Meet Milton Campos of Urban Soul Studio in Oak Cliff

Today we’d like to introduce you to Milton Campos.

Milton, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My humble beginnings in the hair industry originated at the age of 15 in my parents’ home. My mother studied cosmetology in Mexico, therefore, knew how to cut men’s hair and serviced the men of the house. I sensed an interest coming on because of my mother’s trade along with the cool fades I would see on my friends at school.

In the summer of 1993, a friend convinced me to pick up my mother’s clippers to give him a haircut which ultimately led to me becoming the preferred barber for my high school friends. Upon graduating high school, I worked a couple of 9 to 5’s which caused a lack of fulfillment. I tried applying to barber school and was denied multiple times for one reason or another.

A friend of mine suggested I work without a license at a local barbershop. Although I thought it was a crazy idea, I went for it anyway. After almost quitting a few days into it, I received encouragement from family and friends and decided to stay the course. After about a year and a half of cutting hair without a license, I began my 12-month journey through barber school.

Fortunately, during that time, the owner of the shop was very kind and gave me an opportunity to continue working while attending school. Once I finished and acquired my license, I remained loyal for another six years then decided it was time for growth in my career.

In early 2008, I ventured on to other barbershops meeting great barbers along the way with whom I still remain friends. Although grateful for the opportunity they gave me, there was still a void that needed to be filled. With uncertainty and excitement, on April 1st of 2009, I signed the lease on my own personal suite, named Urban Soul Studio.

I started alone with one station for two years gradually adding two additional stations and two very talented barbers. Although small, we had a great team and did not have plans on growing. Business was good, we stayed booked, and Urban Soul Studio began to build a culture. After the need for growth from clients and the team, in 2016 I took a risk and moved into a larger five chair suite where we remain today.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like any small business, Urban Soul Studio encountered bumps along the way. For starters, I did not have a business plan and lacked preparation for the possibility of growth with staff and business.

Originally, all I wanted to do was cut hair in my own space. I liked being on my own and did not want to deal with the headaches of business and people’s personalities. With inevitable growth, I went with the flow of things and grew the studio mainly as it was demanded of me. When we took the leap into the larger suite, we began to attract a new demographic of clientele demanding a slightly different, more professional version of us.

The lack of structure coupled with the implementation of rules and standards shook things up at the studio resulting in the departure of a few barbers. I was left to restaff and rebuild. Not having mentors or guidance up to that point confined me to trial and error experiences. Although I believed I was running a business, in reality, I only had a “shop” because I had not been operating as a business.

I sought out mentors and began to educate myself about business knowing I could not allow Urban Soul to fail because people were depending on me. Through hard work, education, great mentorship, and our amazing team, the business took a turn for the better. Urban Soul Studio has been in a good flow ever since.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Urban Soul Studio – what should we know?
At Urban Soul Studio, we have built our 5-star reputation on great customer service and our ability to cut and style men’s hair. Our professional, welcoming environment and high standards in service provide our clients with a consistent, quality experience. Our pride stems from our constant pursuit for continued education.

We have trained with some of the best education platforms in the world including Menspire UK, Andrew Does Hair, and Shannel Mariano (Sassoon trained). Our skill set ranges from all shear men’s haircuts and classic styles to modern fading trends. We are precise with the straight razor, technical with the blow dryer and our range of skill is what sets us apart from the vast majority.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Treating clients equally and providing them with a consistent experience has been essential to our success.

Pricing:

• Men’s Haircut $40
• Kid’s Haircut $30
• Haircut & Shave $60

Contact Info:

• Address: 509 N. Winnetka Ave. Dallas, TX 75208 Suite 101
• Website: www.urbansoulstudio.com
• Email: urbansoulstudio@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urbansoulstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urbansoul214
• Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/urban-soul-studio-Dallas?utm_source=ishare
• Other: http://g.co/kgs/RKgFWC

Image Credit:
Brian Sandoval

Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.