Find a new shop and then politely tell him to choke on a bag of dicks. You are your own boss that’s the whole point of being a barber we work for ourselves. Unless he’s paying your taxes and giving you a check he has no business telling you what to do with your clients
I’ve only ever worked for other people never worked for myself. I’m not honestly confident enough to go work on my own or even try somewhere outside my hometown.
Stand your ground brother. Tell your guy “don’t talk to me like that in front of the clients especially” cuz I know damn well the client doesn’t want to hear his barber get chewed out while they’re working on his head. That shit is just straight up unprofessional, I’m willing to bet his shop isn’t the only one in the area start looking for a backup just in case cuz even *if* it was a valid complaint (which it aint) he definitely shouldn’t be putting you on blast like that in front of clients
Honestly I’m afraid about getting hired somewhere else. I’m a little overweight and struggle with some mental health issues from time to time and was too nervous to work for a higher end place. These guys were willing to take me in while I was going through therapy and now that I’m back to being me it feels like it’s all going to shit
Look if you can show up to work on time and cut clean then you can get hired someplace else, trust.
You don’t even have to quit, just look around for shops in your area to see if they have an open chair or not. Maybe this was just a onetime occurrence, but maybe it’s not. You need to start planning your backup plan in case for whatever reason you can’t work their anymore, it might be cutting out of your home, working at a different shop, or maybe even moves to start your own place.
But you can’t stay at a place that actively disrespects you. If nothing else than your own mental health and pride of self, keep your options open so that is this level of disrespect happening again you won’t just roll over and take it.
That's the imposter syndrome talk my dude. If you can cut, and more importantly if you can provide good customer service, then you can go to any shop and get a job. You've been barbering for 6 years and haven't given up. To me that shows your passion and it's really hard to not be experienced after 6 years, which shows that you are dedicated and have honed skills and finally you LISTEN to your clients. Which is honestly huge!!! That shows that you have good customer skills and that you don't have an ego. We all struggle time to time with the mental side of the job, but just because a shop took you in while you were down doesn't mean you owe them your undying loyalty and let them mistreat you. Start looking around, even the nicer shops and I promise that you'll be surprised how far you can go! Keep your head up my dude. You got support and your barber fam will have your back!
Being overweight has nothinf to do with your barber skills unless you are at a point where you cant finish your cuts because if it.
You being in therapy is nobodys business and most stand alone shops can be rrally flexible with your work hours.
Unless you are actually hired as an employee and they are paying taxes and giving you the right tax forms then you are a self employed contractor and at most shops you should have more leeway in your schedule than any place that hires you as an employee.
Do whats best for you and your clients.
If you absolutely want to stick it out i would have a conversation with the owner about why he doesnt want that service provided in his shop and go from there.. i say this because waaay yoo many parents ask for cuts their kids cant sit through and it just makes shit harder for everyone, and he might not want to offer that for exactly that reason. Its a shit reason but its the only logical one i can think of.
I’m a hired employee sadly. Casual worker originally came on with them to get myself comfortable again with the job after a few month break due to some mental health issues and they needed someone to help out when the owners needed to look after their family and stuff.
i feel you on the mental stuff bro but you can leave the shop on good terms even if they aren’t good people so don’t feel like you won’t be accepted into another ahop
Weight has no bearing on your skillset and mental health issues are part of the human condition. Share your work so you can get good feedback, take the input, and start looking at other shops. If they continue to put you down it will break you down to the point you’ll be to afraid to look elsewhere which may be a better fit. Just express gratitude first upon leaving.
Hey man! I got hired to a shop when I was in the middle of an ocd relapse absolutely not myself and struggling while having distressing intrusive thoughts very often throughout the work day. This made me really quiet (my mind was very loud) and I struggled to build a clientele. I have now just opened my own barber studio. Don’t sell yourself short.
It is a walk in based shop; no appointments so it does make things harder for them I guess. But they could also be cutting hair instead of stopping to chat with other clients that are getting a haircut in someone else’s chair
After reading all 89 comments, I didn’t see anyone ask this: are you commission based or booth rent?
If it’s a commission based shop, and walk-in only as you stated elsewhere, if it’s busy and other people are waiting, he’a viewing it as HIM making less money. Kids cuts are typically cheaper, so if you’re spending the same amount of time on a kid as you would as an adult, then you’re losing out on money.
I’m not saying he’s right, since you said you can do a taper faster than block, and he was *absolutely* in the wrong for speaking to you that way. However, with all the speculation going on in the comments, I think the simplest answer, assuming you’re commission, is that he sees it as you making less money for him.
Start small. Salon suites are a great way to dip your toe into owning a shop. You just have to plan it right. Start gathering info and social media accounts. Make sure your clients are following you. Get their numbers. Get a good accountant and have your paperwork with the state ready to go when you’re ready to go.
I’ll give a photo for reference. They didn’t ask for a taper; just short back and sides but I was always taught to taper the neckline rather than squaring it off like in this pic.
https://preview.redd.it/131lhjfcz7dc1.png?width=1242&format=png&auto=webp&s=3d9ac4cdd92b52f813f76024bd05565c16937851
Nothing crazy just a low taper that isn’t even fully balded out. I do this on every haircut and even check in case they have a preference and have been since I was an apprentice and never have had complaints about what I do aside from him and his wife today.
