Today we’d like to introduce you to Tico Invictus.
Hi Tico, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in a village in Brazil in a very small town with less than 1,000 people. My parents had to work in plantations to bring food to the table and provide for 7 children. When I was 17 years old my older brothers brought me to the US to have a better life. They were living in Boston since the ’90s. I worked in minimum wage jobs for a long time, such as demolition, tile, painting, carpentry, dishwasher, cleaning, and many others.
Both of my grandparents were barbers, and so was my father. I used to cut my friends’ hair in my bathroom. One day my barber gave me his old/spare tools (clippers, scissors) and told me I should become a barber, that I had talent. I asked for a job where he was working many times, and the answer was always “no”. Finally, they accepted me and I was still working in construction during the day and would cut hair after 5 pm at the barber shop.
I was supposed to pay weekly rent for the chair, and I was using the money from the construction job to pay for the chair rental because I didn’t have clients and could not make a living cutting hair. A few years later, I decided to move to Florida and arrived here in 2008 in the middle of the worst economic crisis. This was a terrible time to build a clientele when most Americans were financially broke.
For the next years, I worked in unisex salons serving male and female clients. I thought female clients would help me make more money, but I wasn’t happy doing women’s hair: my true passion was barbering. In 2011 I decided to do men only.
I built a large clientele including celebrities in a short period of time. I always had a dream of having my own barbershop, a place for the modern man with upscale services, hot towel shaves, skin treatments, a beautiful lounge with a pool table, videogames, beer, and even a tattoo studio.
This concept did not exist years ago. Only in 2017, I was able to finally open my dream shop “Invictus Barber Shop”. The shop quickly developed a reputation for providing truly outstanding haircuts and gained recognition around Florida. It attracted many famous Soccer and Basketball players, as well as UFC fighters and other celebrities, all lining up to get the perfect cut.
Because of my persistence, I was able to change the law of Coconut Creek to allow a tattoo artist in my barber shop, it was prohibited at the time. I had to meet and convince city commissioners about the benefits of allowing tattoos in barber shops and hair salons. This opened a precedent for hair salons to offer microblading which is also considered a tattoo. My determination helped the whole beauty industry in Coconut Creek.
With the business booming, I needed more skilled barbers to join the team. However, it soon became apparent that a skilled barber was harder to find than I expected. This resulted in the creation of the Invictus Barber Academy. I began training my own staff during my spare time and quickly developed a passion for educating young and upcoming barbers.
Since the foundation of Invictus Barber Academy in 2019, classes have been sold out upon their release, with a growing demand for my workshops. I also have social projects for the barber community, including free classes in barber schools, and providing scholarships and I truly enjoy contributing to my community.
In my most recent project, I built the first and only self-service Podcast Recording Studio in the United States. It’s a new concept where users don’t need a technician to record professional quality content. The studio can be rented by the hour, or we offer subscriptions as well.
The reason why I built Invictus Podcast Studio was to start the first Podcast to talk about entrepreneurship for barbers. It’s called Black Belt Barber Podcast. I saw an opportunity to solve my own problem, and also help other content creators. What started as a dream when I was cutting hair in the bathroom 20 years ago, became 3 successful businesses.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I had so many challenges on the road. But I was always open to learning and asking for help from people that knew more than I did. I constantly look for mentors, seminars, and workshops where I can develop my skills and grow my business. I would say my biggest challenges were: 1. My ideas are so innovative that I always encounter resistance before they are accepted. 2. Building a team of skilled barbers
We’ve been impressed with Invictus Barber Shop, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Invictus Barber Shop is an upscale barbershop for the modern man. We exist to help men feel good and look good, to empower them to lead and conquer great things, that will create a huge impact on our society.
We want to set the standard for what man’s grooming should be. We want to break old taboos, that say men should neglect taking care of themselves, by providing a special environment where they receive the special grooming experience they need & deserve.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I see clients demanding more from their barbers, the modern man has different needs and desires. They research their barber work on social media, they really want to know who is the person cutting their hair and if this person is skilled and this is a huge opportunity for beauty professionals.
If you are not on Social Media, it’s like you don’t exist. When I started I had to handle business cards, one by one. Now I can promote my work to thousands of people with one click. I see the industry growing exponentially every year for the next 10 years. I also see the Suite Rental growing more and more.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.invictusbarbershop.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/invictusbarbers
- Facebook: facebook.com/invictusbarbers
