Donato Smith: From Walmart Clippers to Dwyane Wade & Kendrick Lamar's Barber

And I'm like, yo, I'm about to They said it came from Marcus. Marcus gave us your number. Uh, and I'm like, dang, bro. Like, I'm about to go cut the way weight. Like, that's crazy cuz he's definitely been one of my favorite athletes of all time for sure. And, you know, I go, we we link up, I cut his hair, you know, give him a great cut cuz at that point in time, he was coming in and out of Atlanta for TNT. So, I didn't even think I thought it was going to be like a one-off type of situation, but you know, I cut him the first time and, you know, we we clicked. It was a great time. We laughed. You know what I'm saying?

We we had great conversation and I was I left there feeling, you know, I mean, empowered. I was like, "Yeah, bro. That's dope, bro. " He was satisfied with the cut. Welcome to the Barberstar podcast brought to you by Supria, hosted by the Marcus Harvey. This is where game gets passed, not gatekeep. Suprea is the freshest the world's ever been. a virtual barber shop and professional network for barbers, stylists, and grooming pros who want more than just likes. They want legacy. Whether you're just getting started or you're ready to cut celebrities, executives, and athletes, we built this community for you. What's up? What's up? What's up? What's up, y'all? Oh, y'all already know what it is.

It's that time once again to the show, Barber Star, cuz every star needs a barber, but every barber ain't no star. And we are talking to a barber star. True and true. My boy Isai alone Atlanta finest real quick boy. One of the most charismatic barbers in the world. One of the cleanest barbers in the galaxy. They say he go by the Donado Smith. Ladies and gentlemen, the Donado Smith. Shouts out to Give it up for him y'all. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Both of us in here clapping. Both of us in here clapping. Full audience. Full audience. Before y'all do that, before we get into this, go ahead, like, subscribe, do all the good things that you know what you supposed to do.

Share this with other barbers. It drops on Mondays when y'all are off. So, go ahead, watch this on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, throughout the whole day, throughout the whole week in your barber shop or your suite. You see how that rhyme? They can't compete. Oh, man. Come on. Oh. Oh. Now I'm throwing him like Rodney. Oh man. Come on. Oh man. Oh man. Oh, he riding up Rodney Pete. Rodney Pete, baby. Robinson out here with you. Al Robinson. I was going I was about to go there. I was about to go there. I saw you. You saw me. Ladies and gentlemen, Donado Smith, what's up, brother? What it do, my dog? How you feeling? I am. I am ecstatic that you're here, man.

It's a long time coming. Um, but it's not a long time coming cuz you know, we have conversations like this all the time. So, I appreciate you for um taking time out of your extremely busy schedule now. extremely busy schedule. Not just you have always been busy, but it's an extremely busy busy busy time for you now, man. So, uh, shouts out to you. Uh, let's go ahead and get started, man. Hey, let's start off with this real quick, brother. " You know, getting bit by the clip, you know, hit hit the back of your neck. You know what I'm saying? getting bit by the Clippers. Yeah. When did you get bit by the Clippers, man? Uh that's a good question. Um it was it was not really like a a instance.

I I think I tell everybody all the time when I say how I got into barbering. It was like circumstance that led me to bar to barbering. Okay. uh due to the fact that my mom was my barber growing up and she's a barber and a cosmetologist and she ended up dealing with health issues uh kidney failure to be specific and that kidney failure led to her not being able to stand for a long time fatigued easily. So, um it it it naturally fell off for her to cut out or cut me and my younger brother's hair as often as she would or could.

Um due to that fact doing dialysis, she was actually on dialysis three to four times out of the week, you know, which was a you know, that's a that is a heck of a process, you know, once you see how it all goes down. Um so that that took a toll on her. So a lot of the things that she would do prior to um you know it it kind of declined. So I wanted to I wanted to continue to you know get haircuts cuz we also couldn't afford to get haircuts. You know we we struggled. It was a struggle coming up. So uh I was like man let me pick these clippers up that she got and you know going start fading myself up. Word word. So okay cuz I you know I love your brothers. Your brothers are my guys man. Yeah.

So so okay. So all of y'all were cutting or just you felt like you needed to be the one cutting? Just me? So this on my mom's side. So you know you know my brothers also um you know both of my brothers my my my brother on my mom's side. So it was me and him and uh yeah I I just started cutting me first and then once you know my brothers my brother my little brother started to see you know some traction like okay decent you know when you ain't got no options decent is is good enough. It's good enough. That's good enough. That's celebrity cut right there. Oh yeah. Well, I do that. Hey. Hey. Can you uh you mind? You know what I'm saying? Give me just right here.

If you could just if you could just keep me, you know that pinky. See what I want you to do. What I want you to do is you see right here. You see how I'm Oh my god. If you don't know me and Donado, Donado is probably hands down my running mate. like my the way LeBron I'm talking about this is like the we going to have jokes forever. So y'all going to love this episode. Man, what? So yeah, when you when he told you he wanted them right here and then bring me I just want to come right across that top right there. Keep it as wide as possible. You see how I'm You see how You see how I'm turning over? That's how wide I want. Y'all know them clowns be talking with them pinkies when they want.

So right. Yeah. See, let me see a clip real quick. See? Yeah. " Yeah. " And then you don't got no options. You ain't got no options. What you going to do? You ain't got no money. You ain't got no mama. You know, you ain't got no money and no mama cutting you no more. No mama. Like, so let me can you get me right? So I started cutting his hair. Um, and I had a step brother. Uh shoot. Uh really when I started cutting my brothers, my brother hair and I had a stepbrother too that got in the lineup, you know what I mean? And uh I was about 19 18 word. Okay. Okay. 18 19. Okay. Cool. 18 19 in that range. I really didn't even like for me for real for real. I wasn't trying to become a barber.

Like it wasn't in my mind like oh I want to cut hair now. You know I just know I was good enough to keep me situated. And it it it was really a burden when my brothers then would ask me to cut their hair. You know what I mean? It was like, man, if you're not trying to do this, and I'm not trying to perfect the craft to get better. I'm just doing this out of love and again, out of circumstance, you know, like it's it's not I'm not trying to, you know, again, I don't see myself going in this direction as a career choice. I'm just doing this for me. And now y'all in on it. So yeah, that's that was that. Dang, that's crazy. All right.

So you you get bit by the Clippers, you start cutting a little bit, it still feels like an inconvenience. When did it shift from being an inconvenience to be like, you know what, I actually might be kind of nice at this and and like and liking being nice to something and and improving and and growing. When did that hit? Uh I wasn't Okay. When did it start getting to a point it never it was all still circumstance when I walked into Yeah. When I walked into a barber shop cuz I I had my first son. I started cutting his hair, too. Um, and I'm in my 20s at this point. I turned 20, had my son, my oldest son, and I started getting him haircuts. And again, saving money, you know.

Um, I was a struggling father, you know, in between jobs, you know, got one on the way. John Q. He was a John Q dad. I was a John Q dad, man. John Q. He's going to get this heart. So, I really um I really uh again out of circumstance was doing all of this and and then um I was working a part-time job as a security guard. Okay. And uh it wasn't enough money. It was not enough money and I needed extra money, but I I didn't want to go apply for another job where I couldn't really control uh my coming and going, my my scheduling. " I was like, "Shoot, I'mma I got these clippers. " I said, "I could go, you know, walk into a barber shop and see if they'll they'll let me, you know, do my thing.

I just need a couple dollars. " So, that's going to be the running thing. That's going to be the running thing. Y'all always remember Donado always starts stuff with his expectations be massively Hey man, I'm just trying to I'm just trying to if I could just if I could if I could just if I could just when I tell you we're going to get back to that. If I could just That's the line that that he used on me. If I could just So there like if I could just And so you get you go to the barber shop. What barber shop was it? Masterpiece barber shop on Highway 85 on the south side. Highway 85. Master No. No. Masterpiece. I'm sorry. Okay. I thought I thought master beast got teeth now.

You got good teeth now. You got boy coming up. Got good teeth. Yeah. But hey man. Hey man. You know the Invisalign man. You know y'all know. Yeah man. You know. But no it's a Masterpiece barber shop uh in Riverdale on Highway 85. Uh right right where Highway 85 and 138 meet up. Our barber shop was on that corner and I walked in there as ask the owner uh his name is Pop. Moses was his name but we call him Pop and uh like yo man can I come in? He was like yeah man you can start Monday. He had no idea. He he didn't do no interviews and he he didn't ask for no portfolio. But now let me just go ahead and say this cuz Pop might see this. Pop might see this. I mean it's part of my story. Shoot.

Pop I just think Pop was cool with getting anybody in there at the point in time. Pop was fighting the case. Pop was fighting a big a big case. My probation thing going be all right. My probation going. So, bro, he was fighting a case. He was trying to cover up. He just need a couple dollars. He had a baby on the way. He need a couple dollars. He like anybody will do. I just need to move rent. You know, I'm trying to stack a little bit to the side for my girl, my daughter. She on the way. You know what I mean? I like I say, he asked me for no portfolio. I a do no demo, nothing. I came right in. " Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Start Monday. Yep. Yep. Come on in here. Come on in here.

