Nice to meet ya!

Nicky Aminov is a barber at V’s Barbershop in Scottsdale, AZ. He greeted me warmly on my recent visit to his shop on my AZ vacation. The shop is retro-modern, bright, clean and friendly… Just the kind of place I would go if I lived in his town… Just the kind of place I would cut hair if I was still cutting hair… I could hang out there all day. They even sell T shirts with the shop logo. I should have bought one.

Open source collaboration

I am reading an interesting book titled “We Are Smarter Than Me”. It is a book on the amazing power of open source collaboration. Got me thinkin’. What type of clipper would be the result of an open source clipper design initiative?… so… here we go. I want to hear from you. I will be posting clipper design questions here in my blog. I will title the blog entries “Open Source…” so you will immediately recognize the entries. Please send me an email to expert@andis.com with your thoughts and opinions regarding the answer to the question posted. The beauty of this is that there are NO wrong answers. I want your honest, experienced, professional input. In open source everyone has a voice. If you jump into this a bit late, please go back to prior blog entries so you can contribute on all aspects and all questions. I will want some demographic info as well to help me frame your input. Please also tell me your gender and your number of years experience in the business. We will start out simple and get more technically detailed down the road. First question… Would the ultimate clipper be corded or cordless? And why? Talk to me.

My hair...

…is longer than it has been in quite a while. I am growing the top out… still having Roy taper up the sides tight every 2 weeks. I am not sure why I am doing this… or what the goal is… but I am a hair farmer for just a while and we will see what becomes of the project… it is still a clipper cut… at least half of it is… you can’t call the top a cut if you do not cut it.

Barber shops galore

The December hurricane in Puerto Rico diverted my vacation to Phoenix. My barbershop radar is always on and tuned in quite well. I can smell the aftershave. I can hear the clippers from a good way off. On this trip I was picking up more shops than I have ever seen in any city in America. They were everywhere. I wonder just how many more shops there are here per capita than in other cities. There were shops in all neighborhoods. The usual range was here from very nice, retro/modern places to the old and dingy neighborhood favorites. I wonder if the numbers of retirees makes for more barbers available to work? Although in the shops I visited there were plenty of younger barbers to be found. More research is needed. Likely, during the winter again.

Power Point

I delivered one of the best presentations of my selling career. The centerpiece of the presentation was a power point presentation unlike any I have ever used before or seen presented. I followed some advice I read in a book recently about presentation and persuasion. This was not the first time I have implemented a golden nugget form this particular book. I recently used another idea to score a big win. The book had been recommended by a colleague. The colleague then became the victim of my education and ability to use the information I absorbed from the book. You have to be careful what you tell me to read. I just might learn something… And then I just might use it. Hint: Thank you Jeffrey Gitomer.

Moo!

Do you hear that? No, you didn’t. You might if you listen hard. What are you listening for? You are listening for a “Big Moo”. I just finished the book by that name. It is a follow-up to Seth Godin’s Purple cow from a few years back. Your business needs a big moo if it is to survive. The book is a collaboration of insights from the 33 brightest minds in business management today. There is GREAT stuff there. Get it. Read it… hopefully you get it and your organization can benefit from it.

4 min

I cut a clipper fade on a textured model at a recent class. I even amaze myself most of the time with the speed and simplicity of the Andis 4 min. fade technique. This guy was easily the best fade I have ever cut in front of a crowd… and it almost cut itself. Have you tried this yet? What are you watin' for?

Remember me?

I have not forgotten about all of you and my blog. No excuses. I have been busy and I have been not very busy. What I mean is that the shows and education slow down a bit this time of year. You know that. Salons are way too busy to go out to attend events. This works well for me here in that I get very busy with a lot of end of year wrap-up and next year planning. I have great things planned for 2008. I have written some interesting programs and I am just now getting these things out to distributors for the coming spring show season. I look forward to seeing you on the road and sharing more great Andis information in 2008.

I have no class

I worked a recent show. I did not have a spot in a classroom. I did not cut on the floor. I was there to set, run and manage the booth. We had a great member of the Andis team there to cut. By my normal show standards this was a very easy weekend for me. The hardest part of the weekend was explaining to stylists why I was not the cutter in the classroom. It is great to have developed a following and it is not my or Andis’ intention to disappoint, but, the next generation of Andis cutters has some great skills and passion for sharing what they know. Look for me AND members of the team on the show circuit in 2008.

I have no class

I worked a recent show. I did not have a spot in a classroom. I did not cut on the floor. I was there to set, run and manage the booth. We had a great member of the Andis team there to cut. By my normal show standards this was a very easy weekend for me. The hardest part of the weekend was explaining to stylists why I was not the cutter in the classroom. It is great to have developed a following and it is not my or Andis’ intention to disappoint, but, the next generation of Andis cutters has some great skills and passion for sharing what they know. Look for me AND members of the team on the show circuit in 2008.

Pay to play

Show tickets for salon international were 20 BP, about $40. Just about the same as a ticket to a show here. Classes were extra. There was a list of many classes, all for extra cost. The list was long. The names were big names in our industry. The prices were high by my assessment. It is interesting to me that show attendees here would balk at paying for off the floor education and really balk at prices like the equivalent of $150 for a 2 hour presentation. But at Salon International the classes sold well and were attended well. What does that say about the value placed on education both here and there? What does that say about the show model here in the U.S.?

