Sage Advice: Episode 6 │Ace Gibbs
Presented by: Crum Consulting
Host: Maria Johnson, Junior Consultant in Marketing
Guest: Ace Gibbs, Founder of Reunion Barbershop
Full Interview: https://youtu.be/HyIb4l6GII8?si=sbJlDXyEE7pBb47u
Maria: We'll hop right into the first part. Tell me about your journey all the way leading up to Reunion Barbershop. I know you've shared part of this story with me before, but I don't think I remember all the details. What made you want to run a shop, and what was it like getting to the point where you're like, "This is what I want to do"?
Ace: Okay. So, I feel like opening the shop was a push from the universe. It kind of said, "Hey, you have to do this." Because I had that big diagnosis with the BRCA1 gene. So I was like, "Okay, I'm a barber." And my oncologist said, "You need to have a double mastectomy to prevent breast cancer," because the BRCA1 gene means you're at a 90% likelihood of getting breast cancer. I got genetic testing done because my mom had passed away from cancer and had breast cancer, all the things. So I started doing independent education to start raising funds for it, and thought to myself, how am I supposed to take six weeks off from a corporate job being behind the chair?
So things happened and the universe said, "We're opening a barbershop." It started at my house while this space was being built. I was away from corporate America, cutting hair in our little sunroom at home and waiting for Reunion to get built out. That was an interesting journey, because I transitioned full-time to the barbershop on February 27th, 2020. And then COVID kind of started, like, okay, things are happening. People stopped really coming in. So on March 14th, I put a sign on the door and I put, "Be back maybe." And I think it was the next day the world closed down.
So I tried to stay busy focusing on anything I could do for the shop. For instance, I sat in on a lot of online seminars. I had a lot of meetings with my girlfriend, who also owns a hair shop, and we kind of supported each other through it, kept each other inspired during some really rough times. And then I reopened June 1st, I believe, of 2020, after getting all of the protocols in place and building out things like an employee handbook and little things you really don't think about jumping into something like this. So while COVID was very challenging and everyone's like, well, are we going to make it through this? It was also an interesting time to be able to say, how can I set myself up for success, and how can I build my business while I'm not doing anything for eight weeks?
Maria: Yeah, perfect timing, I guess.
Ace: Yeah. Two weeks later. I do remember I would just lay in bed and be like, "Well, at least you tried. At least you tried." And then with, I think it was the PPP loans, I had tried to apply, but I didn't have any financial history for Reunion Barbershop. So they're like, "We can't give you money. We don't know what your finances look like and who you are." So I did not get approved for that, but I did get a grant from Williamson County, which covered rent for the two months we were closed. So that was a huge moment.
I remember I applied for that grant because that was another job of mine during shutdown, where can I find money for small businesses? And it was a lot of getting knocked down and feeling defeated, because they're like, "You've been open for 14 days. No." It gives me the chills. I remember going to the mailbox and getting that envelope from Williamson County, and I sat on my little chair on my front porch and I was like, "Okay, okay, maybe this is it." And I opened it and it was a check, which like I said covered rent for two months, and I just started sobbing.
Maria: Oh my god.
Ace: I know.
Maria: Literally fated to open and to exist.
Ace: Right. The universe is like, "Listen, we have a plan for you here."
Maria: Yeah. It's like, "This may not seem ideal, but it's going to work. We're going to make it work." That's amazing.
Ace: Crazy, crazy, crazy times, but very, very incredible to look back on.
Maria: Tell me a little bit more about Reunion Barbershop and what you're about now.
Ace: So, Reunion is a community and mentorship-based barbershop. I wanted to have a space where people could learn and grow and blossom as a human being and as a professional behind the chair. Over the years the mentorship has grown and evolved with lots of input and lots of changes. In the very beginning, when I first started writing things down about the mentorship program, it was probably a year that I was just butting heads with myself on, is this right? Is this what I'm supposed to be doing? Doubting it. And I was like, you know what? Just keep pushing forward. We'll figure it out. Fast forward to today, the mentorship program just went through its last evolution recently. It's been really cool to watch it transform, evolve, and grow with input from people who are actively in it.
Maria: Yeah.
Ace: So it's really cool to be able to have people that are willing to give me feedback about what's working, what isn't working, and being patient with the evolution of it. Because sometimes it's like, okay, wait, this isn't working. So how can we make it better? How can we make it more successful?
