Today we’d like to introduce you to Ciara Crawford, better know as Nova The Barber.
Hi Nova, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
When I started college in 2016, I didn’t have a barber. I hated going to traditional barbershops because they made me feel uncomfortable as a woman that is also queer. I decided to take the refund money I received my freshman year and buy the clippers I saw my favorite YouTube barbers using. I started off cutting my own hair and then my little brothers’ hair. When I felt confident enough, I started telling my friends I was a barber and I started cutting their hair for $5 out of my dorm room. Then when I got my first apartment, I was cutting there while working overnights at a warehouse. One day the owner of NorthTexasCutz reached out to me and offered me a position at his barbershop. On September 13th, 2018 (my birthday) I started my first official day as a barber in a shop. It wasn’t easy being the only woman in a male-dominated space but I persevered! I worked there while finishing up my senior year. From 2018-2022 I worked at NorthTexasCutz building my clientele and social media presence. In 2021 I gained 500k followers on TikTok and that gave me the opportunity to open my own barber suite. Now I cut in Far North Dallas and my suite is a safe place for all people. I never want anyone to feel like I felt my freshman year without a barber.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being the only woman in an all-male space wasn’t easy. I experienced people not wanting to get their hair cut by me simply because I’m a female. That didn’t stop me because I just let my work do the talking. Additionally, even though I was working in a barbershop, I still had to get my barber’s license. Thankfully the owner of the shop opens a barber college right next door and I was able to attend there and get my license.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in boosting confidence. I love that I am able to go to my old college campus and give out free haircuts! I make sure each client leaves feeling better than they came in. I even have a station where they can take positive affirmations to go with them. I also have a Wall of Encouragement where they can leave encouraging words and see others’ statements. I feel like my dedication and love for my craft and my clients set me apart from other barbers. My clients have a real relationship with me. We are family. I’m so proud to say I have my own suite; I can’t wait to expand.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I’m not sure if I would call it luck but I am truly blessed. This entire journey really kicked off in a Lyft ride. Leaving my overnight warehouse job, I didn’t have a car so I took a Lyft home. The driver (Mike) asked me what I do and I told him I’m a barber but I’m not in a shop yet. He reached out to the owner of NorthTexasCutz (Danny) and Danny then reached out to me. I quit my job not knowing when I would start in the shop. When my birthday rolled around, something told me to check my messages. Sure enough, there was a message from Danny telling me I could start that day. I don’t know if that’s luck but I was blessed to have that happen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nova-the-barber.square.site
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/cutzbynova?igshid=NWRhNmQxMjQ=
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/cutzbynova/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@novathebarber?lang=en
