We Introduce to you a New and up in coming Snoop Da Barber

Many times we begin a journey without knowledge of what the elements are. A few weeks ago I attended a "student hair show" in Kissimmee, Florida. In my travels I met up with a few people that I heard about and was dying to meet, one of them being Ivan Zoot and the other Eric Pacino. Along the way I met up with "Snoop DaBarber", Snoop is another female Barber who like myself is trying to get done with school and become a professional Barber in the hair industry. I decided to interview Snoop because I wanted a true and honest opinion about what we had witnessed at the F.A.C.T.S hair show and I knew Snoop would give me just that.
Through "facebook inbox" I interviewed Snoop about the show and asked her what she thought. "It was a great networking opportunity, yet the vendors should have been more approachable. Most students are afraid to speak up and ask questions. The classes were very educational and interesting". Networking is a major part of the business we are in. In your opinion, what can we do as brand new members to the hair industry to make these hair shows a little bit more welcoming to students? "have more competitions based for students, more classes on Barber, cosmetology tips and business tips." Snoop is right! I think it is very important to have a sense of belonging when you first come out into the barber scene. The talent is everywhere! Snoop, I see you commenting and networking with other Barbers on facebook constantly, to me, this is one of the best ways of networking. How did it help you at the show? She stated, "facebook has helped a lot with networking. Seeing them at the symposium was a lot easier and comfortable." The ability to speak to them first made it easier to approach the guest speakers and hosts" Did anyone at the show make a difference in the way you think or feel about Barbering for better or worse? "Ivan Zoot! I always idolized him but seeing him in person and learning from him was absolutely what I needed. How he spoke about he went from just what we are doing to standing knee deep in horse shit on a farm cutting show horses! That was so much inspiration. Mr. Jackie always tells me how good my work looks, certain tips to use along the way. Not completely interrupting your cut, but just stepping in, saying/doing what he needs to and letting me do the rest." I couldn't help but to compare her feelings to mine and I couldn't agree more! Seeing the "well known" Barbers was an intimidating thought but once I stood in front of them they were down to earth and chill like everyone else.
As the interview went on I ask Snoop a personal question. I asked, "Snoop, off the record, do you think we as women have to work harder to compete with men or do you think gender doesn't matter?" Snoop quickly responded in confidence and said, " I believe we do! Hands down though some of the fellas we encounter are cool with it, most aren't so we have to work even harder to earn that credit or respect from the disbelievers and I would like that on the record, just speaking out for female barbers". Many people wouldn't think female Barbers get treated like this but, I find myself working harder than most at my school just because I am a female and the confidence and credibility has to be proven. Whether it be a religious belief, traditional belief or just a belief in general, people are not quite used to having female Barbers and it's ok! Let me throw in a side note in there .. This is in no way phasing us a women barbers! It just makes us tougher!
In Closing, I asked Snoop DaBarber, Once you are done with school do you plan on continuing to go to hair shows and broadening your horizons as a Platform artist, celebrity Barber so on and so forth? With confidence and not a second of hesitation she responded, "YES I DO!!! There’s nothing more rewarding to me than to let the world know that just becoming a simple Barber, you will be able to make it around the world. Kids nowadays look to be rappers, athletes and so forth to make the "big bucks" but all they need to know is to be themselves and be great at what you want to do and God will provide everything and more"! I couldn't agree with you more Snoop the possibilities are endless and the only thing that can stop you is if you take your eye off your goal!!!! Every success story starts with a dream. Keep your dream at the forefront of your mind! Snoop is there any last remarks before we sign off? With "Barber Love" she responded "YOU keep up the great work! That portrait is absolutely crazy!!! Once again, thank you Snoop I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me and for doing this interview .