Reunion also is a big part of the community in terms of Pride events and hosting events and parties. When we get new clients in here and we have, say, our Halloween party coming up, we try to invite people who have maybe just moved here from out of state or out of town and try to get them involved and make friends. I'll hear people and myself say, "Oh my gosh, you're going to love it here." "Oh, I bet you would get along really well with so-and-so's client." So definitely community based. We also do a lot of donations for other organizations, and we just try to be a part of the community, because community helped build Reunion too.
Looking back again at COVID, when we were open for 14 days and then closed down, the only way I stayed open besides the Williamson County grant was people showing up for me how they could, meaning online gift cards. They bought a ton of online gift cards, which helped pay some bills. They donated items for the barbershop itself, whether that was, "Oh, I have PPE," or "I have a shelf," or "I have a waiting chair," just things like that.
And it was so funny, coming into this, I didn't know what community meant, or what the definition meant. As I've been here going on six years and seeing what that word actually means, I realized community has always been something that is very important to me. I just didn't know what word went with the definition. So, a very interesting story for Reunion.
Maria: Yeah. I mean, you could tell it was built off community by how it's remained very community focused and forward.
Ace: Absolutely. Absolutely.
Maria: I'm going to stick on the community thing for a second. How have you kept a sense of community as the shop has grown? Because you're so busy. I've seen your books. It's crazy.
Ace: It is.
Maria: But you do a really good job at balancing community events and being involved with your clients still. How do you think you and Reunion Barbershop as a whole have been able to keep that vibe, the community feeling?
Ace: Having a great team of people, and consistently training and talking about the importance of community and client care. Every year we do a team class with the barbers, and it is the value of community, and another one is the importance of client care. They're more a focus on discussion, us all talking about what that means to us and what that looks like. I really think that's a big help in reminders of why community is important, why we need to show up for each other, and why we need to take care of our people. So again, I think it just roots back to genuine people being here and caring, and us coming together to discuss the importance of community and client care.
Maria: Yeah, that makes sense. That reminder. It's like a two-way street. You guys care for the community, do things, and I feel like whatever care and love you put into things, you get back, you know?
Ace: Absolutely.
Maria: I definitely see that with clients at Reunion. I mean, people just come in and are like, "Hey, I have this for you." Out of nowhere.
Ace: I know. It's unbelievable. Prior to opening, I would have never expected people to turn out and show up the way they did. It was shocking.
Back to keeping that community feel. Something else that is really important to me, and that we all talk about a lot, is if it's someone's first time walking into the shop or their first appointment, making them feel like they're already at home and comfortable. When I'm training, say, front desk associates, I let them know, think about a time where you walked into a business and you didn't feel the warmth that you should have, and what a turnoff that is. It doesn't feel good. Especially these days, it's so important to make people feel safe and make them feel welcome. "Oh, cool, you've never been here? Hey, come in. Come chill. Come hang out. Come see what we're all about." And again, inviting them to our events and parties and all of that. It's really important to me for people to feel welcome. Whether that is a client or a barber or a front desk coordinator, everyone should feel welcome and safe. Having a place to come to every day to work and having that sense of community and safety is incredible.
Maria: Yeah. Totally true. And with that foundation of community, you guys have just organically started going the extra mile. I mean, you do sensory hours, you find niches of people that don't really get a lot of representation, or they don't get things directly targeted to them. I think that goes a long way too. Inclusivity really just goes a long way.
Ace: Absolutely. That's a great word. The inclusivity of everyone being welcome and safe, and it's okay to just come in and hang out with us, too. We have people that do that.
Maria: So cool. I mean, everyone's had that really awkward haircut experience before, where you go into a place and you're like, I feel trapped now.
Ace: Right. It's not like you're like, you know what? I'm going to actually just get out of the chair and get out of here. You can feel the vibe of it and you're like, oh god, this isn't right. What's happening? But your anxiety is not going to let you stand up and get out of the chair.
Maria: Yeah. You're already up to here because you're getting a haircut, brand new place. It's nice you guys take away that stress layer.
Ace: Definitely. That's so true. I like that you said that, because walking in and getting your haircut at a new place is such a huge deal. I'm not just saying that because I'm a barber. It truly is. It's like, oh shoot, I'm taking a risk on a new place, and my whole appearance could get fudged up. Again, putting that trust into a new place. So that starts from the very beginning when they walk through the door, feeling that sense of being welcomed, and warmth.
