Meet Josh Coleman | Hairstylist/artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Josh Coleman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Josh, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born in Dallas, but raised in a small town east called Athens. I came from nothing really. Down south things move a little slower than the rest of the country, so it was difficult growing up and seeing a bright future for myself. I was born and raised in a white family and we were poor, poor. One box of Mac and cheese and a cut up sausage poor. There wasn’t a lot of black people or any people of color in the school I attended. That played a big part in me not feeling like I belonged to anybody. Then my mom committed suicide when I was 7. Being so young I don’t think I processed it fully, or even correctly, but it hurt nonetheless. A few months after I was adopted by a loving couple who had just lost their son to cancer. I guess to the both of us it felt like a second chance. They were also white so you can say I never saw color as a problem but I noticed my color being a problem to others. I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere, to anyone, I couldn’t fit in. Laughter, jokes, and playing the comedian built a hard outer wall that people saw but could never peak over to see how I truly felt. I had a little weight, acne, buck teeth and braces but I always got compliments on my hair ever since I can remember. My parents didn’t know how to get my hair cut so they took me to great clips, sports clips, places like that and I was ok with it at first until high school. I started to notice people that looked like me have these dope haircuts! Tapers, fades, drop fades, hard parts, eye brow slashes, it was a new way of seeing what part of a culture I was missing and had no idea about. I’ve always been an artist so I figured hair wasn’t to far off from drawing. I took my dads clippers the following week and started cutting myself. It wasn’t until friends noticed and asked to get cut themselves that I started to fall in love with the craft. Before it I drew something I’d have to hang it up, put it in a show, or something for it to be seen. With hair, the world is your exhibit and the client, everyone , is your masterpiece. After high school I joined the Navy trying to get out of a small town. This is when the culture hit me. I was cutting people of all races, backgrounds, and countries. I was learning from real world people about religion, ideas, life experiences, heartache, triumphs. Having conversations that people need to have. That changed me forever. I do this because It helped give me apart of my culture that I never knew. This craft helped me understand people and that everyone needs to be listened to and cared about by somebody.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
First barber convention I ever went to was an invite from a close friend. It was Pacino the barber and he was the first person I ever saw to have what he had from barbering. Accomplished what he accomplished from barbering. I couldn’t believe that and it lit the fire. Nothing is easy in building your own business. As an employee your taught your job and that’s it. As the owner and creator, your responsible for everything! That in its self , if your heart isn’t in it, will destroy you. What I learned is to have patience. What you want right now you may not be ready for. I know that if I would’ve had this a few years back I wouldn’t of been ready. It’s all in good time as long as your moving forward. My story is your story. There’s so many people in this world who have came from pain and darkness who deserve to be heard. That’s what my chair provides. A safe place for any race, background, gender, religion, to have a place to talk and leave looking great in the process. People deserve that.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
After the military I’m way more of a home body now lol but I’d definitely take him to Reunion tower, downtown Dallas for the night culture and great food!! Some of the best bbq spots are in Dallas like the Pecan Lodge!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I was born with talent. Churned that into a skill set. But without anybody to help cultivate that it means nothing. From my clients, military brothers and sisters, to investors with big hearts (beau humble) I’ve had many people that have helped me get to where I’m at today. But, I wouldn’t be here if not for my fiancé. Days I wanted to quit, nights were I cried because I don’t feel like I’m moving forward, she was there to pick me up and push me forward. It’s crazy cause her name is Alma and in espanol that means “soul”, guess you can say we’re soulmates in this marathon.

Website: https://instabio.cc/308281

Instagram: @jcutzthebarber

Image Credits
Wesley jones @thunderbridgewood And myself