Barber Jicko | All the time barber

Welcome to the How's Business Podcast!

In this episode, I sit down with Barber Jicko, the owner of All The Time Barber in Rooty Hill.

From building a loyal community to growing one of Western Sydney's most respected barber shops, Jicko shares the real story behind the business. We dive into the highs, the challenges, lessons from entrepreneurship, customer service, building a brand, and what it really takes to create a business people keep coming back to.

Whether you're a barber, business owner, entrepreneur, or someone looking for motivation to start your own journey, there's plenty of value in this conversation.

In this episode we cover:
✂️ How Jicko started All The Time Barber
💈 Building a loyal client base
📈 Growing a business in a competitive industry
🧠 The mindset behind long-term success
🤝 Customer service that creates lifelong customers
🚀 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and barbers

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to:
👍 Like the video
💬 Leave a comment with your biggest takeaway
🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with Australian business owners, founders, and entrepreneurs.

Follow Barber Jicko & All The Time Barber:
📍 Rooty Hill, NSW
📲  https://www.instagram.com/allthetime.bs/

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Thank you again for joining me in another episode of How's Business where we talk to real business owners with real business problems and real business wins. Today we have Jaico from All the Time Barber down in Rudy Hill. I'm sure there's a million other things that he's got going on as well. But first of all, bro, how's business?

SPEAKER_01 0:15

Oh yeah, good man. Business is good overall. Six years strong now. Um yeah.

SPEAKER_02 0:24

I'll tell you run me back, run me back. How what what was the start of the business? How did this all come about?

SPEAKER_01 0:29

Well the shop opened in 2020, right before COVID. But I started cutting in um in high school. So that was just like straight up, it was just for fun. Like I was I was cutting my brother's hair out of um out of convenience, and it wasn't until doing that for like two years that I realized that I actually wanted to be a barber. But um yeah, out of high school I thought I wanted to I thought I wanted to do real estate and mortgage working just like my mom, but yeah, that was that wasn't for me. And uh I couldn't push that passion away for um like just being a barber and like the barbershop culture. So um yeah, pushed to get that going. So I was 22 when the um when the shop first opened up um saved up as much as I could when I was like 20 or 21.

SPEAKER_02 1:24

And 22, so you opened your shop at 22?

SPEAKER_01 1:29

I was 22 when the shop opened up.

SPEAKER_02 1:31

Yeah, is is it the shop that you're in now?

SPEAKER_01 1:33

Yeah, still the same space. And yeah, it was just crazy because like at the time I thought I was like late because people I know that study three year degrees out of high school was like finishing up and like looking for work, and then I still haven't done my full-time thing yet.

SPEAKER_02 1:48

Yeah, let's talk about that a little bit. I went through something similar when I was 18, 19, 20. When you see everyone studying and all that, and you're not studying, yeah, how did you get over that hump, especially with like you know, people, people around you talking about how they go into uni and stuff? How do you sort of deal with that?

SPEAKER_01 2:04

Um I think it felt like I had like a like a three-year time frame because it's like while they're studying, I still have that time to like figure it out. So yeah, I spent that I spent like about a year working in barber shops, but like one of the main jobs for me to actually open up my own space was like from having such a bad experience from working in barbershops. Like the culture in like 2016 was not bookings at the time. So it was like you guys probably remember that like everything was a walk-in shop, and the good shops you'd have to wait like one two hours for. And um and like pretty much the basic rule of like or the unspoken rule in the shops was um like if there's someone waiting in the like waiting area, no one gets a break. So we'd wait, uh like we'd work long hours um without a break, and it was just pretty much common. And then I remember I was talking to my tape teacher, and I wanted to complain to him about it. I was like, man, like like I know I'm trying to find a new shop to work at, like, my boss doesn't give me breaks on Saturdays because there's um because it's too busy, and then he just like laughed at my face and was just like like welcome, he was like American guy, so I was like, That's the industry, John. Like, welcome to the industry. And then uh I think after that I was like I ended up quitting that spot, um, and I just told myself like next time I work in a shop it has to be like it has to be mine. Yeah, and like I knew that I believed in bookings because I I did that at home the whole time and like the money was like steady, people didn't have to wait. Like, I saw the like I just saw the like the beauty and the convenience and that people actually wanted to do bookings and stuff, and like Walkins was uh it's on it on its way out, and like nowadays, like all you know a good shop by one that has bookings because that indicates like that set of set amount of time is for for you. Yeah, and they'll take their time with that with that time slot.

SPEAKER_02 4:01

So 22 you open up the shop. Um did you study before that? Like did you have to go to TAFE?

SPEAKER_01 4:06

Yeah, so um yeah, I I I finished I stopped doing the apprenticeship in 2016, but I went back to finish it off uh in 2018 without not like not as an apprentice. It was like a diff it was like a way that they did TAFE for borrowing. Yeah. Um so you could either do it like full-time or as an apprentice. So I finished it off as a full-time and it was cool. Like I still had the same teacher. He um he fast tracked that one year course to three months from me because he kinda he saw that I was ready. Yeah. Um and then when I finished, I found out I think like technically you don't need a I was just about to ask that. Yeah, you actually don't there's no barber license in Australia, unlike America, so you actually don't need like to study it.

SPEAKER_02 4:49

Did you feel any of the skills you learnt in TAFE transferred over?

SPEAKER_01 4:53

Uh oh I think the main thing that I learned there was like just sanitary stuff. Yeah, okay. Like had like had to be strict with like um yeah, cleaning your tools and stuff like that, which carried over. But cutting skills, like I say, like a bit of the basics, like some stuff at the time I felt was like irrelevant, but like as I started cutting more people and learned more like hairstyles and like the options were got wider, yeah. I realized the basics I learned from TAFE actually um was a good foundation for um like how I saw like the thought process of choosing how to cut someone's hair. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:35

So when you were coming up with the shop, yeah. Found the space, Rudy Hill, yeah, great space. What vision did you have for the shop?