Cuz he probably didn't have too many people in the chair uh in his chair in the shop. The chairs was swinging around like that. So um and I remember I came in now mind you, I said I had the clippers that my mom had. Yeah. But when I came into the shop, I learned on that Monday when I started, I learned a very, very important lesson about my equipment. When I came in, I had the uh I had the uh the the Walmart clippers with the carrying case. Plastic carrying case, color guards. I walked in there like this. Oh, you you came in pristine. I know what I'm about to do. This thin thin This thin corded uh this thin corded wall gonna get it right. This flat cord going to get me right.

That I'm telling you, bro. I had came in there. I set that thing I set that thing on on on the station. Uh-huh. Hit that switch that popped that thing like a hood on the on the sh that thing up, bro. " Said, "What you What you think I'm about to do? I'm about to lace these dudes out. What you mean? I'm about to get at work. I'm about to get I'm about to get to it. Somebody about to get this work. Yeah. He was like, "Hey, man. Let me tell you something, man. " He said, "Man, you see the cord on the back of them is flat. The cord flat. It ain't going to ain't going to be able to stay too much. You ain't got no round cord, baby. You got no round cord. You got two cords side by side flat.

Pressed together. Shake it. Shake it. Press it over. running over will it cause men to get up out your chair? That's what this core will do. Boy, them joints heated up so fast, man. My goodness. But but mind you, like I say, all of this was circumstance that I that that drove me further and further into the career, which I now love. But when I walked into a barber shop, I found out how bad I really was. I found out how I'm like, "Bro, you really can't cut hair. You can't. You're not good. And even what you thought you did good, you're not good at that either. It ain't It ain't It ain't what you thought it was.

Cuz all I did now, mind you, all all I ever did on myself and my brothers was low and even lies. You know what I'm saying? Low even with a line. Decent line. That's all you got. That's all you got. But then, like I say, learned how bad I was at that. Like I say, the circumstance and the struggle, it looked good on a a man with no options. Come on now. You look good on there with no watches. I have nothing. I got to do it, baby. I got to take it. And then when you the only one in the room, you the only barber in the house. You feel me? I'm like, who who compete with me? Who could do better? Huh? Yep. Ain't nobody got you. Ain't nobody got Who who who else wants some Hollywood co?

Who else want that ain't it? So like when you when you find out that you're not you not that in there, right? Like when did it start building up? Did you start Were you the type of barber that would go over people's shoulders and ask them questions? Were you the What kind of barber were you to get that information? Uh my So I I wasn't the type to go over and watch over people's show. No, I was the type I was the type to uh watch from afar. You feel me? I was a visual I'm a visual learner, but I was the type to watch from afar uh and and pick up because it changed when um I started like being ridiculed in the shop and and teased about how bad I was.

That that was they was on that was Oh man, bro, they called me uh I got it with Scissor Hands. That was one of my name. Uh the butcher. The butcher coming. Oh, the knew Benny stole it from you. I knew Benny stole it from you. The butcher was But no, you know what my favorite one was was funny now. It wasn't funny then, but one of my favorite ones uh Pop like cuz I had came in the shop one day, I had just the night before was in there late and told somebody out the frame, man. I gave it I gave it to me. " He was like, "Shoot, man. " Pop looked at me. He turned to me slowly. " He didn't call you the show. Call me show up, bro. Oh god. Not the show gun of Harlem in that joint. Hey, show up.

Oh, show over there. Show up over there killing folk. Who the master? Who the show, bro? So they start calling me show enough, bro. Oh man. You know you can't live that down now. You know if y'all watch this if y'all watch this episode which y'all will all 100,000 of y'all who watching this episode when y'all see Donado I say showing up the master showing up. Yeah, that's what he said. Showing up. That's how you know. That's how you know y'all love him. For sure. Showed up. For sure. I can I can definitely deal with it now. I'm cool with it. I'm cool on the show now. So it was under your skin when they were saying it though. How did you Oh yeah. Dang. Oh yeah, bro.

I mean, because don't nobody want to be the the butt of a joke. You know what I'm saying? Espec in a shop if you really trying, you know, cuz initially my whole idea was before I even got to the point of caring what they were calling me or or caring about the laughs and and being a butt of jokes. My my thought process was remind you I said earlier I was a part-time security guard. I said, "Okay, I just need a couple dollars. I just need to be able to, you know, get some gas money so I'm not pulling off my, you know, my my check to to get to work or to get lunch or little stuff.

I just need I just want to be able to hold me over cuz once they they call me and they hire me full-time as they told me they going to do, I'm quitting barbering. This is done. I'm not trying to do this. I just need a couple dollars right now cuz that that's going to be my job. Yeah. That's going to be my job. Security. I'm going go hard at it. You know, that's that's going to be your profession. That's going to be my profession. The security guard. Somebody got to do it. I ain't mad. Somebody got to do it. Somebody do got to do it. Helps people in the joint. So all you who are watching right now, there's some of you right now who are probably barbers who have to get a second job. Shoot.

Don't don't even feel no type of way about that, man. The world move like that nowadays. You know, you you sometimes you got to do what you got to do. And don't feel no type of way about it, man. Because what it will do is lead lead you to something like this. But go ahead. For sure. And I I just want to say something to that. There's a um I mean I'm going just go a little bit spiritual. May I come on church? So there's a Bible verse and I learned this from Miles Monroe. He said the uh spoke of the Bible verse that speaks of I can't remember the address but the scripture says sow your seed in the morning and do not let your hands be idle in the evening time.

And he said a lot of people don't understand that that scripture actually suggests that you have two jobs. You feel me? you do both until one outlast the other because the scripture says do both because you never know which one will will prosper ahead of the other or if both of them will prosper you. You feel me? So, and I'm paraphrasing, but um I mean even in short cuz Miles Monroe said when he started, you know, preaching, he had a janitorial service that he would do at night with one of the deacons and they would do uh ministry in the morning and then at certain point at a certain point ministry started to take off.

So, they couldn't do the the the uh janitorial service or the contracts that they had at night the way that they they used to. So, they ended up selling the company. M uh so it's yeah don't don't be afraid of having another job because you do the one which he said you do the one that pays your bills in the morning and then the one that is your passion that God put on your heart you do that at night. If you're loving this episode and want to go from listener to community member, check out our first chair membership. It's the easiest way to join the combo inside Suprea. You'll get community access, feedback from top tier barbers.

So, if you're ready to be surrounded and supported, hit that link and take your seat in the first chair. So, even I don't I mean, and that and you can put that however you want because some people work at night, but whatever your evening is, evening is it is the time that you're not doing the thing that pays your bill. do that thing as well as the thing that pays your bills because you don't know which one is going to, you know, uh, further you or you don't know if both of them will. Something happened to your audio. I'm not sure. I didn't do anything. Okay. Okay. You just got back again. I don't know if it was a speaker that closed up. Okay. Scoot back again. " Huh? Can you hear me now?

I can hear you when you do that. I don't know what what happened randomly. Okay. I I don't know. But I mean, can you hear me now? I definitely can. Okay. The camera is tilted up too high though a little bit now. Okay. How about now, Jack? Perfect, Jack. Okay, Jack. Okay. All right. So, yeah. I mean, uh, which is another great great thing that you're talking about, man, because I mean, the same thing could be said to me. You remember, you know, we've talked about this over over and over again, even, you know, with us, you know, partnering together a lot of times. Before I started, you know, I was cutting at uh, doing it for the Lord the first time. You know what I'm saying?

For the Lord, doing it for the Lord off of Caner. You don't say it. So I was over there right by that dollar store, you know, or that dollar movie over there. That dollar movie. Yeah. And um and same situation, man. My Clippers I had a terrible Clipper situation that I I thought I was good and Gucci, you know what I'm saying? Cutting the catch the church, you know? I'm I'm I'm better than I'm better than a free, but I'm worse than a professional. So they they're cool with being between that. First day I I start, um I didn't have no guards, bro. I had no guards. I had just the I just had the zero and the one.

I had no other guards, so I had to cut somebody's hair first so I can get $20 to go get some guards over at the beauty supply store at the end of the at the end of the complex. So, bro, same thing, man. And you know what's funny about it? I think that that's why I've always me and you I've always been drawn to you because me and you have a very similar story. You know what I'm saying? There's definitely different things in in our story, but the similarities are like, you know, you're doing one thing to hold you over so that your other destiny can come to pass.

you know, for me driving, you know, I was I was a chauffeur for New for uh New Birth back in the day, and that's how I got Fred and Kurt and uh Israel and all those people. Um wait, for for New Birth, what missionary? Yeah. Yeah. Eddie Long. Oh, for Eddie. Okay. I I didn't know that cuz I, you know, that's where, you know, that's where I came up at. I That's why I remember you telling me. So, I was like, that's kind of crazy because um whenever they would have watch night service and you remember they used to have those big spectacular watch night service. I don't know if you had if you were there that one time they had Kirk car and the family, you know, Kirk car and family and stuff.

I was I was the one driving them and all that stuff. So, I would go pick them up from the airport, you know, drop drop them off at their hotel, pick them up for the for the gig. I'll be waiting, you know, an hour ahead of time just waiting in my in my one suit. I only had one suit, so I had that one. That's my church suit and my show for a suit. You know what I'm saying? Breeze the heck out that muz cuz I'll be shouting. I got I be showering, man. I put I put some baby powder on me one time cuz I had to wear Holy Spirit caught me, bro. It was a cloud of joy. Them f like was in there like brun. I came in there like, bro, what the hell? Oh my god. But yeah, man.

