Meet Taylor Stevens

Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Stevens.

Taylor, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My story started very differently as I did not plan on being a barber due to the fact that barbering was not culturally accepted as a career path where I grew up. At the age of 10 years old, I started cutting my families hair and as I perfected my craft, word started getting about my skill set. This led me to set up a station in garages around my neighborhood where I started taking outside clients. In the area I grew up, cartoon characters were very popular and I built up my craft by perfecting the art of drawing but with hair and clippers as my tools. I used to be a skate boarder back in my childhood days and I would trade candy, chips, and soda for cool character cuts. As my young skills started growing, I started earning $5.00 a haircut around my middle school days, which helped grow my entrepreneurial skills at a young age.

In high school, I started getting in to sports and as my teammates learned of my barbering skills, I was not just their teammate but also the teams personal barber. When I was 13, my parents signed me up for barbering college and I soon became the youngest student ever enrolled to go through the program. For the next two years I would go once a week every Wednesday, from 3:00-5:00pm after I completed my high school classes all while juggling a barbering position at different barbershops in the city while I completed my hours for the California state barbering license. During college, I continued mastering my craft in the barbershop, taking clients at $15.00-$20.00 a hair cut around my class schedule. Upon college graduation, I set up a private studio at my home where I continued taking clients at $30.00 a hair cut for about seven years until my barber brother Jonathan (@bestestbarber) contacted me about a barber position at Elegance Studio in LA.

The following day I spoke with the CEO and after our discussion, I found my self headed down to LA to start the next chapter of my career. After 22 years of working behind the chair, I have evolved my career and am now using my knowledge to education barbers from all walks of life. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and helping others grow within their own career. These days you can catch me not only in the shop still bringing clients to life but also sharing my knowledge across the country on stages and individually with my fellow barbers and students eager to learn.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been a smooth road but with everything there are always struggles. I had never been to LA before and I had to start over re-building my clientele in a strange place without being known. To build up my clients and their trust, I starting offering haircuts for $50.00 just to get people in my chair so I could show them my talent.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a transformer, I transform people from today into tomorrow by building their confidence with a great hair service. I specialize in men and women hair cuts, designs, and men’s grooming. I am known for bringing people back to their best looks, I revitalize clients by bringing to light their best qualities starting with their hair. I have the ability to change lives and am able to impact someone in such a positive way which is what I am most proud of.

I am very charismatic, outgoing, cultured, and I make sure that I stay true to my self and the game. Everyone I interact with whether it be in my chair or just interacting with people on the street, I make sure that they always keep a smile on their face and feel as if they belong. My genuine loyalty is what sets me apart in a city where at times, loyalty is but just a word and not one taken to heart.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My future plans are to teach young kids coming into the barbering industry the true meaning of barbering and to give them the education that I was given so that they can grow and be successful within their craft.

I am looking to change the game! I want to inspire people to not be afraid of taking chances and doing something that may not seem “acceptable” to the “outside” but that is acceptable to them while always staying trustful. I want everyone to know their worth and be confident and motivated to ask for their worth. I want to motivate people to keep fighting in the eyes of adversity.

Pricing:

• Cut & beard: $300.00
• House Calls: $600.00
• Barbering Classes: $3,000

Contact Info:

• Website: https://la.elegancestudio.com/
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @taylorcutz1
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/elegance-studio-los-angeles

Image Credit:
David Cruz (@videobydavidcruz)

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