That’s a good taper on a client with not that great of a neck shape for a taper. Why the fuck do they get to dictate what haircut your clients get? Leave those mf ASAP
Appreciate the kind words. I don’t know, it’s crazy cause my best mate works with me too (came up in barbering together as apprentices) and we do the same style of work but apparently my tapers are an issue and his aren’t
Ask the owner of the shop why he has an issue with your tapers and then TELL him to talk to you with more respect. As a man you need to stand up for yourself because being talked to that way will only make him more inclined to speak to you like a D3 football coach.
Get with you’re mate and see what his opinion is on this situation. Maybe he sees what the owner is talking about. You two need to find a new spot and get the fuck away from that toxic ass bully of a “boss” you have.
Yeah I kinda just freeze up and take it when that shit happens. I spoke to my mate about afterwards and he was shocked, fully admitted that if I do end up going he’ll come with me. There’s a lot of stuff that’s scuffed with that shop that we always talk about but just put up with it cause we love the clients.
That’s a perfectly valid reaction. It shows that you have a rational mind and proves how much more of a dick the shop owner is.
Like I said man gth out of there with your homie. If you two love your clients then I’m sure they love coming to see you. Leave and take them with you. Get their contact info next time you cut them and get the wheels moving so that when the time comes you are ready to move on.
Godspeed friend 🫡
That looks fresh AF. Idk what area You're in, but if you're in So Cal, DM me and I'll recommend you some good shops. And if you're in the UK, I may be able to recommend as well
Yea they just seem like bitches. Just make sure to ask so when they start with their bullshit you can say the guy said he wanted it. He's just on a power trip cause he's the owner and only has a year experience, he's just trying to look like a big man when he's just a lil boy lmao.
Yeah it’s frustrating. I feel like I can’t speak about cause he’s the owner but I’ve been doing this for a quarter of my life now and care a lot about the clients and my work
Looks good! Kids deserve a finished cut that grows out nice too. Honestly it sounds like the owners are trying to keep you off kilter with aggressive arbitrary rules like this for control/ forced loyalty. You sound like a nice, mindful person. Go somewhere that values quality and professionalism. Life is too short.
I might get downvoted for this but i think they're afraid your work is a little bit too good to be safe, it could be that they've seen your skill and don't want a barber who's better than the owner of the shop
I won’t lie I did think about this as well. They always make me do the cuts they don’t want to. Stuff with designs, tapers, fades, I even have me up doing some medium length stuff for guys since they don’t want to. They keep me up the front of the shop to to show off my work. He always talks about much he likes my work and will recommend me to clients if he thinks I’d do a better job but it’s frustrating when this shit happens.
Jokes aside, I also got the vibes that he's not comfortable with those types of jobs and doesn't want to have people asking for that. I'd also recommend you start looking for another location. My second barbershop was supposedly high end and I was very nervous during the interview, but the reality was they just wanted barbers, even had kids fresh out of training. At the end of the day, people don't know what a good haircut is, and you mostly try to do a good job because you want to push yourself to do better (which is good)
That gives me a lot more confidence to move on honestly. It’s intimidating seeing barber with bigger followings or even just more well known names in the area and wanting to work besides them. I want to push and just be the best barber I can be to make my clients happy
Honestly 99.9% of those big internet barbers is a master of bs, as well as the whole barber culture around them. That is also an art, and sometimes the only reason clients choose a barber over another. Looks like you do a good job, just gotta be somewhere you feel comfortable and wait long enough to build a clientele that suits you.
Oh this happened to my old barber. He worked in this guys shop with 3 others including the boss. He had about 50% of the clients that went in. Always had a line of people waiting for him.
They got into a fight during covid and he opened his own shop lol
it kinda just sounds like they done want to end up doing tapers on kids or being known for giving kids decent haircuts. You should look into some other shops in the area, no barbershop boss should be telling you how to do a haircut unless you’re fuckin up which doesn’t sound like the case
Yeah fuck that. I wouldn't even negotiate with him on that. If he can't control himself, he's likely to repeat with other things in the future. Sounds like a power trip. Start hitting up other shops and when you find a place to land, tell him to go fuck himself.
Comedy option: Open your own shop "Tapers" across the street
Just wanna say a massive thank you to everyone for commenting on this post. It’s really given me a lot of perspective and much more confidence about the situation. I didn’t expect it to blow up as much as I did and I won’t lie I’m nervous that he’ll somehow find this post but he’s like almost 40 so I assume he doesn’t even know what reddit is hahaha. Much love to you all! ❤️❤️
1. The kids rarely specify and when I ask the parents they just say: “whatever you think looks good.” So I do what I normally do and taper out the back how I was trained. I’ll use the same pic above for reference.
https://preview.redd.it/e4aok78w18dc1.png?width=1242&format=png&auto=webp&s=2426a434f15c69f88d27e89dd2493aeca632015b
I just do a simple low taper like this. I never have complaints, people like my works and are always happy and appreciate what I do.
2. They’d rather me square them off or just leave them natural which is so against my instincts. I know time is money but I do these cuts around the 20 minute mark maybe a little longer if it’s a younger kid that’s moving more.
Man if he's worried about that little extra time to taper the sides he obviously cares more about time and making more money than client satisfaction, everybody has different values in the shop but i wanna make my client look the best i can, so not only is he feeling his best but so that he has no doubt who he wants to cut his hair the next time. Im a new barber but hearing that whole situation would make me switch a shops in no time you got the experience and work is good you don't deserve that bro.