For all you barbers right now, man, it's all good, man. Whatever you got to do right now to get where you want to get to, you will because that's what we're about to get to now, man. So, you get you start getting better, of course. Mhm. You start getting better. Um then you start then you start going to Empire, right? Uh yeah. The years later though, I I barbered for seven I barbered for seven years without a license. Seven years. Word. Yeah. Number of completion, you know. Number of completion. Perfection. Hey, hey, hey, Sean. Yeah, I did. I barbered for seven years unlicensed. Um and uh I really uh determined to go to to Harris to Empire.

Um just due to the fact that I was just telling somebody this the other day. I was scared like you know I was I mean I and I was good at procrastinating. Also scared really more so scared. Procrastination has an undertone and and a presence of fear in it. Yeah.

But uh I was just like man I'm I kept putting it off until this lady I was working in a uh predominantly well it's a all female salon at the time and I was the only barber in there but one of the stylists her client used to come in often and she saw my work and one day she said you know what I love your work you know uh and I really want you to uh she worked for the government and she said I work with the kids uh and I would like for you to come and you know cut the boys hair down at the juvenile center. Mhm. Uh, and we can set you up for like every two weeks and you'll be contracted, whatever. I was like, man.

And then the money that they was talking about, that would have been the most money that I had made as a barber at the time. Ever. Ever. How much is that, if you don't mind me asking? Uh, the contract was going to be $1,500 a month. Woo. Yeah. 15 a month. I needed that. That's That's a whole That's whatever I live at. That's where I live at. I'm telling you. And I was like, man. Okay. " And that really really broke me down because like I say, uh, barbering for seven years without a license.

And then at a certain point within that seven years, I can't remember exactly when, but a significant amount of time, probably the last three two to three years of that seven, I decided to go full-on barber. I I left the security company and was like, man, I'm going to go full in on this barbering thing because it's holding its own. You know what I'm saying? I'm making money. I got clientele. All of the above. So, um, in that last two to three years, in that time frame, that situation happened with the, uh, the contracted situation that I wasn't able to take due to me not having a license. I got off the phone with my guy immediately and said, "I'm going to school, man.

" Especially with the idea that where I was, I was cool. Uh, the salon that I was working in, I was cool there. But I knew that the reason that I'm accepting being cool here is because I have nowhere else to go. You know, and you got to find people who willing to take you when you ain't got no license. You know, when you got that license, you can go anywhere. But when you don't have a license, you got to accept where they accept you. So, uh went to school and it was the best decision I could have made. Empire Beauty School. Shouts out to our alum our our uh our school. We're alum alumni. Uh Empire Empire. Throw your ease up. Throw your ease up. Boy, you don't know nothing about that.

You know what I'm saying? That perimeter. I went perimeter. He went to the He went to the deal. I went to Marorrow. Marorrow. Bone Maro. You went to Bone Maro. Yeah, that's what's up. That's That's what I call it. The bone marorrow. Bone Marorrow, Georgia, man. Okay. So, you graduate from Empire. You're doing really great. Um, how was your experience at Empire? Oh, my Empire, my experience at Empire was amazing. Okay. It was amazing. It was challenging, don't get me wrong, because at the time being an adult making the decision to go to school is tough. Yeah. When you find that in your schedule, what man, you you got respon you got sponsor. You got responsibilities. Sponsor you.

You got sponsor and you have uh you know things that that hold a lot of weight that you have to consider while you chase this dream which this dream you know is going to be able to fund you know your responsibilities. Uh however to get there man the challenge the challenge I often times I thought I made a mistake going to school I was like man bro I think I I think I made a a grave mistake. I'm missing money, you know. Um, you know, my my at the time I was married and I was like, "Yeah, my wife on me. " And I'm like, "We talked about this. " But then it's like, you can never plan for the inconveniences that'll come when you make that decision.

you know, you go in with this hope and you go in with this vision and and you you you drive in off of that, even all the way into the, you know, walking into the the admissions office talking to people like, "All right, I'm going to do this. " And you never can plan for the the things that come up uh in in the midst of all of that. So, yeah, I I really thought I made a a big mistake a lot of times, but I saw it through. I saw it through and I was able to uh that's where I met you at. Yeah, that's where I met you. So, tell me about tell me more about that, man. So, tell the people about that story. That's that's where story always has me rolling, man. Yeah, man.

So, uh so I I was competing in school. Like I say, even with those challenges and everything, there was some beautiful things that took place in school. I actually made built some great relationships with um my my teachers there, they loved me. I graduated top of my class. Uh you know, it's not a long extended program, but I mean still to come out at the top of the class and get awarded student of the year cuz it's a year program, but you get student of the year and um all these other accolades that I I I was able to acrew in that time that those things took place. And then one of the things that we did as a school uh was go to Bronner Brothers and compete in the the uh competition.

The school competition. Yeah. The student battle. The student battle. Yeah. The student hair competition. School battle. And um that was my first time ever going to Bronner Brothers. I had always wanted to go. That was 16. Okay. 2016. Okay. Um so I always wanted to go but never I somebody told me a long time ago. I don't know where I got this misinformation from that. Oh, no. You got to have a license to go to Bronner Brothers. " And I never went, but I felt like, "Oh, man. " You know what I mean? Even though you could, you can go to Bronner Brothers. Feel feel free. Go to Bronner Brothers. Anybody out there you see this, go to Bronner Brothers. Enjoy it. You know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Um, so I ended up feeling like this is my opportunity to get in, get in the door, and by competing with my school. And when you go to Bronner Brothers at the uh Georgia World uh creation center, well, no, they Congress, ain't they? Yeah, Georgia World Congress. Yeah. Georgia World Congress Center. I'm sorry. I uh so you have to go and check in with your school. And the first person I see coming down the escalator going to go check in with my school. First people I see is Marcus Harvey and Hulk the Barber. And at this point in time, I've been following you for a while. I'm like, oh man, oh, that's Marcus Harvey. I'm sliding down the escalator. You standing at the bottom.

And um I was like, "Bro," I get to the bottom. I'm like, "Hey, man. What's going on, bro? It's pleasure to meet you. " He's like, "Oh yeah, dope, dope, dope, dope. " I was like, "Shoot, man. " And uh I was like, "Oh, dang. " Cuz I ain't even know. I never knew that you went to cosmetology school. You know, I never knew that. So, and you chatted with me for a while and then it was like we talking and I'm giving you all of this lowdown on how I feel about you and your career and how, man. Yeah, bro. You so dope. I think I'mma work with you one day. " And you did this, you did this spin move. Boom. Bounced off, twirled out the way, and next thing you know, I'm talking to Hulk. " Yeah, man.

Nice to meet you, man. I'm like looking over his shoulder, and you kid, what episode was that? Was that at the uh Atlanta? Atlanta where the dude was uh he kept disappearing and it would be secret at the club. Yeah.

try to find their money just he just fall off and it would be like a a fold in the wall that come down and he just he end up in the fold and you that's what happened cuz I ain't see you no more bro I saw you no more and I just ended up talking to Hulk which was cool too that's my brother too now and I was like dang bro it's nice to meet y'all but I'm like now where where Marcus at hey man never saw him again I'm sorry 2016 was a year boy was strong it was a lot people a lot of people pull in and say what's What's up, Michael? What's up, Michael? I was like, you know what I'm saying?

But I'm glad I'm glad I'm glad we uh we linked up because I remember now, one of the things that was so dope about that cuz I do remember your face. I remember you had the whole you had the whole empire with you. And what stood out about what what stood out about you was like I felt the leadership from you. It felt like you were the leader of that group. You know what I'm saying? " And you know, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, man. man, I just I'mma work with you one day. And like the crazy thing about it is that's stuff that I used to do like and still do.

Like somebody that I truly admire, like if I've already spoken in my mind, spoke it in the spirit, in the atmosphere, it's going to happen. And when you spoke that, it literally happened because we fast forward and I put up, yo, East Point, uh, the bar, you know, we we opening up Mouselair East Point and lo and behold, my homeboy hits me up immediately in the DM and I was like, "Yo, man, pull up. pull up and you tell me that story. I felt so embarrassed. I was like, I wasn't trying. I was like, I wasn't trying to son you, dog. You was a lot going on. He's like, nah, man. You You did a You did a great spin move. That That's Boy. Hey, my boy might not look athletic.

My boy might not look athletic, boy. But hey, boy, that spin move was Hey. Hey, that was when I was 250. That was when I was 250. 250 mark. Oh, it's in there. It's in there. Oh, that's that's an athlete at 175 right there. I'm telling you. Yeah, it's 175 up under there. Y'all might see him and see what you got. It's 175 up under there. It's 250 on the outside. It's 175 on the inside. 175 on the inside. That 17 get that 175 on the inside. Come out on the outside. It's over now. Y'all don't want to talk to me no more. Well, I'm saying now now you Now you don't want to talk to me. Now, now you don't want to talk. Okay. Okay. Okay. I'm back. I'm go. I'm need It's my fault. It's me. It's on me.

