How Sweeping the Floor in a Barbershop Changed My Life

During college, I had to take the train every day into London. And as you can imagine it was not cheap at all. A month’s travel to my college would cost my mother £110. And if that was not enough, she had to make sure I had the money for food and learning material.

At first, I paid no attention to how hard this may have been on my mother. The excitement of getting into college was all that was on my mind. And the whole family was happy for me, so of course the cost of sending me there was unmentioned. However, once I saw my mum take on a second job, I knew something was off.

About two months into her new second job, she announced that she was pregnant. And I acknowledged that if I did not start earning some money fast, my mum would be deeper in debt.

So, my job search began. I applied everywhere I could think. Fast-food places and retail were my go-to. I also started completing surveys online to try to earn a few pennies. But after a month of rejection from jobs, I lost motivation.

So, being desperate, I decided to ask the new barbers that opened down the road from me for a job. I was going to sit in the chair, tell him how amazing his shop was, and then ask the question. So, I saved the money my mother gave me that week to get a £10 haircut.

Upon entering the store, I smiled at the barber and waited my turn. Once called up, I sat in the chair and spoke to him about everything. His family, what football team he supports, and even his plans for the shop. Then towards the end of the haircut, I asked, “Do you think you could give me a job here. I will do anything.”

And he said he was sorry, but he could not hire me. I was so desperate I suggested something crazy. I asked him to teach me how to cut hair, and in return, I would sweep his floor. I thought to myself that if I could learn how to cut hair, I might be able to make some money on the side of college.

Little did I know it was going to take me at least two years to do. He chuckled at the idea and said sure. He told me what time I should come every day, and that was it. I was a barber’s unpaid apprentice.

After about three months of not being paid for my 4-hour shifts Monday to Friday, he asked me why I kept coming back. And I am sure anyone with common sense would ask the same question. He was surprised that he was not paying me, and I still showed up on time every day to sweep the floor.

I let him know my situation and told him I needed money. At that moment, my story touched him, and he said he would give me £5 a day for my efforts. And that was perfect for me. I was extremely underpaid, but so what. That was enough to get me to college and back every day. Also, a snack for lunch too.

So, I took the job and never looked back. My mum stopped working her two jobs soon after. And I was able to fund almost everything for college from that point on.

I worked at that barbershop for a little over a year and a half. Here I learned how to cut hair. But I also learned some valuable lessons for life along the way. So, here is how sweeping in a barbershop changed my life forever.

Keep Your Head Held High

During my time at the barbershop, I was either in one of two positions. Either standing over the barber to watch and learn or sweeping the barbershop. It was hard to do this in a local barbershop, especially because all my friends would come in. They would ask me why I was sweeping the floor. It was quite embarrassing.

There were even points in the job where customers would take things a bit too far. The immature customers would let me know when I missed a spot whilst sweeping.

I remember walking home and seeing one of the customers. To be polite, I said hi, and he informed me that I should get a proper job because I am wasting my life in the barbershop. I laughed it off, but that was painful to hear.

With all this negativity, I began to with my head hung towards the floor. Until a customer getting his haircut took interest in me. He asked me what my plans are and what I am currently doing. He was encouraged by my work ethic and gave me £2 for just sweeping the hair after he left the chair.

Before leaving the shop, he said thank you to the barber. And then turned to me and said, “Keep your head high son, you are going places.” Throughout all my time in the shop, I had never received such positive reception.

From that point on, I changed my posture. I kept my head high and pulled my shoulders slightly back. And before I knew it, more people were talking to me and were trying to befriend me. Some people took my number, whilst others tipped me on the way out.

To this day, I still walk with my shoulders back and head held high. And after reading 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson, I understand why it works. We are not meant to be slouching around because it is a position of defeat. It makes us feel helpless, and it signals to everyone else that they are stronger and better than we are.

That is why people thought they could talk down to me. The message I sent to them was one of low confidence and weakness. However, when I changed my posture, the way people viewed me changed.

So, I have learned to keep my head held high despite my circumstances. It lets me know that I am a warrior that can overcome my struggles. And it lets others know that I am a confident individual on top of my world.

Take Pride in Your Work and It Becomes Enjoyable

Barbering is not an easy job. When the shop is busy, you spend most of your time on your feet. Almost every day, I was on my feet for 4 hours with no rest. And it was even more difficult because I had to get back home to study.

So, this was not a luxurious job at all. I was sweeping people’s hair, wiping down tables, and even cleaning the toilet sometimes. But, after accepting I was going to be at the barbershop for some time, I sought something to keep me motivated.

The barber was a great person to speak to because I could see he had a passion for his job. The way he spoke about his shop was inspiring. He would tell me stories about how hard it was for him to open the shop. And why he almost gave up following his passion for cutting hair.

Just speaking to the barber motivated me at first. But then, listening to his vision for his shop made me feel like I had a part to play. Even though I was extremely underpaid, you can not help but try to assist someone who has big dreams. I found myself beginning to take pride in keeping the shop clean.

For the barber, it was more than a shop. It was his dream come true. And his energy fed to me and his co-barber he later hired. Eventually, sweeping the air and keeping his clippers clean was more than just a way to get £5 at the end of the day. It was helping someone build the dream they have always wanted. So I started taking pride in my small part of doing that.

