Description
In this heartfelt episode of The Daymakers Podcast, host Daved Dolce reconnects with Louis, a standout barber and proud Tricoci University graduate. From cutting hair during the pandemic to becoming a sought-after professional with an ever-growing clientele, Louis shares how discipline, hustle, and heart shaped his journey. Tune in to hear how one student-turned-pro is redefining what it means to be a barber — not just through skill, but by creating a powerful emotional impact on every guest who sits in his chair.
Find Louis on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louii_fadez/
Show Notes
- – How Louis began cutting hair as a sophomore during the pandemic and transitioned into a full-time career.
- – Why Louis chose Tricoci over other schools, and how the mix of cosmetology, esthetics, and barbering shaped his well-rounded approach.
- – Louis shares how conversations, empathy, and trust are just as important as a clean fade.
- – From early morning gym sessions to 6am start times at the shop, Louis gives us a peek into his grind.
- – Growing up in a hardworking Hispanic household and using that foundation to never give up.
- – How Louis is expanding into photography, videography, and content creation to build his brand.
Links
- YouTube: https://youtu.be/QLOhaVPYIpU
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6SvqQYUABGFSHIjzjgEo7P?si=TJwgXK83QoeAXoJBMytFNw
Transcript:
We are here to make people feel good about themselves
We really have to feel like we are a day maker for the guest
You’ve made my day How great is that when you hear those words from your guest
Hey everybody I’m Daved Dolce and welcome to the Daymaker Podcast
Today I have the honor of interviewing Louie
Louie is one of our barber alumnis
Louie cut my hair his whole time when he was at Tricoci
He’s still my go-to when I got something important to do
Louie thank you for being here
Thank you Mr Daved
It’s just a full circle moment to be here with you getting to interview you through all of this And yeah it’s fantastic
So thank you for being here
Oh yeah my pleasure
So you were cutting hair before you went to beauty school right
Yeah I was cutting hair since I was a sophomore like right when COVID hit
And then once I graduated school then that’s when we started at Tricoci
That’s crazy So it was important for you to make sure that you got a license right
Yeah
You did the whole thing Got to do it the right way you know
Yeah
That’s good And you did You really did Did you ever think you were going to do anything else with your career or did that just click You’re like OK this is this is what I have to be a barber
Yeah I was like I think at the time I was probably like 13 when I was like I want to do hair But then from there I didn’t really think too much of it until I was like actually let’s pick it up It’s crazy
Did you look at any other barber schools before you picked us
When I was looking into a school Honestly I feel like there wasn’t many nearby options There’s other schools yes But when I was looking into Tricoci I was like hey this is the one They do everything
They do barbering esthetician cosmetology I was like hey it’s all in the same building I learn from each and every single one of them
So I feel like that’s why I chose this school
But yes another school can offer you know barber services or learning to cut hair
But Tricoci really like stand out to me
So I was like this is this is where I will take my journey and continue from here on out you know
yes i’m glad you did
no yeah definitely it was it was well worth it
i uh every every moment being in the building it just felt amazing honestly you know coming in saying hey to everybody and it’s like everybody knows you or knows a little bit of you and just coming in and out it feels you know wonderful
so I feel like that’s why I was like you know what this is where I’m going and
yeah sure enough you know my wonderful director Mr Daved
yes
and uh from there on out it was just amazing
that makes me happy because I really really tried hard to build a culture in that building and you just described to me that like I did a good job
Those are the moments that I realized you know what I guess I’m doing a good job too
So thank you
Yeah exactly One of the big things with you is that as a student you gave a whole professional experience
Like you never just cut anybody’s hair real quick You didn’t cut my hair real quick I got the shave the lining the hot towel Like I got the whole Daymaker experience
Do you think going to Tricoci helped train you in that type of way
Oh yeah definitely Honestly it’s it’s all like you practice everything in there to do it in the in the field you know
So it’s like Everything you practice in school with is just being there from 9 to 5 You’re doing it outside in the shop It’s like you’re in the shop you’re there from 9 to 7
And it’s like you practice everything in school to do it out in the field
So I would definitely say that it definitely helped me and it shaped me to who I am now as well
That’s cool That’s great I wish you were closer I wish I could go get my hair cut by you all the time
It’s different not being at that campus every day I’m like oh when you graduated I’m like no he’s leaving
We’d love to see you leave but it’s like oh we’re going to miss these people
So it’s an investment right
Oh yes
Do you think your investment of your time and your money was worth it
Yeah I would definitely say like overall my experience and my investment of time and money you know it’s well worth it
you create so many memories you learn every day it’s like as you’re cutting you’re learning and it’s like the environment and all the people that are there with you it just makes it like fun and it makes it enjoyable to want to keep learning and being there every day
Yeah Did you think going to a barber school that also had cosmetology and an aesthetics program changed your career a little bit rather than if you just went to a school that was strictly barbering
