After two years of weekend cuts, Kofi had saved enough for a deposit on a small chair rental in a shared barbershop on East Hastings. It was not fancy. The window had a crack. But it was his.
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He quit his salon job and took a leap.
That was four years ago. Today, Kofi rents two chairs in a bright, modern space in Mount Pleasant. He employs one other barber and is looking for a third. His clients come from across the Lower Mainland, some travelling over an hour just for a haircut.
“I never thought a side hustle in my living room would lead to this,” Kofi says. “But the lesson is: do not wait for the perfect moment. Start with what you have, even if it is just a chair and a mirror.”
His favourite part of the day is opening his shop in the morning. “That first client sits down, and I ask, ‘What are we doing today?’ And I know I am exactly where I am supposed to be.”
