Antonio Brown worked at six barbershops and decided to open his own storefront. ABC Action News reports he is the founder of Central Station Barbershop and Grooming in St. Petersburg, FL. The decision to open his own shop was driven by a desire to have ownership and forge a legacy. “Seeing the things that were impacting our community, I understood the importance of ownership and entrepreneurship and different things like that,” he reflected, according to ABC Action News. “So, I wanted to step out on my own and build my own reputation and my own barbershop my way.” For nine years Central Station Barbershop and Grooming has been making its mark in the community through services that include haircuts, beard trims, hot shaves, and facials for men and women. “We have a safe space here,” Brown told the outlet. “This is a place where a barber and a client have an opportunity to have one-on-one time.” The business is also attached to a higher calling. Per the business’ website, children can...

Nineteen-year-old Diallo Gainey is an entrepreneur laser-focused on giving back to his community.

The year was 2002, and moviegoers were introduced to what would become a Black movie universe with the release of “Barbershop.” The film centered around the importance of communal gathering through a local institutional staple, the Black barbershop. In it, we see the struggles of entrepreneurship, the importance of relationships, an exposition of gender equity, and an emphatic acknowledgment of Black cultural norms. Among the many characters in the film, one of the most memorable was “Eddie,” portrayed by Cedric The Entertainer. However, the audacious and opinionated onscreen uncle we all grew to love almost didn’t come to life in the same way. Born Cedric Antonio Kyles, Cedric The Entertainer started his career as a stand-up comedian gaining some acclaim as the host of BET’s “Comic View.” From there, his career would blossom as he became a co-star of the WB’s “The Steve Harvey Show” as well as a co-headliner on the comedic tour and movie “The Kings of Comedy,” with Steve Harvey, DL...

Women’s History Month may have concluded, but Black Girl Magic is still alive and well. Shannon Jackson made history in the Benson neighborhood of Omaha, NE by opening Heavi Hitters – the first Black fully woman-owned and operated barbershop . “We’re all different ethnicities, and we’re all women,” said Alia Jackson, a cosmetologist and professional makeup artist. “It’s given our clients, a different perspective of life, being in a male-dominated world,” hairstylist Ayanna Carfield said. According to local news outlet , KETV 7, the full-service barbershop has seen consistent growth since opening in 2019. Because of that rapid growth, Heavi Hitters ran out of space, which led to their move to their current spot-on Maple Street in the Benson community. Jackson and her team of cosmetologists are making sure that their space is inclusive for all no matter their background. This level of inclusivity is seen even in the type of services that Heavi Hitters offers. Heavi Hitters is not your...

Although he got his first gig in a bathroom at Renaissance High School in Detroit, MI, it seems as though 16-year-old Cameron Tucker will go far. Tucker first picked up cutting hair over the summer after learning the basics from his Uncle Tuck, according to FOX 2. Later on, what started as cutting his younger cousins’ and friends’ hair, as well as posting his skills on social media transformed into a successful business of servicing his football teammates and fellow classmates. That successful business also made it into the school year as the outlet reports that Cameron was caught cutting his clientele of classmates’ hair in the bathroom during study hall. “I want to say wrong time, wrong place,” he told FOX 2. A phone call was made to Tucker’s mother, Cassandra, and unfortunately, Cameron was given a one-day suspension for his entrepreneurial moves as the “bathroom barber,” but those moves couldn’t keep him down for long. While Tucker will no longer be cutting hair at school, it...

Barbershop scheduling app SQUIRE continues to grow amid its success with users according to its latest funding round. A press release reports that SQUIRE Technologies, Inc. — the only full scale barbershop management and POS system of its kind — has raised a $60 million Series D, bringing its total raised since launching to roughly $165 million, thus tripling its valuation to $750 million overall. The funding round was led by Tiger Global, with participation from existing investors such as ICONIQ Capital, Charles River Ventures and Trinity Ventures. Since 2015, SQUIRE has been offering its unique slate of services to benefit shop owners looking to scale their businesses and clientele, allowing them to cut back on time spent managing back office operations. With its new funding, the company plans to expand its engineering teams and increase sales as it continues to grow exponentially beyond its existing markets. “Our software helps our customers with nearly every workflow in their...

With the COVID-19 crisis keeping us bound to the confines of our homes for months, and the world slowly reopening little by little, news of Squire Technologies’ Series B could not have come at a better time. Squire is a Black-owned scheduling, point-of-sale, and management app created for barbers and male groomers. With Squire, barbers can manage waitlists, set up loyalty programs, have their customers book and pay for services, and much more. Plus, all transactions are contactless and cashless, which is a major advantage in a post-pandemic society. In an announcement made on June 9, 2020, Squire has raised $34 million in Series B funding led by CRV, with participation from Tiger Global, San Francisco 49ers organization, and the former CEO and Chairman of Infor, Charles Phillips. In June 2019, Squire raised $8 million in a round of Series A funding led by Trinity Ventures, bringing their total funding at the time to $12.2 million. The tech startup can now proudly say they have...

For decades, pillars of the Black community like barbershops and salons have contributed more to residents than haircuts and styling. Now, these community staples — that provide customers with therapy sessions, engaging debates, and a sense of safety — are deemed non-essential, closing down indefinitely. Black barbershops and salons have long been regarded as pivotal spaces in Black culture, always helping to bring the community together. For business purposes, customers go to barbershops and salons for haircare services but they stay for the sense of community and Black entrepreneurship. For the people that come by to sell their newest incense, fragrances, cosmetics, clothing, and repertoire of other supplies, barbershops and salons allow them to exercise their entrepreneurial spirit. However, with states now implementing shutdowns for all non-essential businesses, they jeopardize all those that conduct business in these community pillars. My barbershop is closed indefinitely. This...