Non-commercial hair

Once again travel and exposure proves to be educational and motivational and inspirational. Just walking the floor at Salon International in London, U.K. has made me a better haircutter. How many shows will you hear me say that about? So often we look at stage work as non-commercial and less than applicable to our daily lives behind a chair. It is easy to dismiss a haircut, a look or a technique as “not my market”. Well then, just whose market is it anyway? It is your market if you want it. We need to be comfortable pushing change if we are to see clients willing to go down a new, inspired and creative road with us. I saw many haircuts walking the floor at Salon International that you would have easily dismissed as non-commercial. You might say, “just a minute, those are show attendees… that is not the haircut buying public”. First, someone cut it for them… so someone WAS a customer. Next, you lead by example… if you will not wear something bold do not expect a client base of bold cuts. There are always those within your client base asking for then new and the fresh. There are those who can be led there. There are those who will need a bit of a push to get there. And, of course, there are those who will never go there. You will never know, unless you get pushing. Find the limits and push the boundaries. It is better for the client to offer up some resistance to your pushing than for you never to have pushed the boundaries.

Hair Tattooing

Get your trimmer out and get ready. Hair tattooing is becoming more popular every day. If you are not doing it now, you will. If you are already doing a bit of it, you are an early adopter here in the U.S. You are leading the pack. Get your practice in now and be prepared for the added traffic, sales and new clients it will bring. Just like the ability to cut a strong flattop, crisp, clean and creative trimmer design work will bring new client referrals. My suggestions would be to start simple and work your way t more intricate designs. Start with lines and curves. Work your way up to geometric designs. Be prepared to make the jump to sports team logos, cartoon characters and much more intricate designs. Be ready at the cash register too. Be prepared to charge additionally for this frequently time consuming add-on service. Do not be shy about the $. Use a realistic reflection of the value of your time and efforts. At the Salon international show I described the hair tattooing we were doing on stage as motivational and inspirational. The designs I was creating were motivational, that is to say that show attendees would see me working on a design and say to themselves, “Hey, I can do that”. MK and Kevin’s work was more inspirational, that is to say, an attendee would look at the design work they were doing and say, “some day I MIGHT be able to do that!” practice is the key, along with a host of tricks of the trade that MK was sharing from the platform. I was listening. I cane home both motivated and inspired and have created a few very cool designs in the last 2 weeks.

Hair Tattooing

My last visit to Salon International was a big introduction to the popularity of Hair tattooing... We see some of it here… more of it over there. Last year even I did a little… This year I did a lot. The Andis booth was the juxtaposition of motivation and inspiration. The designs I was doodling into heads were motivational… a show attendee watching me would think, “Hey, I can do that”… motivated to buy a trimmer and try it. The much more intricate and complicated designs done by both MK and Kevin were purely inspirational… “If I practice, maybe I can do THAT!” There is a big difference. The lesson is universal to clipper cutting and the beauty industry. Try it. Practice it. Some day soon you can be really good at it.

Show me

I am writing this on the long plane flight back to the U.S. from the Salon International show in London, U.K. If you are serious about cutting hair you need to go to a show outside the U.S. There is so much more out there than what we are exposed to in our own country. Don’t get me wrong. It is not an issue of good or bad, right or wrong or worse or better… it is all about different. Last year was my first time to a show in Europe. It was all new. So much new in fact that there was just too much there to take it all in and way too much for me to isolate specific differences… it was ALL different. This time I could both recognize familiar things from my last visit as well as really SEE some things in stark contrast to what we see at our shows. In the next few blog entries I will get specific about what I have seen and my impressions. Meanwhile, get on the web. Pick a show and start saving your tips. Wow! There are great things to see and experience out there.

FREE Prize Inside

Get this book now. Read this book now. I just found it on the shelf at the library when I was looking for reading material for the long flight to London for Salon International. I am only about of the way into it, but I already know it is a must-read for today’s salon professional. I have read several other titles by Seth Godin. They have all been relevant to our industry and filled with information that you can turn into cash. FREE Prize inside! is the title. Read it and email me to tell me what you will do with the information in the book to innovate in your business, job and career.

My T-Out gets bumped

I have been traveling with a fairly consistent set of tools for a few years. I have a few padded thermal lunch cooler bags left over from my KENRA days. They offer some padding and protection for my tools, beyond my world famous gym socks. One bag has a set of 3 Experience tools for full service events. One bag has a set of open line goods for non-full service events. The open line bag has been stocked with BGRc, Improved Master and T-Outliner, the basic, classic, world class barbering trio. I recommend that these three tools are the barbering trio of choice for all serious men’s haircutters throughout North America. Just last week I gave away my T-out as a sample to a barber from Barbers Only magazine at the end of the Premiere show in Birmingham, AL. My plan was to grab up a new one when I got back to the factory the following day and restocked my tool kit for my next adventure. I was reloading my bag and reached for a T-Out. I paused for a second and then made the grab. But I grabbed the Styliner M3 instead. The new Styliner M3 has been hot selling and very well received. It is the most powerful, most durable and most expensive trimmer we have ever offered. The best should use and feature the best. I just need to start lobbying for my square blade one. Everyone knows I am one of the one in five Outliner users who prefer the square blade. I just might have to start lobbying my friends in engineering or the model shop to hatch me a one-of-a-kind Styliner M3SQ. Keep your eye on my bag and keep a lookout for what is in my hand. You never know, you just might spot a one-of-a-kind.

