Some good news for barbers, stylists and beauty professionals as Schedulicity has announced that they will be waiving their fees one last time.
Whether you have been using them for years or are just signing up, you can use all Schedulicity features for free until September 1, 2020.
A social media post on 25th June said: “We hope that this will help lighten the last few months’ financial burdens. We also know that to really use our best features – and to see how valuable they are – you need to be open and booking again. So take your time!”
This is one of many actions that the team at Schedulicity have taken to support the industry in these uncertain times. To sign up or to find out more about their services, visit https://essentials.schedulicity.com/
ANYBODY THAT CLAIMS TO BE ‘JUST’ SOMETHING IS UNLIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL. IT STIFLES AMBITION AND SIGNALS AN ACCEPTANCE OF ‘THIS IS IT’. FOR YEARS, THERE WAS A CERTAIN STIGMA ATTACHED TO THE HAIR INDUSTRY AS A DESTINATION FOR THE LESS ACADEMICALLY INCLINED. POPE THE BARBER, HOWEVER, DOESN’T HAVE TIME FOR SELF-DEPRECIATION, NOR ANYBODY’S BULLSHIT.
Despite her moniker, she isn’t just a barber; Pope is a brand. She is also a businesswoman with big, big plans. Her feats are made more impressive as her life, she explains, was heading in a very different direction.
“I played basketball and I had a scholarship,” she explains, perched on the steps of her Santa Ana shop, Vatican Barbershop. “I played basketball in school and we travelled with the men’s team and all my friends would be cutting their own hair and it looked fun to me. I got good at it. I went to a predominantly black school and I was like the white girl that could cut – I mean I’m not even white – but it was fun. I didn’t think it was going to be a career for me, though.”
Her dreams of playing in the WNBA, however, were crushed after a serious car crash left he unable to walk for a year. Such a period of revaluation was difficult for not only Pope – who at the time was at school for aeronautical engineering – but also her parents.
“I went to cosmetology school on crutches. It was the scariest thing telling my parents. You know, I’m not a mathematician; I would love to cut hair. I hear it all the time, but you know what? That’s what gives everybody drive. That’s the first person that says no. It’s the nature of the rebellious barber or stylist. That’s the triumph; that’s the payoff,” she smiles.
And, judging by her extensive body art, Pope is well versed in acts of defiance. Buddhist imagery and symbolism wraps intricately around the majority of her body, so much so that if you asked her how many tattoos she has, she would probably answer just three. The second – etched on her ribcage and Pope’s first ever tattoo – reads ‘all I am I owe to my mother’. Try being angry with that, mother. The third is a dagger inked on her left cheek that is indicative of her approach to life. She’s all-in at all times and incorporates her passions into her individual brand.
“There really was no job title for what I wanted to do,” says Pope. “I wanted to travel, I wanted to do this and that. I wanted to do everything really. That’s what a brand is. You can have everything you like, do whatever the hell you want. I was barbering, hosting clubs and tattoo modeling and all that. I tried to marry the two. I started getting pretty popular in the nightlife and I wanted people to know me for barbering.”
Pope, eager to focus on building, put herself in a self-imposed creative exile. And what better place to do so than Notorious Barbershop? Not only is it fucking freezing, thus curtailing partying, the Montreal-based shop has incubated some of the industry’s most well-known brands and has quite the esteemed list of alumni.
“I learned so much from being there and around people like Famos, Chink, Thad and the Maison Privée boys. We all learned what we needed to learn and all opened shops. We all knew what we wanted to do: we wanted a home base and wanted to travel. We bounced ideas off each other and pushed each other to grow. We were all doing merch at the same time. Famos would come out with a hat, and I’d be like ‘I need to do a beanie!’” she explains.
Quebec’s largest city is known for attracting a smorgasbord of creative talents seeking its nurturing environment. From clothing designers to videographers, Pope and her Notorious peers could tap into the city’s tightknit creative community and collaborate to help grow their brands.
“I wanted to translate that to out here – people just bettering each other. LA is a type of spot where there are just haters everywhere. I’m not one of those people and I don’t want to be around those people. I wanted to come here with a clean slate and build my own team of everyone: videographers, clothing designers, barbers. I took a lot from there. I met my wife there.”
