I started my barbering journey in 1999, shortly after returning from U.S. Army training. At first, I was set to work on heavy equipment — but something inside told me my true path was elsewhere. I didn’t just want to build things with my hands — I wanted to help build people. That decision led me to the barber chair, and I’ve never looked back.
Today, I’m a Master Barber, educator, and owner of the Scott Anthony Barber Academy. Barbering has taken me across the country, but it’s what happens behind the chair — the conversations, the healing, the moments of real connection — that fuels my purpose every day.
The Weight I Carried
My passion for helping others wasn’t born out of comfort — it came from struggle. I grew up with an amazing mother who did everything she could to protect and raise us right. But we lived in a household overshadowed by a dysfunctional stepfather, and it made our home anything but safe.
The way my mother, my siblings, and I were treated left scars. That pain became a burden I carried quietly for years, learning to be strong when I didn’t feel it, and surviving instead of thriving.
But those early years also planted a seed. I made a promise to myself — that if I ever found a way out, I’d use it to help others through the hard parts of life. Today, as an adult and mentor, that’s exactly what I do.
It’s my passion to show people that they can live free from the trauma of their past. That they are more than what they’ve been through. That healing is possible. And that their story is far from over.
From the Chair to the Stage
Since launching my career, I’ve had the privilege of traveling as an educator for Heiniger Professional Clippers and American Crew, sharing knowledge, technique, and inspiration with barbers across the country. I’ve won national competitions, worked on movie sets with celebrities, judged barber battles, and collaborated with some of the most respected names in the industry.
I’ve also been featured in top barbering magazines, offering my perspective on barbering, personal growth, and how we — as barbers — can play a bigger role in supporting our communities.
In 2005, I took counseling classes at Zion Bible Institute, driven by a need to understand how to help people navigate pain and trauma. Those lessons — paired with my own lived experience — became the foundation for how I support others behind the chair and beyond it.
Creating a Culture of Care
At my academy in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, we don’t just teach fades and lineups — we teach how to listen, how to see people, and how to lead with integrity.
One of the initiatives closest to my heart is our mentorship program for at-risk youth. We use barbering to redirect troubled teens, offering structure, discipline, and a future — often for kids who never saw one before. For some, a pair of clippers becomes their way out.
Barbers: The First Line of Connection
Barbers are often the first to notice when something’s off. A client’s silence, their energy, their tears — we see it. We hear it. And we need to know how to respond. Here’s how we can make a difference:
- Create a Safe Space
- Let your chair be a place where people feel safe to be themselves — no judgment.
- Listen Without Trying to Fix
- You don’t need to solve their problems — just being present is powerful.
- Spot the Signs
- Withdrawal, irritability, appearance changes — these can all signal deeper issues.
- Have Resources Ready
- Know who to refer to — counselors, crisis hotlines, or community support.
- Guard Your Own Mental Health
- You can’t carry everyone else’s weight if you’re falling under your own. Take care of you.
Some Closing Words
Barbering has given me more than a career — it’s given me a platform to break cycles, to help others heal, and to remind people that they’re never alone.
If you’re behind the chair, remember: you hold more than tools — you hold trust. And trust can change everything.
Let’s be barbers who lift as we cut, who listen as we style, and who leave people better than we found them — not just in appearance, but in spirit.
