This barber offers more than just a shave and a haircut
In business as in life, the only way to survive the changing times is not just by evolving but also cultivating a willingness to evolve. This was a core lesson of the pandemic and it was one that Benjie Galit took to heart.
The Quezon City-based barber was doing brisk business before restrictions were placed on all “nonessential” services. At his JKB barbershop on Limbaga Street just off Tomas Morato Ave., he could do as many as 35 cuts a day on weekends.
“On average, I would do 18 cuts but since the pandemic, it went down to 15 a day. It’s probably because I used to accept walk-ins then but now, it’s all by appointment,” he told this writer in an earlier interview.
Galit was able to continue cutting hair after one of his regular clients helped facilitate him getting a pass that allowed him to continue working even with the restrictions. Clients would schedule an appointment with him and then Galit would get the necessary tests (antigen and RT-PCR) before heading to the client’s house. They appreciated that he took the prescribed safety precautions seriously and, as a result, would tell their friends about him.
He later opened a tiny barbershop still in the area with a single seat set-up that allowed him to continue cutting hair and thus providing for his family. It had everything he needed within easy reach and was even outfitted with a shampoo basin and chair. Just outside the door—and in view of the carport—was another barber’s chair for customers who preferred to have their hair cut outdoors.
Two years ago, he transferred to his current space on Sct. Ybardolaza, just across the Sacred Heart Church. When it first opened, it only had two barber chairs. I remember setting an appointment with him and keeping my face mask on while he snipped away.
Galit has since made more room and installed two more chairs. He cleared out an area that had been used to store a couple of racks of T-shirts he used to sell on the premises. “I plan to begin offering salon services as well. I taught myself the different techniques just by watching tutorials on YouTube. Everything’s there if you know where to look.”
Self-taught
He kept himself busy by watching these tutorials and said that as long as you know the technique, you don’t really have to enroll in classes and seminars. His clients seem to agree as they continue to set appointments with him, some as often as once a week since he began offering his “unlimited” promo packages.
“I came up with this idea after talking with a client and learning how the more established gyms offer plans where members can work out as often as they want as long as they pay an annual fee upfront. He thought to himself, ‘I could do something like that.’”
His first promo was a P10,000 annual plan for basic cuts for clients who needed to maintain clean cuts. Instead of paying P650 per cut (at the time), they could set appointments as often as they wanted for a trim and not have to shell out any cash for a year. Depending on the kind of cut the client required, the package could go as high as P18,000 a year. He offered a total of 20 packages of this type. It was a risk Galit took and which remarkably paid off because they all sold out.
“Many of my clients are business owners and politicians who need to look their best. Some of them come over weekly or every two weeks. It’s more economical for them in the long run.”
Galit then decided to offer a P100,000 annual plan—just 10 packages initially—that allowed members to avail themselves of unlimited cuts and certain services and treatments. Sold.
Expansion plans
What does he do with all that money? “I invest them in barbershops all over the country—Batangas, Pampanga, Antipolo, Cebu, Bulacan, Bicol. There are 16 now, small ones … I train the staff here in Quezon City on the techniques I use. Some of my regular clients who find out about this want to invest as well so I pass these barbershops on to them.”
Last December, he invested in a food alley next to his barbershop. The location was perfect because it attracted the attention of parishioners who had just attended Mass at Sacred Heart and wanted something to eat before heading home. “I want to turn it into a food park so that’s what we’re doing now.”
Galit is also busy training five barbers, a succession plan in case he’s unable to attend to a client for whatever reason. “They’re all already trained but they have their own specialties like fading or contouring or layering. What I’m doing is training them so they can master all these techniques and more.”
