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

Hi Harvey, what are you inspired by?
My daughters, being a father gave me that extra boost i needed to be great in life! There is absolutely nothing better than being a girl dad, just to know that it’s a piece of me roaming this earth forever and watching them grow is amazing. The are my reason for everything and I will stop at nothing to insure that all 3 of them(Gilani, Peyton, and phoenix) have their hearts desires! The unconditional love and support you get from your kids is definitely unmatched.

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.
Honestly, i never seen myself being a barber lol. I started in Texas in 2019 but i just wasnt getting it and i gave up. Flash forward I moved to Georgia and that’s when i mean Mr. Scales and he changed my whole life, literally taught me how to cut hair in 2 weeks. I was very big headed, hard headed just bad off so as young barber it made it hard to grow until i realized that in order for me to be successful i have to crawl before i walk. So i took a break came back to my shop with a clearer mind and i took all the teachings from the older barbers and i never left the shop, 7 days a week from sun up to sun down i was behind that chair. Now with that I had to SACRIFICE so i couldn’t go to every party, i lost time with my kids, i lost friendships, relationships etc but in the end all my hard work paid off. My clientele increased, my cuts became flawless, i was able to take my kids anywhere they wanted to go and buy whatever they want, i became a general manager for my shop, and now I’m a lead instructor at scales barber academy. Did i mess up a lot of cuts? Yes. Did i loose sleep? Yes etc etc but did i also become one of the best barbers in Georgia and a top instructor. YES! The problem with people is that they want the reward without the work, they see the glamour but don’t know what it took to get there. There are no short cuts in success and you can’t do it alone you have to be coachable you have to understand your position and your mission, stop doubting and procrastinating on your dreams, ignore the noise and love yourself no matter what mistakes you will make. I’m never in competition with anyone only person i am in competition with is myself. I am the author to my own story and i determine how successful i will be. Always be humble, meditate, pray and community service is a must. I’m a walking testimony, from being a alcoholic, drugs, jail, the streets, failed relationships, etc I’m still standing because i refused to let the old me define me. I’m proud of myself and i haven’t even began to scratch the surface just know i will be iconic and change lives along the way! Scales barber academy will be a franchise and razor sharp podcast will be the standard and I’m excited for what God has in store for me!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Man i still think i haven’t really seen Georgia! lol but it’s so many hidden gems and i will see them all. If my best friend where to fly in I would say top golf, zoo Atlanta, the aquarium, civil rights museum, 3rd spot, round 1, the Martin Luther king exhibits are great, got to go to a hawks or falcons game, great bars(vvs, seveyn, 1942, fins and feathers, nouveau, Sudos, slim & huskies and bar taco is a must BEST DUCK TACOS EVER!, it’s so much more but that’s the basics

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There is a few people, i want to thank God first and foremost because without him and can do nothing but with him I can conquer the world. My parents are the real MVP’s i didn’t have a perfect childhood but to this day they are still in my corner, pushing me to be great and amazing grandparents! My beautiful daughters, they give me life and a better understanding of love and cheer me on no matter what, they are the real brains behind the operation and I’m so honored that God place them in my life. My brother Brian scales since day one he’s been my mentor, my best friend and my right hand. He truly seen greatness in me and has literally put me in positions to win and i wouldn’t be here without him and his family. He is truly an inspiration and the while being tough on me he’s showing me the meaning of being a man, a boss, a friend and family. It’s plenty more to name but I’d be here forever!

Instagram: @swolerhebartist @razorsharppodcast @scalesbarberacademy

Youtube: Big swole

Other: TikTok: swole_thebartist

Image Credits
Harvey Middleton

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