Meet JT Thompson | Owner and Operator of JT the Barber

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

Hi JT, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
After high school I spent a little time in college and then meandered from job to job including working in management in several different Industries. After some time drifting aimlessly I decided to return to and finish college nearly ten years after high school graduation. With my new degree I went for the money and ended up in a field I had no interest in. After several years there and several different jobs with that company I tried to go towards other fields that I was interested in with mixed results. I’d worked as an operations manager at a couple different businesses and always thought I would be extremely successful running my own but wasn’t sure what I ultimately wanted that business to be. I finally decided to take the steps and make a big career shift. As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a barber. I decided in my late 30s to abandon my current career and go to trade school. Working with my hands, serving people and most importantly building and running my own business and brand became what drove me for the next year in barber school and every day after. I’ve never been happier or felt more satisfied in my work and my only regret is that I didn’t make that decision to change sooner.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My Communications Management/Marketing degree has really shaped and aided what I’ve been able to do in terms of staying present and reaching out to customers about who I am and what I do. My degree truly had an unforeseen impact on the success of my business despite not being directly related. Barbering is not a new industry and even though the core of the work hasn’t changed in many years, the industry itself has grown and changed dramatically. Social media has made an undeniable impact on how you can advertise and market to people and reach them where they are. The spinning barber pole, though still a classic and unmistakable icon, has taken a backseat to online marketing. In my posts and advertising I try to display an honest picture of who I am, what I do in terms of the services I offer and the quality of my product and also the shop that I do it in while also showcasing my relationship with my customers, my sense of humor and my outlook. Posting endless photos of haircuts just becomes repetitive noise so I also post things that are personal, funny or are about what is happening at the shop. Instagram and facebook are a necessary and invaluable channel of communication. There are so many options where people could go to get a haircut but in addition, I give customers a relationship: someone who recognizes them, knows their name, knows their preferences and how they like their haircut. My shop is a community and my coworkers and customers are an extended family of sorts. Without my college degree and previous career experiences, I do not think I would have been able to recognize the value of those things or how to harness them. Where I am now is a direct result of college, trade school and a broad range of varying work experiences.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love Atlanta and for anyone who’s visiting The Vortex and Little Five Points neighborhood are a must-see. There’s so much cool stuff to check out at all the shops and restaurants and bars. We’d go to several concerts or festivals, as much live entertainment as possible. Tunes from the Tombs was a really unique festival. Olympic Park, World of Coke and the Georgia Aquarium are also big ones for me, they would be on the list. Six Flags, of course, just for an old school helping of fun and probably also Underground Atlanta.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The person who has been most instrumental in my success would be my wife Olivia. Throughout the fifteen years of our marriage she has kept my head level, my feet grounded and supported me unconditionally through all aspects of my life. I don’t know many spouses who would be so quick to support their partner in such a big life change especially when it comes to the financial well-being and future of the family. Olivia never doubted me and was always there for me mentally, emotionally and financially. She never doubted me for a second. Every mountain I’ve tried climbed she’s been right there with me, every hurdle we’ve jumped together. She is always there with supportive words and smart solutions. I could not have done what I have without her and I wouldn’t be who or where I am without her love and support.

Website: jtthebarber.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jtthebarberdotcom/

Facebook: facebook.com/jtcutshair