It's on me on that. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So, man. But then that that's what uh like I I remember leaving I competed with my school. We actually took first place all of the schools. It was many schools but we took first place. That was dope. I was on a high from that. " Um, and even once you did open up uh, East Point, I was I was hesitant and reluctant to come initially. I was hesitant and reluctant to come just due to the fact that um, your your boo was extremely high to me. Giraff to me. Yeah. Hide in giraffe in a palm tree. Hide in giraffe bag in a palm tree. 250. It was 250 right back then. Yeah, man. It was 250. Yeah. Yeah. That was back That was early.

" And she was like, "I don't know about that. " So, I I said, "No, bro. " Which at the time, I thought I was like, "Man, that dude tripping, but I I respect it now. Uh cuz when I said no, I I'm not going to come, but I still want to work with you. I still want to be able to, you know, uh, you know, pull on your expertise and whatnot. " And I was like, "Dang, you know, okay. " You know what I mean? Especially when you building. Like right now, I ain't got that kind of time. Maybe when I get into a rhythm and I and I and I get established in my space that I'm cultivating, we can talk about that. But right now, I'm No, I I I ain't going to even promise you that, bro.

Um, so I spent a year outside of that decision. I spent a year outside of that decision. I ended up, you know, going through a situation where I still didn't have my license and I had to uh I was kicked out of the space that I was working in cuz I was waiting on my license. cuz I had graduated at this time. I was waiting on my license, but the license hadn't come. So, I was working in a spot while I was waiting, but that spot got shut down on the account that I didn't have a license. So, I knew the license was coming, but I just And then we were in Jonesboro. They don't play code enforcement riding around. That dude, boy, man, that dude, that dude, that boy, I almost called him something.

Uh, but uh I was like, bro, that trying to he just trying to save hairlines. Yeah. All I'm trying to do is save hairlines, man. And this this black dude, this he just had a real country accent, man. I just thought he was a black man that uh he was like a Uncle Ruckus. He was like Uncle Ruckers. I'll just say that. Yeah, I just over here. Y'all over here. Shut it down. Shut it down now. Shut it down. So, but I couldn't go back in there. And that happened within that year. So, I actually went to go work at a warehouse waiting on my my um my uh my license to come. I went to wait I worked at a Clorox warehouse. Word.

I went and worked at Clorox Warehouse cuz I'm like, man, that license should come any day. I was I was on the online every day checking, but I need some money again while I'm waiting on this license to come so I can go back in this shop. But in that time frame, I was like, man, I was the actually supposed to be the manager of this shop. So, the owner was kind of really trying to build around me at the time and he was, you know, great dude, Jason. Salute to him, too. He had a great concept and and my whole style and my aesthetic, it fit that that mold and I I was on board with with the vision. Um, and he trusted me, but I couldn't go back in that shop. So, I went and got a job.

And while I'm waiting on it, I'm making a decision like, bro, I can't cuz now I'm I'm just riding around doing house calls for my clients. And I'm like, "Okay, bro. " So, I remember talking to my ex-wife at the time, and I was like, "Yo, uh, hey, I feel like I'm about to go work with Marcus, cuz Marcus works in a suite. The suite's a little bit more low-key. I'm not trying to do nothing illegal. I just need to hope cuz I know my license is on the way. I've done everything they asked me to do. It just hasn't posted in the system.

So, I need to go somewhere where I can, you know, work, continue to service my clientele while the system shows up and says I'm licensed because I know I'm licensed. I know I'm licensed. It's just not in the system. " And I hadn't talked to you in a year. " That at that very moment when I said that, I hadn't talked to you in a year. While we having that conversation, in the midst of it, you called me like, "Yo, hey, bro. " I said, "Hey," told her, "Hey, bro, I don't care what you say. " Mhm. You I'm about to step out on faith. Serious about growth? Then don't just stop at listening. Step into our appointment only tour.

We can't wait to see you share your wins, promote, or find gigs, and even get featured in our exclusive member spotlight. This is where barbers get seen and grow together. Book it. com and let's do this thing. [Music] Damn the 250. I'll make the 250 move right now. You called me right while we having the conversation. I was like, "Oh yeah, that's crazy. " I didn't say, "Yeah, bro. I'm thinking about I said, "No, okay. I'm be I'll be there Monday. I'll be there Monday. And and and bro, like that that was another best decision I one of them best decisions I could have made, too. Glory be to God, bro. So that's dope, man.

Cuz the timing of it just I didn't I didn't realize it was that crazy of a timing to where, you know, I reach out and you know, like I said, man, you just you've always attracted and drawn to you fortune. You know what I'm saying? And it seems like that's and that's what I've seen. Even if you even though you've gone through, you know, your stuff that you say and the stuff that me and you've talked about, like I still always see you come out on top. You know, it's it's it's like the it's like the most remarkable thing. It's not crazy. It's like it gives me more faith and more um it gives me more faith to be more faithful to the process. You understand what I'm saying? For sure.

I never really see you in doubt. I never really see you I see you contemplating things, but I never see you in doubt. You know what I'm saying? And so that's just seen some things. You know what I'm saying? Me you you seen some things with me, too. You know what I'm saying? For sure. And that's the great thing now that I realize it's a nine year. I've known you for almost a decade now. You know what I'm saying? And it's crazy like to see the growth. I mean, well, I have known you for a decade now because if that Barner Brothers happened, that's around 2016, like you said, right? Yeah. So that Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We about getting up on here real quick. Yeah. February run up on that. Yeah.

February be it be the 10. Okay. Yeah. Uh, so I'm just gonna go ahead fast forward a little bit because I know you got I know you got places to be and people to see because this is the Donado Smith, y'all. The Donado tell what your name was before it was the Donado Smith. The illustrious illustrious. Now the real name was the outstanding standout. But you told me you said, "Hey man, you need to change your name. and put your name, bro. Cuz ain't nobody going to remember the Nobody want to say the illustrious illustrious outstanding standout, bro. I'm sorry. Yeah. Illustrious. Illustrious. Yeah. All that. Yeah. All that, man. Come on, man. Nobody want to say that.

They say [Music] and and then you was like, man, just call me Chris. It's like, no, I like your middle name, man. Call that, man. You need to go. That sounds all rich, too. You know what I'm saying? And then now now the [ __ ] Rich the Smith. Yeah. Go by. Yeah, bro. You definitely inspired me to use, you know, go with the the middle name. Uh my middle name for sure. Uh cuz I never really thought that that was a thing to do. Like nah. I was like Christopher Smith wasn't popping enough, but I was like I I actually used I mean I like Christopher Smith, but I didn't like Donado. I didn't like Donado growing up. M I accepted it when I in my adult ages probably from about 20 on up.

I started accep oh that's my name I like it but and it's different ever I I just didn't think to go by it you know. Yeah. You didn't know that that was your brand and now that's your brand. Yeah. Yeah. That's that's me now when people call me Christopher. I know somebody call me Christopher. They know me from a long time ago. Yeah. Or you were introduced because there people in my who I've been introduced to within the last two to three years since I've been out here. They call me Chris. But I know that you were introduced to me by somebody that knew me from old back in the day. Oh, from Yeah. For without, you know, at least within a decade or so. Yeah. Okay.

Well, you start killing at the Musiler. I'm telling you, at the time, uh, we at East Point when I start seeing you just murdering it. At the time, I think I was cutting Yousef. You remember Yousef Gaywood? Yeah. So I was cutting Yousef Gaywood. Shout out to Yousef, man. I don't know what you're doing, baby. Shout out to you. Shout out to Yousef was like So this was crazy because Yousef was one of my best clients. I'm talking about faithful every Friday like clockwork. My first actor that I started cutting and um I started cutting Nas. I was really starting to cut Nas a lot more. He was doing a lot of traveling. He had dropped more albums.

So, I had to go on the road and then I I remember you I was like, man, all my clients go to Donado. You know what I'm saying? I had I had I had majority of my clients going to Donado. Then I had um some of them going to uh Kain and then I had some going to uh Low. So, I always had everybody who I knew their personality would kind of rock with. You know what I'm saying? Or what that person in the chair who my client was looking to like really get from the barber experience. I knew that you have pretty much the closest personality to me beyond my personality. I love, you know what I'm saying? " You know what I'm saying? Anthony, we got Anthony Anthony. Anthony Dalton.

You know what I'm saying? Uh Anthony, I've been cutting Anthony for some years. So every person that I put him on, he like, I love that person. So now, you know what I'm saying? He he was Donado. Uh now he's with Cutter. It's just been a good, you know, just been good to have him raised through the through the Musl brand. You know what I'm saying? He's our he's our son. He's our son. We love We love you, Anthony. You're our son. We love you. No, that's that's our man, man. Anthony super proud of you, bro. I remember when it was nothing. Now you killing it, dog. So, shouts out to Anthony Dalton.

But uh to see you go from Anthony and Yousef, tell me about the first time you started going on set cuz I remember that I felt like a very proud dad seeing seeing you walk to the uh seeing you walk to your first set. Yeah, man. When I got on my first set, my first set was the the trap. Mhm. With Mike, TI, Lil Duvall, uh DC Young. Yep. Yeah, man. K Dub, a host of others. But that was my first set. You gave me that opportunity, man. And I couldn't like I can't thank you enough. I couldn't believe it when it took place. And I remember when you was telling me it was going to happen. It was just so unbelievable. I was like, man, I ain't going to believe this.