Have one class, have another

I was invited to present a class, but no haircutting, just clipper care and maint. and clipper selection and newest and latest in clipper technology. No problem. An instructor from the school told me a few years back that they did not want a guest clipper cutter hot shot coming in and showing off all kinds of tricky things and leaving them to re-train all the bad habits I would surely bring to the students. I can respect that. There is no question that some of what I share is a bit unorthodox, hey, that is what MOST come to see anyway. But, an instructor with a solid program, having put a lot of effort into students, might just have reason to be a bit leery of me and my shtick. So I went. I did a class. The program went well. The students were receptive and energized. The next day the phone rang. Hey, could you come back and do a haircutting program? Apparently they liked what they saw. Nothing beats an energetic sampling of your goods or service. The day after the cutting class at the school I get a call from a local salon wanting a class. A student from the class is a receptionist at a local shop and was raving. I was invited to come to this school regularily to present to ALL haircutting classes. And so it grows. It is just like referrals behind the chair. Do good. Offer solid information and service and the new business will come running. It is nice to see that some things do not change.

Had me a Kewpee

They pointed the Kewpee out to me when I was downtown Racine for the mowhawks event for the dragon boat team. I have never been there or heard of the Kewpee. Apparently it is a famous burger stand in Racine. Not open at night. I was to be in downtown Racine for a class so I made a point of a visit. I now know what all the hoopla is about. It was nasty, greasy and wonderful. The restaurant features stools around a low counter, a few tables, and a simple menu on a letter board on the grill vent hood. Definitely, low tech and simple. I was amazed that they take credit cards. I would add Kewpee to the list of Racine, WI must-dos. I am not sure if there is anything else on the list, though.

The long and the short of it

This week was Premiere, Birmingham, AL. The show season looks to be very similar to this past spring. While I am busy working on making hair shorter there is a lot of emphasis on the show floor on making hair longer. Hair additions, extensions weaves and wigs continue to take up a lot of space on the floor. Andis and I are even in the game to the extent that the NEW Lola and Ruby textureizing guide combs set have 2 cutter guards that are ideally suited to blaending extensions into natural hair. The big guys on the liquid side are either noticeably absent or just small and quiet. Small to mid sized, B, C, or even D brands are getting attention. There was a booth from a little liquid company I have never heard of at the end of an aisle where two guys were demo cutting. The floor was ankle deep in hair and the crowd was twelve deep in spectators. And, sorry to say it guys, but these guys were nobody. With so many shops dissatisfied with the big boys, it is easy for the little guys to make a very powerful connection with stylists. I think the industry is ripe for a relevant C or a D brand to make a big push to the forefront.
Clipper cutting continues to rock. My classes were full. I shared a classroom with the guys from barbers only magazine and they presented some great programming too. I had to give them my T-Outliner when the day was done. I saw one of their T-outs was old, beaten up and held together with tape. I was kidding the guy about it. He would not part with it, though as he said it is a good old friend and special to him. It is great to see and hear that kind of passion for Andis tools. My flat top demo drew the expected largest crowd of the weekend. The 4 minute fade is fast becoming an attendee favorite too. The reverse blend taper cut is still my signature class. It is a good thing that audiences love it because it is likely my favorite thing to demo as well, so I will likely be sharing it for years to come.

Illumoination to go

The Illuminator dryer is in stock and ready to ship. With the ViewMaster having come in to stock the week prior we now have 4 tools and a full line to offer in illuminated LED technology tools. No one else in the industry can offer this real benefit based feature. These will be fun to sell and demo. This will be a great way to light up your holiday season and add some sparkle to your work. Happy holiday season just a bit early.

SRO Flat top

It was standing room only again for my flat top demo class this past weekend. It never fails. I will have to push Andis to let me do a flat top DVD… There is soooo much interest out there for this clipper cut. My son was the model, so of course the cut was sharp. It helps to have a great model.

More on the 4 min. fade

Wow! You guys were really interested. I have had more emails requesting information on my Andis 4 min. fade technique than any other blog posting to date. I am happy to share… just keep asking for my help. It works for me.

Groomer needed

Are you a dog groomer with talent and enthusiasm? I have a great lead for a great job for a dog groomer in the near north shore Chicago suburbs. Contact me through the Andis site for info if you are interested.

KC, MO BBQ

I have never eaten a full slab of BBQ ribs in a moving vehicle and not gotten some sauce on my shirt. I am proud to state that I kept that streak alive this past week in KC, MO. I was crazy to try it… and would have been crazier NOT to! Wow, was that great!

Bronner bros. Aug. 2007

The August Bronner Bros. show was a hot event in more ways than one. Of course, the weather was hot and muggy. Of course, I got to Turner field for the first few innings of the Braves’ game before the rains came. Of course, Andis’ presence at the show was a big success. Highlights of the event included… a full sell out of spaces for competitors at the barbering competition… a standing-room-only crowd in my revolution cutting clipper class… a strong presence of business minded men’s haircutters at my Manpower class. Antonio McGill rocked the floor with his solid presentation at the Atlanta barber and beauty booth. Kenny Duncan was a standout in his presentation with Major League Barber. One of the most important things I noticed this time was the increase in general market vendors as well as an increase in general market attendees. If this show was to market itself to more general market vendors and continue to focus on diversity… they already own Atlanta… they could own the entire eastern half of the U.S. for dominance in a truly multi-ethnic beauty show. See you there again in Feb.

4 min. fade

Giovonni’s head was a sight to behold. He was the proud owner of a 4 min fade. I had just finished trying out, for the first time, the horizontal fading technique I referred to in an earlier blog post. It works great. This was the best and the fastest fade I have ever clippered. You need to try this! It just plain works great. I am working on some graphics and a tech sheet to explain this concept. Be on the lookout for it. Email me if you want a copy.

