Zane Sharif unzips a blue tent and steps inside the barbershop set up in his backyard. Inside, a ring light sits in one corner, a mirror and a cabinet of various tools in another and a salon chair in the center. The setup is new, but this hobby-turned-part-time job originated long before it.
Sharif’s initial experience with barbering was watching a video tutorial and experimenting on his friend two years ago. Since then, he continues to give haircuts to clients in his spare time, building skills one cut at a time.
“My first ever cut was with my friend David,” Sharif said. “We were in my garage, and I got my brother’s clippers from the bathroom, and I was like, ‘Hey, let me practice on you.’ It came out pretty nice actually, and then I thought, ‘Oh yeah, haircutting is actually pretty cool.’”
To become a barber, Sharif picked up on pointers from his barber and watched videos for inspiration. Starting off small with a few friends, his customer base gradually grew as his clients spread the word about his haircuts.
“I rely on my clients going out in public and people asking, ‘Where did you get that haircut?’” Sharif said. “Most of my clientele is from Santa Clara, and it all started from Alex Burnside. He went to practice with a haircut, and now I get people from Santa Clara Swim Club.”
Over the course of many haircuts, Sharif came to appreciate each tool for its purpose and flair.
“My favorite piece of equipment is my trimmers because I like lining up,” Sharif said. “I like doing lineups because they just make the haircut pop. If you have strands of hair that come out over the ear, I would line up that part just to create contrast between the fade and where the skin is. That way, it makes the haircut stand out.”
In the process of constantly learning and improving, barbering evolved into more than just a job to Sharif. He views the craft as a form of self-expression on both his and his customers’ end.
“You imagine your client as a canvas, and you’re almost painting,” Sharif said. “You’re creating layers, lines and shapes. Your tools and razors are your brushes. So, in a sense, it is almost the same thing as art.”
Reaching a point where he could cut hair comfortably and confidently took trial and error. Through this progress, Sharif figured out what tools he needed to successfully execute certain hairstyles and cutting techniques.
“I went through various stages of trying to figure out how to set my guidelines and how to approach my haircuts,” Sharif said. “I figured out that I need to get this specific guard so that I can get a more precise fade. There’s two guards that I didn’t have prior to this, a half guard and a 1.15, and after I got those, it made things way easier.”
Seeing the outcome of his very first haircut sparked his enthusiasm for barbering, and Sharif continues to find motivation in both his own progress and the works of others.
“I’m mostly inspired by the results and how the haircut looks,” Sharif said. “I find it really satisfying watching transformation videos online. So when I do it myself, if I’ve done a good job and my client is happy, then it’s just a way for me to keep going.”
Aside from achieving a polished final product, Sharif also emphasized another skill that goes hand-in-hand with barbering, imparting hair care wisdom to his clients. While he is giving a haircut, he offers his clients tips about what haircuts suit them or how they can take care of their hair.
“I like to have conversations with them,” Sharif said “You get a good connection with your client, and also, as a barber, they might come back for more. It’s not only the service you provide, but also how you are as a person.”
Mirroring the steps he took in his own progression as a barber, Sharif stressed the importance of proactively pursuing growth and reaching out to others for advice.
“Keep watching videos — there’s so much to learn,” Sharif said. “In this craft, it’s a lifelong journey. There’s always something to improve on. Ask for help and advice. Don’t be afraid to post.”
At the end of each haircut session, Sharif measures his success in more than just straight lineups and clean fades. What he aspires for the most is to boost his customers’ morale.
“I want them to leave the barbershop with confidence,” Sharif said. “You want a haircut to look better. I always want the cut to look good and by the end of each session, my client should see it the same way. If they feel confident after the haircut, then I’ve done my job.”