I know this man got no reason to lie to me, but it just sounds so so too good to be true to I ain't going to believe this till I'm standing on that trailer. That's when I'm that's when it's going to be that's when it's going to really settle in. like all the conversations about it cuz you were going on tour with Nas at the time and and Mike Els needed a barber. Uh so you gave me the opportunity plugged me in with him and when I when I finally got up there. Yeah. And I I got that opportunity to stand on on that trailer and cut Mike. I was bro I was like elated like Hey, how did Mike How did Mike hit you? Tell them how Mike hit you with it when you was cutting. Wait. Uh wait. Where's time?

Because that which time give me the funniest Mike F. The funniest Mike F story. Mike told me uh that I had done worked with him multiple times. Like wait the funniest one. Wait, hold on. I don't know because I got a couple funny Mike stories. Mike, I'm like, "Bro, I done cut your hair quite a few times, bro. " I remember I cut it. I remember I was cutting him. He had braids at the time. He had a beard. He had his beard high. He was trying to grow. He was growing it up, keeping it up as high as possible. " I turned to the mirror. " I said I said I said, "No, no, I didn't. I ain't go I didn't go down in it. I kept it high, bro. " He was like, "Yeah, you did. Yeah, you did.

" And and then what he started doing? You went down. You went down in it. You went down in it. I was like, "Ah, yeah. " Mike ain't I ain't gonna lie to y'all. For all y'all who don't know, Mike F is the funny one of the funniest men on earth. He does not like your haircut. Every other time. No matter who you are. Every other time. Every other time. Every other time. He going to be like, "Yeah, man. " Yeah, brother. Yeah, man. I love this. The next time. Ah, dog. Look. Look what you doing. Look what you doing right here. Look what you doing. Mike spot. Mike told me and I was working on that set. I can't remember how long that that that movie we was filming. Probably like at month two.

I had been cutting Mike, you know, doing my thing and and I had by that time I had cut a few people on the movie by I cut Lil Duvall and I remember Lil Duvall at the time. I forgot what was the maybe Memorial Day, Labor Day. I think Memorial Day we went on break and you know he said he came back little Duval came back to the set and he was like yeah just want to tell you man I was like what man you you you can cut I could the test was over the weekend man I jumped in the pool and my hairline was still there so they don't know how to give no they don't know how to give no compliments they just Yeah it's all right yeah but then Mike Mike followed up.

Mike complimented me probably like close to the movie being done. Okay. He was like, "Yeah, man. They say online you getting me right, man. " What kind of backhead compliment? Yeah, they telling me online. You keep telling me online. You keep Yeah, they stay online. You get me right, man. Thank you, man. As he as he as he always twitter something. What's in your head, Mike? Hey, man. Shout out to Mike F, man. For sure, bro. Mike F is Mike F is probably one of my favorite clients of all time, man. I started cutting Mike during uh Survivors Remorse, man.

And just when I say he's a ball of energy, you go you going to see every side of Mike, but every side of him is going to be like, I can see that. That's cool. I ain't mad at that. And most of them and most of them are like, man, this man is hilarious and he's the goat. You know what I'm saying? So, I be loving that part about it. So, for sure, that's what I'll be loving about it, man. But, uh, bro, you're you're climbing up. You're doing movies now. Um, let's fast forward. You're doing movies. You're we've moved to the new Mousair, the gallery. You're killing from there. You, uh, you you're the manager over at the Mousair. Mhm. Um, February happens, right? We're in February.

I think this February happens. Um, I go do FCF at um, in Gwynette County and a call comes. call comes and um I'm in this bubble because this is during COVID. I was doing SCF. Uh it was supposed to be a 40day a 45 day. It was Yeah, it's supposed to be 40 days cuz I made fun of that. I was like, man, I'm I got to do 40 days, man. They locked me up 40 days. 40 days in 40 days. 40 days in. 40 days in. And I was like, man, Donado, man, please hold it down for me because you know, we're coming out of co Atlanta, of course, we can't we got out of CO two months after CO. Did we ever go? I don't even know if we went inside. Yeah, just get me just get me if you can get me right here.

Excuse me if you can get me right here. C is ready for us. They were not waiting in Atlanta. But I was like, man, can you hold it down for me? You was holding it down, bro. Like I'm talking about all of my clients were just in I would like they already were in love with you, but they were just like, man, the way that this shop is run is beautiful. K Cut started working. Um, we had Mo. And then I get this call while I'm in the while I'm in the in the bubble. Now, mind you, I could not leave the bubble. I couldn't go in or out. Nobody could come in or out. It was just stuck there 40 days. And I get this call from TNT, but I get it from the Wayne's people. " She's like, "Shouts out to Tara.

" You know what I'm saying? Shout out to Tara. Tara. Tara, man. Tara, I love you, Tara. Shouts out to Tara. " I said, "Oh, but I said, I would love to cut Dwayne Wade's hair. " But unfortunately, I am in this bubble. But at the time, I didn't even care. I was like, cuz it just it was it was important for me to always make sure that the oops are thrown. You know what I'm saying? And like my guys are like always eating. But I said, I got the perfect person for you guys. And this my words verbatim. I got the perfect person for you, Donado Smith. I'm going to put y'all in a group text message. You know, maybe you can come out and y'all can check him out and then you take it on from there.

What happened after that? So, what happened after that was they hit my line and uh it's a lot of stuff, especially working with you. So, you don't know because your name rings throughout the industry. Uh you know, you'll never know who who you might send to a person. I done got a lot of calls from on your behalf. uh for through you um that I was just like wait what? So when they they hit my line all I know is text message says hello this is uh Simone I am reaching out uh looking to get a haircut for Dwayne Wade and I'm like stop playing on my phone. I almost did not you almost didn't answer that joint?

No, because matter of fact, the number that you gave them was a number that I was actually weaving and weaning off of because I was about to get rid of it. So, like I remember I had just landed. I had got off a plane, got home. I was supposed to go cut somebody else or do a house call immediately after I landed and I I just had that phone and I remember sitting down from rent. You was coming from rent. You was coming from rent. No, no, no, no. I was coming from uh vacation time. Okay. " Like I say, again, I'm not even worried about it. I don't even really too much interact with it at this point. But I remember it was face down. " I'm like, "You folks playing Dwayne Wade. They tripped.

Dwayne Wade. Y'all crazy. " Yeah. Right. They spell DY DWY. Yeah, you don't spell it like that. So, I was like, man, but I reached out, responded, they gave me details and I'm like, yo, I'm about to They said it came from Marcus. Marcus gave us your number. Uh, and I'm like, dang, bro. Like, I'm about to go cut the way weight. Like, that's crazy cuz he's definitely been one of my favorite athletes of all time for sure. Mhm. And you know, I go, we we link up, I cut his hair, you know, give him a great cut cuz at that point in time, he was coming in and out of Atlanta for TNT. So, I didn't even think I thought it was going to be like a one-off type of situation.

But, you know, I cut him the first time and, you know, we we we clicked. It was a great time. We laughed. You know what I'm saying? We we had great conversation and I was I left there feeling, you know, I mean, empowered. I was like, "Yeah, bro. That's dope, bro. " He was satisfied with the cut. That's always a good thing when you cut somebody you you sure of your ability. But just because you good don't mean everybody gonna like what you do. Exactly. Exactly. I I had to learn that too. Just because you good at what you do don't mean everybody like what you do. How you do what you do. I mean I've had people tell me man it's just too sharp. You know what I mean? I'm like like too sharp.

You know that's different. That's a whole different thing. That's an Atlanta thing. And that's that's something different that Cali don't be really having like that a lot of times. Yeah, they don't they don't do a lot of that in a lot of different other places. But when you when you you you service someone and then they are satisfied, they pleased, you know, I mean, they they they send you out, you know, with good with Greek salutations and and and and departures. " And then they ended up calling me back like the next week like, "Hey, we need that. " So we we getting there. We getting there. So this could, you know, two could turn into three. Yeah.

And then three come, you know, three can turn into four. Yeah. Then, you know, so forth and so forth. Yeah. So forth. Yeah. So yeah, we ended up he ended up calling me every week when he came in for TNT. And I was like, "Oh man, he's now a client. " Yeah. You feel me? So what would you say? What would you say was the thing that I mean cuz we all say like we all know that it's not necessarily just a cut cuz every some people when you're at that level as a celebrity you're rarely getting trash cuts. You're always getting probably the pick of the litter. Like what do you think sets you apart?

What would you say is a thing that sets Dano Smith apart from other barbers that would make somebody like a Dwayne Wade or any other celebrity want to get service by by him? Uh I I would think for one uh that the the the product itself because every I think we all can look at people's work and we can see similarities and you know I can see similarities in my work to yours but then I know my my touch aside from yours. Yes. You know what I mean? I can look at Kenny Duncan and see some similarities but I know definitely know his touch aside from mine. Mhm.

But there's it's just the touch that you see it and the way as an artist that you see uh that you that your perspective shapes the the client the way that you put your or the way that you see them and the way that you carve out the way that you see them in your head for them to see how you see them. And then ultimately, it's funny how when you do that, a lot of times the client will say, "Yeah, man. " You know what I mean? So, it's like you're able to put your touch on it um to to get to deliver a a product and get deliver to them a look that they haven't seen, you know.

