Today we’d like to introduce you to Donald Conley.
Donald, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in Compton, CA to a single parent home due to my father’s incarceration. My home was settled in a tight-knit community and as years progressed and times changed that tight-knit community would fall victim to crack and gang culture. I played sports as a youth but never found a true passion for athletics.
At the early age of 13, I was introduced to a lifestyle that would take me on a great deal of negative turns. However one year prior to this, I did fall in love with cutting hair after years of my mother “butchering” my haircuts I decided that I would give it a shot. The first time I tried it was a disaster, but I stuck to it and before you knew it I began cutting my friends as well as some of their parents. The allure of fast money however caused me to journey down another path until I finally was discovered by my mother selling drugs. My parents (my father had recently paroled) took me to the Compton Police department and had me detained by law enforcement in attempts to create a “scared straight” affect; it didn’t work and before you know it I was back on the street corner with the intent to make “fast money”.
In this process however, my parents did make me agree that since I had no plans to attend college that I would need to join the military immediately upon graduation. I enlisted and left for the US Navy shortly after my commencement ceremonies. My naval career spanned almost four years in which I had a rocky start, fighting, drinking far too much, basically unfocused. It was after a bad haircut experience that I returned to my home base of Atsugi, Japan with my clippers from my home. I began cutting my hair again and in a sense the same fashion that my friends in my neighborhood became my customers now my shipmates did the same.
Upon the completion of my enlistment, I tried to go to schools but the skills they offered were instilled in me during my service so I got a job on corporate America. This lasted a year and within 18 months, I had enrolled in Barber School but this wasn’t the end of the story. I still didn’t have my “act” together and I was kicked out and escorted by police from my first barber school. The second school I attended (by this time I was incredibly humbled) welcomed me with open arms intact gave me a job as a young father with a daughter to raise. I’d like to say the rest is history.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Kicked out of my first barber school because of my poor attitude and temper. I worked in a total of nearly ten barber shops early in my career.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Barberizm The Shoppe – what should we know?
Barberizm The Shoppe is in the heart of downtown Compton amidst the shadow of the largest building in the city the courthouse. What makes us unique is the perspective that we are in the city but we represent ourselves with the highest regards for our customers and community in general. Our motto is “Bringing high-end to the Hub (Compton’s nickname).
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Integrity.
Contact Info:
- Address: 312 W. Compton Blvd. 101
Compton, CA 90220 - Phone: 4247855566
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: barberizmtheshoppe
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