Speaker A: It might not work right away. More than likely it's not gonna, like, just like, in that second, it's not gonna blow up. Like, it just, you know, I don't know who it happens for. You know, I've never heard a story where it's like, man, I started this, and two minutes later, it was, like, crazy. Yeah. [01:03:56] Speaker C: You know, But I tell everybody, consistency is. Is the. The best ingredient for anything. [01:04:03] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:04:03] Speaker C: When you want it to be successful. [01:04:05] Speaker A: Yes. You want your. [01:04:06] Speaker C: You want your grass to grow nice and green, you better water it. [01:04:09] Speaker A: Gotta be patient, consistent. [01:04:10] Speaker C: You gotta be patient. Takes time, especially when it comes. [01:04:13] Speaker A: And you gotta have faith. Like, the biggest thing is having faith, you know, and, like, doing things and believing yourself and putting a team around you that's gonna, like, believe in you and, you know, lift you up and stuff like that. You know, talking with, like, Lethal Henry, Oscar, Jimmy Harrison, like, the, you know, our. Our brotherhood that we have, that's one thing that we're like. We're. We're really honest with each other. I can say that 100, you know, and some of the things, like, I don't even, like, you know, they get into conversation, and I'm just, like, so far behind from, like, cutting hair. Like, I'm like, what's. Like, you know, we're like. I'll say, talking about something else. [01:04:49] Speaker C: Yeah. In a group chat. Yeah, for sure. [01:04:51] Speaker A: Yeah. So. But one of the things I could say is, like, we're super honest with each other, but we have a group of. There's a group of us bro brothers that we can always be honest with each other and. And. And, you know, they always lift us. Lift each other up and tell us when, like, we shouldn't or shouldn't do something and, you know, stuff like that. So I think that's very important to have, like, in your life also. So consistency, being honest with each other and. And just being patient, man, it's like. Like one of the hugest things, and just do it. Like, it's. It's crazy. Just do it and just go for it. [01:05:22] Speaker C: It. The second time. Last episode, Lupez said the same thing. He's like, just do it, man. [01:05:27] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. And that's small business owner. Like, you know, I mean, you see anybody, like, how'd you do it, man? I just did it. It just. I took a chance, you know, and it's. You know, it's just. It's crazy. That's just what it comes down to, really. [01:05:39] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:05:39] Speaker A: Yeah. Just really taking a chance and believing in yourself, you know? So. Yeah. [01:05:44] Speaker C: Believe in yourself. When even the voice in your head's like, nobody's gonna. Nobody's gonna get a cut. Nobody's gonna call for delivery. Nobody's gonna come out to your comedy show. [01:05:52] Speaker A: Yeah. Oh. Which is awesome, I think. Yeah, it was amazing. [01:05:56] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:05:56] Speaker A: Went checked out Lito at the comedy show at the comedy club downtown. [01:06:00] Speaker C: Mosquito. [01:06:01] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. It was awesome, man. It was. [01:06:03] Speaker C: Which, I mean. I mean, he's been my brother forever. I've been doing comedy for 12 years. I think you only came one other time. [01:06:08] Speaker A: I came to one other one, but [01:06:11] Speaker C: it was like an open mic. [01:06:12] Speaker A: Yeah, it was open mic. Yeah. [01:06:13] Speaker C: So it wasn't an actual show. So it took 12. 12 years for him to come. And yes, I did make him buy a ticket. [01:06:19] Speaker A: I did buy a ticket. [01:06:20] Speaker C: Yeah, you bought a ticket. [01:06:21] Speaker A: And I bought a bunch of food [01:06:22] Speaker C: because I don't get free haircuts. [01:06:24] Speaker A: Exactly. [01:06:24] Speaker C: No, I'm just kidding. [01:06:25] Speaker A: Exactly. [01:06:26] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [01:06:28] Speaker A: We support each other. [01:06:29] Speaker C: I support him, he supports me. I mean, it was. It was a. [01:06:32] Speaker A: It was. It was. It was awesome, man. [01:06:34] Speaker C: It was awesome. I don't want to toot my own horn, but. [01:06:36] Speaker A: No, no, it was. It was awesome. It was funny, entertaining. [01:06:40] Speaker C: It was good live. It was live art and, like, life stand up. Which is cool, I mean, because it's like I've. I've grown. The first time you. You saw me at an open mic, man, dude, that was. That was a long time ago. It was probably like 10 years ago. [01:06:53] Speaker A: It was. It's been a while. [01:06:55] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. And then open mics, like, going to the gym and working out. Like, oh, yeah, we want to watch Michael