Apple Tree haircuts

For the second year in a row I donated a morning to the Apple Tree campaign in my neighborhood. Apple Tree is a program that provides brand spankin’ new backpacks and all the needed school supplies for under priveledged kids in the community. A great idea last year was to add to the pick-up day visits, FREE back-to-school haircuts for the kids. Professionals like me donate a half day to come in and provide the FREE haircuts. It was just like any day in the shop from the old days. I did 15 haircuts from 9 to noon. It was split just about evenly between boys and girls cuts. The photo shows the wall of names of the kids who participated in the program. It is a big wall with a lot of names. It is a great program and I am happy to be a part of it.

Back to school

It is that time of the year again. The clippers should be a’buzzing. We always said, “If you cannot get busy this time of year something is wrong”. Back to school time is prime time to be building clientele. Everything about your business should be in prime operating condition. This is a great time to make best, first impressions with all that new traffic. Earn their business. Win them back. Keep them coming.

Horizontal fading

The Barbers International convention was a great opportunity to share and learn from other professionals. I have always said that clipper cutting education is less about telling someone something new and more about reminding clipper cutters of great things that they forgot they knew. I got a great lesson in this from an attendee. A clipper cutter from TX reminded me of the idea of starting faded haircuts with a horizontal section cut around the head at the fade point parallel to the fade point as opposed to the classic approach of working perpendicular to the fade point. Many have heard me rail against putting in hard lines and then having to struggle to work these lines off. A 000 blade run around the head first, sideways, along the fade point will cut shorter below the fade point and longer above it due to the curve of the head. This sets you up for fast and easy fading. Try it some time. I think you will like it. But you already knew that. You just forgot you knew it… like I did!

Half way

How far am I willing to go for a customer? Aparently, pretty far. Have a look at the image here. This is a historical marker I found along the road to see a customer. The customer is located just NORTH of here by a few miles... so... I can truly say, "I drove more than half way to the north pole to see a customer". This spot is the geographical mid-point between the north pole and the equator. Hey guys, it was worth it. Thank you for seeing me and supporting me and the Andis brand!

Toughest flat top

I am the king of the flattop haircut, but you already knew that. What you might not have known is that even I can have a tough time cutting a flattop sometimes. Some heads cut easier than others. Some hair texture is easier to flattop than others. I have always believed the right tools are the key. I proved that to myself at this DVD shoot. The new clipper we were featuring for the shoot was more than up to the task. I hit the wall on the comb. Because it is a retail, Andis at Home, DVD I needed to use the comb that came with the clipper in the kit. The comb in the kit was a standard 7” cutting comb, not a clipper comb. The kid was a fine textured blonde, perfect for camera work on a flattop. Not so perfect to be cut with a 7” standard comb. You will really enjoy watching me force this flattop with a small comb. I guess it is a testament to my flattopping ability that I was able to nail the task with the wrong comb. What the world will not see is a ton of extra footage of me fighting to make the haircut happen. Bottom line… it is flat on the top…. And it was cut with the wrong kind of comb, but you knew that too.

Sore fingers

My fingers are bleeding. Not from an out of control clipper cut, but from hammering away at my laptop in order to get the DVD script in on time. We are up against a tighter deadline for this disc than we have been in the past. It will not be a problem to meet the deadline as the footage we captured is event better than the last. Experience pays off. We were able to stage the shots better, got them down faster and were edited in record time. The footage was great and the disc will be crisp, clear and easy to follow. Stay tuned.

Meet Maria

I stopped by the retail dog grooming DVD shoot today. We shot the B&B DVD last week. Today was poodle and schnauzer cut time. I got to meet Maria Tully in person for the first time. We email most weeks, but as busy clipperers our paths had not crossed until today. Never before has there been so much clipper cutting knowledge in one room at the same time. It was great to meet her and watch her handle a doggie. Seemed just like the DVD we shot last week. Not much different. Same result anyway.

The dvd shoot

Sometimes the models work out. This was one of those times. I had hunted for weeks for the right models for our new retail DVD. I had way too many names and pictures of candidates who did NOT fit the profile. My final selections were all great. Everyone showed up on time, with appropriate clothing, with the hair they claimed to have… The shoot went off smoothly. The best news, though, was the tool. The new clipper we were using (that I cannot tell you about yet) was great fun to cut with. Skipper and I are sure it will be a big success for Andis. Keep your eyes and ears for news of its introduction.

Teaching teachers to teach

Tuesday was fun. I spent the day with a group of cosmetology educators. It was a chance for them to experience my train-the-trainer clipper cutting class. The industry is well aware of the great support we provide to schools with Andis tools in their clipper kits. This class is the crown jewel of our offerings. I took a peak at the participant evaluations… the educators definitely agree with me on that last point. I impressed them in the beginning with my ability to learn all of their name sand get them all right, in order and use their names throughout the day. It is an old trick I learned in a trainers class myself… works every time… email me if you want to know the secret… I am good to up to about 35-40 names in a small group.

Barber itch

Everyone in the haircutting business has heard of barber itch. It is the rash you get the day after a haircut in a shop with poor sanitization practices. I have barber itch of a different type… I am itching to get to a barber shop. I am in the throws of the longest stretch on record that I can remember me going without a haircut. The TX haircut debacle is still hanging over my head, literally. My wife cleaned up the edges a few days ago. I am still waiting to have enough hair to make the visit to Roy to have him bring me back into the world of the reasonably haired.

Mowhawks to Go!

