The space where pretense doesn’t exist, where shared experiences and debates thrive, it’s the members only club that’s open to everyone — the barbershop.

For a long time, I’ve felt that the barbershop, specifically the inner city barbershop, might be the most influential place in America.

There's not another place that I can think of where people from all walks of life go to have a shared experience. The barbershop on a Saturday morning will literally have people across a variety of age groups, ethnicities, financial standings, and professions*; talking about everything from current events, to politics and entertainment, or whatever else comes up.

(* At the right shop you’ll have people who operate on both sides of the law conversating without issue or hesitation.)

So when it comes to influence, this is where it starts — in my humble opinion.

Consider this, you’re 18 years old, getting ready to buy your first car, and you ask “the shop” what they think about “XYZ” car brand. The audience of barbers and patrons immediately starts sharing their thoughts on the following:

• What brands are “trash”

• Who offers good prices on car insurance

• What to prioritize in terms of features

• How much to anticipate spending on the type of car

• In some cases, even where to get the best deals.

In most scenarios, that 18 year old person will probably start their search based on the recommendations they receive, because he has built a certain level of respect for the opinion of those people. Also, reputation and credibility is major currency in these types of social settings, your word should mean something.

The idea of influence has really become narrowly focused on the actions and audience size of a few people*, and we’re neglecting the value and impact of shared experiences. Most people are influenced by people in their everyday life, classmates, coworkers, friends, and patrons of the same barbershop. I’m more than confident the only reason I like “Wheat Timbs” is because that’s the boot all of the older guys had in the barbershop when I was a kid. Let’s take a moment to unpack that, for years I religiously purchased Timberland boots, in multiple colors and styles because of local cultural influence. This a brand that didn’t spend a dime on marketing to me, and by the time I did see their ads I was already a customer.

(* Obviously those “few people” change depending on a variety of things, but nonetheless we’re still talking about a few “popular” folks.)

As someone who’s made a career in the field of marketing and advertising, I genuinely appreciate the value of shared experiences and cultural influence. I firmly believe that the “trend funnel” starts in the streets and travels outward, to the suburbs and other communities via school/office hallways, gyms, and mass transit.

In my opinion, if you want to learn how a brand is doing, if you want to test how a product might do in the marketplace, or if you want to understand what’s coming next - Go Get A Shape Up.

Peace!

The photos in this piece are from Electric Hand Barbershop

You might be thinking this is one sided, not everyone goes to the barbershop, yes this is true, so go to the hair salon, the nail spot, or wherever people go in your area to have honest carefree conversations.