Article by: Tina Sapia

Should A Barber Shop have Rules and Regulations That Apply Equally follow

Now there are some that believe that everyone in the shop should follow the rules, and I agree to a point that there are some rules that should be strongly enforced in the shop where the Barbers are concerned. There are owners that Believe that because they leave at a particular time of day that that should be it. That works fine if when you are doing commission, and even then I don’t think that the Barber should be restricted.
It makes no since to hold back your colleagues if you no longer have the drive to get the people in the door, or should I say Beating down your door to get a cut.When a Barber puts in the time and energy to build his client list, and get his book full enough to be over book that is a Blessing. Why should a Barber stop doing what he does just because the owner feels he has made enough money, and yet they still want there money at the end of the week, how could he think that because his business is done at the end of the day that, his Barbers business is also, at some point the owner is being unreasonable about what he wants his Barbers to do when they are really self employed....

If A Barber Moves to another shop what would be the Right thing to do where his/her clients are concerned

   As some of you may know I am apart of The Barber Society, and they are the inspiration for this Blog. I wanted to say a few things about the topic, there are many reasons that a barber would change shops, and some are good reasons, some are not so good reasons, it matters to me what the reason is but to others it matter a lot, we will see through out this Blog how much it matters to different Barbers. So pay attention and I hope you enjoy and Think about what you are reading….

There are Many reasons why a Barber could moves his personal location! It could be that they feel they are not receiving the support that they my need in order to grow, some may feel that they have out grown there current location, others may leave because of a disagreement with management. What ever the reason, it is there own, the question is what would the owner or manager do when a client comes in and they have not gotten the word of your move???

Now some Believe that the Professional thing to do would is to give the client the Barbers information, if he did not already have it, and some said that it would be bad for the shop its self, if clients were directed to another shop it would be like sending money to someone else's Business and putting food in there mouths. That’s not really a true statement to me because truth is if they are his client then they will go to him, if they belong to the shop then they will stay put, at least that’s how I see it, everyone is not going to go across town or a few miles up the road though some clients will travel as far as the barber goes just to stay with him because he really gives those clients what they want, and they have the right type of Bond with each other….

Now some may argue that if the Barber does not give the client his information, which in some cases may be true, in other cases they are not always going to keep the barbers information/Business card because they figure he is always there so I know where he is and he is not going any where so I don't need it, others just loss the information via it lost phone or lost card but either way it was lost and they don't have it. Then there is the case of the once a month client that maybe did not come in doing the time he informed the other clients of his move....

Ok so if we as Barbers don’t look out for our fellow barbers, and take the time to build our own clientele, then what does that say about your skills as a Barber. Me myself I don’t want to build my Client book that way, I would rather build my Book on merit it just feels better…..

Last Words

Ok so I could go on and on about this topic but I’m not right now, all I’ll say is that there are a lot of ways to handle this situation, to tell another Barbers client where he has relocated to is really a small thing compared to the client that does not want to follow him/her to another shop, so if you take the time to give the client a choose to set in your chair then at least you know that the client was the shops client and not just a client you stool, so just take a chance on doing the right thing because sometimes its not just about the client its more about personal growth…

Interview with a rising Palma Anshilevich

Photo Courtesy of Palma Anshilevich

       Palma Anshilevich Is a Young lady that is full of Energy and is filled with a lot of Passion for what she does, she is a rising star in the industry, with so much to offer anyone that would be interested in this industry. this is a woman filled with joy, knowledge, determination, and positive Energy you just have to pay attention. She is a person that cares for the people around her don't just take my word for it here is what she has to say...

I asked her How long she had Been apart of the Industry, here is what she had to say... 

 " My who life...I am a Daughter of a Barber and so Proud! However, My Father never wanted me to get involved in the industry because of the Hard work and dedication so I went to University and graduated and then I decided I couldn't stand back from my dream of being in the Hair industry any longer....so here we are 11 years and counting"

Ok so as we all know there were some issues that we as Barbers had to overcome before we could be comfortable with the Business, with all of it Ups and downs, More ups then downs.... 


 "Put yourself Out there.... First understand Where Barbers come from and what they stand for... History! Second, get involved By Taking  classes and never feel like you know everything.There is always something to learn and someone to meet. Stand out in of the crowd and get noticed... Be you! Enter into competitions and show them what you got! Everyone is a Winner...."

Ok so I have Been asked this question many times so I know that its a question you all get from someone interested in the industry, lets see what it is, and what she has to say about it....

