Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Rojas.
Daniel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
As young kids, we all have a dream. Some dreams are pursued, therefore accomplished. Others are forgotten and fall short. I must say, when you put your energy into motion, that idea will come to life. At age thirteen, I decided I wanted to cut hair with no understanding of what being a barber really meant. Interacting with different people on a daily basis is where I began my growth and continue to grow as a young entrepreneur. I found my passion for the craft cutting my late younger brother Irving’s’ and mines hair. Practically demolishing our hair at every attempt. Failing in an attempt to be great. Yes, this was my practice. A small sacrifice on my way to perfection.
As time ticked, my skills got sharper but I was still in my mothers living room trying to make a living. By age eighteen, I was hired at a local barbershop clipper joint. A place I was micromanaged and supervised on every haircut, criticized after each client. All to mold me into becoming the detailed barber I am today. A big thanks to Rob. While working, I was attending barber school in pursuit of my dream before my life took a traumatic turn. My brothers, myself, and a group of friends were involved in a major accident that claimed my younger brother’s life. Irving, my brother, was gone from one day to the next. Erased from our lives and I didn’t understand why. I was bound to a wheelchair for over eight months after the accident and my older brother suffered a serious brain injury in the crash as well. I lost myself, losing my little brother. I gave up on it all. My education was brought to a standstill and I isolated myself from society. I had no energy for life.
At the age of twenty-seven, I was reborn. I became a father to Elijah Irving, soon followed by Leila Vera. My babies woke me up. I found my love for life again. The biggest blessing and all the motivation I would ever need. I made the decision I was going to bet on myself and open a barbershop. It is an emotional decision I acted naturally. I dove right in, head first, with no business plan. I would soon realize I was up against one of the toughest challenges in my life. I’m here now. Granted with a prime location and a vision of what it could become. Every aspect of the business needed my attention. Everything from the design of the barber stations to the brand of barber chairs and barber mats I chose. All the way up to major operational roadblocks I faced such as plumbing and electrical problems. I continued to strive. One would say my survival instincts kicked in. Yes, I myself designed No Lines Barber Studio. I myself began cutting sheets of plywood. Sanding and staining until my raw wood became fine furniture. On my bare knees laying down the flooring. Installing it all to its precise measurement in order to embody what I wanted my barbershop to represent. Excellence. Yes! All my blood, sweat, and tears.
With the positive family orientated support system, I had and my children in my mind I processed all the energy I ever needed. Taking that energy and building No Lines Barber Studio has been the biggest accomplishment in my life. I now have a place to change peoples lives and continue to positively affect my own.
Has it been a smooth road?
Life is a journey of many ups and downs. Through my lens, I have seen some of the worst and the best of what life has to offer. From a business perspective, going into entrepreneurship practically blindfolded to the logistics of operation as I did at the beginning of my business venture was definitely a struggle in its’ self. I originally opened for business on July 2, 2016. After eight months of establishing my brand and getting my feet under me as a business owner, I was in an accident. A concussion that caused me to suffer nerve damage was the result. My neurologist read to me the results of the tests and again my energy was drained, my enthusiasm curtailed, once again. This was a critical time in the blossoming of my business. Not only was I dealing with nourishing myself back to health, but I would also be a victim along with many Houstonians in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Mother Nature tried to submerge my dream in No Lines Barber Studio underwater. All my hard work and sacrifice being re-evaluated in the moments after disaster struck made my desire deepen and my hunger for success undeniable. I took the negative energy the world handed to me and turned it on its head. I gained a new focus. I was locked in with tunnel vision, knowing my capabilities, I began remodeling once again. This time with a special touch of style and class that came about organically, through the everyday struggles of life.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the No Lines Barber Studio story. Tell us more about the business.
No Lines Barber Studio located east downtown is an upscale BarberStudio for men seeking haircut services at the highest quality level. I am your Master Barber, and when I say Master, I mean it. Specializing in men’s grooming, I dedicate myself to each and every single one of my clients. I love to build unbondable relationships. It’s not just about a haircut. I focus on detail, it’s a must for me. Very easy to get along with, I try and make my client feel at home. My throne is your throne. I must say, when I cut hair, it gives me peace. A feeling I can’t purchase. I love it. Turning a frown into a smile on a daily basis within minutes is one of the best feelings ever. Knowing that I can make people feel like superstars, as soon as they get my services, is priceless to me. I wouldn’t give that up for anything. Proudly to say, I am your Master Barber.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
In the next five to ten years, I definitely see the industry catering to clients to the extreme. Customers seeking 5-star services, making it a personalized experience, a different aspect such as how there is no interruptions or distractions as far as other customers. Just complete attention to an individual client. It’s a blend of those characteristics which create a modern barbershop such as No Lines Barber Studio.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1401 Sterrett Ste. 202
Houston, TX 77002 - Phone: 8326963485
- Email: nolinesbarber.dr@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nolinesbarberstudio/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NoLinesbarber/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoLinesBarber?lang=en
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/no-lines-barber-studio-houston
Image Credit:
Daniel G. Rojas
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