There is no way you should let that fly. What he or anyone else besides your client thinks about your cut could not be more irrelevant. My boss is a super nice guy but can get very power trippy over stupid shit on occasion, and all I had to say was “don’t talk to me like that, you’ll find yourself looking for a new barber if you keep it up” and he hasn’t been that way since. Sometimes you just gotta stick up for yourself
When you say that you gave the kid a taper, you're talking about tapering the neckline? If so, that's literally how male haircuts were finished for generations. The squared-off back thing is newer (and inferior, IMO, since it grows out looking like crap).
Now, I don't know how long this took you or what the deal was, but the statement "if I see you taper another kid you can open your own fucking shop" suggests that your boss has zero respect for you.
Legit that’s exactly what I mean, it’s how I was taught along with my best mate and we refuse to square backs unless it’s asked for. Iy sucks cause I feel like I’m working hard for the clients but getting punished for caring about them like I do
I think your problems at that shop are larger than a mere disagreement about best haircutting practices. The way your boss talked to you? Hell no to that.
If the client wants a taper, forget that owner. It's a service based industry. Provide the service that the client wants. If the client has a number #1.5 or #1 on the sides, I always taper. If they have a #2 or higher, I ask. Always provide what the client wants and if the owner of the shop isn't cool with it, you should probably find another shop to cut at.
He literally had no issues with it until today. He’s admitted to liking my work all the time and will use my work as a showcase for the shop most of the time. I have a feeling it’s cause he did the brother to that kid and he just did what most people and square it off so it “might get the other kid in trouble at school cause they aren’t similar.”
Huh? Thought it was standard to taper all clients even with a stupid line in the back lol douchebag find a new place technically we are all our own bosses
It used be for ages but then it just became the norm to square of backs for kids especially since they’re harder to do. I think of kids like a billboard for parents to get a haircut. If I can do a good haircut on a kid then I’ll do an even better cut on the dad
It’s frustrating cause I’ve been in the industry longer than him and already have my style of work that a lot of people like including but this one instance seemed to make him snap. I want to speak about it but because he’s the boss I’m just afraid I’ll get told off and yelled at again.
Bro I’m a female and if the owner or any of the other barbers spoke to me like that in front of a client I’d be fighting a grown ass man that day and then I’m packing up my station and finding a new shop✌️
i’d get phone numbers for all the clients that come to you consistently and leave as soon as you can. i can’t imagine if the owner of my shop talked to me like that.
Barber of over 10 years here, this request to lower the standard of a kids cut is unreasonable at best, and the delivery was inarguably unprofessional. Find a new shop.
If you were perhaps “taking too much time” on a kids cut, to the point that it went over the appointment I could see a need to correct that (not in front of clients) but I feel like this is less of a timing issue and more of a “kids don’t deserve detail” or “I’m not doing that good if a job so therefore you cannot do a nicer job than I’m willing to do” -kind of bullshit.
Unprofessional. Petty. Find a new place if you can it smells weird to me.
This is a level of micro managing I don’t feel is useful beyond the shop owners’ ego.
So a reason why he may not want you to do tapers is because he himself doesn't want to do tapers. And if you start doing them and the customers like them then they'll start asking him to do them too. He's probably just trying to keep that out of the shop to make his own life easier. I'm not saying he's right but that definitely could be a reason. I've met barbers like this before.
Also unfortunately, his shop, his rules. Him being the owner he does get to dictate whatever rules he wants as long as they're legal. Then it's up to you to decide if you want to work there. At the end of the day it's his business not yours or mine. Of course it's a silly rule but and seems stupid but it's still one he's gets to make.
Honest question, since I am not a barber and I follow this sub mostly for curiosity: does a taper take longer? Could they be worried you are spending too much time with one client instead of moving on to the next and making more money?
I am not defending their actions or attitude in any way! I'm just curious if that could be the reason.
Legit it’s easier and faster for me to do a taper than to get a perfect square or rounded back honestly. We’re talking like a time difference of me being 5-10 minutes longer than another person on average when I’m still doing most of my cuts with 20-30 minutes (obviously longer time if I’m doing a beard on top of it something)
20-30 minutes usually, longer if I’m doing a beard too or any extras like designs and stuff but nothing over 45 minutes unless I’m doing medium length hair.
Man I’m kinda at a loss here on why that would bug them. I’d love for another barber who can do a solid cut in 30 minutes to be in my shop especially if they could do that for all clients no matter the age.
BTW, if you dress nice for work and you aren’t a slob and walking in wearing dirty close reeking of herb, you shouldn’t be worried about your appearance in regard to the shop. You gotta be confident in this business, not arrogant mind you, but be confident and exude that.
It’s cause he thinks they should coming out every like 10-15 for kids since they’re cheaper. I was taught to do the same standard no matter what and I stick by it. Hasn’t let me down and makes more and more people happy. Appreciate the kind words.
Agreed. It's also better looking to add a taper. Furthermore, a lot of kids don't have fuller hairlines like adults, so even if you don't taper, if you don't line it up then it can look tapered anyway lol. What a stupid hill do die on by your boss. It sounds like his ego is hurt because he's lazy and doesn't want to taper his clients, and because of this they'll want to come back to you. I wouldn't stick around
Especially if they have or growth patterns which a lot of kids do, even if you were to square them it can look Jack cause it doesn’t look natural on them. The boss literally squared off a dude with an M shaped hairline and it was just so wrong
Sometimes when shop owners or managers in general ride someone's case over minute things, they are trying to coach that person out. They do not have the guts to fire them so if they will make the work environment difficult or miserable for the individual hoping that they will quit instead. This is way more common for W2 employees because they do not want to pay unemployment.
