Girls can be Barber’s too!

Modern Barber bridges the gap between a barber and a stylist.

Nikki Mock, Owner of Trimscene, Arcata, California, and Fuzz’s Barbershop, Lancaster, Ohio. She’s a modern barber, cutting specialist, stylist, and entrepreneur living as a single Mom to three. A master of clippers and scissors and owner of two unique barber/salon shops from the West Coast of California to her hometown in Lancaster, Ohio. She can cut and create almost anything when entrusted with her specialty of clipping, cutting, trimming, and shaving.

Nikki loved beauty products, fashion, and playing with her doll’s head as a child. Growing up, she cut her dolls’ hair until they were bald, always played with her doll’s head, and was always into beauty products. Before finding her hands in a headful of hair, she was a little girl who loved chopping off her Barbie doll’s hair.

After outgrowing her adolescent years, Nikki worked as a server at Donato’s Pizza, a well-known favorite pizza business. Then, she found employment at a local tanning salon. As a teen, Nikki never had a big, solid dream; she just wanted a job where she could find freedom and be around people.

Cosmetology

A Crazy good time

Before adulthood, Nikki was never afraid to take risks. Change has never intimidated Nikki, and she always rocked her style. Changing her look was something she just did. Regardless of how many looks she tried, they all look great.

She took a trip with the cosmetology program at Lancaster High School in Lancaster, Ohio, to a well-known spa and salon called Penzone Salon and Spa. She loved how cool everyone looked and the atmosphere and wanted more of the lifestyle.

The first salon to hire Nikki was at the Code of Arms in her home. Her duties included running errands, giving shampoos, and anything in between. The high-traffic salon was known for its wild culture, and most evenings after work, Nikki would go to Columbus and experience the nightlife. The next day, she would return for a ten-hour workday.

Life in the mountains of California

A scary drive out of the mountains to get to work

In 2008, it was time to venture into a bigger market where she could spread her wings and grow. She landed at a favorite salon, Lucky 13, in Clintonville, Ohio. For five years, she built on the hustle and bustle of a salon and learned how to lead. But she was ready for a new view and something besides Ohio. She took a giant leap, loaded up, and headed towards the West Coast of California.

Upon arriving in the state, everything was on fire—not uncommon for the folks of California, but for the young Midwesterner, she had never witnessed anything like it. After absorbing the scenery of smoke-filled hills she made her way up into the Red Wood Mountains, a National and State Park renowned for the world’s largest trees.

While the view was amazing, it came with male counterparts: a would-be shared home with three male roommates and their wolves tied up outside year-round. Being the laid-back, “just go with it” personality, that’s what she did. And it became the new normal. She would quickly learn to adapt.

Coming from Ohio, she was accustomed to a 45-minute drive to Columbus for work, outings, or shopping. This was nothing compared to the daily 1.45-minute one-way drive to work from the cabin in the woods. It is a long, scary, narrow, rural road without streetlights and little room for oncoming traffic. It was one of the most terrifying experiences of her life; to stay focused, she had to play a favorite CD until she made it to work.

“It was the scariest road I ever had to drive; there was only one way through the mountains.” Nikki Mock

A new apartment and business

Finding an apartment and starting a new business

In 2013, she found an apartment in Arcata after overcoming the hardships of living in the mountains and making treacherous trips into the town. The small hippy town in Arcata, California, sat on the coast and was a “non-commercial” area where the city ordinance only allowed small businesses to exist. You wouldn’t find fast food restaurants, only mom-and-pop shops. She loved the new beautiful location, which became her new home.

She was no sooner getting settled and could rent a chair at a salon only minutes from the apartment. It was a breath of fresh air to take a quick, well-lit drive to work without wolves and a long, creepy road. She quickly found a chair to rent and made $600.00 for her first paycheck, which reassured her that everything would be okay.

The ‘never afraid to try something new ‘stylist shortly outgrew her chair at the salon. She decided to take a chance, enter a business partnership, and open her first business, Trimscene, a salon and barbershop where she staffs 8-12 stylists who are like family. The Humboldt County barbershop and salon shop is home to crispy fades, old gentlemen’s shaves, beard maintenance, and kids’ cuts. Everything started to fall into place, and she knew she had made the right decision.