SPEAKER_01 5:44

Oh, that's a good question. Um I guess like the first vision I've always had for the shop was um my kind of backstory. I was cutting my friend's hair in my backyard, and then my dad had his like um there were like the iPod uh speakers where you put the iPod in? Yeah, yeah. And it was just there. So I just like oh I looked for a song, and I was like, oh, Casey in the Sunshine Man. I've heard of them, and then I heard a song um Boogie Shoes. Yeah. Like, if you ever listen to that song, I remember when I first heard that song, I was like, that's the song, that's like the barbershop song. It was just like a real funky, like upbeat, um track. So every time like so my vision of that of a shop was always just like straight vibes, people come in, like dap up the boys, smiles all around, um, and just like providing that like in a public space because then as I started having a more established like setup at home, I always saw the shop of just an extension of that. So like I think at first, before I had that mindset, it was just like like I was pretty scared to open up a shop. Like, how do I know that I'm ready? And a friend of mine was just like, You're already running a shop now, it's just the same thing, but like it's like yes, it's bigger, it's more public, it's not in your parents' house anymore. So um yeah, so like the vision was always just like just like have a like an uplifting place and stuff, and then um and then at the time as well, I was really taking like my Christian faith seriously. Yeah. So I think two questions that I always thought were like the big questions in life is like who you're gonna end up marrying and what job you're gonna have. So like I like that. So um with the second one, I was just like, yeah, what job am I gonna do? And how does that there's like the Bible verse that goes along the lines of like um Matthew 6 33, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So I when I heard that, I was just like when uh when I was thinking about like who I'm gonna marry, who like what job am I gonna be, like it was always first like what do I get out of it, and like how does that make my life better? But then it says in that verse and like which like rewired my mindset that like seek first the kingdom. So I was just like, what does that mean in terms of those questions? And then like at the time I was still um trying to do that mortgage working real estate thing, and then I was like, how was I adding on to the kingdom through that? And then and then I was still cutting hair on the side at home, and then I just saw like through the barber chair, the conversations that came out of it. Definitely like like I I don't see much like other like job places where I can talk about whatever I want. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:38

Like if I was trying to sell someone's a house someone a house and then I started giving them a motivational speech, it's just like what the You're not helping anyone, anyone's soul, like you're helping them with the material thing, but not helping them through life sort of thing.

SPEAKER_01 8:50

Yeah, and like shout out to the real estate agents out there. I'm not trying to 100% I don't know about it. Shout out to those guys, I got a dreams, it's still dreams. Yeah, you guys helping us out too.

SPEAKER_02 8:59

It's similar similar to here with the students. There's a lot of students that come through the gym and they're really lost. And yeah, you can tell they come through and they like take a breath and they're like, Oh, this is yeah, it's my place. They might be going through something at home or they're getting bullied at school. And I can tell straight away. I can tell straight away when Rick could walk in. I'm like, Oh hey man, how are you going? How's Roblox? I got guess problems hearing. Yeah, oh Roblox is mad. And you start thinking you start talking about Roblox and you help them forget about the the troubles. Same as people in the chair. Like, yeah, I've had conversations in the barber chair where I'm like, fuck, that's really insightful, man. Thank you. Or just touching in with the with the guy that you've been getting your hair cut by every every couple every couple weeks, like, oh yeah, how's that thing going? Yeah, it's going good, man. Thank you. How are you going? Yeah, it's it's very unspoken, how how powerful it can be. Definitely, man. Definitely. So you had that feeling and you had that sort of let's call it your North Star. Like, okay, this is what I want to do. You open up the shop, you get the keys. How did you go with the fit out stage? That's a hard stage of the business.

SPEAKER_01 9:56

Yeah, the fit out stage. Yeah, like my brain is on my my phone, my the notes of my phone. Hey, like I just remember like I had like a whole um like a whole like like a whole list of everything I needed to do, and then like had to prioritize like what stuff needs to go first.

SPEAKER_02 10:15

Did you have a free rent period or a time limit to get it all done?

SPEAKER_01 10:18

Um I had only like a two-week rent free period. So I think I spent about another like it took me about a month to fit it out. Yeah. Um it didn't help that when I got my keys, I had a Philippines trip booked for like a week, which I didn't want to um skip. So my mom helped me like take care of like um the carpenter that did some stuff in the shop while I was gone.

SPEAKER_03 10:41

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:42

But yeah, I think for like three weeks, I wouldn't eat until like at the end of the day. Like my brain just needed to like grind, like from the time I woke up. Okay, from the time I woke up, I'll do some haircuts at home, go to the shop till like from maybe like 12, 12 to 9 pm, and then I'll only eat at night for like three weeks straight. So I just grinded it out. Um But yeah, I think it was just like yeah, just like you had to I really just had to see er like think of everything that needed to get done. Um yeah, made it a list of like where it fits in the priority, where it needs like when it needs to get done, and then just like put a date in it. And then um you smashed it out, yeah. Try to smash it out. Um and I think I was like really forgiving as well, because if I wrote that I needed to do everything here in this day, and I and like I didn't get the last few things done, or like you know, like I needed I had to listen to my body, like yeah, you gotta listen to it. I was already pushing myself by not eating till night time, yeah. Um but then like I was like reminding myself like I can still do it tomorrow. Yeah, yeah. And then um yeah, I think the main pressure was that I did put out a I did announce a date that what I was gonna open. Um, but like it was so long ago now, but I think like everything went well. Everything went well, yeah. Yeah, it made it happen. Yeah. Um like I think one thing that took way longer than I expected was just putting up picture frames. Yeah, yeah. Like that. I don't know why. That took forever, that took a whole day. Just putting things into picture frames and then like deciding where it goes and then like the the space because I this is before you did the recent randos.

SPEAKER_02 12:19

Yeah, but the space is very like I can tell it's you. Like when you walk when you're it cutting someone and I'm on the other chair with another barber, and I look at you and I look at the space, I'm like, yeah, this this is uh the extension of it. Yeah, it's really it's really chill, uh it's very funky. Yeah, uh it's a place you want to sit for a bit. Yeah, like a lot of barber shops, like shout out to them, that they're great. But you walk in, it's very clinical in and out. Whereas yours, it feels like a big living room, which is which is that was the that was the goal.

SPEAKER_01 12:46

Oh good.

