A Utah barber turned his dreams into reality by landing a job in the Big Apple.
Martial Vivot barber, Clark Walker from Centerville, Utah, followed his passion of barbering which has led him to his dream job in New York City.
In terms of barber culture, he noted that there are a few differences between Utah and New York. 'I have noticed one of the biggest differences is being able to take more time and feel more rewarded for my work here. Not that I wouldn't before in Utah or anything, but coming to New York it's like this whole world opened up. These people coming from all over the world that are willing to pay a little extra and expect more as well.”
Walker says the rise of social media has helped him share his work.
“When I was in barber school, I downloaded Instagram, but I thought it was just a photo editing app. I started barber school and these kids in school were talking about Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and now 7 years later, I'm in the habit of taking pictures of haircuts and posting it to social media,” said Walker.
Being active on social media has not only allowed him to showcase his haircuts, but also giving him the opportunity to interact with his clients outside of work.
“I can pull up a picture and I can tell you what his job is, what his family situation is like. Just because I love that about cutting hair. Getting to know them during the haircut,” explained Walker.
Clark says that cutting hair is one of many trades to get into and it is important to enjoy what you are doing.
“Choosing something you know you can be passionate about and that you can interact with people, you can work with your hands. It's something that's appealing to people aspiring to do something fulfilling. It's creative; it's cool. There's unlimited opportunity,” said Walker.
Although Walker initially thought of opening his own barber shop, he loves his current job and considers New York home.