Wow! What fun I had. One of the guys who works back in the plant is a member of a dragon boat team that competes in a race in Racine each summer. The team is sponsored by a local tavern. The team competes under the name “The Crash Test Monkeys”. This is a great bunch of more than slightly crazy guys. They compete every year sporting mowhawks. Andis is a sponsor of the team. This year they decided it was time for them to call in a professional to execute the mowhawk cutting. The bar was filled with the team as well as an assortment of family, fans and curious patrons. In the back, near an outlet in the dark I carved up about 10 members of the team. A few guys have “real jobs” and for them the mowhawk was not a viable hairstyle for Monday morning. One of the female bartenders was this close to sporting the mowhawk but she was a few beers short of taking the plunge. If I did not have to get to my sons little league game I would have waited around and she would have had a mowhawk too. Easy to do. Fast and fun. Mohawks anyone?

Models needed

Big dvd shoot later this month... I need a few models... a classic taper and a classic bob... anyone interested? Please contact me through the Andis web site.

The Boarding Area

Time to go home. We were waiting for our flight home from Dallas. The boarding area was crowded. Our gate and the 2 neighboring ones were filled with soldiers awaiting flights to Iraq. They were sitting on chairs, standing in groups and clustered on the floor. I can sleep well knowing this well trained, qualified and proud group is out there protecting our freedoms. I can also take comfort in knowing the clipper cutting is alive and well in both the civilian world and the military. I very much enjoyed the opportunity to study some of the best clipper cutting on the planet. I saw a few flattops that had me longing for some flatness to the top of my hair (see the blog entry about my current haircut). It was interesting to have the time and the opportunity to closely study the vast array of interpretations of what some might think is a narrow category of haircutting that qualifies as “military”.

The Flat Iron Kiosk

There is a flat iron Kiosk at the Galleria in Dallas. I stopped by to peruse the offerings. A helpful sales person asked if I needed any assistance. I asked a few questions. The answers I got were interesting. I asked follow up questions. Some of the answers left me with even more questions. The biggest question(s) I was left with was how many consumers and hair styling fanatics are getting their information from situations like this and how good, accurate and viable is the information they are getting? I am also amazed at the vast array of choices available to hairstyling appliance users in both tools to buy and places to buy them. How many different flat irons can there be and how different are they? Can a user really tell the difference? Andis has always occupied the value end of the appliance category. Our tools have all the latest features and perform at the highest level of customer expectation. We have never been the close to the most expensive of the tools out there. We can deliver high performance tools at aggressively competitive prices. Why can’t the other guys?

The Haircut from... San Antonio

It is a good thing I have my brand spankin’ new Buc-ee hat. A real good thing. I am now sportin’ the absolutely most horrible haircut I have ever had in my life. I have worn the new Buc-ee hat every waking hour since 10:25 a.m. Wednesday, June 20, 2007. To learn of the legend of the Buc-ee hat see blog entry of 6.20.07. I will be wearing the hat for just a while longer. I’m 43 years old. I still have a full head of hair. I should just shut up now. But… wow I am a sorry sight with this lame excuse of a not flat top. The sides of the cut are different from one another. The top is not flat. The front edge rounds down (my absolute least favorite element). The front edge is sloped. Any regular reader of this blog or attendee at my shows knows I get my hair cut every week. When I am home Roy is my guy. Roy is a talented master barber with over 40 year’s experience. Roy works slowly and methodically. Roy has never turned out anything less than tonsorial perfection. Could it be that I am just spoiled? I do not think so. Roy gets $14 for a cut and I give him an $20 and he appreciates keeping the change. This cut was $7. If I could turn the clock back I would give this guy $7… and the rest of the $20 bill NOT to cut my hair. It is not just that this haircut is NOT what I asked for. I have had a number of technically excellent haircuts that just were not what I wanted. This one is not only NOT what I wanted… it is a technical train wreck.







It is a good thing I have my brand spankin’ new Buc-ee hat. A real good thing. I am now sportin’ the absolutely most horrible haircut I have ever had in my life. I have worn the new Buc-ee hat every waking hour since 10:25 a.m. Wednesday, June 20, 2007. To learn of the legend of the Buc-ee hat see blog entry of 6.20.07. I will be wearing the hat for just a while longer. I’m 43 years old. I still have a full head of hair. I should just shut up now. But… wow I am a sorry sight with this lame excuse of a not flat top. The sides of the cut are different from one another. The top is not flat. The front edge rounds down (my absolute least favorite element). The front edge is sloped. Any regular reader of this blog or attendee at my shows knows I get my hair cut every week. When I am home Roy is my guy. Roy is a talented master barber with over 40 year’s experience. Roy works slowly and methodically. Roy has never turned out anything less than tonsorial perfection. Could it be that I am just spoiled? I do not think so. Roy gets $14 for a cut and I give him an $20 and he appreciates keeping the change. This cut was $7. If I could turn the clock back I would give this guy $7… and the rest of the $20 bill NOT to cut my hair. It is not just that this haircut is NOT what I asked for. I have had a number of technically excellent haircuts that just were not what I wanted. This one is not only NOT what I wanted… it is a technical train wreck.

Buc-ee's!