SPEAKER_02 12:50

Bro's even got uh Bro's even got an iced coffee fridge, and I'm like, yeah, iced coffee, man. Uh what's the little what's the brand? Uh Voss Coffee. Yeah, Voss Coffee.

SPEAKER_01 12:59

Yeah, shout out to everyone that goes to Japan. Yeah, everyone goes to Japan.

SPEAKER_02 13:03

100%. Nah, like and we had another guy in the pod, Aldrin, and he said your space should reflect what you value. And then I've seen when you go your space, it's very funky, very homey, it's very uh third space, like that third living space, so that third home, you know. So you open the shop, everything's pumping. How did you go about hiring your first sort of barbers?

SPEAKER_01 13:24

Oh yeah, so um the first guy I hired, he was like a friend I knew since high school. So even when we were in high school, we were talking about um like what barber tools we're using. He went to a different school though. Um, so yeah, he was like my like no-brainer first guy, and he he was um so he jumped on board. Um shout out Loebs. And uh yeah, he's an OG. Uh he's not with us now, um, but we're still we're still real close and stuff. Yeah, good. Um and then yeah, that was like perfect because me and him, like we had the same energy from the get-go, um, same interests, same like sort of like style sense, same eye, too aesthetic. Yeah, so like he really helped me with like um making decisions on like fit outs and like and just like yeah, just pushed me to be a better better barber as well.

SPEAKER_02 14:14

When it came to like paying rent and first set of like bills with the business, like big ones that aren't from your home, like home garage setup. How did you deal with that? Did you have like a mentor? Did you seek resources?

SPEAKER_01 14:27

Uh with finances, um I think I was always scared to pull out a loan because I've just never pulled out a loan before. So um everything I paid out of pocket and stuff. Um same yeah. Yeah, just because like yeah, I just don't want to owe like a bank a huge amount.

SPEAKER_02 14:44

It's scary.

SPEAKER_01 14:45

Um yeah, it's so scary. And um I think maybe because I was younger, but um like I felt like I think because I started at home and like my home setup was I just put stuff up on the walls just like what I thought was cool. Like the space didn't have to be like the most professional space. Yeah. Like I saw the like shops in the barber shops inside of shopping centers, they look expensive. Like those fit-outs did not look cheap, but then it never really reflected how good the barbers were.

SPEAKER_02 15:17

You don't need us you don't need to spend a lot on a fit out for it to feel good.

SPEAKER_01 15:20

So um at the time, um I really just really focused just on the quality of the haircuts and let that speak for the quality of the shop. Like when the shop first opened up, like we had like we had like the grills on the windows. It really felt like you're in Western Sydney, like it did it wasn't the prettiest um like from the outside, but inside, like I just wanted to feel cozy. Yeah, um, so yeah, everything was like really cheap. Like um the couch I had there up until mid-last year, so like over five years, I got that for 70 bucks out of like salvos down the road from the shop. Oh yeah. And um shout out salvos. Yeah, shout out salvos, and then the bench that people would sit on, that was like from my backyard like from when I moved in to like my like one of my parents' moved houses in 2006.

SPEAKER_02 16:08

Sentimental Valley, right? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:09

So that was like a 14-year-old like outdoor wooden bench that I just used as uh for the shop. Nice. And then um like the barber chairs weren't like too expensive, like I just got something cheap. It was like I think I just gave myself that freedom that as time goes on I can like invest back into the shop. So like now my barber chair is more expensive. Um I've bought like furniture I really liked, and the recent reno, I feel like it was way overdue. But I guess like looks great, yeah. Thank you, bro. But I think what really held me back was that fact that like I'm gonna be spending more on the shop, but at the time, like I didn't really see like, oh, but will it make me more money? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get that. But um now I now I see why it's better because it just elevates like the brand, the brand, yeah, like um how professional the space looks, how how clean the aesthetic is, and like yeah, you don't want to spend a lot of money in a place that's when it doesn't look that great. 100%. Yeah, like like a good restaurant would have a good fit out, and you'll be happy to like you feel like you're paying for the fit outs and stuff, and like the vibe and the atmosphere. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:19

It's the add-ons as well. I feel like when I go to a place and like there's something extra to buy, if I feel nice in the place, I'm gonna treat myself to something. Yeah, 100%. You know what I mean? Whereas if I go to a service station for a bottle of water, I'm not gonna get anything else because I'm not in the headspace, you know? Yeah, yeah. But when you get put in the headspace, oh yeah, I'll get an extra like iced coffee or whatever. Oh, what's the hair product? I'll get that. Yeah, um might be a silly question for you, but for those listening, what are the main expenses with running a barber shop?

SPEAKER_01 17:43

Honestly, probably just rent. Just rent. Like um, our tools last us like a good year or more. Really? I was about to ask, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:51

What's the cycle like?

SPEAKER_01 17:52

Yeah, I'd say like I out of all the boys, I probably replaced my tools the least. Hey, like I I'm not the type of guy to do a lot of research on like new gadgets and stuff. Like when I was looking for like a camera to use, I just asked Dre, like, hey, what camera's good? He sent me the camera, he sent me the the lens to buy. I bought it, and I just did my research on like what I had. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:17

How much is it like a good pair of clippers?

SPEAKER_01 18:19

I'd say like my most exp my most expensive pair of clippers was like 300 bucks, maybe less.

SPEAKER_02 18:25

Yeah, and like a good barber chair, like a really good one.

SPEAKER_01 18:28

Um my barber chair, I think it retails at like 4K now. Okay. But that uh that I there's only one chair of that in my shop. And like the boys can buy that if they want to. Just because I'm curious, what why is it worth 4K?

SPEAKER_02 18:40

What about it makes it 4k?

SPEAKER_01 18:42

I think um it's one of those um brands that's just been around for like the last hundred years.