Maria: Yeah. Like you don't have anything to worry about.
Ace: Exactly. That feeling.
Maria: Have you ever walked into a place and nobody says anything to you, they're all just looking at their phones, and you have to walk up to the counter and be like, "I have an appointment," instead of them actually saying anything to you?
Ace: Yes. Right. Regardless of it even being a hair place or a food place or a clothes place, it's just so important these days, with all of the crazy changes in the world, still having that human connection. I want that to always come first. That human connection is so, so important. I sound all old lady when I'm like, I just hate when I walk into a place and people are just sucked into their phones. Make eye contact, stand up, say, "Hey, what's up? How's it going? What can I do for you?" Because this day and age, everybody is just so in the screens, which I get, it's 2026. But it's important to show up for each other and make people feel welcome.
Maria: I completely agree. I think a lot of people, especially younger people now, are more concerned about coming across like they care too much, as weird as that sounds.
Ace: That's interesting.
Maria: I feel like a lot of people don't want to be the person that cares a lot, or is the one to show interest. I see "cringe" thrown around a lot, and I'm just like, what happened to just letting people be, and letting yourself be? You're depriving yourself at that point of good human connection.
Ace: Yes, absolutely.
Maria: I'll move on to the second question.
Ace: All right. I'm like, "Oh no, I did not mean to take up 20 minutes on that one."
Maria: But it was a good answer. It was a good one.
Going back to what you were saying, when you were starting out and the world was just going crazy, you were bound to experience big surprises, going from being solo to having a whole shop to take care of. Can you tell me a little about those surprises, even just things you didn't expect when you made that transition, besides the whole global pandemic and what that entailed?
Ace: Right. I didn't expect that.
Maria: I mean, you can include that.
Ace: So, I knew it was going to be magical. I also knew, oh, this is going to be a big undertaking, because owning a business is a big undertaking. I did not anticipate how much of an undertaking it would be. What I mean by that is how many hats you have to wear. Business owner Ace is a completely different person. Barber Ace is a completely different person. Manager Ace is a completely different person. So it was confusing at first, and my therapist helped me realize that Barber Ace and Business Ace are different people, and that's okay. Because I was like, am I going crazy?
But it's a lot, because owning a business, there's so much that people do not see. When you're an owner-operator, they see you operating behind the chair. They see you showing up and helping out around the shop. They see you helping out in cleaning. But they don't see the other 90%, of finances, of learning the ins and outs of taxes and how your company is taxed and how you should be structuring and saving for your business. There's so much behind the business ownership part of it. When people are like, "What do you do if you're not cutting hair?" When I'm actively in it, I'm like, damn, this is a lot. And then when somebody asks me, I'm like, oh god, do I do anything? I know I do, and it's busy as hell. So I'm a senior planner.
When somebody asks about the business ownership aspect of it and what it's like to be an owner, it's just like, wait, what do I do? But it's a lot of planning, a lot of, like I said, learning about finances and tracking those, how to track those, what support people need, from clients to front desk coordinators to barbers, what changes need to be made, what I need to change about how I am showing up as an owner, as a mentor. I got the barber thing down, so we're good on that. But you know what I mean? I'm constantly growing as a human.
Maria: Yeah.
Ace: And sometimes it's like, damn, it's exhausting, because you have to continuously grow as a business owner. If you just stay stagnant, nothing's going to blossom. So the constant need for learning and growing and finding out more about yourself is a really incredible journey. A challenging but incredible journey.
As for showing up for clients, my schedule is crazy, crazy busy. Showing up for clients has been something that I mastered a long time ago. So coming into owning a business and being a barber, it wasn't challenging for me to say, "Oh, I have to take care of clients and I own a business." I'm good at compartmentalizing. If I am behind the chair and a business owner thought comes to my head, I'm like, "Oh, you know what? Let me write that down." I have my little notepad next to my station. So I'm constantly making notes, and then I take those notes and I put them where they need to be, whether that's on a meeting, on a check-in, or on a finance tracker. I am proud of myself for that, for being able to compartmentalize barber and owner, because sometimes the ownership gets stressful. And I'm very, very proud of myself for never bringing that type of energy to the shop. I can work from home, or alone at the barbershop when nobody else is here, and do what I've got to do then, and not bring all of that in.
