SLCKR Community Spotlight: Alex Brenard

After an extended break, we're back with a new edition of SLCKR Community Spotlight. This month we're highlighting Alex Brenard, owner and operator of Winsome Barber here in Philadelphia. Alex is a good friend of SLCKR and genuinely one of the kindest individuals I've met. The space he has built at Winsome is truly world class and represents what a barber shop should be in the modern day.

Please introduce yourself!

"Yo! My name is Alex Brenard and I am the owner and operator of Winsome Barbershop here in Philadelphia. I've called Philly home for the past 6 years, but before settling down here in PHL, I lived on both of our coasts. I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley of Southern California (Glendora), but after high school I got on the move and spent time moving all around Los Angeles and Orange County... Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, Santa Monica, West Hollywood etc.

Those were fun times, but by my late 20's, I decided I wanted to check out NYC, so I sold most of my stuff and started fresh in Manhattan. Later, I relocated to Bed Stud in Brooklyn. This country definitely isn't perfect, but I've loved moving around it and discovering everything it has to offer. 

I'm 40-years-old now, so I feel qualified to say that if you're young and able (aka prob done with high school) you should start exploring. Move away from your hometown and get out of your comfort zone. In this way, you'll build up self reliance and independence."

How did you find barbering and when did you know it was the path for you? 

"Barbering is my second career. I used to work in the advertising side of the publishing industry. I had jobs at a lot of niche culture pubs... Complex, Transworld, Conde Nast. But I knew in my soul it wasn't for me so when I was in my early 30's, I walked away from that life and went to barber school. I wanted to do something with my hands, something less "Wall Street" and more "Main Street". Barbering just seemed like the perfect version of this. 

It was scary bailing on my lucrative career in advertising, but I have always been comfortable betting on myself; I knew in my heart that one way or another, everything would work out. Everything you want is on the other side of fear."

At the core of Winsome is an initiative called selfless care, can you speak to that initiative and the importance to you of being more than just a barbershop and giving back to the community around you? 

"After a few years cutting hair, I found that the most gratifying part of the job wasn't necessarily the money, but making people feel good and smile. So, I thought to myself, "how can I scale up the good feelings that an individual gets from a great haircut experience?"

After meditating on this idea for a while, I began mentally walking down the path toward what became "Selfless Care". In short, we donate 2% of profits from your barbershop service to local causes. So, in essence your self care becomes an act of selflessness for others in need.

Our clients at Winsome are not only taking care of themselves, but the community as well. Since starting Winsome almost 3 years ago, our Selfless Care initiative has donated over $12,000 to local charities here in Philly."

You have a very strong team at Winsome and an awesome working environment. What are some instrumental parts of creating a shop that people want to be apart of? 

"Comfort and space are integral to creating a happy work environment. I designed Winsome after gathering years of experience at other barbershops and keeping mental notes on what I didnt like about working there. It's the little things that add up and can break a barber... poor lighting, low natural light, not enough outlets, not enough counter space for tools, no break room or private spaces where a barber can decompress from clients for a bit. I spent literally years sketching versions of the perfect station for a barber... all of that I had built into Winsome, and if I do say so myself, it came out great.

I also try my best to offer really great quality of life to the staff. No one works more than 4 days a week. I offer to pay for my teams tax consultations with my personal accountant so that they can get on a good footing with Uncle Sam. After an intro period, every barber makes well over 50% commission, plus bonuses, and Paid Time Off. I do a TON of marketing so that chairs stay busy. I provide almost all supplies needed to perform. Basically, I strive to create an environment where a barber just needs to show up with their tools, give some cuts, and then go enjoy life.

My biggest goal is to get to a point when I can afford to offer some kind of company subsidized healthcare plan #goals. I want Winsome to be a shop where a barber can settle in for the long haul, make great money, have balance, and feel taken care of. A place where a barber can have a career."

In your opinion, what does the future of barbering look like? 

The future of barbering is BRIGHT. We are moving into a fully automated world where AI is eating up jobs and demolishing traditional office-type career paths. In the future, I see personal service jobs, like barbering, as one of the few areas where the human touch remains crucial.

It's a beautiful time to be building a career as a barber. Right now, I have clients who work from home, or in some cubicle, and tell me that their monthly trip to the barbershop is one of the sweet spots in their life. This isn't going to change. With more and more humans spending their lives inside, staring at screens... the barbershop will remain one of life's lovely third spaces. So it's also on shop owners to keep elevating the shop experience... therefore its conversely a bad time to be a bad shop owner."

That's all for this months SLCKR Community Spotlight. Be sure to keep us with Alex on Instagram at @winsomeforgood to follow along his journey.

The SLCKR Community Spotlight is a monthly installment of real stories of our diverse community. From seasoned barbers to new, we're highlighting the authentic narratives that make our community unique. Barbershops aren't just for haircuts; they're cultural hubs, and the SLCKR Community Spotlight is all about recognizing that. Join us on a semi-regular basis for candid and inspiring narratives beyond the barber's chair.