We got on the road from Galveston to SanAntonio. No sooner were we on our way that we saw a billboard for Buc-ee’s! We did not know what Buc-ee’s is. The billboard showed the miles to go and the exit for it. Every so often another Buc-ee’s billboard would pop up. The boards have funny ads on them. Pretty soon we were able to figure that Buc-ee’s was a truck stop and gas station on the road to San Antonio. By the time we were just a few miles away the boys and I were fully lathered up for the entire Buc-ee’s experience. The fact that the Buc-ee logo was an awesome looking beaver head in a ball cap only made the anticipation greater and we were sure that whatever lay ahead at Buc-ee’s would be a true delight. We were NOT disappointed. Buc-ee’s is a grand truck stop. They have their own house brand popcorn, a long counter of fresh(?) deli served and weighed jerky. The usual soda, chips and snacks are all here, of course. The bathrooms were so large, clean and spectacular that my wife felt the need to take a picture in the ladies. The goldmine, though was the section of Buc-ee’s logo merchandise. I just had to have a Buc-ee’s hat (the decision to purchase the Buc-ee hat proved to be highly fortuitous just a day later). My little guy got a mini stuffed Buc-ee beaver to be our mascot the rest of the trip.

Vacation.

It is Tx time...
Lone Star Calssice... Rangers Vs. Astros, BBQ and more!
Watch for updates.

Premiere 2007

3 days worth of hair show packed into 2 days. Thank you SE regional sales manager for setting uo the enitre booth yourself!

Premiere 2007

Moving he show to June might be btter... less heat and humidity... NOT!!

Sneak Peek

I got a first look at some exciting new hair care product coming soon from a chain salon. Nice stuff. Good fragrance. The firm hold gel is really good... most important to a guy and a clipper cutter. Way to go. Looks to be fantastic stuff.

Back to TX

I had not been to TX for a number of years. Now I am here again for the second time in 2 months for clipper stuff and will be back for a 3rd trip, a family vacation in June.
Ye Ha!

Grand Opening

My wife and I attended the grand opening of a new location for a large beauty school chain. It is nice to see the health and growth that the school segment of our industry is enjoying. Enrollments are up, tuition is high, raining is better than ever.
Note: Hot job opportunity in the industry is school educator... lots O'jobs.

Sell, Sell, Sell

Today was fun. I was asked to facilitate a full service sales meeting for one of our sales managers. I have not done a sales meeting in way too long. I forgot just how much fun that is... and just how good at it I am... They sold the warehouse empty the next day. We had to scramble to quick ship them some more... next month... :)

Tied!

I tied my fastest haircut record cutting NASCAR's Make Wallace this weekend. 2 min. and 9 sec. was all I needed to get the job done. I guess I am still in fighting trim!

Speed meets speed

The world’s fastest haircutter will cut the hair of one of the worlds fastest drivers this weekend. Mike Wallace drives a Busch Series car sponsored by SportClips. I will be cutting his hair at the 400th SportClips store grand opening in Las Vegas this weekend. I hope he can sit still long enough for me to get it done.

Makes me happy

I made a new friend at the show this past weekend. The demonstrator from American Crew was across the aisle from the Andis booth. He was using his CrewMaster clipper with an Andis Ceramic EdgeBlade on it. We see this all the time. The really good haircutters know the difference and prefer Andis blades. Even when the have to use the competitions clipper they run an Andis blade on it. Makes me happy!

The next generation

My son stepped up to the booth this past weekend in his first foray into clipper sales. We caught a Pirates Vs. Reds game at PNC and he came along for the hair show. He was a standout selling the Elevate tools trio. No one was allowed to walk away from the booth without all 3 pieces. Big savings for the customers… Big sales for Andis… He just might have a future in this business… better finish high school first.

Doodles to dollars

The newest Andis item started its life as a doodle on a bar napkin and is now available for purchase. I came up with the idea for the Lola and Ruby Texture combs at the airport after a show. I made a rough drawing of my idea and shared it with our team. Engineering built me a prototype and with a few tweaks we had us a winner. Look for this exciting new item at a dealer near you very soon.

AL=33

I have an amazing collection of snappy little clipper tips. I will begin sharing them here under the title, what else?... Clipper Tips... One each week will be good... I have enough for about 6 years ready to go... Maybe I will write a book someday.

Tip #1
Hang Around -- Hang your clippers by the bail loops to avoid drops and damage.

Tip#6

Summer Camp : Just like mom did with your socks and underwear for camp, put your name on all your tools. An engraving pen will keep all your tools yours.

Tip#6

Boxing Lesson -- Keep the original box from your clipper. Store the clipper in the box when it will not be used for an extended period of time. Use the original box to protect the tool when shipping for service.

The Not-so-flat top

ClipperGuy is feeling a bit stressed. I have been eating better and working out more. My weight is down a bit and I am feeling great. Traditionally when my weight is a bit lower I wear a shorter flattop. When my head is not so fat it looks better on me. I prefer the flattop because I AM ClipperGuy… I always say… if you are gonna be a seller, you got to be a buyer. The stress is coming from my not-so-flat-top. It looks kinda like a flattop, ‘cept it is not flat on the top… In my mind that would be a fundamental requirement for qualification as a flattop… it should be flat on the top. In my live presentations we frequently discuss the idea that there are many, many variations to the flattop look: full rear corners, rounded backs, beveled sides, horseshoes, etc., but, come on… it has to at least be kinda flat on the top. At least since I get my hair cut every week it has a new chance to be flat on the top very soon. P.S. Hey Roy, do not worry… you did NOT cut this one 

Tip#5

Protect Your Investment : Save your purchase receipt. Do not forget to fill out and mail in the warranty registration card packed with your clipper.

Tip#5

Boxing Lesson -- Keep the original box from your clipper. Store the clipper in the box when it will not be used for an extended period of time. Use the original box to protect the tool when shipping for service.