Maria: That's awesome. That's a huge skill to unlock from that experience.
Ace: Definitely. I learned a lot over the years about being able to manage that, because when I first started out I was like, "Oh my gosh, there's always a billion things running through my head constantly." That's part of business ownership. And learning how to navigate that, meaning, okay, when I'm behind the chair and I see 12 people in a day, I have to have my notepad there, because thoughts will come into my head every single day. So that was a very big win to me, to unlock that and be able to show up for my clients too, because they're expecting a great service and great banter. I can't let them down. They need the experience that they're paying for.
Maria: No, that's super impressive. I struggle myself with writing things down. Not the writing things down part, but it's the delegating afterwards. Sometimes it's just like there's too much still. So that's awesome.
Ace: Just one at a time. One at a time, and I'll cross it off. Hell yeah. But it's so funny, because you cross it off and you're like, "Hell yeah, I feel so accomplished," but it's just sitting there in a meeting. But also, "Oh, wait, we're still going to take care of that, because it's in the right place now."
Maria: Yeah. It's off your plate entirely.
Ace: Exactly. And with your little Trello organization, I'm like, "Oh, you got this."
Maria: Thank you. One thing at a time. I'm working towards it.
Ace: You're killing it. You're killing it.
Maria: Thank you. Thank you.
Maria: This is also kind of tied in, it's more on the opening during COVID aspect. You talked about how you went through several avenues to find funding within that first window of time that you were shut down and literally couldn't have clients. How did you handle not getting discouraged from not getting what you needed right away? How did you keep going until you got to the grant? Because I think a lot of people, when they're rejected, get discouraged from trying again, and they think, well, this is more than I want to deal with. How do you keep that at bay?
Ace: That's a great question. The rejection thing. I feel like I've always been okay with being rejected, so that is probably helpful. Something I never really thought about. It's like, hell yeah, might as well try. If I'm rejected, whatever. I brush it off. I know for a lot of people that is not the case. So the rejection part of it, I guess that helps, that I was like, "Whatever, it's fine. I'll just keep going one day at a time." And if I had a day where I felt like I couldn't do it, or was in anxiety paralysis, because, cool, I just signed a two-year, three-year lease on this establishment and I don't know if we're ever going to recoup, because I was hoping for two weeks. It's one day at a time, and being able to let go of things you cannot control. So important to any aspect of life, whether you're a business owner, whether you work solely by yourself, whether you're an employee of a corporation. Just giving yourself space, one day at a time.
Like I said, if I had those days where I felt like I couldn't go on, I gave myself the time and space to say, "Hey, it's okay to feel this way right now, because this is a lot." So I'd say just giving yourself space and having people that show up for you. Having those little Zoom meetings with friends and other business owners who were going through the same thing, like, "Hey, why don't you get into this online seminar to help learn about business or starting a business?" Because you still felt a human connection through these seminars, even though they were on video. Everybody was just trying to make it through a crazy time. So that helped a lot.
Maria: Makes sense. It always comes down to building community and believing in yourself.
Ace: Absolutely. I like that.
Maria: Yeah, that makes complete sense. I was going through school at the same time, and it was a very similar thing. I made a bunch of friends on Discord at that time, either over school or similar interests, and it was really important during that time to have some sort of connection. So it goes to show how far community can bring you in a crisis.
Ace: Right. We need each other. As much as you hear people say, "I am so sick of people. I've had enough people for the day." Which I get. I'm in the barbering industry. That's what I do. I people, and I can be very emotionally and people'd out. But as much as we say that, it's really interesting looking back on COVID and how much people missed just being around human beings in general. "Oh, we've got to stay this far apart. Oh, I can't hug people. Oh, I can't touch people." It impacted more people than we can imagine. And again, I understand people these days, "Oh, I'm peopled out. Oh, I'm so sick of people." I get it. But when it comes down to it, we need each other. And that's that.
Maria: I completely agree. How did you figure out how to build a team and a company culture that fit the vibe that you were envisioning for your shop?
Ace: Ooh. So, it's interesting, because there's a lot of clients that turned barber or front desk coordinators. You, Katie, Randy, Alica. Who else? I guess that's it.
Maria: That's still a lot.
Ace: Right. That's crazy to think about, but how cool. I never thought of that. So that helps, because y'all were coming here and you're like, "Oh, I like it here." So that already means that you're going to fit the culture.