Jordan work out in the gym, but we want to see him in the game. [01:07:04] Speaker A: Right, Right. [01:07:04] Speaker C: I'm not saying I'm Michael Jordan when it comes to comedy, but I mean, like, we want to see, like, the finished product. Like, we want to see your bits. You want to. We want to laugh. We want to be in the moment. We want to see how you think on your feet or whatever the case is. Right. [01:07:17] Speaker A: Which was awesome. Was like the real life events. Like, Like, I feel like the story was like yesterday's stuff. Like, what happened yesterday, what happened this afternoon, whatever. Like, so it was like, damn. Like that. That just like, with, like, with your story, with your comedy, with your comedy, you know, it was like, man, like, this wasn't a skit from, like, three months ago. [01:07:39] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. [01:07:40] Speaker A: You know, it was, like, super fresh. [01:07:41] Speaker C: It wasn't something like, remember when George Bush was president? [01:07:43] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm like, I didn't. I wasn't paying attention. I was I was doing the. The thing because I covered my left hand, so I was like reverse layup on the left, you know, so. But it was really funny, really entertaining, and it was. It was good stuff. So you got to go check them out. [01:07:58] Speaker C: Yes. [01:07:59] Speaker A: Good. Teen comedies. [01:08:00] Speaker C: That's awesome. Oh, thanks, brother. I appreciate it. I think that's it. I want to end on that note there when it's like, find your tribe. Find some people that support you. [01:08:08] Speaker A: Yep. [01:08:08] Speaker C: Just do it. Like, get out of your own head. [01:08:11] Speaker A: Yeah, just do it. [01:08:12] Speaker C: Move out of the way. You got anything you want to share before we get out of here? [01:08:16] Speaker A: Man? I just appreciate everybody, you know, from all my brothers to Mandy, the family that you come out, show love. Everyone that comes and gets a haircut, you know, every week, every other week, that shows the rest of my barbers love. And no matter what you're doing, you know, show love to everybody else, support the community, which is a very big thing, and just do it. [01:08:37] Speaker C: Just do it. [01:08:38] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:08:38] Speaker C: Also, before we get out of here, I believe Low got nominated again for 2026 local. [01:08:44] Speaker A: Yes. [01:08:45] Speaker C: So if you guys. This. This will be out. We're in the middle of March. Probably be out in the next week or so. [01:08:50] Speaker A: Right. [01:08:51] Speaker C: I think void voting starts in April. [01:08:53] Speaker A: Yes, I think it's April. The voting for the. [01:08:57] Speaker C: I'll find it. I'll find it and I'll edit it in here. [01:08:59] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:08:59] Speaker C: But I think. I believe voting starts in April. So if you guys support the shop. Love the shop, love Low. Make sure you go and find the links and we'll post them in here, too, once. Yeah, we'll post the links on the. On the. On the pages or on the. On the respond if you please page pages are on the YouTube. So you guys can go out and vote for the shop because I know the shop's nominated. I know Lowe's nominated. So if you guys want to go and do that, don't forget to go and do that as well. And also YouTube. [01:09:30] Speaker A: YouTube page. [01:09:31] Speaker C: YouTube. You have a YouTube page? Oh, yeah, I have a YouTube page, too. Sorry, my voice cracked. I have a YouTube page for respond if you please. I think it's respond if you please, [01:09:43] Speaker A: not if you please. [01:09:43] Speaker C: Yeah, I don't remember where it's at, but it's. It'll be the same page that this video is going to be on. But yeah, follow the. Respond if you please. Follow my socials at the little weapon on Instagram. Lido Cortez on Facebook, [01:09:59] Speaker A: Faders, Barbershop, Low fades on Instagram, Instagram. And faders, barbershop on Facebook. We'll try to put all the gr. [01:10:06] Speaker C: Yeah, we'll try to put all the links. [01:10:07] Speaker A: Put everything out there. [01:10:09] Speaker C: Thank you, guys, once again, for tuning in. We've already. We're at an hour and 15 minutes. [01:10:13] Speaker A: There you go. That's good. [01:10:14] Speaker C: Yeah, it's good. Now we can go home and finish the game. [01:10:16] Speaker A: Watch the game. We're winning right now. [01:10:17] Speaker C: Thank you, guys. [01:10:18] Speaker A: Appreciate you. Love you. [01:10:24] Speaker B: Thanks for hanging out with us today. If you felt the vibe of this episode, do us a huge favor, like subscribe and follow the show on whatever platform you're using right now. It is, you know, someone who needs to hear the story, share it with them. Word of mouth is how we grow. [01:10:39] Speaker C: This is Vanna Corpus Christi Originals production.