Beyond the Barber's Chair – Details, episodes & analysis

We get taught one way to hold our shears, our bodies, and our clippers, and then we have to take it from there.

Ergonimics for Barbers... I have been looking high and low for ergonomic developments for Barbers. 

I have spent thousands of dollars on shoes, inserts for my feet, special socks, extra floor pads, swivel thumb shears, and countless other items to make sure that I can keep Barbering over the next couple decades without the pains that a lot of folks tend to develop over the years.

One day, I ran across Ron Wada's Ergonami courses. They talked about different ways to cut with our shears, different ways to position our bodies, and approached Barbering from more natural positions that I had been shown at school and at tradeshows and events since then.

I'm going to be taking his class next week, and I see this as a great chance to do a podcast about his methods beforehand, and then do a follow-up afterward. There are points where this leans a little toward becoming an infomercial about the Ergonami classes, but mostly it points out how and why all the things we get taught are great to get started, yet need some tweaking so that we are not tearing up our bodies while doing this profession that we love so much.

Mr. Ronald D. Wada's journey in the beauty industry is a testament to his dedication and innovation. With over 15 years invested in developing the Ergo-Nami® Cutting System, he has addressed a significant issue faced by stylists and barbers: the physical toll of their craft. His system not only aims to prevent injuries but also ensures that professionals can maintain their artistry while protecting their bodies.

Beginning his career in 1997 as an AVEDA Territory Manager and Product & Service Educator, Mr. Wada has been recognized for his excellence, receiving two regional awards from Mr. Horst Rechelbacher, the founder of AVEDA Beauty Products.

Raised in Orange County, California, and now based in Las Vegas, he has built a reputation as a leading Master Shear Sharpener and Corrective Shear Repair Expert over the past 18 years.

Mr. Wada is a respected speaker at the International Beauty Sharpeners Association conferences and is well-regarded by industry peers, hairdressers, and barbers. He actively shares his expertise through the Ergo-Nami Cutting Workshop, Hair Shows, and Advanced Cutting Academy in Las Vegas.

You can reach Ron at Ergonami

https://www.ergonami.com/

Info.Ergonami@gmail.com

Instagram: @ergonami

I see a skin disorder... a splotch... seems innocent enough, but I'm not sure that it is...

I often share the story from a couple years ago where I saw a brown splotch on a client's head. He got it checked out, and it turned out to signal an advanced stage of cancer.

We see all sorts of skin disorders throughout the day. While we are not empowered to diagnose and treat them, aestheticians can and do. I often declare that we should have an aesthetician who we can send our clients to when we find these problems

Adriana Santiago is the owner and founder of Peachtree Aesthetic Center in Atlanta, GA. She details what an aesthetician can do for a Barber, and why she has a team of dermatologists supporting her. She details where aestheticians fit into a Barber's world,

You can reach Adrianna at Adriana Santiago owner of Peachtree Aesthetic Center: a skincare clinic and medical spa.

404-981-1724

Peachtreeac@gmail.com

@peachtreeaestheticcenter

It's in Barbicide, so it's okay.... Right? ....Right?

Walk into any Barbershop, and we will see Barbiicide on almost every station...

We will also probably see varying shades of blue inside each bottle, varying levels of fullness/emptiness, and other inconsistencies within the shop and the jars.

Ivan Zoot breaks it all down for us - and if you have ever attended one of his classes or been at any of the hair shows and Barber expos where he is involved, you know that he explains things in a way that we can't POSSIBLY forget it!

In this episode:

• Ivan's professional observations on how Barbicide is misused
• How the varying intensities among jars takes place
• What happens when we are not using Barbicide the right way

Ivan Zoot is a widely known and highly respected Barber who holds World Records in haircutting and has written over a dozen books on the subject of growing a Barbering business. Ivan has developed and brought tools into the Barbering world, and is sought after to teach classes and to MC the educational portions of Barber expos across the country.

If you have questions for Ivan, or would Like to get in his chair, reach out to him:

Instagram: @ivanzoot

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clipperguy

Website: ivanzoot.com

Be a $100,000 Haircutter Podcast on Spotify https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ivan-zoot or wherever you find podcasts

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/clipperguysays/featured

Ivan's Book Store: https://www.ivanzoot.com/educational-materials

100x100: 100 Clients in 100 Days https://www.ivanzoot.com/product-page/100x100-chain-salon-edition-on-paper

The Professional Haircutter's Pricing Playbook https://www.ivanzoot.com/product-page/the-professional-haircutter-s-pricing-playbook

Barbicide Product Store: https://www.barbicide.com/shop/

I don't want my customers seeing my disinfect... or do I?..

if it is true that perception is reality, then we control what our clients think about us...