SPEAKER_02 18:49

Um so can you can you can if you had to like go into a competition and you're cutting some guy's hair and he's sitting on like a normal Bunnings chair versus that chair, does it make a massive difference for you? No way. Yeah, nah. Nah, nah. Oh man, I've always wondered, eh. I've always thought like that. I probably just have to like I probably just have to squat down a little lower. I've always wondered, eh? I always I've always wondered, is it like an angle thing or is it like spin speed? I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 19:14

Nah, nah, I'd say like it'll just be harder on me to like squat down and like angle and stuff. Yeah. But um, like I guess the difference between like my expensive chair and like chairs I've used before is like when I when I do the like the the seat pump to make me higher, like it goes higher per pump. Like on my old chair, I'll be pumping it for ages, and it's like just like moving like real slow. Yeah, gotcha. Or um or like screws will just go loose on the older stuff. So I'm always like constantly like tiny.

SPEAKER_02 19:41

Okay, 4k for a chair, that's mad.

SPEAKER_01 19:43

Yeah, yeah. Like I think when I first started barbering, like all the other barbers I worked with was just like normal. Like they would just say, like, this is like the good stuff. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I've it always been embedded in my mind, like this is like the dream goal, like of like this is the dream chair.

SPEAKER_02 19:59

So the Herman Miller of barber chairs. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Pretty much, man. So main expense, rent, the employees, the tools, but other than that, you're pretty sweet.

SPEAKER_01 20:08

Yeah, it's not like the food industry world, like every time someone pays, it's like a big chunk of it is like the food before it goes through the business. So, like it's pretty much like almost all labor.

SPEAKER_02 20:17

How long you've been gone now for now? Like, how long you been at the shop now? How's it that location? Six years. Six years, okay. And how would you say your your work gets out? Are you are you mainly getting customers through word of mouth, or do you do a lot of marketing?

SPEAKER_01 20:31

Yeah, I'd say mainly word of mouth. Like very often do we people be like, oh I saw your Instagram, uh like I saw your TikTok. So like we we do our best with like um social media marketing, but like it's hard for me to be mad motivated with that stuff because like for like from always it's always been word of mouth. Like, you know what it's like. You'll when you see an ad, you know it's supposed to be like looks really good. But like no one refutes someone's testimony, yeah, 100%. Because that's their personal experience. That's like and then like yeah, so just you'll you'll listen to your mate before you listen to an ad. How many chairs do you got going at the moment? We got five chairs now. Wow, yeah. And how long you had five for? Uh about a year, a year, maybe like two years now. Did you ever think you'd have five chairs going? Yeah, because when we opened up, I only had like I just had three. Yeah, wow. And um, but yeah, I'm really really blessed to see that like we were able to handle like five chairs and stuff. And it's going good. It's going good right now. Yeah, that's good.

SPEAKER_02 21:34

Um where are your customers mainly coming from? Are they coming from far or are they mainly Rudy Hill community?

SPEAKER_01 21:40

I'd say like majority is from like the Blacktown Blacktown Penith community. Yeah. But then I have a lot of friends that would like move out to like Orin Park or like um like I have a friend from like they moved all the way to Botany. Oh actually he was in Macquarie Park before that. So I got a few guys, like well at least for my customers. I was coming from Bowel, bro. Yeah, I'll just go for a barrel fresh part back in the day. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Before I buzzed my head.

SPEAKER_02 22:05

Literally, every anytime I had an event, I'd drive an hour and a half for for one of your boys. Thank you, bro. Yeah, it was worth the drive. Yeah, you don't need to know, bro. I just woke up and had my iced coffee and I'm good to go. Alright, so can you give me a day in the life of running this barber shop?

SPEAKER_01 22:23

Um so like in the shop?

SPEAKER_02 22:25

Yeah, yeah. No, no, start the day, your day. My day? Yes, yeah, the owner. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 22:29

Let me choose which all my days are so different. Busy day, busy day. Okay. On the days that I'm there for a while, like yeah, wake up, like I got two kids, so wife works in the morning, so I'll take care of like the morning routine. Uh I get I try to get changed before them, and then I'll get them changed, go downstairs, have um breakfast, just like usually something quick. Um and I try to walk my dog every day, so I'll walk my dog for like a good I say 30 minutes, but I end up leaving later, so it ends up being like 1520. But uh, yeah, I feel bad if uh I don't give them a walk. I'm the same way. So I try and give them a uh a walk every day, and then yeah, daycare drop off, come to the shop around 10. And then um yeah, I'll just be uh I'll be there from like on my busy days on Wednesday, Saturdays, I'm there from like 10 to um 8 p.m. Wow. So I I do two haircuts an hour, um, and then I'll give myself two half hour breaks. So I'll be doing like 18 cuts those days. So average 10 hours a day, like minimum. Yeah, those days. But I'm only working four days a week right now. Yeah, okay. Just because uh I like to have that extra day off for the kids and stuff for the family.

SPEAKER_02 23:41

You you're at that stage now where you can. Yeah, at the beginning you couldn't do that.

SPEAKER_01 23:45

Yeah, I was working like 50 hour weeks. Like I think when I first opened up multiple weeks, I'd be doing 100 plus haircuts. Yeah. And I guess I was good that I was young and had that energy.

SPEAKER_02 23:55

Can you run me through the mindset you had back then?

SPEAKER_01 23:57

Why why were you pushing yourself that hard? I just I guess I was I've always been like I think out of once I got out of high school, I just really got really productive, like like ADHD level productive. I think I think it all started because I read this one book, and one of the quotes in it was like What was a book? Um it was called Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Yeah, it was like a Christian book, but one of the quotes um was like how you spend your days is how you spent your life, and then like you know, when people think about like at the end of their life, they look back at everything and how did they spend their life? Like, you just have to ask, How did you spend your day? So that really changed my mind to be like, alright, every day I gotta do one thing, at least one thing small towards the goal that I want to achieve. So once I had my shop, like I didn't feel the need to have a rest, yeah, because like to me, sleep was rest. Yeah, yeah. So like um so while I'm awake, just just do what I need to do, grind out what I need to do. Um what motive what motivated you to um like like for for well the money at first, like like for like we'll talk about money first. Uh I want to get married young, um, and like yeah, set up financially, get a house, build a family and whatnot. Shout out, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Shout out to my missus, bro. She she set me straight. I wasn't like that before. How old were you when you got married? Uh I was 24. Yeah. I got married. Had my first kid at 25. Yeah, wow. Yeah, so I'm very blessed. Um, and then I think, and I just loved it. I'd say, like, um, I just loved being at the shop. Um, like my body felt tired, but my brain didn't. Like, my mental was just like um stimulated. Yeah, just it was good, yeah. And I still had time to like train. I was probably training before kids, I was training like four or five days a week, probably like five days a week.