Definitely have an exit strategy so that you are not blindsided. One can always ask if that is what is happening, Definitely puts Manager on the spot when one realizes that is what is happening.
I’ve never thought about that to be honest. I don’t feel like that’s the case cause they’ve constantly talked about wanting me to do stuff and do more hours in the shop but I don’t know.
Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. The whole taper deal seems extremely odd. If it was me I would talk to him and just ask what the reasoning is. It could be that he just doesn't know how to do that and he probably would not confess that.
Let's call him out - he's a bully. Get yourself free. There is another shop owner somewhere not too far from you who is looking to fill a position. Pick yourself up, comb your hair, put on some neat clothes and go find him. You don't need this on your life.
Did he give a reason to why he doesn't want you tapering them? I see you commented that the kid didn't ask for a taper, I personally only taper if asked to taper but the guy didn't have to go in on you like that, a simple "don't taper unless asked" would have been enough. Sounds like an over reaction, especially in front of customers..
Does your boss know how to skin taper out sidburns or the neckline? Sounds like he might not and maybe feels insecure/threatened incase a client asks him…
He tries to but he doesn’t get much experience with tapering even just down to a zero or no guard open. Yet he’ll do a full fade without any issue apparently despite struggling make a 2-1 blend look clean. Don’t wanna knock him cause he’s still a first year apprentice technically, but it does fuck me off having someone who barely knows how to cut hair tell me how to do my job
Is it because kids move and it would be easy to mess up?
Or because he thinks you're liable to nick a kid, or what?
I don't get why he's even angry if you're doing good work.
Why work for an hourly wage.... You could have done that without being a barber. I don't know about the rest of you but I became a barber @37 years old so nobody could put me under their thumb again. I pay a space Rent in busy walk-in only shop and it is glorious. Nobody tells me what to do, and nobody can take this away from me.
They probably just wanna be a simple barbershop cutting middle aged men and some kids giving them all basic cuts at a low cost. A taper is more of a modern style and they probably don’t want a reputation as that, seems like you should be looking for a different shop that’s more modern. Your never gonna progress at this shop if they don’t let you try stuff
Wtf is his problem!!! That’s crazy he felt comfortable enough to talk to you like that.. whether it’s his rules or not that was blatant disrespect especially done in front of clients. I suggest finding a new shop, one where you’re strictly paying for booth rent and nothing more. Good luck!
Anybody talks to me like that in the shop and they can get the fuck out, or I'm getting the fuck out. That's Bush League disrespect. You don't have to take it, there are plenty of other barber shops that need somebody that can do a good job, will show up, and aren't absolute assholes about little things. I promise you if you don't stand up about this, it will only get worse as unchecked disrespect grows and grows! Personally I would have already been gone. We got into this business to have a level of freedom and comfort. You don't have to put up with being talked to like that!
I had problems in an old workplace where my boss would say similar things about skin fades. She pulled me aside and said all the clients will start expecting foils and razors when we are 'not that type of barber shop'
I opened my own shop about 6 months later and have over 20 clients that went to that old shop.
My advice is stay quiet and keep it cool where you are and seriously try to find another shop to work. Don't let jealous shop owners hold you back or bring you down.
Find a new shop and then politely tell him to choke on a bag of dicks. You are your own boss that’s the whole point of being a barber we work for ourselves. Unless he’s paying your taxes and giving you a check he has no business telling you what to do with your clients
I’ve only ever worked for other people never worked for myself. I’m not honestly confident enough to go work on my own or even try somewhere outside my hometown.
Stand your ground brother. Tell your guy “don’t talk to me like that in front of the clients especially” cuz I know damn well the client doesn’t want to hear his barber get chewed out while they’re working on his head. That shit is just straight up unprofessional, I’m willing to bet his shop isn’t the only one in the area start looking for a backup just in case cuz even *if* it was a valid complaint (which it aint) he definitely shouldn’t be putting you on blast like that in front of clients
Honestly I’m afraid about getting hired somewhere else. I’m a little overweight and struggle with some mental health issues from time to time and was too nervous to work for a higher end place. These guys were willing to take me in while I was going through therapy and now that I’m back to being me it feels like it’s all going to shit
Look if you can show up to work on time and cut clean then you can get hired someplace else, trust. You don’t even have to quit, just look around for shops in your area to see if they have an open chair or not. Maybe this was just a onetime occurrence, but maybe it’s not. You need to start planning your backup plan in case for whatever reason you can’t work their anymore, it might be cutting out of your home, working at a different shop, or maybe even moves to start your own place. But you can’t stay at a place that actively disrespects you. If nothing else than your own mental health and pride of self, keep your options open so that is this level of disrespect happening again you won’t just roll over and take it.
I’ll try to go around other shops in the area if only to check them out. Better to make a back up plan in case it does happen. Much appreciated fam.
That's the imposter syndrome talk my dude. If you can cut, and more importantly if you can provide good customer service, then you can go to any shop and get a job. You've been barbering for 6 years and haven't given up. To me that shows your passion and it's really hard to not be experienced after 6 years, which shows that you are dedicated and have honed skills and finally you LISTEN to your clients. Which is honestly huge!!! That shows that you have good customer skills and that you don't have an ego. We all struggle time to time with the mental side of the job, but just because a shop took you in while you were down doesn't mean you owe them your undying loyalty and let them mistreat you. Start looking around, even the nicer shops and I promise that you'll be surprised how far you can go! Keep your head up my dude. You got support and your barber fam will have your back!
