What do you get when you combine a kid from North Carolina, a Christmas gift and a computer science degree? If you didn’t guess the Point Park barber, then you were wrong.
It didn’t take long for freshman Ceryan Hutchins, majoring in computer science with a concentration in networking and security, to start cutting hair on campus.
Currently, Hutchins spends about five hours a week cutting hair on campus. He used to only work on curly hair, but now he can now work on straighter hair.
“What keeps me going is the facial expression on people’s faces,” Hutchins said.
Before any haircut, Hutchins needs to retreat to his dorm room. There, he grabs a basket of supplies: a Wahls barber kit, scissors, brushes, combs, rubbing alcohol and other disinfectants.
Before any haircut, he has to disinfect all the clippers and replace some razors.
Hutchings then travels to his “barber shop”: the client’s own dorm.
Hutchins describes this as easier because he can work around their schedule, and he’s never left in his dorm waiting for someone to show.
Before the haircut even begins Hutchins makes sure to introduce himself and talk to the client.
“I put myself in their shoes, I try to show myself,” Hutchins said.
The client is unable to see their hair until the end when Hutchins gives them the mirror.
Hutchins admits this can be a bit scary, but said he has yet to disappoint a client.
Hutchins began cutting hair about a year ago, when he was inspired by his brother’s friend to ask his mom for a barber kit for Christmas.
He started cutting his own hair, using himself as a “dummy.” He learned from the barbers he went to, and also from social media.
His clientele started with his younger brother, his older brother and their friends. Back then, when Hutchins had more free time, he took walk-ins, scheduled appointments and would mostly only be paid in donations.
Hutchins is always researching better products, but currently reports using brands like Wahls, KISS and Tresemme.
During the jump from North Carolina to Pennsylvania, Hutchins considered not continuing with this unexpected business-hobby. But he decided “you only live once” and hoped for the best.
The first clients on campus were his teammates on the Lacrosse team. His teammates would then recommend Hutchins to other students, and so on.
Eventually, Hutchins found an app that can keep him more organized. It’s called The Cut, an app where recurring or one-time clients can find his availability, prices and reviews.
Currently, Hutchins has two reviews, both five stars. He can also be reached by word of mouth or Snapchat, but he plans to begin branching into other social media soon.
If you’d asked Hutchins even a year ago if he thought he would be running what could constitute a small business, he would have said absolutely not.
Yet now, he can confidently say, “If you think you can do something, trust your gut and believe in yourself. Obviously, I didn’t think that I’d be here, but I put in the time and dedication.”
