1. You’ve been a barber for quite some time now. Can you share a bit about how you got started in the industry and what initially drew you to barbering?

I became my family’s barber at the age of 10. It was awesome having a large family because that meant I had plenty of practice. By 13 I was cutting all the high school kids in my area. I realized that barbering was a great way for  earning cash and building a network.

2. As a Houston native, how has the city shaped your journey? Can you share what being part of the Houston community means to you and how local culture influences your work?

Growing up in Houston, its taught me alot about work ethic and consistency. You really have to earn your way to success in a big city like Houston.

3. The barbering community has been evolving a lot over the years. What’s your take on the barbering scene right now? Are there any trends you’ve noticed or shifts in how barbers are working today?

Ive see the transition from $10 haircuts in the 90s to $40 haircuts in the 2010’s, to now, celebrity barbers being able to charge $100+ for a haircut. Its important to me to not get swept away in the latest barber trends. Such as needing to purchase every new pair of clipper hoping to achieve the perfect haircut, to fillers and enhancements hoping to give the appearance of the perfect haircut. I tell my clients all the time than my job is to cut their real hair in a way that they can easily duplicate the style at home without the fear if washing their haircut away.

4. Can you tell us the story behind your brand, "Gotta Feed Da Fam"? What inspired you to create it, and what does it represent for you?

My brand GOTTA FEED DA FAM was originally just a mantra that I used to repeat to myself for motivation. Then I turned into a tattoo, then later a t-shirt. I felt that everyone could relate to the meaning. To me the bloody cleaver represents willing to do whatever it takes to FEED your FAM. I hope to see everyone with a family or from a family in GOTTA FEED DA DAM

5. Mindfulness plays a big role in your life through yoga. How long have you been practicing and teaching and how do you incorporate that practice into your work and the atmosphere at YBJ Studios?

Yoga is a huge part of my adult life that just seemed to find me at the time i was searching for purpose in my 20s. Coming from a football background yoga seemed like the furthest thing from high intensity training so I gave it a try. I quickly realized how it was the perfect balance of strength, flexibility and character building. When my clients first heard of my yoga practice they thought it was weird, now many of my clients know the benefits of yoga through attending my classes as well as just feeling more at peace when they get a haircut because of my studio vibes. I try to create a mini retreat for my clients at YBJ Studios.

6. Your studio has some incredible art pieces. Can you tell us about the artwork you’ve curated in your space and what it means to you? How does it contribute to the experience you want to create for your clients?

The majority of the artwork in my studio is either from my little brother or my kids. My brother and i have found a way to collaborate on custom art pieces in spite my lack of painting experience. We’ve created some really cool custom artworks for some of our favorite rappers like Larry June, Dom Kennedy, Curren$y, Stove God Cooks, Cardo got Wings and more.

7. You’ve had both a work/colleague relationship as well as a friendship with our founder, Clay for a few years. Do you remember how you came to partner with O'Douds and why you took the jump to not only collaborate with us for projects but also be a carrier of our products?

I met Clay through a white client of mine that had a adopted black son. He happened to work for O'Douds at the time. Originally he just wanted a barber that had experience with natural hair. That relationship turned into a content shoot which over the years have turned into the work / friendship we have today. O'Douds also produces my YBJ Scents line consisting of candles and room fragrance. The fact that O'Douds products are organic aligns with my healthy lifestyle is perfect for my yogi/barber hair services.

8. This past June, we had the chance to visit our distributors in Japan and knew we had to have you along for the journey. Did you take away anything that may influence you going forward as a barber and business owner? Any culture shocks or intrigues you took note of?

The Japan trip was epic for me. I was able to bring one of my younger brother along for the trip. It was one of his biggest dreams to visit Japan mainly due to his obsession with Japanese anime and the food. I loved how detail oriented the Japanese barbers are. Everyone seems to have the utmost pride and respect for the industry. I definitely took back a more minimalist way of living in hopes to mirror their culture. One major thing that inspired me was how clean and organized Japan was. Can't wait to visit again.

9. Looking ahead, what’s next for you, YBJ studios, and "Gotta Feed Da Fam"? What are you most excited about as you continue to grow your brand and community?

Looking forward, we at YBJ Studios plan to expand our visibility and community but creating more useful content and community driven experiences from health and wellness activities, lifestyle and art exhibitions as well as continuing to offer the best haircut experience in Houston. With GOTTA FEED DA FAM, we are taking the brand from a underground, hand to hand pop up experience to establishing a stronger social media presence and e-commerce platform. 2025 is just the beginning to bigger and more meaningful representation to the brand.