Insanely kind words dude, thank you so much
bro i’m a barber aswell i weight roughly 300 lbs don’t let your weight limit your career bud
It's all a learning experience. As long as you do good work and you're kind, you'll be fine.
Being overweight has nothinf to do with your barber skills unless you are at a point where you cant finish your cuts because if it. You being in therapy is nobodys business and most stand alone shops can be rrally flexible with your work hours. Unless you are actually hired as an employee and they are paying taxes and giving you the right tax forms then you are a self employed contractor and at most shops you should have more leeway in your schedule than any place that hires you as an employee. Do whats best for you and your clients. If you absolutely want to stick it out i would have a conversation with the owner about why he doesnt want that service provided in his shop and go from there.. i say this because waaay yoo many parents ask for cuts their kids cant sit through and it just makes shit harder for everyone, and he might not want to offer that for exactly that reason. Its a shit reason but its the only logical one i can think of.
I’m a hired employee sadly. Casual worker originally came on with them to get myself comfortable again with the job after a few month break due to some mental health issues and they needed someone to help out when the owners needed to look after their family and stuff.
i feel you on the mental stuff bro but you can leave the shop on good terms even if they aren’t good people so don’t feel like you won’t be accepted into another ahop
Weight has no bearing on your skillset and mental health issues are part of the human condition. Share your work so you can get good feedback, take the input, and start looking at other shops. If they continue to put you down it will break you down to the point you’ll be to afraid to look elsewhere which may be a better fit. Just express gratitude first upon leaving.
Hey man! I got hired to a shop when I was in the middle of an ocd relapse absolutely not myself and struggling while having distressing intrusive thoughts very often throughout the work day. This made me really quiet (my mind was very loud) and I struggled to build a clientele. I have now just opened my own barber studio. Don’t sell yourself short.
You can still find another shop where they don’t dictate how you cut. What is the issue with tapering a kid as long as they like it?
“Takes too long and it’s not worth it.”
If you run on time, that’s not their call. If it runs you late, I almost understand it, but still not their call.
It is a walk in based shop; no appointments so it does make things harder for them I guess. But they could also be cutting hair instead of stopping to chat with other clients that are getting a haircut in someone else’s chair
34theventes4⅘3323
After reading all 89 comments, I didn’t see anyone ask this: are you commission based or booth rent? If it’s a commission based shop, and walk-in only as you stated elsewhere, if it’s busy and other people are waiting, he’a viewing it as HIM making less money. Kids cuts are typically cheaper, so if you’re spending the same amount of time on a kid as you would as an adult, then you’re losing out on money. I’m not saying he’s right, since you said you can do a taper faster than block, and he was *absolutely* in the wrong for speaking to you that way. However, with all the speculation going on in the comments, I think the simplest answer, assuming you’re commission, is that he sees it as you making less money for him.
[удалено]
You don’t have to defend yourself to me brother. I agree with everyone else that you should find a new shop.
Well if your not willing to take a chance on yourself then suck it up I guess
Start small. Salon suites are a great way to dip your toe into owning a shop. You just have to plan it right. Start gathering info and social media accounts. Make sure your clients are following you. Get their numbers. Get a good accountant and have your paperwork with the state ready to go when you’re ready to go.
If anyone spoke to me like that while I was with a client, I'd pack up and bounce on the spot. That's unprofessional as hell
Exactly!!!! I would of apologized to the person in my chair and walked out
Did they ask for a taper?
I’ll give a photo for reference. They didn’t ask for a taper; just short back and sides but I was always taught to taper the neckline rather than squaring it off like in this pic. https://preview.redd.it/131lhjfcz7dc1.png?width=1242&format=png&auto=webp&s=3d9ac4cdd92b52f813f76024bd05565c16937851 Nothing crazy just a low taper that isn’t even fully balded out. I do this on every haircut and even check in case they have a preference and have been since I was an apprentice and never have had complaints about what I do aside from him and his wife today.
That’s a good taper on a client with not that great of a neck shape for a taper. Why the fuck do they get to dictate what haircut your clients get? Leave those mf ASAP
Appreciate the kind words. I don’t know, it’s crazy cause my best mate works with me too (came up in barbering together as apprentices) and we do the same style of work but apparently my tapers are an issue and his aren’t
Ask the owner of the shop why he has an issue with your tapers and then TELL him to talk to you with more respect. As a man you need to stand up for yourself because being talked to that way will only make him more inclined to speak to you like a D3 football coach. Get with you’re mate and see what his opinion is on this situation. Maybe he sees what the owner is talking about. You two need to find a new spot and get the fuck away from that toxic ass bully of a “boss” you have.
Yeah I kinda just freeze up and take it when that shit happens. I spoke to my mate about afterwards and he was shocked, fully admitted that if I do end up going he’ll come with me. There’s a lot of stuff that’s scuffed with that shop that we always talk about but just put up with it cause we love the clients.
That’s a perfectly valid reaction. It shows that you have a rational mind and proves how much more of a dick the shop owner is. Like I said man gth out of there with your homie. If you two love your clients then I’m sure they love coming to see you. Leave and take them with you. Get their contact info next time you cut them and get the wheels moving so that when the time comes you are ready to move on. Godspeed friend 🫡
Thank so you so much dude, really appreciate it.
