Hey Reader,
Success is not a destination, it's a journey.
This week, I'm writing from a coffee shop in Philadelphia around the corner from SLCKR HQ. I'm fresh off a red-eye flight from California and desperately needed a nitro cold brew and egg sandwich to refuel.
Tonight, we'll make the drive to Connecticut for the Super Bowl of Barbering: the CT Barber Expo. This has been on the bucket list since my days at Squire and am hyped to finally make an appearance.
This will be my 8th barber expo. I represented Squire at 4 of them but the last 4 was just me.
These expos have been all over: Utah, Tennessee, Iowa, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Oakland, and now Connecticut.
The days are very long and exhausting, but worth it.
I started this newsletter with one of my favorite quotes. The first time I heard it was on the hardwood from my high school basketball coach.
Expos are like milestones in the journey. Looking back, these in person connections were like planting seeds.
In Utah, I met Corey London who I eventually interviewed on my podcast. He's now the lead educator for Faded Culture Academy.
In Tennessee, I met the founders of Illuzien and was able to hear more about their inspiring story and vision to serve the community.
In Iowa, I met Chris Bossio. We chatted for about 30 minutes and he encouraged me to continue to pursue some stirring ideas.
In San Francisco, I met Randy Tagle. A founding father of barber YouTube content.
In Los Angeles, I met the humble legend Vince Garcia. That connection eventually led to an affiliate partnership with his brand By Appt Only.
In Las Vegas, I met the founder and editor of BarberEVO. Now I'm a featured columnist for 2025.
"Just show up".
That's the motto at my gym. Just show up.
A key to building and growing any relationship is to show up. That's what this trip represents in a lot of ways.
Showing up for others but also showing up for myself.
Relationships take time and oftentimes they require physical presence.
I'm unsure what seeds will be planted or watered during these next few days, but success is not a destination...it's a journey.
In a world where we crave instant gratification, I've found the long game typically lasts longer.
Not sure what's happening around you, but what could 'showing up' look like?
You never know what that planted seed could lead to.
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P.S. If you're going to be at CT Barber Expo, please reply to this email and let me know. Would love to meet you in real life.
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Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:
- Monthly Income Tracker: a Google Sheets template to help you track your monthly income
- Passing Your Barber Exam: online course that helps you pass your barber exam
- Creating a business strategy: The Barbers' Playbook features 10 essential strategies to help evaluate & grow your business
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Written by: Matthew Mendoza
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