We had the good fortune of connecting with Elan Suret and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elan, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
That’s a great question. I would say not quitting when things get tough. Working for yourself means you do everything, from the actual work itself, to the marketing, as well as the networking. It can be a bit exhausting at times but it’s worth it. Never give up!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My career was not linear. I started off in Corporate America after college. I then moved on to working for myself in the real estate industry as an investor. I was doing well for myself until the 2008 financial housing crisis hit. That made me take a step back and look into where I could make a solid, consistent, income without effects like the housing market crisis tearing my portfolio apart. I dug deep into my natural talents and went back to one of my first loves, art! Barbering is an art form, so I decided this is definitely what I’ll do while I rebuild a portfolio in real estate. It was a long 18 month journey just to get the license, but it was worth it. I learned that now that I have another trade skill that is virtually recession proof, as long as I had good faculties, I’d never have to worry about limited finances. I learned that I had a knack for making people feel comfortable and willing to communicate. These are abilities I had before but did not recognize them as easily. My life has had a myriad of twists and turns and I’m grateful for them all. This is why my brand “Mane Esthetic” is so important to me. In spite of any unfavorable obstacle that may lie ahead of me I’ll always come out more resilient than before.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Atlanta has so much to do. I’d take my friend to Colony Square to eat at one of the many delicious restaurants they have to offer. We’d do a little shopping at Lenox and Phipps. The next day we’d go to brunch at Toast on Lenox and have mimosas. I love a little fun activity, so VR room here we come! Maybe go to a rooftop or two in Midtown like Ponce City Market and then we’d do a wine tour at Chateau Elan. That weekend sounds eventful. Wheew…I’m worn out already!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I went to Atlanta Technical College School of Barbering. I would like to give thanks to the Director of the program Mr. Harris and my instructors, Eric Haney and Jerome Heath. They instilled so much confidence in me while learning my trade. I can’t thank them enough. I’d also like to thank my family for helping from time to time when it came to offering supplies or rooting for me on their social pages. The greatest thanks goes to Kutinfed Barbershop in Dallas, TX. The level of support and effort to see me succeed was phenomenal. I can’t thank the owners Willie J Horne and Deshone Williams enough for always having my back, supporting me, and investing time and resources just to see to it that I became a 6 figure barber. My hat really goes off to those guys.

Website: www.maneesthetic.com

Instagram: maneesthetic_barber

Facebook: Elan Suret (Mane Esthetic)

Other: Tik Tok- maneesthetic_barber

Image Credits:
Trey Oniel- TKO Images
Renard Da Barber- IPhone Images

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