Today we’d like to introduce you to Kielan Gary.
Hi kielan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started off in 2013 moving to Jacksonville. I had a Auntie who invited me to come down here because I had found the Lord, but I still owe debts to the devil coming from a lifestyle of gangs drugs, violence, I heard a sermon on walking on water and I up and left a place that I had called home for most of my life and I wanted to start over again as a servant of God and I got to Jacksonville. I was hit by more calamity my auntie who told me to come down here she gave me a false address and I didn’t know what to do thank God that he ran in the bush The rescue mission downtown took me in and gave me an extended stay while I got on my feet after working at various jobs and meeting my girlfriend who would like to be my wife and mother to my two children are slow slowly got on my feet, but I fell again due to addiction, but trusting in the Lord, I was able to come out of it and now it has been four years later I own my first barbershop on 103rd and Blanding. I’m sorry I forgot to add I was working at PDQ several years before this and I was fired after I had a back injury for working too hard. They told me I could take some time off, but then I had a rule where you had to work four hours a week at least so they snuck four hours into my schedule after telling me I had the week off. I came back and explained the misunderstanding and after being promised the job at management because with all my prior restaurant knowledge, I trained a lot of people in their business when it first came to Jacksonville. They fired me. I was heartbroken and didn’t know what to do. I heard a commercial on the television and it said you should go to school so I decided that’s what I would do. I was heavily in debt with the school system and didn’t know how this will work out, but I gave them a call believing that God will make a way and they said they had a program for me that would help me to go back to college but I need a five dollars on that very day to start me and my wife had just destroyed the house looking for change because we were looking to go to the plasma center and donate so we would have a little bit of money to buy food but we couldn’t find anything. We checked every car, but there was nothing but when I checked the cars one more time to see if there was five bucks the first card I called had five dollars and a little change. God is amazing and fast-forward the first shop I had that I mentioned earlier I went home on a Saturday like always. My next workday would be a Tuesday. I attended church on Sunday. Heard a good word when I got back on Tuesday the roof had collapsed on half of the building, the state got involved when the state got involved they condemned the whole structure. My Barbershop was homeless after two years of baby in it. I got photos and videos of how water was coming and flooding inside the shop. I paid every dollar I had to make this shop work. I never had a GoFundMe or any kind of help other than my wife, my children supporting me as I pressed forward the Landlord has just forced me to get a sign on the building for thousands of dollars altogether I have sunk in for over $40,000 into the shop just to say RIP I started working at a new shop right down the road so I could try to maintain my clientele but I just didn’t feel right I wasn’t comfortable and while going on lunch, I passed by another building with the phone number in the front, we called it and got open up the door for us where they accepted us and allow us to be tenants. It’s been six months since then the business is not thriving, but we are making do for now which is a blessing. This is not a wow is me story to me? This is a story of overcoming life‘s obstacles, not giving up and keeping your faith in a power that is greater than myself.
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?
Homelessness, loneliness, abandonment addiction, financial struggles
As you know, we’re big fans of Barbershop . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I’m a third generation master Barber who has been cutting hair since I was 13 years old and 41 now but most of all I’m an entrepreneur. Barber is just one aspect of business that I am in my heart really goes out to doing charity work and the community as II’m a third generation master Barber who has been cutting hair since I was 13 years old and 41 now but most of all I’m a entrepreneur. Barber is just one aspect of business that I am in my heart really goes out to doing charity work and the community as I was homeless I know how it feels to feel like you’re lost and alone so I enjoy helping in any way that I can while I can
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
My very favorite book is the Bible I spent a lot of time on TikTok as well. Something about that app. I’ve read the 48 laws of power artisans art of war the art of seduction getting into God economy and I also like TD Jakes books.
Pricing:
- Haircuts are 30
- Seniors 25 years
- Custom t shirts are one for 15 two for 25