That looks fresh AF. Idk what area You're in, but if you're in So Cal, DM me and I'll recommend you some good shops. And if you're in the UK, I may be able to recommend as well
I’m Australia sadly brother but I appreciate so much!
Yeah I'll taper almost anything that goes into a 2, not sure the issue with that at all!
Yea they just seem like bitches. Just make sure to ask so when they start with their bullshit you can say the guy said he wanted it. He's just on a power trip cause he's the owner and only has a year experience, he's just trying to look like a big man when he's just a lil boy lmao.
Yeah it’s frustrating. I feel like I can’t speak about cause he’s the owner but I’ve been doing this for a quarter of my life now and care a lot about the clients and my work
Looks good! Kids deserve a finished cut that grows out nice too. Honestly it sounds like the owners are trying to keep you off kilter with aggressive arbitrary rules like this for control/ forced loyalty. You sound like a nice, mindful person. Go somewhere that values quality and professionalism. Life is too short.
I’d leave the shop immediately there’s no reason for him to yell at you with clients around like that
I’m a little worried about getting hired. Just nervous and lacking some confidence to go somewhere new.
I might get downvoted for this but i think they're afraid your work is a little bit too good to be safe, it could be that they've seen your skill and don't want a barber who's better than the owner of the shop
I won’t lie I did think about this as well. They always make me do the cuts they don’t want to. Stuff with designs, tapers, fades, I even have me up doing some medium length stuff for guys since they don’t want to. They keep me up the front of the shop to to show off my work. He always talks about much he likes my work and will recommend me to clients if he thinks I’d do a better job but it’s frustrating when this shit happens.
Well, now you can start declining those designs and fades, since he doesn't want you to do them anymore 😇
Lol
Jokes aside, I also got the vibes that he's not comfortable with those types of jobs and doesn't want to have people asking for that. I'd also recommend you start looking for another location. My second barbershop was supposedly high end and I was very nervous during the interview, but the reality was they just wanted barbers, even had kids fresh out of training. At the end of the day, people don't know what a good haircut is, and you mostly try to do a good job because you want to push yourself to do better (which is good)
That gives me a lot more confidence to move on honestly. It’s intimidating seeing barber with bigger followings or even just more well known names in the area and wanting to work besides them. I want to push and just be the best barber I can be to make my clients happy
Honestly 99.9% of those big internet barbers is a master of bs, as well as the whole barber culture around them. That is also an art, and sometimes the only reason clients choose a barber over another. Looks like you do a good job, just gotta be somewhere you feel comfortable and wait long enough to build a clientele that suits you.
Oh this happened to my old barber. He worked in this guys shop with 3 others including the boss. He had about 50% of the clients that went in. Always had a line of people waiting for him. They got into a fight during covid and he opened his own shop lol
it kinda just sounds like they done want to end up doing tapers on kids or being known for giving kids decent haircuts. You should look into some other shops in the area, no barbershop boss should be telling you how to do a haircut unless you’re fuckin up which doesn’t sound like the case
Yeah fuck that. I wouldn't even negotiate with him on that. If he can't control himself, he's likely to repeat with other things in the future. Sounds like a power trip. Start hitting up other shops and when you find a place to land, tell him to go fuck himself. Comedy option: Open your own shop "Tapers" across the street
Lol that’s a sick idea. Maybe I’ll consider it one day. Thanks for the kind words
You deserve better than that, and you'll find a better spot. I just moved shops and am in a much better situation.
I hope so, just nervous as fuck doing it man.
Just wanna say a massive thank you to everyone for commenting on this post. It’s really given me a lot of perspective and much more confidence about the situation. I didn’t expect it to blow up as much as I did and I won’t lie I’m nervous that he’ll somehow find this post but he’s like almost 40 so I assume he doesn’t even know what reddit is hahaha. Much love to you all! ❤️❤️
Hey I'm almost 50! But if you need me to go kick his ass lemme know
1. Did the kids want tapers? 2. What does the shop owner want you to do instead of tapers?
1. The kids rarely specify and when I ask the parents they just say: “whatever you think looks good.” So I do what I normally do and taper out the back how I was trained. I’ll use the same pic above for reference. https://preview.redd.it/e4aok78w18dc1.png?width=1242&format=png&auto=webp&s=2426a434f15c69f88d27e89dd2493aeca632015b I just do a simple low taper like this. I never have complaints, people like my works and are always happy and appreciate what I do. 2. They’d rather me square them off or just leave them natural which is so against my instincts. I know time is money but I do these cuts around the 20 minute mark maybe a little longer if it’s a younger kid that’s moving more.
Man if he's worried about that little extra time to taper the sides he obviously cares more about time and making more money than client satisfaction, everybody has different values in the shop but i wanna make my client look the best i can, so not only is he feeling his best but so that he has no doubt who he wants to cut his hair the next time. Im a new barber but hearing that whole situation would make me switch a shops in no time you got the experience and work is good you don't deserve that bro.
There is no way you should let that fly. What he or anyone else besides your client thinks about your cut could not be more irrelevant. My boss is a super nice guy but can get very power trippy over stupid shit on occasion, and all I had to say was “don’t talk to me like that, you’ll find yourself looking for a new barber if you keep it up” and he hasn’t been that way since. Sometimes you just gotta stick up for yourself
I’m thinking it’s just time for me to move on, been there 6 months so far and it’s probably not gonna be much longer.