Which means that we control our first image by what we do...

...and if our clients see us disinfecting, then they know we run a clean shop.In this episode:

• What customers will forgive us for
• What customers will NOT forgive us for

Ivan Zoot is a widely known and highly respected Barber who holds World Records in haircutting and has written over a dozen books on the subject of growing a Barbering business. Ivan has developed and brought tools into the Barbering world, and is sought after to teach classes and to MC the educational portions of Barber expos across the country.

If you have questions for Ivan, or would Like to get in his chair, reach out to him:

Instagram: @ivanzoot

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clipperguy

Website: ivanzoot.com

Be a $100,000 Haircutter Podcast on Spotify https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ivan-zoot or wherever you find podcasts

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/clipperguysays/featured

Barbicide Product Store: https://www.barbicide.com/shop/

Barbicide Concentrate: https://www.barbicide.com/product/barbicide-concentrate/

The Barbicide messed up my shears... right?

About this episode...

When a Barber first learns about how to use Barbicide in school, we know to sanitize our combs and other tools, and then put them into Barbicide for 10 minutes before taking them out.

Then real life happens... and some of us... well... we get so busy that we forget they're in there

So what happens after those 10 minutes?

In this episode:

• Ivan tells us what happens at minute 11
• What is not happening after 10 minutes
• What should happen at the 10 minute mark?

Ivan Zoot is a widely known and highly respected Barber who holds World Records in haircutting and has written over a dozen books on the subject of growing a Barbering business. Ivan has developed and brought tools into the Barbering world, and is sought after to teach classes and to MC the educational portions of Barber expos across the country.

If you have questions for Ivan, or would Like to get in his chair, reach out to him:

Instagram: @ivanzoot

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clipperguy

Website: ivanzoot.com

Be a $100,000 Haircutter Podcast on Spotify https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ivan-zoot or wherever you find podcasts

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/clipperguysays/featured

Barbicide Product Store: https://www.barbicide.com/shop/

Barbicide Concentrate: https://www.barbicide.com/product/barbicide-concentrate/

That blue stuff in the jar... I've got so many questions....

IF WE'RE BEING HONEST... How many of us Barbers REALLY know the right way to use Barbicide?

Yeah.... me, neither.

Ivan Zoot breaks it all down for us - and if you have ever attended one of his classes or been at any of the hair shows and Barber expos where he is involved, you know that he explains things in a way that we can't POSSIBLY forget it!

In this episode:

• Ivan spreads The Gospel of Education of Barbicide
• How most Barbers are using too much and wasting money
• What happens when tools are left in Barbicide for hours or even overnight
• Getting caught disinfecting
• The definitive "How to Use Barbicide"
• What else Ivan is up to, including his newest book!

Ivan Zoot is a widely known and highly respected Barber who holds World Records in haircutting and has written over a dozen books on the subject of growing a Barbering business. Ivan has developed and brought tools into the Barbering world, and is sought after to teach classes and to MC the educational portions of Barber expos across the country.

If you have questions for Ivan, or would Like to get in his chair, reach out to him:

Instagram: @ivanzoot

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clipperguy

Website: ivanzoot.com

Be a $100,000 Haircutter Podcast on Spotify https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ivan-zoot or wherever you find podcasts

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/clipperguysays/featured

Ivan's Book Store: https://www.ivanzoot.com/educational-materials

100x100: 100 Clients in 100 Days https://www.ivanzoot.com/product-page/100x100-chain-salon-edition-on-paper

The Professional Haircutter's Pricing Playbook https://www.ivanzoot.com/product-page/the-professional-haircutter-s-pricing-playbook

Barbicide Product Store: https://www.barbicide.com/shop/

Barbicide Concentrate: https://www.barbicide.com/product/barbicide-concentrate/

Barbicide RTU: https://www.barbicide.com/product/barbicide-rtu/

Barbicide Wipes: https://www.barbicide.com/product/barbicide-wipes/

Clippercide Spray: https://www.barbicide.com/product/clippercide-spray/

What happens when two Barbers start talking? We talk for hours without missing a beat!