Uh as well as your your energy, the way that you do show up, your conversation, uh the way that you preserve their uh preserve and protect their space that they've allowed you to be in, you know. And one thing I I do love is humor. like humor is going to always be my my one of my selling points because I love it. Um I don't I don't go in there trying to drive humor. I allow humor to have it have its way when it when it's time, you know? So that I think that's what really kind of sets me apart from uh uh other people like just my my whole personality, my makeup, the way God made me is going to set me apart on top of the fact that I can cut. Yeah. Yeah.

So, um, give me the scenario when you knew, uh, besides the call, give me the time when you knew, yeah, Dwayne Wade is my client. And that's not even just my client, but it transitioned into cuz now um, you're still in Atlanta. I want to get into the now you have to you transitioning to just being his barber when he comes into Atlanta to now a new move. So, explain to us that what that move was. Okay. So, I I knew he had become a client when when TNT was over. When TNT was over, I knew he was filming and he would come in and out of town. Uh he would come in weekly to do TNT and then go back to uh LA. Um so TNT would they did their last taping with him.

Uh and he was like he kind of was like, "Yeah, man. " And I was like, "Dang, man. and it done came to an end. I don't know if he going I'll ever see him again or I'm going to talk to him, you know. " Boy, we in there, baby. We in there, boy. We in there, baby. He's still rocking with the kids. That's a fourhour flight, baby. I'm out. That's a four and a half, baby. You going uphill. It's uphill. Coming back three and a half. Three. Three is some change. But uphill is four. Uphill is different going uphill. It's different going up. You got you got to get on the bike like that. The hard the hard pedal. Hey, bump them gears down. Bump them gears down. Go ahead.

So yeah, when he when they they gave me that or he called me for that, man, I was like, yeah, this, you know, this a client. This is really a client. And then but then it goes from you going out all the time to now what is the transition to cuz I know you're not in Atlanta now. Where are you at right now? Oh okay. Yeah I'm in LA. I live in LA. Oh wait how did that happen though? Oh okay. Yeah.

So there was the time but in between that time uh what was that 20 2021 2021 I was flying out to LA a lot uh because Dwayne had a lot of things to do a lot of editorials a lot of appearances and things of that nature uh because uh the fact that you know because he's not in the NBA anymore uh he a lot of his work is appearance he he does appearances on a lot of different things and He's very active. Uh, which is so dope to me. " And I'm like, wait um well uh um I don't know. So cuz I'm like I never thought to move anywhere outside of where I'm from. You know, I got my kids here, you know, I got my life here that I' I've built. So it never occurred to me to leave where I'm from.

" So, uh, they they made me an offer that I couldn't refuse. Refuse. I could refuse. Man, that's amazing cuz I mean it's so easy for a client to be like, you oh, do you have somebody in LA now? You know what I'm saying? And yeah, I'll get you on a special occasion. You know how to hit you with Yeah, man. I just need somebody to type me up right here out here and it's now it's over. You know what I'm saying? " You know? So, it's just amazing that uh I always look at it like it's great seeing your relationship with DW, man. You know what I'm saying? Because y'all don't y'all don't come off as like a hey, this is my barber.

this y'all come off like this is a part of he's a part of our team he's a part of our family and it's like you know a lot of times when you get a lot of these uh celebrities you know they kind of just look at you like you're you're disposable though you're bringing a lot of extra uh value I spoke with Kenny not too long ago and he's always he was speaking about how you add value and that's how you stay on and I see that with you uh every time I see him now I see Dwayne having a a smile a laugh and a jovialness a joy to him that most retired athletes do not have. You know what I'm saying?

If growing your brand, building connections, and access to knowledge is a priority, then our fully booked tier is for you. Get access to exclusive podcast shoutouts, in person and virtual events, discounted tickets to master classes and workshops, and extended office hours with the founders and top industry mentors. It's everything you need to sharpen your business, not just your craft. com and let's lock in. Most of the retired athletes now always got a beef with somebody that they had 25 years ago and I be see and I be seeing Dwayne over the Wayne just sitting chilling you know leg cross. Oh man I'm having a good time you know you know when LeBron was doing that I was like blah blah blah.

" You know what I'm saying? So, it's cool seeing how you guys' relationship is and how it's continuously grown uh to, you know, beyond just him cut you're cutting his hair for TNT, but being a part of his family, man, and just making a transition out to LA. So, now you in LA, you're killing it. You've been cutting Dwayne for a minute. And another crazy crazy opportunity. I want to go before I get to the crazy opportunity. Um, I want to talk about you said something earlier. You're like sometimes you can do something and and sometimes people just don't rock with the cut or don't rock with what you do, right?

Has there been times where you've had celebrities who who you just couldn't get that cut just the way that you wanted to. Okay. Who was it? Who was it? What happened? I ain't gonna say no names. I ain't going to say no. I ain't going to say no names. I just couldn't get it right. I tried. I tried. Lord knows I tried and it just I tried. But you good with the family though, huh? But you good with their family though. That's crazy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Solid, man. But I promise you, I really tried. If they watch this and they know it ain't no different. I really really try. I don't know what happened, bro. I was just like, you know, I don't know. I just I I tried though.

I really trying. I don't know. I just I don't know. But like it's not it's nothing personal, man.

That's what that's what I love about and that's what I love about barber and that's why I say with even now our conversation this conversation is bringing to light a lot of things that a lot of young barbers even old barbers who have you know ideas of how it is being a celebrity barber you know that you know we just always get it you know get every person that we cut rocks with us you know what I'm saying it's not that they don't rock with us or they just have a different preference of how they want to look and sometimes you may not match that sometimes you may not go as fast as they want you to go, as clean as you as they wanted to go.

They may had somebody who was doing different services that you're not doing and you don't have any clue about that. Somebody might have been doing throwing hot towels on them when it was a 30 minute cut at the house and you might have just be coming up there just cutting thinking that you just doing that and then like this cat can't cut because he don't bring no hot towel and you don't even know nothing about that, right? Um but like what I do like about you saying that is because we're human. You know what I'm saying? And then I and I want people to understand that there's always going to be good, but then there's also times where you be like, what up? Yeah, we going to get on up here.

I think I got everything. I think I got everything. Oh, no. That's That's my cake. No, that's your No, that's my cake. You You can keep those. Yeah, don't worry about it. I was going to burn it. I was going to burn it later on anyway. I was going to burn it. I was going to burn it. I was going to throw that away. But you know, you bounce back. Yeah, you got to bounce back, man. You got to bounce back, brother. You got and not let your, you know, your failures show up in your next ones. You know what I mean? Or or I ain't going to necessarily say failures. You could call it a failure, maybe, but don't let your, you know, those ones that didn't work out show out in every other one after that.

The one that got away. You feel like the one that got away, man. And I cuz man, like the ones that get that, you think like, damn, am I am I good as I think? I might not be good as I think. I need to go to another class. I think I might need to go. I need I'mma call Kenny. Kenny, here we go. Kenny, uh Kenny, what you doing Thursday? Cuz I can't. This guy don't like what I just did. But uh I don't like what I just did, Kenny. But let's go to the to the dopeness of the people who do like what you like like what you do. And even fast forward more now you in LA, man. And you starting to become kind of known because people know that you cutting Wayne. You know what I'm saying, Dwayne?

And you're starting to cut other people and you're starting to cut other families and you're starting to just get into the LA life like but there they hit another call happens man. Another call happens man. Give me what how you got Kendrick. Y'all need to know that. That's that's what it is. The people need to know that. Uh so I I I got Kendrick. Well I got the call for Kendrick. I'll say I I got the call for Kendrick um two years ago. the Grammys. " I'm like, "What's my number? " Yeah. Yeah. Hey, I'mma send it over to you. So, I sent him my number and he had hit me up.

" Now, Molly, you know, I don't like the way I the way cuz like my mama used to say, I always sounds a little stuffed up a little bit. Bad shoe. Kendrick P. That's cool. I do that. No, Kendrick Lamar. Say what? Kar. I'm like, oh, for real? That's bro. Okay. So, but I say I got that call because everything a lot of things when I moved out here uh to LA, a lot of seeds that were sewn in Atlanta took root and and have shown themselves in LA, which is a a a concept that I've heard of uh you know, throughout my my my journey uh when it comes to my faith and everything like every seed that you plant ain't going to show up where you drop it. You know what I mean?

it's not going to take root and and sprout where you dropped it. Sometimes it it'll take root and sprout somewhere else. Uh and I really definitely experienced that out here because like I said, I met Gabe through you years ago through and have had made his acquaintance over the years. Every time he came to Atlanta and you were able to, you know, bring him around or or he stopped by the shop, were you able to bring me around or allow me to be around? And so just that cuz Gabe ain't the type of person that just going to click with everybody. No, he ain't. You know what I mean? He's not going to click with everybody.

And because of that introduction and because of that acquaintance and that familiarity through you, it was able to, you know, get me that present me with the opportunity out here because once he knew I was out, he was like, "Oh, okay, cool. I'm I'mma hit you up. " You know? Uh so he thought of me when that time came around and I'm grateful, man. I ain't even You know what? I ain't thank G cold enough, man. I need to I need to Yeah, I need to I need to hit my daughter and say, "Bro, I bro, listen, man. " Cuz I never expected that.

