Meet senior Xavier Chung, a passionate and talented barber who started his journey in barbering from his bathroom. What started as a hobby soon transformed into a dedicated commitment, delivering high-quality haircuts at affordable prices.
Xavier’s barbering story started in sophomore year when he took on the challenge of cutting his own hair. After a series of overpriced and disappointing haircuts, he decided he was fed up and wanted to do it himself. Through YouTube tutorials followed by numerous trials and errors on his own hair, he built enough confidence and skill to start cutting his friends’ hair by the start of junior year. Realizing the need for more approachable haircut prices—with professional haircuts often costing upwards of $80 to $100—he set out to master barbering techniques to provide high-quality haircuts at a more inexpensive price.
His journey began with a barber kit, which taught him the basic skills of haircutting. “Using cheaper tools early on really pushed me to refine my technique,” Xavier said. Over time, as he invested more time in his craft, he slowly upgraded to more advanced equipment. Now, he has a full barbering kit, using clippers and trimmers that he saved up to buy, foil shavers, an adjustable barber chair, hair clips, combs, brushes, capes, hair and holding spray, straight razor, mirrors, curl product, and of course, his favorite tools in his arsenal–the detailing and thinning shears. These shears have become staples in Xavier’s kit, significantly enhancing his ability to deliver clean cuts to his friends. This consistent practice laid the foundation for his business, and since then, he has provided cuts to more than 30 customers, many of whom continue to return.
One of his most loyal customers and one of his closest friends, senior Bryan Zhu, has received over ten haircuts from Xavier. Bryan truly values the affordable and convenient nature of Xavier’s cuts, from the short travel to his house to the conversational experience, making them his top choice. He seeks Xavier whenever he needs a haircut–even on retreats like Quest and Kairos. He praises Xavier’s capability and attention to detail, which ensures each haircut aligns with his client’s needs and preferences.
For those interested in pursuing a career in barbering, Xavier offers one piece of advice: “Ask yourself if you are willing to take the craft seriously.” He credits his growth and successes to the sheer determination he has which carried him through the inevitable trial and error processes of barbering. He emphasizes the importance of moments of doubt that improved his development as a barber and advises novice barbers not to be discouraged by failure, but instead to view these experiences as opportunities for growth. Developing a passion and commitment for the art, he says, is what will truly help you succeed.
In the future, Xavier plans to continue his work through college and possibly as a career. He intends to build upon his existing skills while exploring fresh ideas to fuel his passion and hopes to create meaningful work that benefits and inspires others.