My Journey as a Master Barber Instructor
I was working as a HughesNet field engineer when I had an unexpected realization that changed the direction of my life. The job kept me on the road much of the time, and one day I found myself watching the barber cutting my hair and thinking about how different his life seemed. He was relaxed, talking with his clients, joking, laughing, and enjoying the company of the men in his chair. It didn't feel like he was simply working — it looked like he was spending the day with friends.
I remember thinking, How fulfilling would it be to do that for a living?
In 2016, I decided to find out. I attended barber school and earned my barber license that same year. What began as a career change quickly became a passion for the craft and the traditions of true barbering.
Shortly after becoming licensed, I was invited back to the school to apprentice under its owner and master instructor, Tim Hite, learning not only how to cut hair but how to teach the craft to others. Under Tim's mentorship, I eventually became a Master Barber Instructor at his school in Midvale, Utah.
Tim Hite was a remarkable figure in the barbering world. He trained with Vidal Sassoon in Europe and with Paul Mitchell before Mitchell became a household name. His career included decades of barbering, teaching, competition, and mentoring other barbers. His knowledge and commitment to the craft had a profound influence on the way I approach barbering.
After teaching, I went to work at Trolley Square Barbers in Salt Lake City, Utah.
I later opened my own shop in northern Idaho, where I transferred my Master Barber license.
My career eventually took me to Brazil, where my wife is from — I spent more than two years there barbering and experiencing the trade from a different cultural perspective. After returning to the United States, I spent a year barbering in Stillwater, Oklahoma, before continuing my career here.
I have held Master Barber licenses in Utah, Idaho, and Oklahoma.
My specialty is classic men's barbering, particularly the timeless business cuts associated with the 1950s era — the clean, masculine styles you might recognize from vintage barbershop posters. I appreciate the structure, precision, and craftsmanship that go into creating a truly traditional men's haircut.
I also believe there is an important distinction between traditional barbering and simply cutting men's hair. Many people today learn men's haircutting through cosmetology programs, while traditional barbering is its own discipline, with its own techniques, history, and approach to the client.
For example, in traditional barbering, the mirror is not simply something the client stares into while the barber works. The barber positions himself between the client and the mirror, using it as a tool to inspect the haircut from another perspective and check the quality, balance, and finish of the work.
That attention to detail is part of what I value about traditional barbering. The goal isn't simply to make a haircut look good when the client walks out the door — it's to understand the fundamentals of the craft, respect the traditions that came before us, and consistently deliver a haircut that is precise, appropriate, and built for the man wearing it.
Today, I continue to barber because I genuinely love the trade. I enjoy the craft, the conversation, the relationships, and the satisfaction of doing something well with my hands. After the years I've spent learning, teaching, traveling, and barbering, I still believe there is something special about the traditional barbershop — a place where a man can get a great haircut, relax, talk, laugh, and feel like he's among friends.
For me, barbering was never just a career change.
It became a passion for the craft and a way of life.