And um and and it's another one of the things, like I say, when you move out here, cuz mind you, even though I moved out here with a with a sweet deal, you know, it was still uncertainty, you know, still uncertainty in this in this space. You don't know if it's going to really really work past, you know, my bro Dwayne. Is it going to, you know, is that the only person that I work with? Cuz if it is, then I mean, I'm I'm cool, but I don't want I I want to continue to build and cuz that's what I'm used to doing. I'm used to through this craft building relationships. And that's how I built the relationship. Introduction to a relationship with me and Dwayne.

That's an introduction to a relationship with me and Kendrick. an introduction to the relationship with me and a lot of the other people that I I know and I have built, you know, connections with and and and made amazing things happen with. A lot of times that's your way in the door. Yeah. That's your way that you get in the door is through this craft through this ability. People don't even know how good of a person you are sometime until they get a a service. Yeah. And then somebody verifying and somebody verifying, yo, this guy, you could trust this person. Like this is somebody that I trust with my people. You can trust with your your people. That's true. So that's I'm grateful for that.

But it's still, like I say, when you come out here and you don't there, even though like I say, it seems like it's set up pretty sweet and I'm grateful to God for it, but I wasn't sure. You know, I I didn't know. I'm like, am I going to have to end up moving back to Atlanta? I believed in myself. But the the reality of me thinking like you could come out here and it it don't work how you think it's going to work. You got to move back to Atlanta because it didn't work how you thought it was going to work or how you wanted it to.

But here I am on my fourth year, you know, and I'm grateful because it's it's done more because again, sometime even though I I I've kind of had to tune myself a little bit to not always be that, you know, if I can just get if I can just get just get cuz that's where we go back to. All I really want if I could just get cuz the first time I'm trying to tell y'all Donald told me when I when I was hiring him, this man said, "If I could just make $500 a week, I'm good. " 500 consistently. I just want to make $500 consistently. And I was looking I looked at that man's like, "Okay, we we'll work on that.

" Cuz I was going and then the way you laughed, I was like, "Is he laughing cuz that 500 is unrealistic? " I was like, "Bro, you about to get that in a cut soon one day, right? In a cut, bro. " But so it's just I just need something consistent. I just wanted consistency cuz everything fluctuated so much at that very point in time in my life. It's like, man, you might have a $500 week, man. You might had a 150 week. Thanks. I I done raised my life up to the 500 already on that last week, man. What? Yeah, man. I done caught up on some bills. I'm only two months behind now, man. I'm only two months behind now, man. I needed that extra five. Right.

So like, so then it's it's crazy like you said, man, to just see your expectation level go grow go from just to now it's like how is your mindset now with it? My my mindset now is like there's no there's no limit. It's whatever I want. My mindset now is like as much work as you're willing to do is as much as you can get. Yeah. You know, like if you're willing to do the work, there's no limit to how much you can get. You know what I mean? I I' I've seen some astronomical numbers that supersede that that just 500. Just just f if you don't shut up. You can give me 500. Marcus, I'm out your hair. 500. I'm cool. That's all I need. That's all I need. That's all I need. That's all I want.

Marcus, if you can give me $500, we call square. We can call square. Throw that. Throw your little square out. We can call square. that all you did for me, baby. And I'm about your help. But now, like I say, as much work as you're willing to do is uh as much as you willing to believe. Real like it's I mean it's not there's no limit now. Well, I got to ask this now. I got to ask this real quick. All right. So, since there cuz we need to hear people have to hear about we all me and you both went from homelessness to like f like fivestar hotels, right?

So, we've gone from $10 haircuts to what has been, you don't have to tell me who, you don't tell me what, but what has been the most that you've ever made from a haircut? Now, it could have been a campaign, but you know, it's just one haircut and you ain't got So, okay. Campaigns count. Yeah, campaigns count. I'm not Yeah, not talking about just campaigns count. What is the campaign? You ask everybody this question. I asked Kenny Duncan. I asked Hulk. I asked everybody this question. Bro, you seen me say stuff before on on lines and they and they clobbering me after that and I was like, "Dang, I think that's so so everybody done answer. Everybody Yeah, everybody answer.

You ain't got to tell us who. I don't want you tell us who. I ain't talking about I know not who. I'm just talking about a number. Number right? Show you right. Okay. So, you went from four. So, you said I went your your first introductory cut was how much were your first cuts when you were professional? What? Wait. When when I first ever started? Yeah. Oh. Five $10. $510. Okay. Five $10. Campaign was what? 10K. I made 10K off of cutting one person for a campaign. Hey man, that's dope, man. Congratulations on that, man. Just seeing you deserved it. You know what I'm saying? Like I know you deserved it, bro.

Like I whatever campaign it was, you deserved it because I've seen what you put into this uh what you put into this, what you're continuously doing for people, and how you're continuously making a way. Um, before we go, I know we got I I got two more questions and we can go. I know you got places to go. Um, I just can't leave can't leave this Kendrick thing just like that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, you start cutting Kendrick at the Grammys. Yeah. Then the battle around the world happens. Oh god. Now, mind you, you've been cutting Kendrick for a while now at this point, right? You've been cutting for a year and some change. Two years and some change, right? A year.

A year and some change at that point. All right. So, first person shooter come out. Tell us how like the energy kind of just kind of like swi switches from just going over there cutting him regular cuz he's a very quiet dude. I know ain't nothing changing in into the entourage. Everybody's super smooth and and and pristine. Did you feel like what like did you feel the energy that was happening on on the outside while you were cutting his hair? If you know you're meant for more, the network is calling. This is where trust is transferred. Join the network where series barbers position themselves for next level success. Opportunities to cut celebrities, executives, and athletes.

Get exclusive mentorship and join private conversations with founders and industry legends. The difference is who you surround yourself with. com. When first person shooter when that dropped, yeah, I man, I ain't even know what was going first person shooter. I was oblivious. Like I I didn't know. I mean it was a it was a dope song. I didn't know I didn't know it was you know it was a you know disrespect. Yeah. I didn't know. So yeah. I'm like oh first person biggest Super Bowl. Me and Kendrick like the big three. You like me and Drake and Kendrick. I I didn't know. So I mean there was never there's there's never any time. You feel me?

And and just to be respectful of the position that I hold in the you know Yeah. Yeah. Nah, it's never nothing. I just say no sweat. It's never sweat. The question that I'm asking is more so not necessarily what's going on behind the scenes, but could you see like could y'all feel the energy from once it start once the stuff started happening and like the like the like it starts going into an epic battle? " Same. That's dope. Everything is the same. It's It's never nothing drastic or never nothing hostile or nothing. He's like a You know what's funny about Kendrick, man? I I did get the opportunity to cut Kendrick um for Allstar in New Orleans.

I think it was 2016 or something of that nature. Something of that nature. And um what was amazing about that was his humility and how relaxed this man seemed. like he just see it's like a relaxed focus like just to even hear that the fact that nothing is changing in his daytoday life when something as monumental as happening on the outside and I feel like that's just a testament to seeing how he was able to affect the outside because he was so calm on the inside. Are these some things that you kind of see with Kendrick as far as like his character-wise? Like his character seems like to be the thing that really just draws the people.

Is that something that's is that something that's the case? Yeah, I mean I'm I'm a fan of his character. He's a solid individual. Everything that he says he is, he is. I will say that. Yeah, he's definitely everything that he says that he is. For sure. A stand up guy. Stand up guy, man. You know what I mean? Between, like I say, I'm blessed to work with him. Even like I say, Dwayne even the same. You know what I mean? I've been blessed to work with standup guys. people that uh you know that that fight for what they believe in. You know what I'm saying?

That that hold space for others that uh you know give people um you know that that empower people to live the way that they want to live and empower people to you know um stand for something. So, u I'm I'm grateful to work uh work with two great individuals, great pillars in the community cuz those are things that I I did pray for like as I started to get into the the uh the industry a lot more, work with a lot more people and you work with certain people and you don't like certain things about these certain people and you start praying like me myself personally, I'm like, "Hey God, please connect me with the people that I can connect with, you feel me? Connect me with people. Yeah.

Like that that like not connect with in a in a way that's unhealthy. Nor is it uh um it's unhealth. Hopefully it's not unhealthy or I pray for it to be a healthy connection, a purposeful connection.

Um so that what you have the man that you created to me created me to be and the the what you have imparted in me has room you feel me not to take over but to be effective in it because I know that you've given me a perspective you've given me a voice you've given me a reasoning um that if I do see something that I can I can I can play a part in addressing you know what I'm saying or that I can help in cultivating or keeping something, you know, uh, keeping a keeping a sense of cultivation and not to hinder it, not to stifle it, but to to be a benefit to it. So, I I prayed for that for sure. That's I like that.

It's it's it's so it's so it's like it's really dope to know that like that prayer has manifested in so many different ways, man. And um it's it's brought you to the success that you have, man. And I I could even tell in the way that the your clients, you know, Dwayne and Kendrick receive you and have you in their space, you can tell that the space is even it's like a you add you're you're a value ad, not somebody who's like who takes away you got to be too concerned about. It's just you're an additure to something that can kind of make somebody's heart be stirred up the right way and and and things greatly happen to them as a result of having you around them. So, for sure.