SPEAKER_02 25:55

Yeah, I want to get into that next. So you're you're doing these crazy hours, but in the present, you've got a good balance, would you say now with the with the Yeah?

SPEAKER_01 26:03

Um, as like time stay like life stages changed, like it was always like a big adjustment period.

SPEAKER_02 26:11

A lot of founders don't take that step back, though. I'm curious, how did you know it was time? Hey, I can do four days. I I I want I want like a lot of people, they want to spend more time with their family, their wives, their kids, but they feel like they can't, even though things are good. How did you get over that hump?

SPEAKER_01 26:28

Um, I was just burnt out, hey. Yeah, like just straight up. Like uh when I had my first kid, I still lived at home, so it was it was still pretty easy to just work those like 40 plus hours a week. But once I moved out and I realized like dang, my in-laws and my parents did so much around the house that now I need to do. Yeah. And like, and I was still I still really pushed to work the same amount of hours and like you know, do give as much effort to the shop as I could. Like the only thing that it ended up cutting into was my sleep. Yeah. Because like you only you only have that 24 hours a day. So if you when I had to add more responsibilities when I had a shop, um, and like have a kid, like I was yeah, I was taking it out of my sleep. So my sleep got real bad. Then man, everything goes downhill after that, like your mood, um, your energy, like pain. Oh, that was the big one, especially with kids, man. Like, you need that patience. So um, yeah, I took a step back, and then um I just had to realize like I had to put a priority list pretty much, and then um run me through the priority list. Yeah, so my priority list is like um family first, and then my shop, and then because that provides for the family, and then my my fitness, and then housework. Like, sorry to sorry to my house. Um and then and your dog. Yeah, yeah, my dog, yeah. Yeah, I try to commit to the one one one walker table. And um, so like when I find myself getting like really tired, the bottom of the priority list goes out first. So, like like I'll still do like the essential stuff, like you know, um vacuuming the house, getting like washing the laundry. We can go through the not not folded laundry, you know what I mean? Um and like yeah, like making sure there's food on the table, stuff like that. Like that stuff doesn't go, but like this big like I see my house and I see like big projects I need to do. Yeah, like oh like I'm always trying to tell myself to like chill out, man, like you're gonna burn yourself out again. And then like because I think there was a time where um I was committing to everything, and then I felt that burnout, and then like my first instinct was like, Oh, I'm a guy, like I need some me time, but then that me time, like what that would cut out from would be my family time, yeah. Because I wasn't willing to um take time, like reduce my hours to have me time. I wasn't willing to skip my gym session to have my me time, I wasn't willing to like not pump out like the house choice to have a clean house to have my me time, because I was I wanted to do all those, yeah the bottom three. So I like it was like as if I wanted to tell my missus, like, oh like you know, this is my day off with the family, but like can I go do my own thing? It's like and then when everyone says family first, like what does that even mean if I'm if not your if my me time is gonna cut out of family time? So like when I wrote that stuff down, and I'm I'm a big believer of like writing things down, so you can always go back to it, and like it kind of every time you go back to it, it gets more embedded to your brain. Because if you just think it once, it's it's gonna go away. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:44

So um the reason I ask how you do it is because you know, you've seen on Instagram, YouTube, all these entrepreneurs, business owners, founders, they don't have kids, they don't have family. And sorry to say, it's very easy to go all in on your business when you don't have any responsibilities and you don't have that priority list. For me, I have a wife, I have a dog, like family comes first, but I don't have kids yet. So I always try and think far out how am I gonna do this when there's kids, pregnancy stage, all that scary stuff. So you mentioned fitness a lot. That's I'll be honest, I'll be vulnerable. The first thing that goes out of my list is fitness. Yeah, when there's things to do, or there's an opportunity to chase, or like there's something that I want, I'll always put my fitness out. Yep. When I was younger, I used to fight for Australia, I trained three times a day, and then as soon as I didn't have that um training for a fight, it was just like, oh, what am I training for? Yeah, yeah. But now I've realized the training makes you a better version of yourself for family, better version of yourself for the business. How what's your concept around training? How do you make it such a priority?

SPEAKER_01 30:49

Um I think for for me, I've always really been into fitness. Like I was a chubby kid. I had like I did my first um like body transformation when I was like in year eight. So like at the time, like I didn't think so much of it, but I looked back, I was like, damn man, like I don't know, like like I can't imagine a year eight you're like a year eight kid being that motivated to like train. Like I was doing I was like training like seven days a week. Like as a chubby kid doing um P9EX cardio videos. Far out. Yeah, so like I guess like fitness has always been like a part of me. So like when uh when I had a kid, like I guess like I just really didn't want to let go of everything. Like it really felt like it was a part of me, so it's like one thing I couldn't let go of. And um I don't know, I feel like a lot of guys say like they train for the kids. Like is it bad for me to say I train for selfish reasons?

SPEAKER_02 31:45

No, you trained you train for you, so you're the best version of the kids.

SPEAKER_01 31:48

Yeah, like I see myself like being healthier, I guess like well, the part that relates to the kids, like I don't want to grow old and not be able to carry them. Yeah, like I still want to be I always joke around to like my missus, like, oh when they're when my kids are 30, I'm still gonna carry them up in the air. Like, obviously, my kids are not gonna let me carry them when they're 30.

SPEAKER_02 32:08

I think a lot of it is though, man, like strong. If you're the best version of yourself, your kids see, hey, he's so like he's so happy, he's so he's so confident in himself. Okay, that's what I should look for when I when I eventually find something.

SPEAKER_01 32:20

Yeah, and I think um one thing I've learned over time is like I want to see kids, I want I I want my kids to see what work ethic looks like, like and what no excuses looks like. Because um I know I'm busy, like I got a business, and I got like two kids, I got a third on the way. Congrats. Um, and I'm still just trying to find that balance to still prioritize training.