Despite her relatively young age, everything, from the outside at least, seems to be falling into place. Pope has a thriving female-fronted barbershop, a beautiful wife and travels doing what she loves. Pope’s success comes from her single-minded determination and bullish attitude that most successful people possess. It hasn’t been easy. It never is, and Pope certainly doesn’t mix her words when giving her two cents on overcoming adversity.
“I grew up against every social norm. I’ve seen it all. Being a female wasn’t the hard part. I definitely noticed I was the only female in the barbershop, but now is the time for women. I’m for it; I’m for the movement. Most of my barbershop is female. We’re killing it right now. And for anybody that has had any struggles, I’m here. The most important thing I’ve learned in this lifetime is you’re not stuck anywhere you are.”
She carries that defiant attitude into her education, preaching sermons on self-belief and achieving your goals. Nobody is ‘just’ anything to her. Technically, her classes focus on diversifying ability – teaching barbers scissor work with Hattori Hanzo Shears, for one – to provide people with the skills that will underpin their brand.
“I love teaching. I teach to light a fire under people’s asses. I do like the technical work but in the end I want people to leave feeling inspired, whether it’s taking a piece of the way I cut and implementing it into their way of cutting or just something from my story. I’ve been poor, homeless, wealthy, poor again, wealthy and it’s all from making big jumps. A lot of failures, a lot of success, you know?
“I’ve been working with Hanzo for a few years now as an educator and they’re an awesome company. They’ve sent me to almost every state in the US and I’ve honestly met the most amazing people along the way. They let me be the hippie that I am and speak from the soul about hair and life in places I’d never think of flying. It’s easy to work with a company whose product I really believe in.”
Never one to sacrifice who she is for her career, Pope has built successful relationships with brands by choosing ones that really embody what she wants to do with her brand as a business owner. Recently, she has become an ambassador for Squire, who she says really focus on the wellbeing of your overall business.
“On a product level, they’ve trumped the previous system I used ten fold and have made it really easy for me to run my business from anywhere in the world with no worries. I was running an all-cash business before, as most barbershops do, and I was able to seamlessly upgrade my whole system in a matter of days. It’s easy. I like their vision, they understand mine, and we can grow together.”
Growth is something that Pope does not shy away from – in fact she is currently in the process of relocating and expanding her barbershop. How then, does she ensure a good work-life balance – something a lot of barbers struggle with?
“I work hard, rest harder! This year has been a major practice of true balance in my life. I’m at a point where I can step away from the shop for a bit and put my personal life and routines first and then build my work schedule around that. For you barbers and new business owners, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, I promise! I’m able to practice working smarter, not harder, so when I do go out and teach or do events or whatever I have planned, I’m able to give 1000% without burning out. I travel mostly and cut in the shop a few times a month, but mostly I just focus on living a happy and healthy life.”
Pope knows the transient nature of success, but now has a firm grip on her future and knows the value of a good work-life balance. As she said, she wants to build an empire for herself and Joannie, and I certainly wouldn’t bet against her.
Yesterday the Prime Minister confirmed that barbers and hairdressers in England can reopen from Saturday 4th July, including mobile and freelance barbers.
The guidelines for ensuring safe practice have now been released and state that shops can reopen for ‘services that relate to cutting or treating hair on the head only’, which suggests that for the time being, beard trims and shaves will not be possible.
The key points of the Safer Workplace guidlelines for England are:
All barbershops must complete a risk assessment and post evidence of this within the barbershop
Stick to social distancing and maintain two metres between clients where possible, or one metre with additional precautions, such as the use of screens
Face visors must be work by barbers for all services. Face coverings can be worn by barbers and clients, if they choose to, but are not considered a substitute for visors
Clients should be seen by appointment only and barbershops should keep a temporary record of clients and visitors for 21 days to support the test-and-trace system
Contactless payments are preferred
Waiting areas are allowed, but only if space permits and social distancing can be adhered to
No food or drinks should be consumed in the shop by clients other than water in disposable cups or bottles
Disposable gowns should be used however, if this is not possible, gowns should be switched between clients and cleaned thoroughly before being reused
The guidance does not ban the use of hairdryers
Regular hand washing and sanitisation of surfaces and tools
Hilary Hall, chief executive of the NHBF, says: “Although it’s great news that hairdressers and barbers in England have a confirmed opening date, these decisions have come very late in the day. We are also extremely disappointed that beauty businesses are not yet allowed to reopen, and we have always emphasised that hair and beauty should reopen at the same time. We will continue to put pressure on the government to allow beauty businesses to reopen as soon as possible, and for financial support to be extended.”
