Every individual in  life wants to have a source of income. No one wants to suffer. Everyone must also realise that it is not only obtaining certificates from schools that can serve as a source of income. Some people, despite going to school, have interest in developing their own businesses because they see it as being more beneficial than using their certificates to work.

Barbing is a type of business that cannot be overlooked. In fact, it is worth considering because a lot of people, especially males, prefer to have low haircuts, there is, therefore, the need for experts to do the work. Nowadays, we see different types of haircuts on men; this is made possible by the help of barbers. Therefore, barbing is one of the businesses that one can generate income from.

Saturday Tribune  spoke with one of the barbers at Apata, Ibadan, Oyo State, Seun Olaiya of VIP Barbing Salon, who  said that barbing has good prospect, and a business that can serve as a good source of income. According to him, “it is only a few people who don’t derive income from the business. It is a source of livelihood to many people.” He further said that an organisation could decide to sack its workers at any time, but nothing like that exists in barbing. He added that what motivated him to embark on the business was his mother, who also is a barber.

Another barber, Adejare Tosin, said  to him,  barbing is the best. He said that he was trained by his brother who is a  barber too. He added that barbing business has a  prospect that can sustain an entire family without having another business attached to it.

Another barber, Chief M.A. Oyetunji, said anyone who wants to go into barbing must be patient, hardworking, determined and well focused. He said  he had been in the business for about 20 years and knows what it is to be patient in the business. He said that it is not everytime  that customers would come around. “Sometimes, just a few customers will come,” he declared.

He also advised whoever wishes to start the business to be focused. “If one is not focused, one might get angry and pack up the business one day because of one challenge or the other. One must also be determined,” he stated.

The Capital
To start any business, no matter how small or easy it is, requires a capital. One cannot just wake up one morning and start a business. Barbing requires some capital and planning.

Chief  Oyetunji  said that he started the business 20 years ago with N5000 “Then, N5,000 was a huge amount of money, but now, anyone who wants to go into the business must have nothing less than N200,000 to start,” he said, adding that the money would be used to buy the equipment needed, like clippers, mirrors, barber’s chairs, among others.

Olaiya, said when he stated the barbing business, he had just N70,000, but that it wasn’t enough, so he had to find an additional N150,000, which he used to buy the necessary instruments he needed. Some of the indispensable items needed in the business, among other things  include:

(a)    Clippers: To cut hair

(b)    Screwdrivers: To adjust the gear of clippers anytime they develop fault

(c)    Spirit: To clean clippers thoroughly after each use

(d)    Powder/powder brush: To dust hair from each customer’s body after having a haircut.

(e)    Aftershave ointment: This is used to clean  people’s faces after shaving off  beards, so as toavoid having bumps and rashes.

(f)    Television, radio, and newspapers: for entertainment. This is useful because  some customers may become bored in the course of waiting for their turn, therefore, it is necessary to entertain them.

(g)    Posters: This is hung on the wall of the shop for the customers to select the style of haircuts they want.

(h)    Generator: To serve as an alternative means or electric power.

Profitability of the business
Each of the barbers Saturday Tribune interviewed declared that they make nothing less than N2000 as profit each working day of the week, and N4000 during weekends from at least 10 customers.

There are various price lists,which show the amount each person who comes for haircut is expected to pay; children N100, students N150, adult N200, while newborn babies’ haircut go for N1000.

Olaiya disclosed that not all barbers can actually cut newborn babies’ hair, because it is a very delicate  job, and that is why it is more expensive.

Challenges
There is no business that does not have its own problems and challenges. Barbing also has its own challenges, but the most important thing is for one to be able to overcome such problems without  being discouraged. One of the major challenges most barbers face is the problem of electricity.

All the barbers visited by Saturday Tribune disclosed that they use their generators a lot. “If not, we won’t make much progress in our business because we can’t rely on electricity from PHCN,” one barber stated.

Another challenge they face comes from their clippers. The barbers said that clippers could develop faults at anytime, and this delays work, sometimes making some customers to become angry.

Other challenges come from customers. At times, customers may become very impatient in waiting for other customers to finish having their haircut. As the general belief is that “customers are always right,” so one must be able to appeal to them so that they don’t   leave in annoyance.

One other challenge a barber must be ready to face  is the problem of  infection.  Some customers might have various kinds of infections, and definitely, they cannot be sent  away.

Confronting health issues
As a barber, one must be concerned about the health of  customers, because barbers’ equipment are prone to transfering germs as well as diseases such as HIV/AIDS. So, barbers should try as much as possible to sterilise all their  equipment by using spirit and other disinfectants to clean them regularly, especially after each use.

Customers are also encouraged to have their own personal clippers. Therefore, whoever  wishes to go into this business must place good hygiene as top priority.

Just like the experts have said, barbing has a good prospect. One can  rest assured that the business will continue to grow and will not let one down. With  determination, hardwork and focus, one can start the business in a small way, but at the end of the day, it will become big.