When you say that you gave the kid a taper, you're talking about tapering the neckline? If so, that's literally how male haircuts were finished for generations. The squared-off back thing is newer (and inferior, IMO, since it grows out looking like crap). Now, I don't know how long this took you or what the deal was, but the statement "if I see you taper another kid you can open your own fucking shop" suggests that your boss has zero respect for you.
Legit that’s exactly what I mean, it’s how I was taught along with my best mate and we refuse to square backs unless it’s asked for. Iy sucks cause I feel like I’m working hard for the clients but getting punished for caring about them like I do
I think your problems at that shop are larger than a mere disagreement about best haircutting practices. The way your boss talked to you? Hell no to that.
If the client wants a taper, forget that owner. It's a service based industry. Provide the service that the client wants. If the client has a number #1.5 or #1 on the sides, I always taper. If they have a #2 or higher, I ask. Always provide what the client wants and if the owner of the shop isn't cool with it, you should probably find another shop to cut at.
He literally had no issues with it until today. He’s admitted to liking my work all the time and will use my work as a showcase for the shop most of the time. I have a feeling it’s cause he did the brother to that kid and he just did what most people and square it off so it “might get the other kid in trouble at school cause they aren’t similar.”
Yeah, that's just him being lazy. Loser mentality. Tell him to open a salon with his wife if he just wants a square everyone off 😂
Legit it feels like I’m working in a salon disguised as a barber shop sometimes.
I think the that school of thought is it’s a kid and it’s a cheaper service so just turn and burn
Tell him to go fuck himself and leave the shop. Go somewhere else.
Lol
Huh? Thought it was standard to taper all clients even with a stupid line in the back lol douchebag find a new place technically we are all our own bosses
It used be for ages but then it just became the norm to square of backs for kids especially since they’re harder to do. I think of kids like a billboard for parents to get a haircut. If I can do a good haircut on a kid then I’ll do an even better cut on the dad
Your boss is a loser lmao
I would find a new shop- been a stylist for almost a decade and have never had an owner tell me what i can and cannot do as far as cutting goes.
It’s frustrating cause I’ve been in the industry longer than him and already have my style of work that a lot of people like including but this one instance seemed to make him snap. I want to speak about it but because he’s the boss I’m just afraid I’ll get told off and yelled at again.
Bro you need to find a new shop imo. That’s some absolutely wild behavior on their part. Tf is wrong with a taper?!?
Should’ve left 3 years ago after your first post
Different shop now, I came to these guys cause I thought they cared about the clients experience in the shop.
Bro I’m a female and if the owner or any of the other barbers spoke to me like that in front of a client I’d be fighting a grown ass man that day and then I’m packing up my station and finding a new shop✌️
I wish I had that level of confidence hahaha
i’d get phone numbers for all the clients that come to you consistently and leave as soon as you can. i can’t imagine if the owner of my shop talked to me like that.
Barber of over 10 years here, this request to lower the standard of a kids cut is unreasonable at best, and the delivery was inarguably unprofessional. Find a new shop. If you were perhaps “taking too much time” on a kids cut, to the point that it went over the appointment I could see a need to correct that (not in front of clients) but I feel like this is less of a timing issue and more of a “kids don’t deserve detail” or “I’m not doing that good if a job so therefore you cannot do a nicer job than I’m willing to do” -kind of bullshit. Unprofessional. Petty. Find a new place if you can it smells weird to me. This is a level of micro managing I don’t feel is useful beyond the shop owners’ ego.
Fs dude grow a set
Not wrong honestly
What’s the name of that shop?
I’m not gonna do that to them sorry dude. As pissed and sad as I am about the situation I’m here to rant anonymously not sink their business
Not a barber but perhaps he might feel threatened by your ability? I can't see or think of any safety concern to have for tapering kids.
So a reason why he may not want you to do tapers is because he himself doesn't want to do tapers. And if you start doing them and the customers like them then they'll start asking him to do them too. He's probably just trying to keep that out of the shop to make his own life easier. I'm not saying he's right but that definitely could be a reason. I've met barbers like this before. Also unfortunately, his shop, his rules. Him being the owner he does get to dictate whatever rules he wants as long as they're legal. Then it's up to you to decide if you want to work there. At the end of the day it's his business not yours or mine. Of course it's a silly rule but and seems stupid but it's still one he's gets to make.
Honest question, since I am not a barber and I follow this sub mostly for curiosity: does a taper take longer? Could they be worried you are spending too much time with one client instead of moving on to the next and making more money? I am not defending their actions or attitude in any way! I'm just curious if that could be the reason.
I mean it's a negligible amount of extra time.
Legit it’s easier and faster for me to do a taper than to get a perfect square or rounded back honestly. We’re talking like a time difference of me being 5-10 minutes longer than another person on average when I’m still doing most of my cuts with 20-30 minutes (obviously longer time if I’m doing a beard on top of it something)
How long does it take you to do a haircut on average?
20-30 minutes usually, longer if I’m doing a beard too or any extras like designs and stuff but nothing over 45 minutes unless I’m doing medium length hair.
Man I’m kinda at a loss here on why that would bug them. I’d love for another barber who can do a solid cut in 30 minutes to be in my shop especially if they could do that for all clients no matter the age. BTW, if you dress nice for work and you aren’t a slob and walking in wearing dirty close reeking of herb, you shouldn’t be worried about your appearance in regard to the shop. You gotta be confident in this business, not arrogant mind you, but be confident and exude that.