SPEAKER_02 32:44

How do you do it? Uh when when do you train?

SPEAKER_01 32:46

So right now I do three runs a week and then one full body gym session.

SPEAKER_02 32:51

One full body gym session.

SPEAKER_01 32:52

Yeah, two two runs a week. I um is like early morning. Yep. So um so for like my long runs, I'll be up at like four a.m. if I need to. I've worked I've I think the earliest I've woken up for a long run is like 3 a.m. on a Saturday.

SPEAKER_02 33:07

Defined long run, sorry.

SPEAKER_01 33:09

Like minimum 15. Yeah. Yeah, like 15 to 30 would be like a long run. And you do that twice a week? Uh just once a week. Once a week. Yeah, once a week would be at least like 15.

SPEAKER_02 33:19

And then the other two?

SPEAKER_01 33:21

Um at least eight case. Yeah, wow. Yeah, um, so I try to do that and try to be home before the kids wake up. And um, it always ends up being so worth it. Like, um, I wake up all tired and stuff, and like it's like by math, it would be like I had less sleep and I train, I should be like so more tired. Yeah, I should be like more tired and less patient with the kids, but like I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 33:43

The science behind training is like the the dopamine, the there's a Casey Neistat video he says you can substitute hours of sleep for hours of working out. Yeah, and I believe it, honestly.

SPEAKER_01 33:52

Yeah, like every time I have a morning run and I come home to the kids and like I I like um I gotta get them ready and stuff from the time they wake up. Like, I'm I'm always way more happy than when like I just woke up and the first thing I do is get them ready for for the day and stuff.

SPEAKER_02 34:10

100%. When um for me I get here at this office, I get here at five o'clock, and then me and my mate Freaky, he's an architect, he's there, I'm here, and we do two hours work, so six, seven. We have coffee for 15 minutes, and then I go for another hour, and then I'm home by 8:15, and I have coffee with Natalia. Yeah, and I'm so much better when I do that because I feel like I've already done a work day, yeah. And then after I have coffee, I take the dog for a walk, I go to the gym. It's so much better when you are able to do something before people wake up. Yeah, it's a hack, man. It's a hack.

SPEAKER_01 34:41

Yeah, it's actually I'm a big believer of like that that that like 5 a.m. that the 6 a.m. wake ups and stuff.

SPEAKER_02 34:47

Uh do you get deep sleeps, did you say?

SPEAKER_01 34:49

Yeah, according to my watch, I get deep sleep. So I think it was good. I try to take my like magnesiums and stuff before I sleep to try help with that. Um, but yeah, just with training, I think like I guess my main motivation now is just like, well, I always have a goal though. So like I stopped Olympic weightlifting about almost a year ago now, and then I went straight to like running. Um yeah, and I jumped straight into like a marathon program. I didn't sign up to a marathon, but I just like I ran a marathon like six months into training just around. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 35:21

What's happening?

SPEAKER_01 35:22

All trimmed up. Yeah. But like I think the the weight loss comes from the diet more than running, hey. You're a tall fellow too, bro. You're lucky, it trims up and it looks good. Thank you, bro. Appreciate it. Oh, that's good.

SPEAKER_02 35:35

So training would you say um helps you a lot in business, helps you a lot in life? Yeah. Best version of yourself. Yeah. Uh what advice would you say, what advice would you give to other business owners that are struggling to find the time? Maybe they're in the initial stage of business or they're in a hard part. How do you how do you what advice would you give them?

SPEAKER_01 35:51

Like about fitness?

SPEAKER_02 35:52

About fitting it in while running a business, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 35:56

Um like you can't you can't run a business efficiently and with energy if you're like not in the best shape. So like if you want to do it for your business and that do that as your motivation, um like yeah, you you just want that energy. Like you feel so much better from training. Um you like you live a better lifestyle, like with like fitness. And I think another thing is like I guess with business, you're around a lot of other people, and like um other people also have fitness goals, so like there's a sense of like relatability, especially like in my work, like people talk to me about fitness. I end up giving people like fitness advice, like from a non-professional. Like, I'll always give that disclaimer. Like, I'm not a pro, I'm not a physio, yeah, yeah, but this is the stuff that helps me, and then like they like they come to you like leaving more than what they just a haircut, like yeah, like just from a haircut. So, like I guess what other people's businesses, I know it's like really broad and stuff, but like I guess like it it looks good to feel good, yeah. Like it feels good to look good. Yeah. Um and like I guess like yeah, you just bring a different energy when you like with that confidence with a like you look you bring a like way more confidence when you know you look better. Totally agree. And like, but I always still think like aesthetics comes as a is a result of a healthy lifestyle. Yeah, yeah, like not don't chase that specifically. That's a byproduct of it. Yeah, yeah. So it's a yeah, looking good is a byproduct of a health healthy lifestyle.

SPEAKER_02 37:40

Got a uh uh I've got I've got an interesting question for you before I forget. You do all this work, you do all this working out. How do you not bring any work home? So do you talk to your wife like about work or do how do you switch it off as soon as you like get in the door with your kids?