Making the case for blades

Andis is proud of the fact that we lead the professional beauty and barber industry in the introduction of revolutionary NEW items. We have a new item that I am especially excited about. This item does not even have a cord. The NEW Andios detachable Clipper blade travel case is here (item number 12370). This is a 12 compartment, padded inside of the lid molded plastic clipper blade case. It is perfect for traveling haircutters. I actually can get 15 blades in the case as I have come to double up T-24 and OA F/D in one compartment, Trimmer and 00000 in one and 0000 and 000A in another. It is light weight, durable and does a great job of protecting your blades. It also can be placed on the counter and you can work right from the case. You can even Cool Care spray the blades in the case as the plastic will not absorb the spray. The case is just $14.95. Be on the lookout for this great new Andis tool accessory at a dealer near you soon.

Tip#4

Boxing Lesson -- Keep the original box from your clipper. Store the clipper in the box when it will not be used for an extended period of time. Use the original box to protect the tool when shipping for service.

TX, finally

I have been traveling quite a bit for the last several years… but not to Texas for a long time. I finally got back to Texas this past week. It is a big as I remember. And dinner at Rudy’s BBQ… a restaurant in a Phillips 66 gas station was exactly what I was looking for when I asked for “real Texas BBQ”. Dinner in a gas station! Who said business travel was glamorous?

Blogs by request

I always hope someone is reading this stuff. Sometimes you just don’t know. In the past few weeks I have been getting phone messages from regular readers inquiring as to why my postings have dropped off a bit… Sorry, show season… hard to find the time. I promise to be better about it.

Tip#3

I have an amazing collection of snappy little clipper tips. I will begin sharing them here under the title, what else?... Clipper Tips... One each week will be good... I have enough for about 6 years ready to go... Maybe I will write a book someday.

Tip #1
Hang Around -- Hang your clippers by the bail loops to avoid drops and damage.

Tip#2

I have an amazing collection of snappy little clipper tips. I will begin sharing them here under the title, what else?... Clipper Tips... One each week will be good... I have enough for about 6 years ready to go... Maybe I will write a book someday.

Tip #1
Hang Around -- Hang your clippers by the bail loops to avoid drops and damage.

Autographs

I have an amazing collection of snappy little clipper tips. I will begin sharing them here under the title, what else?... Clipper Tips... One each week will be good... I have enough for about 6 years ready to go... Maybe I will write a book someday.

Tip #1
Hang Around -- Hang your clippers by the bail loops to avoid drops and damage.

Clipper Tips

I have an amazing collection of snappy little clipper tips. I will begin sharing them here under the title, what else?... Clipper Tips... One each week will be good... I have enough for about 6 years ready to go... Maybe I will write a book someday.

Tip #1
Hang Around -- Hang your clippers by the bail loops to avoid drops and damage.

The pile

The pile never seems to get any smaller. The pile is filled with gold. The pile also contains a bunch of junk. The big challenge is sifting through the pile to identify the treasures from within the heap. I have seen Andis in the pile quite a bit. I have seen our competitors in the pile as well. I have seen myself in the pile. Have I seen you in the pile? You need to be in the pile. The best and the most talented are in the pile. The loudest and the brashest are in the pile. The pile teaches me something every time I sift through it. The stuff in the pile surprises me every now in then. Some pieces of the pile come cheap. Some pieces of the pile are cheap. Some pieces of the pile are worth every penny you pay for them. Sadly, these are rare. The pile is the pile of beauty industry trade journals we get at Andis every month. It is quite a pile! When I have been gone for a while I can’t find my desk under the pile!

Onward CeramicEdge!

Andis’ Ceramic blade technology continues to win friends and converts. Andis is about to introduce 2 more tools featuring Andis CeramicEdge blade technology. I have two additional CeramicEdge technology prototypes on my desk for early-stage testing. You cannot beat the cutting performance, the cutting feel and the cool-temperature running of these tools. Durability of the edge sharpness is proving to be better than we even thought in the hands of professionals… “Harder than steel and sharper than glass” is my motto on stage when we discuss CeramicEdge blades.

Want a trophy and some cash?

Get ready to compete again. The Bronner Brothers show is coming up in a few weeks. It will be time once again for the best and brightest barbering stars to show their stuff in Atlanta, GA. This time the stakes are higher… FREE Andis BGRc’s for all competitors and $1,000 to the winner… see you there.

Andis goes geocaching

When I do not have a clipper in my hand I am likely holding a GPS. I have become addicted to the sport of geocaching in the last few years. My teammates at the Long beach show this weekend decided to head out on the hunt with me following dinner on Saturday and Sunday night. Saturday I took them to hunt 2 caches that I had already found to provide a glimpse of what we were looking for. There is a cacher in Long beach who has hidden a few really great hides all in walking distance of the convention center. They are perfect for business travelers visiting the area. On Sunday night we went off in search of two more. A good time and a bit of frustration in the hunting was had by all. I know of a few caches near the convention center in Chicago that will be scheduled for hunting in just a few weeks.

Where are the liquids?

The floor of the recent ISSE show in Long beach was distinctly lacking in wet goods manufacturers. I scoured the floor early in search of some wet goods for us to use on stage. My friends at Noixin gladly provided a set of styling liquids for us to use. Good stuff in crisp, clean packaging. The entire Nioxin booth was a stunning display of whitewashed professionalism. But, where were the other guys? It seems the big wet goods companies are opting out of these events in a big way. Many are staging their own “must attend” promotional happenings. Wella was off in another building. I never event got over there. TIGI had a booth… but, with all the diversion, who really takes them seriously, anyway? Matrix had a small booth in their distributor area, but was spending a lot of time trying to defend and spin recent distribution issues… do stylists really care? Do they want to watch you air your dirty laundry on a trade show floor? Big Sexy was there in their usual way… big, noisy and sexy. Farouk appeared a bit subdued, even Marvin seemed relaxed (if that is possible). The list of who was missing was much longer than the list of who was there. One thing is for sure. The hardware side of the business is HOT, HOT, HOT. Elevate was a huge hit for us in a very crowded appliance market. You could not move 2 booths in any direction without hitting a flat iron.

