Graham Started in the Hair Industry in 2011. The Creative freedom to express himself through hair drew him to the industry. He also loved the idea of making people feel beautiful on the inside and out. Graham attended The Aveda School in downtown Denver. He says it was amazing and feels like they set him up for the next level when he got out of school. Graham’s Family and friends were completely supportive of his hair journey and have been his biggest cheerleaders. The best thing Graham learned in school was sanitation, the importance of being professional and punctual, and hair fundamentals. One hiccup in Grahams career was while in school; he decided to cut his bangs in the bathroom and says it was a nightmare and he wouldn’t do it again!
A defining moment in Graham’s career was when he moved salons in LA and went from coloring a bunch to just cutting and styling; He was working around some great stylists who specialized in cut and color, that was the year that shaped how he cuts and styles; hair to this day. There was always a “who can do the best work” vibe at the salon, which motivated Graham to have everyone leave looking 10/10 because when they walked out of the salon, they had to walk past every stylist, and his name was all over their hair. Some of the best advice that Graham has received was, “You can’t keep it if you can’t give it away” when He first moved to LA, He had two separate celeb stylists tell him that within a week of each other.
Graham’s FAVORITE HANZO SHEARS
Graham owns a handful of Hanzo Shears, He has the HH1, Mamba, The VT-1, 14T, and HH-6. His favorite shear out of the bunch is his work horse shear, the HH6
We Asked Graham For Advice On A Few Topics, Here Is What He Had To Say:
Timing: “Take your time, a great end result is the goal. Don’t rush.”
Pricing: “Charge your worth. Always. If you are putting in the work and time to better yourself. Charge for it.”
Motivation: “There is no short cut to success. So buckle up and enjoy the ride. Do the work day in and day out and I promise you will see results.”
Education: “Learn as much as you can as often as you can. We are professionals but we have to be able to think like students and learn and grow like them as well.”
Techniques: “The more you have the more you will be able to apply day in and day out. Learn as many as you can.. you wouldn’t wanna go see a dj that plays the same 5 songs over and over… you get the point.”
Tools: “The more the merrier.. if I have 5 scissors that all do different things then that’s a necessity not and addiction.”
Get To Know Graham
QUESTION
ANWSER
How do you feel about continuing education?
It’s the single best thing you can do for yourself.. I can’t stress that enough tbh.
What Can attendees expect from your Hanzo Cutting class?
How to create a big change without cutting all your clients hair off.. easy, wearable hair that your clients can re create at home.
What’s your favorite “tip” to share while teaching?
Knowing when, where and why you are either cutting or leaving a section of the haircut.
What is your favorite technique to do? Will you describe it to our readers?
There are too many to count, but I would love to show you and your salon in person one day!
What is the most important part of the haircut?
That’s like asking a father who’s there favorite child.. every part is equally important in the haircut and they all work together to create an over all look and vibe. Take one away and it won’t look or feel the same.
If you are creating a look for someone, what are the things that you look for in your consultations?
Face shape, texture, hair type, any dryness or damage? How high or low maintenance your clients is. Lifestyle.
Who is a fellow hair cutting specialist that you admire?
My friend @domdomhair is a legend with the scissors
How much do you charge for your haircuts?
$250
What song hypes you up?
“I don’t get tired” Kevin Gates. I actually make all the reps I work with listen to it before the first class each day. Lol!
If you could own your dream car, what would it be?
I actually already own it. I bought a 1965 el Camino this pandemic and that was a long time coming.
What would be your superpower if you could have one?
Time travel or teleport. I think moving through time would be really cool. Seeing history right before your eyes would be educational and inspiring. Also if I could teleport I wouldn’t have to catch so many flights and could just see friends all over the world in a blink of the eye.
Best place you’ve ever traveled to?
Lisbon, Portugal 🇵🇹
Any last final thoughts?
Just know you can do whatever you want to do in this industry, but nothing comes for free and hard work is always the right move. Be kind to yourself but set your goals high.
Find Graham on Instagram @GrahamNation