Yeah I mean cosmetology you know nowadays long hair is trending
It’s like very very trendy now So from having trending long hair haircuts to just like a fade it’s you know it’s 2 2 different 2 different things So now it’s like I can do long haircuts and a fade
So bring it all together It’s like I do facials to you know learning about facial products and and massage movements
So all that definitely like falls into just having the whole package
It does It really does
Yeah i like seeing all of you just intermingle and intertwine and get to know everybody like we don’t try to keep it separate um that’s how so many barbers are like killing it at color right they’re busted out um perms the barbers are doing perms all day so that’s something picked up on that cosmetology portion of it as well
If you could go back to your first day of school is there any advice that you would give yourself
Oh when I was first day of school it’s like I did not think it was going to go this way
You know learning about the history to learning about shavings like the sectionings and you know everything I was like I was amazed
I was like wow like all this book work at first
But then like now down the line it’s like the book work helps you you know and it definitely is like oh but i don’t need the the book work but deep down it’s like you need to know everything so that when you get out and it’s like oh i remember this from the you know i think back and it’s like yo just this like this Looking back it’s like first day of school nervous shy But then it’s like people are like oh Louie Faze you’re from TikTok
Hey you’re here on TikTok posting this and that And that’s when everybody’s like oh hey Louie Louie So I feel like that welcomed me a lot more into the first day um first day i was i was not there and the second day i was there so it was like oh you’re the one everybody was talking about and you were the one starting so like looking back at it it’s like the first day if i could go back i would go back most definitely
that’s cool i mean you enjoyed it one of the reasons why i respect you so much is that you’ve worked hard your whole life
yeah
And you really persevered to go through and get this education What made you wake up every day
What made you be like I’m going to do this I’m going to do it for myself
I’m going to do it for my family Like what was your driving force
Well I’m the only child So it’s like my parents look up to me to be the best you know
So it’s like being the only child you have pressure on yourself to like having everything done so it’s like i come from a hispanic background you know i work construction when i was young till up till now so it’s like being like hey you got to do this you got to wake up you got to get it done so it’s like all that impacted me till now to being like hey go to school Once you finish school then you have the freedom to do what you like You have more time Being a barber you create your own schedule
So it’s like you’re able to take a day off
You’re able to do what you can to make something happen
So it’s like Being in a Hispanic household definitely shaped me to never give up
You can pick up a machine but then it’s like hey I don’t want to do it anymore people coming to me So you can feel like man it’s not working out
But then like you you can never give up because look where I’m at now
You know it’s like so much work and time that you’ve put into it
And it’s it’s happened you know So I feel like I’ve never never gave up with myself
I’ve always worked hard late early
So I feel like that’s definitely helped me And being in school it’s like you’re giving up your free time
You’re not getting paid You know you’re paying to learn But it’s like you know you’re going to depend on that later on when you get out
You’ve always been driven goal orientated I remember you were cutting my hair
I’m like so do you have a girlfriend You’re like no like I don’t have time for that I gotta do this do this do this then I’m gonna girlfriend I’m like that’s awesome to hear somebody young speaking like that and working so hard
You don’t hear that every single day So that’s really cool you have that ambition
What does a typical professional day of Louis Fade look like
Well we wake up early in the morning we hit the gym and then cook some breakfast um from there we get started being the shop i’m usually in the shop from like 9 to 7 um saturdays is like my longest day i’m there from like 6 in the morning to 5
wow
so i’ve definitely like built up my clientele to book earlier you know some people like to wake up early and get things out the way so i feel like if you have that option to like have early appointments then it’s like people know and then they take advantage of it too
you know they they come in earlier They get it out the way
So I feel like if you have availability and you’re there every day consistency takes a lot of token to it
because they see that and then they keep coming back you know
But a day in the life from there from after the shop you know we get home
I also been trying to get into photography and videography now
Cool
I’m trying to learn more to make more content So it’s like you got to use your time to your best advantage you know from after maybe the shop sometimes you know help my parents out from there you know clean around and just
Really just enjoy your time off as well It’s important
Maybe take a little drive here and there listen to some music But other than that it’s just grind time I’m young now so later on I could be relaxing
Work hard little vacation and from there it’s just work honestly I’m still young I’m 21 now I started I was 18 when I started at Tricoci
I’m 21 now It’s been a journey
I wish I had your mentality when I was younger I don’t know if it took a minute to get ………
Why don’t you let us know speaking of all this content and things you’re doing how can we follow you on social media
You can find me on Instagram Louis L-O-U-I-I underscore fades with a Z Or