Skinny Jeans with Boots

The hot look in fashion is skinny jeans with boots. This fashion was on display in a big way at the two recent events in Southern California this week. The jeans are generally dark indigo. No light and faded hues were to be found. The boots varied quite a bit from light colored cowboy styles to inky, shiny patent leather with high fashion toes and heels. Boot heights varied from short and slouchy to over-the-knee looks. The jeans wear paint-roller smooth and tight from the waist (or low on the hips) all the way down to where they disappear into the boots. The boots seem to be the key to weather or not this look works on varied body types. Short or thicker legs get a slimming effect from lower boots. Long lean legs just get longer and leaner as the boots get taller, making a slimming look appear even slimmer. I am curious to see how this style plays out in Chicago and in New York at the spring shows there.

What is valuable?

When I do classes I like to bring a roll of 2 part raffle tickets and an assortment of Andis trinkets to raffle. I bring along an Andis tote bag with logo tee shirts, tote bags, water bottles, clipper combs, etc. When I conduct the raffle it is interesting to see how the different groups respond to different items. By far, the most popular item is the little mini Andis Improved Master clipper key chain. It is likely the least expensive item in the pile. The only one that you cannot use to make any money, yet, it is the one they all fight over. Go figure. The magical power of the Andis name and brand and the enduring quality and reputation of the Andis Improved Master clipper goes a long way.

If it moves... flat iron it.

The 1” clamp style flat iron continues to be the hot tool of the beauty industry (sorry about the pun). There have been advancements in the tools design, features and even in the stylist’s applications of it. The Andis Elevate collection iron we recently introduced has all the latest technology. It is amazing to see all of the things stylists are doing with these. At the show in England last fall we had an Andis educator who was drying and flat ironing hair before clipper texture cutting his mid length female models. These were some of the freshest looks seen on the event floor. I was even inspired enough to try it myself.

People Watching

People-watching is a favorite sport of mine. It is best done in a place like a busy airport. I certainly spend enough time at the airport. There is no better place to take the pulse of the hair business. Look and see style, length and texture on both genders and on people from all over the planet. O’Hare in Chicago is the best airport I have found for hair watching. United, concourse C, terminal one has direct flights to and from Frankfort, Beijing, London and all over the U.S.A. Grab a large beverage and a seat along the terminal walkway. I will see you there weather you are coming, going or sitting on the bench next to me watching with me.

Transitions

Years change. Seasons change. Fashions change. Hair changes too. In thinking about hair trends, style changes and what is happening in the world of clipper cutting the big word for me right now is “transitions”.

The focus in clipper cutting so often is the area(s) of transition in any haircut. In the case of a classic tapered cut there are two main transitional areas. Each is unique, yet both fundamental to the successful execution of the haircut. The perimeter of the cut where length transitions from no hair, a clean neckline, up into the main tapered area is a focal point of the cut. If you block this line in you ruin the look of the cut… If you taper it up too high you will throw off the balance of the entire look and shape. The second area of transition is where the interior layering and the perimeter tapering intersect at the crestline. This is one of the hardest clipper cutting skills to teach and learn. Not only must you create a flawless transition from short to longer, but you also need to place this transition at the appropriate point, vertically, along the cranial shape. It is all about transition.

In the example of a bald fade cut on textured hair the entire cut is about the transition. The name of the cut itself calls out the focal point and emphasizes the transition itself… the fade. Variations in style and execution allow this fade point to be placed anywhere on the head. It doesn’t matter where you put the fade, just as long as the fade itself is flawless.

What transitions have you noticed and how do they play a role in the haircut? Send me an email.

Transitions

Years change. Seasons change. Fashions change. Hair changes too. In thinking about hair trends, style changes and what is happening in the world of clipper cutting the big word for me right now is “transitions”.

The focus in clipper cutting so often is the area(s) of transition in any haircut. In the case of a classic tapered cut there are two main transitional areas. Each is unique, yet both fundamental to the successful execution of the haircut. The perimeter of the cut where length transitions from no hair, a clean neckline, up into the main tapered area is a focal point of the cut. If you block this line in you ruin the look of the cut… If you taper it up too high you will throw off the balance of the entire look and shape. The second area of transition is where the interior layering and the perimeter tapering intersect at the crestline. This is one of the hardest clipper cutting skills to teach and learn. Not only must you create a flawless transition from short to longer, but you also need to place this transition at the appropriate point, vertically, along the cranial shape. It is all about transition.

In the example of a bald fade cut on textured hair the entire cut is about the transition. The name of the cut itself calls out the focal point and emphasizes the transition itself… the fade. Variations in style and execution allow this fade point to be placed anywhere on the head. It doesn’t matter where you put the fade, just as long as the fade itself is flawless.

What transitions have you noticed and how do they play a role in the haircut? Send me an email.

Credibility

Never buy a clipper from guy with a ponytail. I do not think I need to elaborate on this one… Nuf said.

Back on the blog trail

It has been a busy holiday season around here.
My blogging has been on haitus. I am back nowand fast at work laying out an exciting Andis educational plan for 2007. I look forward to seeing ou at the next event in your area.