How to Get Your First Clients as a New Barber
Short answer: Start with the people you already know, show your work online, and book every client's next cut before they leave the chair. Your first regulars come from friends, family, coworkers and the people they send you. The cleaner your fade, the faster that list grows.
Want class dates and price? Pick your city and send the short form. Our class coordinator replies with the details.
En français : demandez les dates des cours à Montréal
Where do new barbers find their first clients?
- People you know. Friends, family, coworkers, teammates, your gym.
- Their friends. Ask every happy client to send one person.
- Social media. Post before and after photos and short videos of every cut.
- A shop. Working in a barbershop or renting a chair puts walk-ins in front of you.
How do you turn a first cut into a regular?
- Book the next cut before they stand up. A fade looks its best for a few weeks. Pick the date together.
- Be consistent. The same clean result every time is what brings people back.
- Remember the details. Their guard numbers, their part, their job, their kids' names.
- Send a reminder. A short text a day before the appointment.
What should you post?
Before and after photos. Short videos of the fade coming together. Clean, well-lit shots of the back and sides. CADMEN students leave class with before and after photos and video of their own work, so they have their first posts ready on day one.
Need the skill before the clients? Ask about fade class dates in your city.
How do you practise when you have no clients yet?
Cut everyone who will sit still in the weeks after you learn. Every cut builds speed and gives you another photo. Ask for honest feedback. Read mannequins vs live models for how to practise between real cuts.
When should you add new services?
Once your fade is consistent, add the next skill. CADMEN students come back for beard and hot towel work, then scissors. Each new skill adds a service your regulars can book. CADMEN's private community lets students ask educators about any haircut or client question after class.
Starting while you keep your job? Read is barbering a good side hustle.
Where can you take hands-on barber classes?
CADMEN teaches in three cities. Every location uses the same CADMEN curriculum, keeps classes small and teaches inside a real working barbershop.
Mississauga, Ontario
The home academy is at 1684 Lakeshore Rd W, Unit 18B, Mississauga, ON L5J 1J4. Classes run in small groups of one to three students, or one-on-one. Small-group training is $1,750 + HST per course and one-on-one is $1,950 + HST per course. A $300 deposit holds your spot and is credited toward your tuition. Fade, beard and scissors courses are booked separately. Tools are available during class.
Call 647-931-0355 and press 1 for the Academy, or see the full Mississauga barber classes page.
Request Mississauga course details
Calgary, Alberta
Calgary classes run at Barber Culture, Unit 101, 1211 Kensington Road NW, Calgary, AB T2N 3P6, in Kensington. You learn in a real barbershop with a CADMEN-approved educator. The first class dates are being set now. Ask today and we will send you the price and dates as soon as they are confirmed.
Call or text 825-445-1807, or see the Calgary barber classes page.
Montreal, Quebec
Montreal classes run at Mama's Boy, 5125 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montreal, QC H4A 1T2, in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (NDG). You learn in a real barbershop with a CADMEN-approved educator, and classes can be taught in French. The first class dates are being set now. Ask today and we will send you the price and dates as soon as they are confirmed.
See the Montreal barber classes page or the page en français.
Ask about Montreal class dates
En français : demandez les dates des cours à Montréal
What do you need to start?
- No experience. Beginners are welcome in every class.
- Two days. The fade course is two days of hands-on cutting on live models.
- A city near you. Mississauga, Calgary or Montreal.
- A short form. Pick your city below and our class coordinator will reach out with dates and price.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do new barbers get clients?
Start with friends, family and coworkers, ask each client to refer one person, post before and after photos, and book every client's next cut before they leave.
How do I keep clients coming back?
Give the same clean result every time, rebook before they leave the chair and send a reminder before the appointment.
What should a new barber post on Instagram?
Before and after photos and short videos of each cut, with clear shots of the back and sides.
Do CADMEN students get photos of their work?
Yes. Students leave class with before and after photos and video of their work for social media.
Do I need a licence before I charge clients?
Rules depend on your province. Job Bank lists hairstylist trade certification as compulsory in Ontario and voluntary in Quebec, and Alberta treats barber and hairstylist as compulsory trades. CADMEN classes are private skills training. They do not give a trade certificate, a licence or apprenticeship hours. Check your province's rules before you charge for haircuts.