on TikTok as well Louis Fades I try to make it a little unique
My name is Luis but I get called Louis I was like you know what Louis sounds a little more out the way I added the double I I was like you know what It’s myself so I get to do what I want It’s cool I like it
Yeah
But it sets you apart from other people and that’s super important with everything
Exactly
So this is kind of our signature question that we like to ask everybody
When was the moment in your life that you realized you had the power to make somebody else’s day
Oh man Honestly every client that sits in the chair has a story right
So you have 45 minutes to go ahead and and finish the service or up to an hour you know But when a client comes in in my chair and they sit down I feel like sometimes they can be quiet but when you try to find your way into a conversation you can get to know a person
Sometimes they like to open up to you
So it’s like you take that moment where they get to open up to you and you listen to them Sometimes people don’t get heard
Sometimes they just want to be heard
So it takes the takes your time to being like hey like I hear you you know that makes them feel good sometimes Listening goes a long way as well as giving feedback
I have maybe a few clients that they sit down and they talk to me And then when they see themselves they can they’re like you know they can be sad or feeling emotional
And then from there they they see themselves and they’re like oh wow like I really needed this
It’s been 3 months It’s been 2 months And it’s just like hey I have a job interview I really needed this you know
i got so many compliments from my haircut you know and it’s just like hearing that makes me feel good about myself that i am putting pride and you know effort into the haircuts because it’s not just hair
you know you build a relationship with your clients and that keeps client retention
you know um having that conversation with the people it makes them keep coming back you know because then You can come in for a haircut in a month and I can come back and picking up on the conversation where we left off you know sometimes they’re like wow how do you remember And it’s like you see so many people all day How do you remember
Like I’m like hey like it’s just like a natural thing where it’s like you kind of remember where you left off and they feel like hey like I’m being heard you know
So I feel like that goes a long way as well
I liked your answer because we talk a lot about the feeling that somebody feels when they look at themselves in the mirror after the hair
But to be a day maker it is way more than just that
It is the personal connection the conversations that you’re having with those people
Those are the day making opportunities
Because people do just want to be heard
People just want somebody to talk to sometimes
They said I heard something that said like uh 60 percent of women said that their hairstylist knows them better than their husband does
When I heard that I’m like I think that’s true I know some deep dark secrets from some people
And you do you remember because this is what you want to do
You get into it So how do you think all of that translates when they leave your shop
Like how do they take that into their next day
I mean they go from there Honestly I hear a lot of hey like I just got my haircut and now let’s go do errands you know let’s let’s go out
They they feel refreshing It’s a reset button you hit you know and it’s like
You go out and you feel good you look good Sometimes that’s all people need at the end They need to feel good within themselves to go ahead and go out there and be confident
I’m not even kidding
You’re the only person that’s ever cut my hair where people are like damn nice fade
I told you once I was in my car the window’s down and these girls start all whoo
I was so embarrassed
It was like the same day you cut my hair and I get it all the time
That’s a great fade That’s a great fade
Like the only person that I’ve ever gotten that from are from your cuts your customer service and what you do every day for everybody
How important is that for you to keep your clientele or to build the clientele well to building a clientele based off you know listening
um sometimes you really just have to just sometimes some people want to just stay silent you know they they like the haircut overall but they just want to relax um it’s okay you know not not every client needs a full conversation right
sometimes it’s just the service within itself
But keeping clients to keep coming back honestly it’s customer service
the way you carry yourself your consistency
You really just have to be yourself as well because you’re seeing them biweekly weekly sometimes they want to hear about you you know
it’s not just going to be them but it’s going to be yourself too
so if you also open up to them they have a full understanding of what’s going on with you too
you know we’re all human we all have things going on within ourselves so it’s like i can have something going on too
And they can notice it you know and if I tell them a little bit then they’re like hey like the trust is there you know
So sometimes it can also be trust within your clients
And then that makes them keep coming back to you know you build that client retention you’re building a relationship
So from there it’s like hey like he listens to me I listen to him
Sometimes we all need to share some some insight within ourselves
Oh definitely I’m an oversharer
Well the best thing about doing these podcasts for me is being able to reconnect with old students that I had like you that meant a lot to me being in that building you meant a lot to everybody else
I hope you know that we’re all super super proud of you and I continue to follow your journey and I just look forward to your future success
thank you for being here with us today
yeah thank you Mr Daved you’re so welcome have a good rest of your day
okay you too
thank you