Entrepreneurship

Going solo

The first shop had been doing very well with many clients, and she had developed herself as a hair artist. The confidence and courage came just in time to take sole ownership of Trimscene. A new challenge she was ready to pursue after all she had been preparing her entire life.

Being in business meant she would need a little help. Fran was only a call away if she got stuck or became unsure of any issues. Fran taught Nikki all there was to know about entrepreneurship. The wise woman had owned multiple businesses and came with a “don’t take any crap from anyone’, New York attitude. Through Fran, Nikki learned to navigate all areas of business tasks- including payroll, accounting, and marketing operations.

The excited and eager entrepreneur was ready to make it on her own. The barbershop/salon is where Nikki’s life started to shine. It began to feel like home with an Ohio flag, framed concert photographs from attended concerts, and a meaningful, memorable keepsake of the American flag from her late Aunt, who served in the military.

“The thing I love most about my job is how I connect with people and build my community- I truly love my job.”- Nikki Mock, Owner of Trimscene and Fuzz’s Barbershop.

Marketing

Connecting comedy to form a community

Community means everything to Nikki, and she loves to be surrounded by like-minded folks. She would host random-themed parties to keep her shop fun and bring in new traffic. It was a great way to make a mark.

She marveled at the parties she hosted and would get excited to decorate the shop. Everyone enjoyed dressing up for the “Prince,” “Mustache,” and “Cowgirl-themed” parties.

Combining her love for comedy and laughter was a marvelous way to market her business. As a regular contributor to a local Comedy club called Savage Henry, she incorporated it into her business. To grow her fun community, she would advertise the Trimscene in Savage Henry Magazine, ultimately bringing her favorite types of people into her workspace.

“Funny people are my people. I want to be around creative people, doing cool things.”- Nikki Mock.

Back to Ohio to create a stand-out barbershop

Back to her roots

After about ten years of loving her life on the West Coast, Nikki was ready to return to her roots. In 2020, after her oldest graduated from high school, she moved back from Humboldt County, California, to Columbus, Ohio. She wanted to give all three of her children a new experience in life.

After traveling over 2,595 miles, she found a space to rent in a high-traffic area without any nearby barbershops, prioritizing making her barbershop stand out—which is precisely what she did. The well-branded, cleverly, and carefully designed place of passion was named Fuzz’s Barbershop, a name that serves a large area of her hometown and is the only one of its kind.

The ‘chill-vibing’ barbershop features a mural made in honor of Nikki’s Basset Hound, Sunny, A.K.A. the “Regal Beagle.” Nikki spent most of her life with the well-loved family pet near her side. The Basset hound lived to see seventeen sunny years before she passed away in 2019.

Design +Branding +Authenticity

You are your brand

Nikki designed the space with two deer mounts from her father, an avid hunter, and a unique hoofed hat rack. She feels every bonified barbershop needs some type of taxidermy. Every wall hosts creative elements, giving the clients somewhere to feast their eyes.

A hand-painted wolf-inspired skateboard by Sonny Wong, an artist she met in California, is placed above a workspace. The wolves remind her of the hardships of her first home in California, reflecting how hard she has worked to get where she is today. The uniquely placed art also serves as a great conversation piece.

Nikki respects and adores artists who put themselves into the world and loves to surround herself with others’ art. Her easygoing attitude makes the space welcoming—especially for first-timers. The clean,well-blended barbershop has a fun vibe and is a comforting space for anyone.

Travel, Family, and Entrepreneurship

Setting boundaries to keep the balance

A multi-talented, creative, fun-spirited single mom juggles more than the tasks of parenthood and hair. Every eight weeks, she hops on a flight out of Columbus, Ohio, to check in at the Trimscene in California. Her hometown clients are always given a heads-up about her trips. Even though she loves her clients on the West Coast, she’s learned to scale back to take care of business operations—not so much to work “in” the shop.

With over 20 years in the world of hair, entrepreneurship, and motherhood, she knows how to manage her time to keep up with the demands of a family and business owner. She ensures quick trips allow time for just a few clients to retain balance in the home and business.

The first business and life she created in California helped establish credibility and a foundation as a barber and stylist. Traveling from the West Coast to the Midwest only showed others it could be done. She made it all possible when it seemed impossible.