Meanwhile, Keith Conniford, CEO of the Hair and Barber Council, said: “The guidance states that these are steps that will ‘usually be needed’, which suggests that a degree of common sense is needed. Our back to work plan will work alongside this guidance, with the government guidance always taking priority if there are any conflicts.”
From the 8-13th August 2020, a barbering and bike-obsessed group will congregate in the seaside town of Southport, the hometown of The Company of Master Barbers, for the 4th annual BarbersRide. Born out of a shared passion for barbering and motorbikes, this 5-day UK road trip is not to be missed.
As well as bringing like-minded folk together, the mission of BarbersRide is to raise as much funds and awareness for a chosen charity whilst enjoying the unbeatable sense of camaraderie that only a motorcycling road trip can offer. This year’s charity is the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
2020’s BarbersRide is set to be bigger and better than ever, with over 30 riders involved. The uncertainty and effects of lockdown have added unexpected challenges, however there are wishes waiting and the BarbersRide team are more determined than ever not just to create a memorable experience, but to raise money for an incredible charity in the process.
So far, six barbershops across England have committed to organising fundraising activities to support the cause, including The Company of Master Barbers, 6 Hub Barber Shop, Bond’s Gentlemen’s Barbershop, The Heartbreak Club, Christian Wiles Gentlemen’s Grooming and Gilly’s Barbers.
Boris Johnson has today announced the next easing of restrictions in England, which will take effect from Saturday 4th July.
With the UK’s COVID Alert level now reduced from 4 to 3, the Prime Minister has announced that although all steps are conditional, where it is not possible to stay 2 metres apart, 1 metre or more should be observed.
We welcome the news that barbers and hairdressers will also be able to reopen from the 4th July, with appropriate precautions in place, including the use of visors.
After a long, difficult wait, as of next Saturday, barbershops will be able to reopen their doors and welcome clients back to the chair. The Prime Minister said he will publish COVID secure guidelines for all sectors that are able to reopen.
While no further guidelines have yet been published regarding best practice, we expect to receive these in the coming days and will keep you up to date as and when we receive them.
Today, Monday 22nd June, barbershops and salons across both New York City and New Jersey are finally able to reopen their doors as they reach the much-anticipated second reopening phase.
One of the last areas in the US to reopen, this news will be warmly welcomed by both barbers and clients, with nail salons, spas, tanning salons and tattoo parlors also given the go-ahead to reopen.
New safety standards including increased hygiene practices will be in place to keep clients and staff safe, with many shops opening initially with a reduced capacity in order to adhere to social distancing.
BarberEVO welcomes this news and wishes New York and New Jersey well on their return to work.
First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced today the latest changes to the easing of the lockdown in Wales. The hairdressing, barbering and beauty sector are being urged to use the next three weeks to prepare their businessees for reopening by appointment only.
A follow up announcement is expected on the 9th July to confirm whether it is safe for businesses to reopen their doors from the 13th July.
At the moment, no specific guidance for the hair and beauty sector has been released. The NHBF has written to Ken Skates, the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales in the Welsh Government, urging for these guidelines to be released without delay so that shop and salon owners can prepare.
We were joined on Wednesday 17th June exclusively on EVOLive by inspirational barber, hairstylist, photographer and founder of American Crew, David Raccuglia.
It was a truly inspirational discussion, well worth the watch!
You can view the entire EVOLive episode below. Enjoy!
Andis Company and Central Standard Craft Distillery have come together to offer FREE Sanitizer and Maintenance kits for barbers to help them get back to work.
Andis Company is contributing their trust CoolCare Plus Spray and Clipper Oil along with a bonus 6-pack of Andis x Uppercut Deluxe Pomade.
Central Standard has started producing hand sanitizer instead of spirits and will be contributing three bottles of sanitizer to the kits.
To help barbers get back to work, Andis and Central Standard are providing free Sanitizer & Maintenance kits to the first 600 barbers to register using the form here.