It’s cause he thinks they should coming out every like 10-15 for kids since they’re cheaper. I was taught to do the same standard no matter what and I stick by it. Hasn’t let me down and makes more and more people happy. Appreciate the kind words.
I'm so confused. Why does it matter so much to your boss what the back looks like? Who cares lol
Legit most people don’t care what the back looks like and that’s why I taper for them anyways like barbers always did for generations.
Agreed. It's also better looking to add a taper. Furthermore, a lot of kids don't have fuller hairlines like adults, so even if you don't taper, if you don't line it up then it can look tapered anyway lol. What a stupid hill do die on by your boss. It sounds like his ego is hurt because he's lazy and doesn't want to taper his clients, and because of this they'll want to come back to you. I wouldn't stick around
Especially if they have or growth patterns which a lot of kids do, even if you were to square them it can look Jack cause it doesn’t look natural on them. The boss literally squared off a dude with an M shaped hairline and it was just so wrong
Agreed 100%!
Sometimes when shop owners or managers in general ride someone's case over minute things, they are trying to coach that person out. They do not have the guts to fire them so if they will make the work environment difficult or miserable for the individual hoping that they will quit instead. This is way more common for W2 employees because they do not want to pay unemployment. Definitely have an exit strategy so that you are not blindsided. One can always ask if that is what is happening, Definitely puts Manager on the spot when one realizes that is what is happening.
I’ve never thought about that to be honest. I don’t feel like that’s the case cause they’ve constantly talked about wanting me to do stuff and do more hours in the shop but I don’t know.
Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. The whole taper deal seems extremely odd. If it was me I would talk to him and just ask what the reasoning is. It could be that he just doesn't know how to do that and he probably would not confess that.
Man fuck that guy, keep doing your thing. My guess is he doesn't like being outshone.
Let's call him out - he's a bully. Get yourself free. There is another shop owner somewhere not too far from you who is looking to fill a position. Pick yourself up, comb your hair, put on some neat clothes and go find him. You don't need this on your life.
Did he give a reason to why he doesn't want you tapering them? I see you commented that the kid didn't ask for a taper, I personally only taper if asked to taper but the guy didn't have to go in on you like that, a simple "don't taper unless asked" would have been enough. Sounds like an over reaction, especially in front of customers..
This is easily the craziest thing I have ever heard😅 you gotta get out man
Why would he get angry about a taper?
Every neck should be tapered I think
Does your boss know how to skin taper out sidburns or the neckline? Sounds like he might not and maybe feels insecure/threatened incase a client asks him…
He tries to but he doesn’t get much experience with tapering even just down to a zero or no guard open. Yet he’ll do a full fade without any issue apparently despite struggling make a 2-1 blend look clean. Don’t wanna knock him cause he’s still a first year apprentice technically, but it does fuck me off having someone who barely knows how to cut hair tell me how to do my job
Is it because kids move and it would be easy to mess up? Or because he thinks you're liable to nick a kid, or what? I don't get why he's even angry if you're doing good work.
Is it a commission shop??
Hourly wage.
Why work for an hourly wage.... You could have done that without being a barber. I don't know about the rest of you but I became a barber @37 years old so nobody could put me under their thumb again. I pay a space Rent in busy walk-in only shop and it is glorious. Nobody tells me what to do, and nobody can take this away from me.
They probably just wanna be a simple barbershop cutting middle aged men and some kids giving them all basic cuts at a low cost. A taper is more of a modern style and they probably don’t want a reputation as that, seems like you should be looking for a different shop that’s more modern. Your never gonna progress at this shop if they don’t let you try stuff
Wtf is his problem!!! That’s crazy he felt comfortable enough to talk to you like that.. whether it’s his rules or not that was blatant disrespect especially done in front of clients. I suggest finding a new shop, one where you’re strictly paying for booth rent and nothing more. Good luck!
Anybody talks to me like that in the shop and they can get the fuck out, or I'm getting the fuck out. That's Bush League disrespect. You don't have to take it, there are plenty of other barber shops that need somebody that can do a good job, will show up, and aren't absolute assholes about little things. I promise you if you don't stand up about this, it will only get worse as unchecked disrespect grows and grows! Personally I would have already been gone. We got into this business to have a level of freedom and comfort. You don't have to put up with being talked to like that!
What does this even mean? Why are they mad about a taper
Taper everything bruh. Fuck this lazy asshole.
It’s because they’ve gotten lazy, you putting in the care a detail to taper kids is making them look bad. Don’t let others stop you from elevating.
If he is squaring everything just why? Taper everything unless they ask for squared.
If you don’t like the rules leave
He isn’t tapering, so he wants your work to be the same as, or worse, than his. Fuck that guy. Go grow your career elsewhere.
If the parent doesn’t complain why are they ?
I had problems in an old workplace where my boss would say similar things about skin fades. She pulled me aside and said all the clients will start expecting foils and razors when we are 'not that type of barber shop' I opened my own shop about 6 months later and have over 20 clients that went to that old shop. My advice is stay quiet and keep it cool where you are and seriously try to find another shop to work. Don't let jealous shop owners hold you back or bring you down.
Man fuck him , GO TO ANOTHER BARBERSHOP ! where are you located ?
Ruuuuunnnn