Hairstylist to Barber

Bridging the gap between a barber and a hairstylist

In 2015, after a divorce and a desperate need to change her life, she took a year and went back to school to become a barber. It was time to transition into a new endeavor. Trimscene flourished with a consistent traffic flow, and the hard work paid off. With all this in mind, she assumed adding “barber” to her resume would be a piece of cake.

To become a barber wasn’t so easy. Nikki showed up to her first barbershop with a “know-it-all” attitude, years of education, and experience as a stylist, thinking she had it all figured out. She quickly realized most barbers take their work very seriously. During this journey, she learned three valuable lessons:

1. Never confuse a barber with a stylist.

2. A barber is a ‘master’ of their clippers, and a stylist is their scissors.

3. You can’t fake a fade the way you could with a woman’s long hair.

After a few months of intimidation and needing to prove herself, she did what many people in the hair industry struggle to do—”mastered” how to bridge the gap between being a stylist and a barber. As a stylist, she’s worked with women and children. She knew how to work with small kids and adults and, more importantly, how to help others feel comfortable. Soon, she would shine in customer service.

“The best client is someone who trusts me and gives me the freedom to be creative.”- Nikki Mock, Barber, Stylist, Cutting Specialist, and Owner of Fuzz’s Barbershop and the Trimscene.

Services + Favorite Products

Top-notch service topped off with clean products

First and foremost, a quick consult is a must to understand her client’s identity, what they do, and where they spend their time. t It also helps decipher the best cut/style, especially for folks who prefer a wash-and-go.

Nikki offers all haircutting services, including beard trims, buzz cuts, clipper cuts, and straight-razer shaves. A top-notch shampoo experience, head/hot towel shaves, military cuts, groom packages, and your good old fade cut. She can condition, provide maintenance, or offer the typical trim for the’ beard’ boys.

After you’re polished and primed for products, Nikki uses the cleanest. The products are free of toxins and mostly made with clean ingredients. Her popular choices usually include Cult and King Balm, Uppercut, and Hairstory.

She even has a small in-home space, an easy bonus for her children and close friends. Nowadays, Nikki loves longer styles and offers services for thick or curly hair types with scissors or a razer. Make no mistake—she can do it all!

Attitude of Grattitude

Friends, creatives, and clients make her world go round

Nikki credits Cierra, a much-admired female Army Veteran who is a genius in the barber world. Cierra saw how hard Nikki tried to master the trade and became a role model. She showed Nikki all she needed to know to be a respected barber. To this day, Nikki doesn’t know what she would have done without her.

She credits Fran, her adored Italian mother figure, with teaching her the tricks of the trade in entrepreneurship. Like family, Fran remains sharp as a knife in her 80s, is honest, and has always been there for Nikki. She thinks the world of Fran reaches out to her for guidance and direction in life and business.

Her deep love and appreciation for artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs hold a space in her heart. She’s always grateful to know and support the brave souls who dare to put themselves into the world, and her favorite clients allow her the freedom to create.

Inspiration+Cooking+Creativity

Staying inspired, avoiding burnout, and enjoying life

Every morning is sacred. It entails coffee, notes in her journal, and a walk with her Blue Tick Coonhound, Honey. Her journal provides a private place to pursue a passion for writing. Being the breadwinner, cook, and only parent means it’s a bonus for her time to recharge.

To avoid burnout from the beard trims, cuts, and clippers, she needs different outlets of creativity. Aside from using her hands to write, cut, clip, and trim, she also shares her love language through cooking. She loves to be able to create meals without a recipe. She aspires to create a complete set of ceramic dishes for her meals.

A recent writing workshop, Story Medicine, fulfilled her in a cathartic healing way and instilled a more profound sense of self. Her experience allowed her to write about her beloved friend, Fran. Being that she loves people and community, she cherished the intimate space to hear stories from others. I offered a new, fun, and valuable healing process and gave her a fresh perspective on a new aspect of writing.

Nikki believes everyone who is creative and takes a chance on themselves is incredible. She knows how complex the world can be and admires and respects the courageous people willing to bet on themselves—those are her kind of people.

Written by: Darian Rowles

Darian Rowles, Founder of Women Who Inspire,

Author of Uncork Your Life: A Guide to Getting Unstuck, Blogger, Health Coach, Motivational Speaker, and Pilates Instructor.