I asked her what Drew her to this game, outside of her Father doing it?

"THE ART!  TRULY I always knew I had the God given talent to do Hair! It is an amazing feeling when your see your clients face and they know they look good because of there hair. Really, when a person walks into a room, the first thing a person sees is there Hair. when we describe a person the first thing we say is something about there hair. So to have that power it is a blessing! Hair is fabric that we have the chance to mold into a Beautiful piece of ART!"  

    I wanted to know if she had any issues or hard times with been a female in a Male dominated industry listen to what she has to say....


    "Its only a benefit... the men want to know what I bring to the table so in turn it gives me more opportunity to show them what I can do... with my skills and Love for Hair"  

      As Barbers we have our own challenges that we face in this industry, so I asked Palma what were some of her challenges and this is what she had to say....


   "Starting From the bottom and working My way up... Even though My father has a Shop, he wouldn't like me working for him so I had to go work in the most challenging area of Toronto and prove myself. after a few years my father invited me to work not for him but with him. The challenge is only a challenge if you make it a challenge. I made it a learning experience! Everyday we continue to learn!"

And if you are wondering what she did to over come those challenges, I asked Ms. Palma and here is what she had to say....

   " Take the Negatives and make them Positive. If someone either it being a client or another hairstylist was trying to make a situation difficult I would always take my time to work around it we deal with the public and sometimes alter-ego's so I stand back and let them see that I am not here to challenge them but to share with them and learn with them! They get the point! I don't Believe in intimidation, I believe in respect! We all came from the same place!"


I know there are some people out there that want to know How Palma Anshilevich got with Team Xotics well i asked her and here is what she had to say...


"I was working a show in Houston when I was on the platform doing my thing and sharing the Love...DC and Curtis Smith were walking by and DC yells out your a beast....so I said to everyone I guess ya'll haven't seen a white girl do Black hair! Well they were all waiting for that! They were all thinking it and no one had the guts to say it! I became known at the show for being the white girl who does black hair! Really silly to me, there is no Black Hair or white hair just hair to me. Its all hair! So I connected with DC and told him about my passion and drive for the industry and I fell in Love with the XOTIXS MOVEMENT!!! So her we are.....MAKING HISTORY!!!"


   While I was doing her interview I stumbled upon a Blog that she herself write and I wanted to know what the motivation was behind it  Your Stylist Shouldn't be a Secret 
and i asked her about it here is what she had to say....

"I Love what I do and my clients know that and a few of them would say to me, your so good, I'm never going to tell anyone about you! I had to Express myself in another way so I wrote about it! And a few of my clients saw the Blog and have made a point to spread the Palma Love!"

I know some of you have the desire to be a platform artist so I asked Palma Anshilevich about her days as a platform stylist and how she got into it hers what she had to say....

  "I knew I had the energy to be up there! I love the audience and their all there for the same reason to learn and share with each other. I knew I had to be up there spreading the love. I love getting interactive with the audience and I always learn something new whenever I'm up on stage. As for a new barber or Stylist to get involved with platform work, they have to get involved with a company that they have an interest in. Contact them and let them know how much passion you have for there product and would love the opportunity to work with them, even if its to assist and learn from the experience!".


As you all know the Bronner Bros. Hair show just passed and I asked her what where her thought on the show and the Barbers Round Table Hosted by Curtis Smith and this is what she had to say....

"As for it was my first time and I only heard great things about it . I did see the documentary that Chris Rock did called Good Hair! So as for my first experience it was fantastic! I got to meet the man himself which was cool!

Now for the Barbers Round Table, My First time at this event it left me speechless, which we all know is hard to do. The evening was filled with passion and drive from all of us there. We were all there for the same reason to Bring the BarberLove to the table and say it as it is... I was honored to be inaugurated into the Xotics Family that night. What can I say... really my honor and pleasure to be apart of a Family with the same love and passion!"

Now I usually have some last words for my Readers, this time I asked Palma Anshilevich to give use some last words and this is what she had to say....

" There are thousands of stars in the Sky and we all deserve to shine! Spread the love...BarberLove!!!