I will say, learning to take your time with hiring and onboarding, because one person could ruin the culture. When I am actively hiring and interviewing, sometimes it takes a very, very long time to find the right fit, because I'm looking for genuine, authentic people who want to learn and grow. So I just try not to rush it. Looking for those people who want to be self-starters, who want to be a part of a community, who want to have a space where they can make mistakes and learn and grow from it and not be reprimanded immediately. Like working for a corporate giant place, and you make one, and then right away they're like, "Oh, you know what? We're going to have to let you go." I want to have a place where, yes, people will make mistakes. I make mistakes every day. I want people to be able to do that and then learn and grow from that.
Maria: Yeah.
Ace: I feel like that's really important and a really cool ideal to have for a business. I wish that larger corporations would do things like that, help people learn and grow, not just immediate reprimand. And learning from discipline too. Discipline doesn't have to be something that is harsh. I know that discipline in general feels kind of icky because of past corporate traumas, but in reality, it's us learning something, and how can we move forward?
As for the culture, I feel like with Reunion, it evolved organically and came naturally, because you are your business. I've always been the type of person that's going to talk to anybody I see in public. I'm not afraid to walk up to someone and be like, "Oh, hey. What do you do?" Just random conversations. So that's helpful, especially in a barbershop. Somebody walks in and you start shooting the breeze, and it's like, "Okay, now we're best friends."
Maria: I love that. So it kind of happened organically. Your authenticity draws in some authenticity, it sounds like.
Ace: Absolutely. When you're a genuine, authentic person, you can pick that up from other people. And sure, as a business owner, when you feel like you're drowning, you're like, "Oh my gosh, I've got to hire people. We're growing so fast." I can see how owners can be quick to rush into something and, oh wait, did I make sure that this person is a culture fit and on the same page as all of us? Because it's okay to have a space that isn't for everyone. So again, not rushing it, and figuring out who is going to be genuine and authentic with others and with the people in their chair.
Maria: Beyond just a haircut, what do you hope a client walks away feeling? And how has providing that human connection changed you as a person over the years?
Ace: Oh, that's a good one. I hope they feel confident, of course. I hope that they feel authentic, meaning their haircut makes them feel like their truest self. It may sound silly to some people who don't think twice about a haircut, but for some people, hair is a huge identity. So it's really important to me.
And the human connection, again, I feel like many of us can lack that these days, or during COVID especially, when people were coming in and they hadn't seen anybody, because some people were in lockdown alone. They would come in and I was the only person they saw that day. The human connection back then during the lockdown was huge. That was a crazy time.
As for it changing me as a human, I don't think it ever changed me, because I've always been an empathetic person and I've always wanted everyone to feel included. It's really important to me, and that is a big part of Reunion too. When I say everyone's included, people who walk through that door, I want them to feel the warmth and the welcoming, and just feel comfortable.
Maria: Yeah, makes sense. And I guess change doesn't always have to be that it made you a different person, but maybe it made you realize just how much power you had with community and wanting to build that space.
Ace: Definitely.
Maria: You did make, and you're still making, a huge difference within your community and making strong connections with people. Some people who don't even get the opportunity to make a lot of connections with people.
Ace: Thank you.
Maria: Of course. If you could talk to yourself at the start of your journey, what would your sage advice be?
Ace: That it always works out. Learn to let go, and be prepared for the mental and financial investment into your business, because it's a lot to carry, and you need the extra support and the extra space to give yourself when you're trying to sort things out on the business ownership side of things. And just be patient with yourself, because you're learning and growing.
Maria: Yeah, that's a hard one, to have patience with yourself.
Ace: Right. You're your own biggest critic.
Maria: Yep. "I'm not good enough." And it's like, damn, I'm just over here sabotaging myself.
Ace: Yeah. "Can I even do this?" And it's like, you haven't even tried yet. Thoughts are so powerful. They manipulate our lives and definitely can change them.
Maria: Completely agree. That's great sage advice. Thank you.
Ace: Yeah.
Maria: That's it for questions. Thank you so much. That was a fun chat.
Ace: It was. I'm glad we could make it work.
Maria: Where can viewers find Reunion Barbershop and your page online?
Ace: They can find our website at reunionbarbershop.com. They can find us on Instagram at reunion_barbershop, and same on TikTok and LinkedIn.