This is the first time I was interviewed by another podcaster. I had run across his podcast and found something pretty cool: a couple Barbers talking simply talking about the life of Barbers.

I enjoyed hearing his episodes and how he would deep dive into observations, "beefs" within the industry, and into Barbers' lives. He and his guests would also talk about what tools they were using... it was great to hear professionals talking about what we use on a daily basis and why we choose to use what we do.

Matt and I go into a lot in this in-depth conversation

• We talk about my time with the Navy bands and how Barbering and music share so much in common
• The start of my Barbering career when I was with Great Clips
• Starting as a Barber at my age
• The value I place on hair shows

Matt is a Barber at The Anguished Barber in Midtown, Atlanta, Georgia. A beard care and shaping ace, he began cutting in Arizona and has a passion for people and people's stories - a natural trait for this West Coast Barber here in The A.

If you have questions for Matt, or would Like to get in his chair, reach out to him:

Instagram: @mattybladezzz

YouTube Podcast Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yourbarberpodcast

You can also find Matt's podcast on Spotify, or pretty much anywhere else podcasts can be found

Book an Appointment with Matt: https://the-anguished-barber.square.site/

Sure, the swivel thumb shears feel good, but what are they doing to help Barbers?

Willy Hyde is the Director of Education for SharkFin Shears, a shears manufacturing company which focuses on the ergonomics of cutting hair. Willy breaks down the ways that using a set of swivel thumb shears affects how a Barber's whole body works

• The immediate effect in the hands and wrists
• The extended effects on our bodies

Willy Hyde is the Director of Education for SharkFin Shears. He conducts classes nationwide at industry hair shows and in person at several Barbering and Cosmetology schools. His lessons and many videos online focus on ergonomics and how to use shears to prolong our careers avoiding carpal tunnel and other painful conditions/

If you have questions for Dr. Willy, would like clarifications, or would like to contact him, here is his information:

Willy Hyde - Director of Education for SharkFin Shears

Watch the videos on SharkFin Shears' Education Pages

Phone/Text: 860-262-1891

Facebook: Sharkfin_Willy

Instagram: @willyhyde

Whether we are behind the Barber's chair, or out and about, or at home, if we are in pain, we are not fun to be around.

Every now and then, one statement can sum up an entire concept. Willy Hyde is the Director of Education for SharkFin Shears. His statement really says all that needs to be said about ergonomics and protecting our bodies.

• Pain keeps us from being present for our families and others in our lives

Willy Hyde is the Director of Education for SharkFin Shears. He conducts classes nationwide at industry hair shows and in person at several Barbering and Cosmetology schools. His lessons and many videos online focus on ergonomics and how to use shears to prolong our careers avoiding carpal tunnel and other painful conditions/

If you have questions for Dr. Willy, would like clarifications, or would like to contact him, here is his information:

Willy Hyde - Director of Education for SharkFin Shears

Watch the videos on SharkFin Shears' Education Pages

Phone/Text: 860-262-1891

Facebook: Sharkfin_Willy

Instagram: @willyhyde

"They" (whoever "they" is) told me that if I'm going to switch to a swivel thumb shear, that I should do it early in my career... it didn't sound right, but...

Almost every person I know who cuts with swivel-thumb shears really likes it. I'm trying to remember anyone I've spoken with who didn't.... Now early in my career, I was told that if i wanted to cut with swivel thumb shears, that I should do it before my hands had learned the muscle memory of standard shears that don't swivel.

It didn't sound right, so I asked Willy Hyde, Director of Education for SharkFin Shears, about his thoughts about when is the right time for a Barber to start suing swivel thumb shears.

• Do Barbers need to do this early in our career?
• What happens as we adjust to the new shears?

Willy Hyde is the Director of Education for SharkFin Shears. He conducts classes nationwide at industry hair shows and in person at several Barbering and Cosmetology schools. His lessons and many videos online focus on ergonomics and how to use shears to prolong our careers avoiding carpal tunnel and other painful conditions/

If you have questions for Dr. Willy, would like clarifications, or would like to contact him, here is his information:

Willy Hyde - Director of Education for SharkFin Shears

Watch the videos on SharkFin Shears' Education Pages

Phone/Text: 860-262-1891

Facebook: Sharkfin_Willy

Instagram: @willyhyde