SPEAKER_01 37:53

Um I think I I've I think as soon as I got kids, like it really got embedded in my brain that I don't want to bring any work home. So like I guess when it comes to like the business, there's like two two guys. Like I I pretty much trust all the boys at the shop, but like um over time I've learned how to make better systems at the shop, um, or just making myself clearer when it comes to describing my expectations from the boys and stuff. How did you do that? Um, I'll straight up it was like my wife. Like, I remember one time one of the boys did like something wrong with like closing up the shop, and then I was like getting madanoid, and then my wife was just like, like, did you explain it to improperly? And I was like, Yeah, I think I did, and then she was just like, Do you have it anywhere written in the shop or in the group chat where they can save that they can go back to? And I'm like, No, policy, yeah, yeah, yeah. So um, yeah, I just learned now like when it comes to managing a team, like just making things clear, and um and like I'm still working on that, like I don't even think I've done the best at that because I think it's hard when you're like in the barbershop context because like all the workers are like you're just all homies and boys and stuff. It's the same as here, man. Yeah, it's like it's so hard to be professional. Yeah, but um, like I just like we have our we have our chat, like I pin certain messages of and I tell them, like, you know, save this on your own. Um and I think when I started being a bit better at that, like there was less for me to do at home. Like the boys had more confidence to handle things without having to ask me about it. But it's uh I think the barbershop as a as a job and as like running it, I don't think there's too much stuff I need to bring home besides like the occasional, like what's it called, the quarterly tax and business activity statement. Like that's the only stuff. But I even then I try to anything I used to do at home on my days off, I would now rather just block out an hour of my day, do less two less haircuts if it means I have less things to bring home. So when I'm home, I can just just focus on my wife, yeah, focus on like the kids, yeah, trying to get good sleep. Um and like the money, like the money comes, you know what I mean. Like I used to see it like, oh that's that's two haircuts. That was like two forty-five dollar haircut, that's 90 bucks I'm losing. But like if I'm gonna come home with like less worries, I get one hour of sleep because I'm not losing one hour of sleep, um, and I I start come back to work the next day not feeling burnt out. That ninety dollars, like you won't even think about it.

SPEAKER_02 40:32

Doesn't matter, doesn't matter in the long run. Yeah, yeah, if it if it means you've still got your sanity and everything like that, it's more important. Um it's just like a small sacrifice. Small sacrifices, right?

SPEAKER_01 40:41

What's what's next for the shop? Next for the shop, like I would love a second shop. Like, I'd love more. Alright, here we go.

SPEAKER_02 40:48

Let's love let's get into it. Uh, do you do you envision a second shop?

SPEAKER_01 40:51

Yeah, I definitely do. But right now it's just like like the battle in my brain right now is that like it's um I don't want to lose time with the family right now. Um, especially with I'm I'm getting I'm gonna have a newborn in like a few weeks. So like family time is crucial. But um I've talked with like like one of the boys, like even if I have a second shop, it it wouldn't be it wouldn't be me there. It'd have to be one of the other boys. So like um like the dream would yeah for for one of like my right hand men to get that to to manage that space. Um and like that'll be a dream for him too because it's like they'll like he'll he'll pretty much have a piece of that sink his teeth into something, yeah, yeah. So that'll be his shop. So um right now we're just like waiting for like the right location. I guess rent's like a big thing. Yes, like I got really blessed with my space, like my rent's like like really cheap. Yeah, and it it helps that like I ended up like the property manager for my space ended up being my custom like my client, so he's like he's all in. He's like he's he's like really helping me out and stuff. So like I got it really good. I can't think on it enough for the colour.

SPEAKER_02 41:58

We we have a gym in Rudy Hill and our landlord's really good there too. I I feel like Rudy Hill is very community first, which is good. Um, would what would you say to the Rudy Hill community if they're listening? Like, um, do you do you think the Rudy Hill community is a big part of how it was so successful? Because our gym in Rudy Hill, dude, like these clients, they're ride or die. Like they some of them quit, like they they don't train with us anymore, but they still pop by, they still say hello. Oh, that's sick, yeah. It's crazy that community, so good.

SPEAKER_01 42:28

Yeah, yeah. Like with the Rudy Hill, yeah, I'd say so, man. Like, um, like we got a lot of like good businesses beside us too that like we become friends with, like, especially like TMB.

SPEAKER_02 42:38

Shout out Adrian, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 42:39

Shout out Adrian, yeah. Um and I guess like I don't know if it's just like the Filipino community. I think it I honestly I think it stems from like like we all grew up in church, we all played basketball. So before the businesses, we we just knew each other. Community basically like um you'd get invited to like one party in high school where you just meet other people from other schools, so everyone just like somewhat knows each other, and um and yeah, like just being like well immigrant parents coming to Australia, like we saw our parents want to support other Philip businesses, and then like with our generation, because we're a bit more multicultural, it's not it didn't get limited to just Filipinos, it's like if one of your boys, one of your like mates is like opening something up, like and I think also with social media, like you just share their pose, like everyone's kind of just got each other's back, yeah. Like um when your friend opens up a gym, like you know, help out, yeah. Even if you're not doing that sport anymore or like that specific solid training, like you you try to support how you can. So um, yeah, I guess it's like kind of like that David Goliath sort of stuff. Like, we're I feel like Western Sydney is that David, you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_02 43:50

That's part of the reason why I started this podcast, man. Like all the resources I find, they're in North Sydney, they're they're in they're in Crenella and Brisbane, like. Shout out, you're doing your thing, but there's no one here really, really helping other business owners get through it. Because the fact is, it's harder in Western Sydney, it really is. Yeah, like the clientele doesn't have the same spending capacity as you do over there, and it is harder to break through here. So Western Sydney is got that community, and I think the business entrepreneurs and founders here just need to wear the Western Sydney flag a bit more proudly. Yeah, 100%. Um, because like as soon as I met you, I was like, Yeah, like we understood each other from one sentence. Like he owns a business in Western Sydney. Okay, he gets it. Yeah, like that there's a sort of the sort of camaraderie there. So no, I think I think it's important for other entrepreneurs in West Sydney to connect, like Adrian, like Aldrin, like yourself, or Rudy Hill, um my gym in Rudy Hill. We all get together if something happens, you've got people behind you. I feel like that we should lean on that a little bit more. Um, in terms of like the business aspect, where do you get your information from? Where do you get your like motivation from? Are you listening to podcasts? Are you reading books? Anything you can recommend?

SPEAKER_01 45:01

Yeah, I'm like the worst with this stuff. Like I don't do anything, just raw dogged it.

SPEAKER_02 45:07

Yeah, yeah, straight up. Like Do you have any inspirations out there that you like look forward, look, look up to, or anyone that you sort of modeled yourself when you're first starting out? Nah, yeah, just raw dogging it. I love that.

SPEAKER_01 45:20

Yeah, I just like everything just stemmed from like passion, I guess. Yeah, passion and winging it.

SPEAKER_02 45:24

Like, um any other business owners that you know that you sort of linked up with that sort of helped with anything?

