Junior Max Krohn enjoy cutting hair as a pastime and a career path because the activity is therapeutic to him. “I want to make my [future] barber shop unique and make it like an enterprise," Krohn said. Photo illustration by Megan Tieu
Krohn aspires to start barber enterprise, pay back family
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On a regular day, junior Max Krohn balances school work with a side hustle that has solidified into a passion—hairstyling. Since his initial desire to cut hair two years ago, the young barber has progressed exponentially in skill and technique.
After consistently being disappointed with his haircuts, Krohn realized that he could do a better job himself. Teaching himself through online videos, Krohn’s small hobby then escalated to a part-time occupation when his friends asked for haircuts. Krohn now charges $10 per haircut and earns about $150 per month working as a barber.
“Hairstyling is a way to support myself for now,” Krohn said, “but eventually I would like to pay back my mom for everything she has done for me.”
Since announcing this as his career aspiration, Krohn’s parents have shown continuous support. Now, Krohn’s parents are funding his path to cosmetology school, which is the reason why the money he earns from styling hair is important to him.
“My mom is going to put me through cosmetology school,” Krohn said. “I’m going to also be pitching in for tuition with the money that I’m making.”
During Krohn’s temporary stay in Mexico with his family, he worked as a barber. Different from the U.S., Mexico does not enforce strict qualifications to professionally pursue a barber career, according to Krohn.
“In the U.S., you need to go to cosmetology school,” Krohn said. “You need to get your certificate and put in around 1,500 hours into cutting hair under a teacher’s supervision.”
Although the requirements seem daunting, the young barber wants to attend Alhambra Beauty College. Krohn plans to also expand his skillset as a barber. Some of his goals including trying his hand at dyeing and perming hair and to practice cutting longer hair. After cosmetology school, Krohn wants to start his own barber shop in the San Gabriel Valley area and “expand it worldwide.”
“I want to make my barber shop unique and make it like an enterprise,” Krohn said.
After gaining years of hairstyling experience, Krohn has grown to love doing fades on his customers the most. A few months ago, he started occasionally posting content of his work on his Instagram account (@_m.a.d__m.a.x_) and continues to add photographs and videos of completed cuts, fades, and dye jobs.
