Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Hjerling.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Brightside Barber was launched in the Summer of 2019, but the concept development started in 2017. My business partner and I both have a history of creating, building, operating, and consulting on service industry (restaurant & bar) businesses.
We had both discussed the challenge of finding a barbershop that offered a full-service experience -with modern technologies- and was welcoming to the everyday person. We felt the industry was filled with either big chain shops with bad service, or small trendy shops that had great service but only catered to a small, niche demographic. So it was either a risk of bad haircut or a risk of feeling like you don’t belong.
So, with our love for service industries, we set out to create a concept that welcomed and celebrated each individual and provided a customer experience well-beyond a cut or shave. After almost two years of development and location hunting, we settled on The HUB shopping center.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Are any new business roads smooth? I’d love to get directions if you have them.
We’ve had a rollercoaster of a launch. We started off with rapid growth in our first 7 months of business, then Covid hit. That was a quite a huge challenge, especially for barbers and salons in California. To be closed for over nine months and restricted in some manner for almost two years, it took a lot of patience and perseverance from our team.
But we are back and busier than ever with some of San Diego’s best barbers. We have been lucky to recruit some seriously amazing barbers that are not only great at hair but friendly AF. We understand that our shop is a place for people to come to forget about the craziness in their life so, no matter what struggles come our way, we’ll remain a place where people can come as they are and leave as they want to be.
In addition, after two years of formulation, we’ll be launching our own line of Brightside hairstyling, grooming, and shower products this Fall!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Our Business IS Personal.
Deliver quality first and earn quantity later. Build communities, not commodities. Serve the people and profit will be earned.
The Brightside is an attitude towards living. Keeping things simple, relaxed and enjoyable. Our goal is to be a big influence in how you look and feel about your own personal lifestyle. We provide products and services to help the world see our customers in the way they choose to look and feel about themselves.
We are purveyors of confidence, identity, and style.
We understand the responsibility and privilege of providing services and products that influence how people look and feel every day. Brightside was created for the individual looking for professional guidance and a style tailored to express their personal identity, instead of changing to match everyone around them.
We focus on developing Clean Grooming products, balancing our efforts with both natural and sustainable ingredients to create a product that is safe and healthy for you and for the environment.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I truly believe in getting lucky on purpose. When you put in the work, keep your mind open to many perspectives, own your failures, and keep a positive mindset, then luck seems to present itself more often.
Vise versa for bad luck.
Luck is simply a result of many actions (mostly your own). We just usually aren’t aware of the small decisions and actions that set luck in motion.
We have put our blood, sweat, and tears (literally, we built the place) into our shop and our upcoming product line. Luck has knocked on the door a few times, and we welcome it returning many more.
Pricing:
- Haircut $37
- Beard Trim $15
- Grey Blending $35+
- Straight-Razor Shave $42
Contact Info:
- Email: admin@brightsidebarber.com
- Website: brightsidebarber.com
- Instagram: @brightside_barber
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrightsideBarber/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/brightside-barber-san-diego
- Other: https://shops.getsquire.com/book/brightside-barber-san-diego/professional