SPEAKER_01 45:30

Um man, I feel so bad if there's actually someone on forgetting. That's all good. Um, but yeah, I look up to like like I look up to Adrian and Aldrin a lot. Yeah, like especially like Aldrin's got how many spots, man. Like, I always just think like, dang, but yeah, like he's a brand I want to pick always, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 45:47

Yeah, but when we had him on the pod, his his brain was yeah, helped help me a lot.

SPEAKER_01 45:52

Yeah, I watched I watched those those reels, especially with branding.

SPEAKER_02 45:55

Yeah, his branding mind is like okay, I understand now. Yeah. Because you go into his space, it's like this isn't a physio clinic, this is this is a hotel, man.

SPEAKER_01 46:03

This is this is sick, yeah. But I guess like um like my inspos and stuff, like I I think it was just I think my inspos were always just other barbers, and they may not have had a shop, but it was just like the quality and the care and like just like how good of a barber there was helped me to be a better barber. Um I guess like my um like my best skill about like my best skill as a barber shop, uh as a barber, I wouldn't even say it's like my cutting skills, it'd be like my people skills. Yeah, but I think that was just like being raised with like the morals I have from like being a Christian and stuff, wanting like my my ultimate goal of just connecting with people, bringing it back to God, like like bringing like pointing people to him. Yeah, like that has always been like the drive of success with the shop, in my opinion. Like, well, at least like with my clientele, and then like my boys eventually like giving them like opening their eyes to see like you know there's power in the conversation of the chair, yeah. And then I feel like it just worked for us.

SPEAKER_02 47:13

Like, I guess like I I really think you're you're a refreshing guest because it's not about the bells and whistles, nothing. It's simply you provide the best possible service possible, yeah. From the conversation in the chair to the actual haircut, yeah. I think your service is that good that you don't need to worry about any of that other stuff. It's really refreshing, man. So that's a that's a indication of how good you are, not as barber, but as like conversationalist people person. Thank you. That's important. Um, there's a young barber listening, he's 21 years old, he's doesn't want to work for someone else anymore, he wants to open up his own shop. Yeah, what advice would you give him?

SPEAKER_01 47:50

Um just grind your ass off. Like, um yeah, if you're if you're a young barber out there, like there's so many resources out there, man. Like Instagram, YouTube, like there's no excuse to be a bad barber anymore. Like, yeah, the the standard of cutting has like is so high now compared to when I started. So technically it was like easier to be a barber and I could just grow as the industry grew, but now like you have to be a good book barber. But there's so much yeah, there's just so much resources to be good. You find your boys, give them free cuts, like do as many free cuts as you can to become good, you know what I mean? And then um Yeah, and then just remember like it's not just about the haircut too. Like that conversation can do more to someone's confidence than you know looking good can.

SPEAKER_02 48:41

Yeah. Can you give me your best ever day in business?

SPEAKER_01 48:44

Best ever day? Oh, I'm not sure. Uh I'd say like if we're gonna talk about like I guess like if we're gonna indicate like just over emotion, I couldn't tell. Probably just like the opening, like probably either the grand opening party when like it was like the first Saturday that we opened up and um like we filled up the street with just like all of my friends and family. That was like a dream come true. Second would be like um uh the three-year anniversary party where we um we filled out Common House Studios in Glen Denning. Yeah, and had like uh it'll just pack like throughout the whole time the party like ran and like just looking about like what what God has blessed me with and what what we built through the shop and the community we built. Like that even those people there that I even know that wanted to come and support. That's mad. And then there's also people that I haven't seen in like 10 years that like people I knew from high school that came and supported me, like damn, I didn't know you like you you rocked with me like that. Thank you. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 49:47

Um contrast, can you give me your worst day in business?

SPEAKER_01 49:52

I c I couldn't.

SPEAKER_02 49:53

Yeah, I didn't know I don't know, like um any crazy clients or any anything crazy happened at the shop?

SPEAKER_01 50:01

Oh, we had a break-in.

SPEAKER_02 50:02

Alright, give me that, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 50:03

Yeah, we had a break-in. Um I didn't have roller shutters, I guess. Yeah, so that was that was stressful. Like just um But yes, for some reason they stole my laptop, which had like probably that was probably the most expensive thing they had there. And my uh my camera was there too, but they didn't find it. Oh, thank god. But yeah, they stole my laptop, but for some reason, instead of like keeping it, they chucked it in like a public bin, and then the police found it, and then you just gave it back to me like a few weeks later, like for junkies or something, just just rummaging things. And then like they stole the F Foss machine where you can't get money out of it, and then they just smashed it on the road, like up the road. Oh my gosh. That's happened.

SPEAKER_02 50:42

That's happened to us as well. One of our first gyms got broken into. Oh my god. And they took all the trophies, and it's like, what are you gonna do with all these trophies? Like, like it literally has our name, like yeah.

SPEAKER_01 50:52

Oh, actually, they stole my um like I'm a big LeBron fan, so I got his like I had his uh tequila on the on like on uh on the one of the shelves, and they stole my LeBron tequila, man.

SPEAKER_02 51:04

LeBron says my boy, another one.

SPEAKER_01 51:07

Yeah, and now now you get the Hennessy. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 51:11

Alright, to wrap it up. Um, what is the best piece of business advice you have gotten?

SPEAKER_01 51:15

That I've received?

SPEAKER_02 51:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 51:18

Um my cousin told me, like, when I just started cutting hairs like if you want to be successful, just copy successful people. And through that, I realized like no one's that special. You know, it's there's people like I thought opening up a shop was crazy, but if there's like a freaking 100,000 barbershops in the world, it's not that crazy. So just do it. 100%.

SPEAKER_02 51:41

Brother, thank you so much for coming on the pod. It's nice to finally have a conversation with you, proper, proper long conversation. Uh, guys, if you're ever in Ready Hill, please check out all the time barbershop. Uh go to TMB for a coffee, walk over, say hi to the boys, sit in the living room, get another iced coffee. But uh, I got a lot out of this pod. Thank you so much for coming on. Yeah, I appreciate you. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_01 52:02

Thank you, bro. God bless you.