It was my duty to ensure that his dream was kept in top shape so that customers could have the best experience. So, I started enjoying keeping the shop clean. Not because it was a great job, but because I was proud to be a part of such a great vision.

Today, I still try my best to keep the bigger vision of my small tasks at heart. Even though some things can be painful and tedious, I have learned to appreciate every step. And that is because it is part of a better picture ahead of it. So, by taking pride in the small mundane tasks, you can achieve enjoyment. All it takes is knowing the bigger picture.

Listen and Learn From Others in Better Positions

The barbershop had a unique clientele. There were people from all backgrounds, professions, and classes. What I found wonderful was that despite diversity, they all sat in the same chair. What is even better was being able to hear the conversations happening.

One day, a man in a stunning suit walked into the shop. And I saw the barber cleaning his clippers extensively as he walked in. He then sat on the chair and spoke with sophistication. He started telling the barber about how he had to move 11 million pounds for venture capital for his company that day.

For me, I was amazed. Firstly, I never knew people controlled that much money. Secondly, I had never met a black person in a high position before. Out of curiosity, I asked him where he worked, and he told me he owns his own offices in Canary Wharf London.

The conversation took a massive shift as I bombarded him with questions. I wanted to learn as much as I could before he left the store. I could not finish asking everything before he left, but he promised he would let me cut his hair the next time he came in. And with that, he left.

Upon his return, I was allowed to cut his hair with the barber’s guidance. And he gave me great advice. He told me to never let anyone tell me that I can not do something.

He informed me that he was planning to be a football player. But because so many people discouraged him, he stopped pursuing it. He continued by saying that none of those people would have thought that he would now be the owner of a multi-million-pound company either. But here is.

After that chat, we exchanged numbers and offered to mentor me. We still speak today, and he has given me great advice along my journey. From that point on, I listened in on every conversation that was had in my barber’s chair and learnt from them.

Many of them were in better positions than I was. And although some of them seemed arrogant, there was a reason why they were where they were. So, I still take it upon myself to listen and learn from those who are in better positions than I am. Even if they are difficult people to converse with.

Do Not Be Limited By Your Situation

After a year of sweeping the floor and learning, I wanted to do something more. So, I had a meeting with the barber to ask him how I could be promoted to become a barber at the shop. He let me know that I would need to buy clippers and build a customer base for myself.

It was already difficult enough because almost all my money was going towards paying for travel. Also, how could I build a customer base in a store where everyone knows me as the person who sweeps? So, this was going to be a difficult challenge for me.

Nevertheless, I resulted to packed lunch for four months to save up for clippers. I also started working on the weekends to earn a little extra money. And before I knew it, I was purchasing my first ever clippers. I still have these today as they remind me of my first ever investment in life.

I then struck a deal with my barber to allow my friends to have a haircut from me for half price. And if I messed it up, I would pay for a full haircut from my barber so he could fix it. Well, the first few months were tough. I found myself making mistake after mistake and having to lose out on money.

But after a while, I started improving fast, and people started coming to me. My barber was surprised at how fast I was improving and was pleased that I was bringing new people to the shop. He increased my pay from £5 to £15 a day and allowed me to keep my tips.

I was soon earning around £20 a day, which was still low. But that was more than enough to cover school, lunch and even treat me to clothes and other things I wanted. Here I learned that there is always scope to improve your current position.

It may take a bit of work, and it may be painful at times. But if you have the zeal to do it, you really can change your situation. So, I always try my best to never be limited by my current situation. Instead, I see past it to get a better opportunity.

Never Forget Where You Came From

I am now working my first corporate job and on the brink of finishing my Degree. At this point, it would be easy to forget all about my job at the barbershop. But I find it so hard to do.

Being able to cut hair is a skill I will always have, and that is thanks to the noble barber for teaching me. The skill has also been working to my benefit as I still make some extra money cutting some of my colleague’s hair. And despite being far away from the barbershop, I still go back to the area to visit from time to time.

And when I go back, I do not sit down like a regular customer. Instead, I get the broom and sweep the floor. And I still stand next to the barber to watch and learn. And yes, I still listen to the conversations to learn from others. No matter how high I climb in society, I can never forget who I am.

The barbershop serves as a reminder of the struggles I went through whilst a student needing a job. But also, the victories I claimed in becoming a barber at the shop and earning four times the amount I started with. It is a testimony of my growth and resilience.

So, whenever I get the chance to, I go back to visit. The barbershop taught me that no matter how far I journey from my past experiences, I will never escape them.

So, to remember how far I have come, I go back to where I started. Even now, I keep a record of where I was year on year to track my growth. And I am always surprised by how far I have come.

Quick Recap

Lesson 1: Keep your head held high. It tells others that you are on top of your world, and it lets you know that you are courageous and confident.

Lesson 2: Take pride in your work, and it becomes enjoyable. Picture the larger vision, and you will enjoy the small mundane tasks to get there.

Lesson 3: Listen and learn from others in better positions. Even when it is hard to do so, you can always grow in knowledge.

Lesson 4: Do not be limited by your situation. It is possible to widen your scope. You just need to have the zeal to do it.

Lesson 5: Never forget where you came from. Track your progress of growth. Do this by looking back at where you were and seeing how far you have come.