At an event packed with world-class education, barber battles, and product launches, one of the most talked-about experiences on the CT Barber Expo show floor was happening at the BarberEVO booth: the wheel of Rolda!

In partnership with Rolda, BarberEVO launched the Wheel of Rolda, an interactive activation that gave attendees the opportunity to spin a custom wheel-of-fortune-style game and win exclusive prizes throughout the weekend.

The activation was a major success, generating more than 200 spins across the event and drawing a constant crowd eager to test their luck.

Participants spun the wheel to reveal their prize before receiving a custom poker chip, which they could then redeem at the Rolda booth. The activation created a fun, engaging journey across the show floor while encouraging attendees to connect with both brands.

Step Up, Step Up

Winners had the opportunity to walk away with Rolda Hair Gel, Texturizing Powder, branded Rolda hats, professional cutting combs, the latest issue of BarberEVO featuring the Rolda family on the cover, or even a one-year subscription to BarberEVO magazine.

“Here at Rolda, we are so excited to be celebrating our 35th year anniversary with BarberEVO – not just with our front cover edition, but also with this amazing activation at CT Barber Expo,” said Luis Di Girolamo, Head of Digital & Ecommerce at Rolda.

While the prizes generated excitement, the activation represented something bigger than giveaways.

As Rolda celebrates its anniversary, the family-owned company continues to champion the values that have helped shape its success within the barbering industry.

“Rolda has been in this industry for about 35 years,” explained Di Girolamo. “It’s a family-owned business, so we’re just like you guys. We’re Latinos. We came from another culture, another country. We’re coming here to make our dream happen, whether your dream is success, a legacy, or achieving what you never thought was possible.”

“Spinning this wheel not only lets you win a prize from the company, but it allows you to meet other people, meet our educators, and start to envision yourself in the future,” he said.

Barbers, students, educators, and industry professionals gathered around the wheel, celebrating wins and sharing conversations between spins. The activation became a natural meeting point where attendees could engage with the Rolda team, discover new products, and learn more about the company’s mission.

With countless winners and a constant buzz surrounding the booth, the Wheel of Rolda proved that sometimes the most memorable moments at an expo come from simply taking a chance and spinning the wheel.

At PBA’s 2026 North American Hairdressing Awards sponsored by JCPenney, the “3” in L3VEL3 became even more meaningful, as not only did the ambassador team garner three finalist spots for the Barber of the Year category, but they took home their third consecutive win, with Carlos Pagan – aka Drastic Barber earning his very own trophy.

BarberEVO was lucky enough to speak to Carlos and the rest of the L3VEL3 team after their win in the Winner’s Lounge sponsored by Goldwell, but also in the BarberEVO X L3VEL3 podcast booth the very next day. David Foster sat down with Jay Nouri as well as Carlos himself to get the team’s first reaction.

When Carlos heard his name announced as the 2026 NAHA Barber of the Year, he did not see it as a solo victory. He immediately framed the win as a collective achievement, saying it was not his moment, it was their moment, and that everyone had put so much energy into the journey and helped each other so much that he genuinely believed all of them were winners.

Standing under the lights in Orlando, Carlos was not just accepting an award. He was validating a culture of shared success.

From Rocky Roads to Red Carpets

Carlos’s NAHA moment was inseparable from a health battle that could easily have ended his run before it began. He recalled that in January 2025 he had been diagnosed with cancer and had fought it for four or five months.

Later that year, he received a call from Jay, who told him he wanted Carlos in for a September shoot. Carlos admitted he told Jay he was not ready, but Jay – in a loving push – decided otherwise and told him he would be coming to shoot the NAHA collection.

He described that outcome as proof that God was amazing, that God allowed struggle to test how a person handled life, then surprised them with something like this on the other side. For Carlos, the award signaled that there was another chapter waiting, one in which God had more in store than he had imagined.

Carlos described the moment his name was called with disarming honesty. He said, “I heard ‘Carlos,’ I thought it was former winner and teammate, Carlos Estrella (Los Cut It.) I will be honest; I totally forgot about myself.”

Sitting in a category with people he called “so, so unbelievable,” including: “Papi Blendzz,” “Los, the goat himself,” and “Arod, the most well-known barber in the world,” he said he simply thought, “Los’s got it.” The reality hit when he heard “Pagan.” From there, the night became a blur of hugs and gratitude.

“When they called my name, I could not believe it, not even for a second. It took me so long just to make it to the stage, because everybody was just hugging me and hugging me and hugging me, and I did not want to let nobody go either.”

“You Are the Captain of Your Life”

In his final words as NAHA’s 2026 Barber of the Year, Carlos turned his story into a directive for others.

He told barbers and creatives: “Do not let nobody tell you what is going to be the destiny of your life. You are actually the captain of your life.” He urged: “Take decisions, put one foot in front of the other, and remember that with God, everything is possible, and there is always a brighter day tomorrow. No matter how big the storm looks today.”

For Carlos “Drastic Barber” Pagan, the NAHA win was not just a personal milestone. It was living proof that faith, family style teamwork, and a refusal to let ego lead could turn a cancer diagnosis, a first-time collection, and a stacked category into a moment that belonged to an entire community.

Three of the industry’s hottest names have launched a new mentoring membership program, creating a one stop shop for community support and business mentoring.

Mentored By Menspire (@mentoredbymenspire) brings together Chris Foster, Josh Lamonaca and Samuel Palmer to give barbers around the world direct access to the best advice, training and mentoring designed to grow business knowledge, technical skill and networking opportunities.

The first bi-lingual platform of its kind, the three industry icons will share their knowledge and expertise across every discipline they specialise in, all available through a single yearly membership that gives exclusive access to content, networking and weekly mentoring sessions.

Global educator and Men’s Hairdresser of the Year Josh focuses on cutting, styling and finishing skills, and putting together photo shoots for barbers looking to grow every skill.

“This isn’t a one-off masterclass or a single course,” said Josh. “It’s an ongoing community, so barbers can keep coming back to it as they grow, not just take one thing away and move on. We have always had a community but this will bring everyone together to support the industry for the future.”

Entrepreneur Samuel addresses the commercial side of the trade, including pricing, client retention and building a sustainable career, while award-winning barber Chris specialises in profile building, covering personal brand, social presence and reputation, helping barbers become known for their work rather than relying on it to speak for itself.

“There’s never been anywhere where barbers could go to learn from more than one mentor at this level, in one place,” said Chris. “We’ve each built our own name doing things differently, and that’s exactly why we wanted to bring it all together and share it with the industry.

“Mentored by Menspire has been years in the making and we are excited to work with a community of barbers.”

The trio describes the platform as something they wished they had had early in their careers, a program designed for barbers at every stage, from those just starting out to established names looking to grow.

“Our aim is to raise standards and expertise within the barbering industry, creating an international community where barbers can support one another, share their own inspirations and become the best barbers and barbershop owners they possibly can,” said Samuel.

Mentored By Menspire is available via a dedicated Menspire App and at mentoredbymenspire.com.