Uh that's amazing, man. Um we we going to go ahead wrap on up. Got um two things as I said before. Um first question. All right. You got a allstar a allstar shop. Anybody in the country? Who are the people that are cutting with you in that shop? How many? Let's say five. Five. Anybody in the country? You and you and four others. Me and four others. Me. And it can and it doesn't have to necessarily be because they tight. It got it just be like you're creating the perfect shop energy wise, vibewise, all that stuff. Like who are you? Who do you have? And they don't have to be no celebrity barbers. They can be somebody. Yeah, I know. I'm talking about people in my mind. All right.

That's what I'm saying. Uh the people that I would have me, you for sure. I got I have three more. I already I know who I want. I I would like me, you Kenny Duncan, Hulk, and and Lois. Lo that guy. Shouts out to Lo the barber. Lober. Y'all going to see y'all going to see his episode coming up soon, too. Lo the barber. You already did low. Not yet. He's up on he's up on Tuesday. Oh, okay. Yeah. So, me, you, Hulk, Kitty, Duncan, and and L. That's a fire squad. Nobody coming out with a bad cut and and and and everybody happy. Everybody happy. Most people like you got you got a reason why you would pick uh those folks. Yeah, for sure.

Uh for you, I would pick you because I mean just over over the years, I've learned from you. Uh, you definitely are have been one of my inspirations in this industry. Um, cutwise, bro. Huh. I say, glory be to God, brother. I appreciate it. For sure. And I was going to say too, like like that what attracted attracted me to you those years ago was uh I love the way that you treated your family, your well, it was your wife at the time before you had King and Ken. the way you treated your family, the way that you represented God, the way you love God and your your your humor, your sense of humor, those things. I was like, man, I want to work with that dude.

I It wasn't even that I wanted to work with you so I could get ahead or what you could do for me. I'm like, no, your energy, just the way that you are, you know what I mean? You love God, you love your wife, you love, you know, I mean, people, you humorous. I'm like, I could cuz when you think about a shop and we spend a lot of time in the shop and it's like I could spend time and and not be, you know, mad about the idea of spending time around this dude. You feel me? So that was one thing that what that's not one thing. That's what drew me to you. Just the way that you uh showed up. So because of that, that's why we have you. We going to we going to laugh. We going to joke.

You know what I'm saying? We going we're not even getting through the day. we're making today. Yeah. Yeah. I like that. So, uh, and then Hawk because Hulk for one, but Cole with them Clippers, I love to watch, you know, him get through his progressions as well as his faith. I mean, me and Hulk, we've had our our times. He has a similar humor, too. Like when Hulk come out his shell, Hulk, Hulk, go ahead. Hulk is funny. Hulk is hilarious, bro. Hulk is hilarious. Little Hulk. And uh, who else I say? Uh, Kenny Duncan. Dun. Kenny Duck is philosopher. Kenny Duck, you g you gonna get some of that uh that knowledge, you know what I mean? And you gonna get it in the smoothest way.

You know what I mean? As well as be able to watch him. Kenny adjust his Kenny doesn't adjust his glasses like this. He adjustes his glasses like this. Yeah. You know when you know he's super smart when you do it this way. Yeah. Yeah. That's Kenny. That's Kenny. I'm I'm here. I'm here. Some play I'm a player. So I do this sometimes if I have cuz mine don't have no prescription in it. exciting. We ain't got no supposed They ain't supposed to be in there anyway. Can't even say hello. Uh Kenny Duck and like I said, being able to watch uh Kenny's funny, too, but uh his his his presentation, um his leadership, you know, his reserve, his perspective, and the way he cut.

Um and then Low Low, my dog, man. Me and Low like Low Low Me and Low understand and get each other to like like it's different man. It's different the way that me and Low sometimes me and Low have to do. We just we can look at each other and it be like that. Yeah. Low and then Low Low style of course he can cut but Low style crazy. Hey dripping low dripping. It was Lo got that ball head man. Log been going crazy.

Ever since that boy got that phone in he snap crazy as soon as he took took that off to soon as he went he did that that boy low boy that boy turned that thing up but no his style like I say his energy his perspective like I say everybody who I called out they can cut that's the given it's just like I say that the the the differences in the personalities that'll be an allar for me out of all the people that I never worked with you know what I mean that'll be mine cuz those different personalities, those different perspectives. And then I also thought about how each one of those personalities would mesh well with each other. It wasn't just what I wanted, you know, in my world.

It was like I think all of those could work. Yeah. Amen, man. That's a fire shop. That's a fire shop right there. That's that shop that shop every cut $300. Oh. Oh, I was thinking about four. You know, I thought about five when you said four. You did 550. Oh, man. Cuz I said six. You might as well go ahead and give us a six. If you going to do something, right? You going to do something, bro? I promise you that would be a cold shot. That would be a cold shot. That' be a cold shot. But as we leave, man, I know you got to get to the to your LA moves. We've been on here for a minute, man. Thank you so much again for your time, brother.

I we like to leave uh we like to leave everybody off with a thing called two-piece nugget. So, we dropped two pieces of nuggets, right? So, drop two nuggets. one for your younger self or for the younger barbers and then the second one for barbers who are right at that cusp of either giving up or going forward. Those are the two things two things right there. All right. So So the the for my younger self um or younger part go ahead give me give me what you got. Okay, let me go with the last question first. Those who are No, you know what? I'm going to go with the first the first question first.

What I give to the younger barbers is be willing to serve your environment before you seek to be served in the environment. Yeah. Because I I I feel like that because of that that mindset and that perspective, I've gotten to a a great place in my life. Um because I I always seek to serve. I I don't never think that I'm beyond serving my my surroundings, my environment, my community, or the people that I'm in, you know, in the presence of is never like always be, man, hey bro, you need some help with that or hey bro, can I pick that up for you or can I do that for you? Because service people tend to think that service diminishes your value when ultimately it adds to your value.

It adds it adds to your value, man. Right? They think that it's breaking you down to be to serve when actually when people think about you, you you come to mind because of your willingness to serve. Yes, sir. So, yeah, I I say that like be willing to serve robots. I man, you're shooting you shooting arrows out here. Come on now. Hey, so yeah, that's what I say. And then also in in regards to that too, good, better, best. Never let it rest till your good gets better and your better gets best. I learned that in uh in health school, man. And that I said that's a good way to break that down one more time. Say that one more time slow for me. Good better. Never let it rest. Come on.

Until you're good becomes better and your better. I need F comes best. [Music] Okay. My bad. Good. Better best. Never let it rest. Good. and your better guess for sure. All right. And then so the last question for them is for those barbers who are on the brink of, man, I'm going to be a security guard. Forget this barbering or man, I just heard what this man Donado said and I'm going to keep pushing. What would you tell them? That's a great question cuz the thing about it is I didn't even if you if if if you got a I can't even tell people if you got a passion for it because I didn't even have a passion for it when I started.

The passion didn't come until I started taking it serious and I didn't start taking it serious until maybe maybe a year in when I you know when I got tired of getting laughed at talked about and wanted to get better and whatnot. So um if you had the ver on the verge of giving up I say don't give up see it through. Uh because at the end of the day, I know I didn't start out with a passion, but I knew that I was going to put my best foot forward at something that I stepped in here and I chose to do. " And and the the funny thing about it is as bad as I was, I I I really can't give nobody an answer on this. As bad as I was, I don't know why I kept showing up. I do not know.

I don't know why I kept showing up. If I was at if I do anything in my life today and I'm as bad as it and I'm I'm as I'm bad in it as bad as I was when I started barbering, I'm I'm done. I'm not doing it. Okay. Oh man, that's wild thinking about that. That's actually wild thinking about that. Yeah. If I'm if I was as bad if I'm as bad now at anything as I was as bad as I was when I started barbering, I'm quitting. I'm like, bro, this ain't for me. Wow. I don't I have no idea why I kept showing up, but I will tell anybody, you know, see it through. If you decided on it, see it through. Put your best foot forward because passion can develop from work. And that's the bar, guys.

Ladies and gentlemen, this has been another episode of Barber, where we talk to the barbers who are for the stars, but the barbers who are stars themselves. Cuz we know that every star needs a barber, but every barber ain't no star. And we see why this man is a star. humility, putting his best foot forward, adding value, and that's what we have done in this conversation. So, if you could please like, subscribe, go follow Donado, Denado, tell them where they can follow you at. Uh, you can follow me at the Donado Smith. Not the illustrious Illustrious anymore, but the Donado Smith on all platforms. T O N A T O S M I T H. And uh, that's on all platforms, man.

I I greatly appreciate you you having me, bro. And I love what you're doing, man. Keep on doing what you're doing. Keep grinding it. Doing everything that God is putting on your heart for for the the the platform of the barber stuff. Keep doing what you're doing. These are all things that you've heard are all Suprema moves, man. Join the network. As you can tell, we do things. All we do is throw oops in this network. We just try to make sure that you get to a place that uh you can service and other people can be served. And it just this is just dope. So, shout out to the network, man. It's amazing. Donado's a part of the network. Kenny's a part of the network. Hawk's a part of the network.

So many people who are amazing barbers are in this network. So, thank you guys so very much. Donado, man, I am always ecstatically ecstatic to see you just existing, man. It's amazing to see God moving in your life. I thank you. I love you, bro. And Amen, man. Thank you again, bro. I love you, too, bro. And I appreciate you more than I I want to publicly say that everything that you've done for me, it never goes unnoticed. I'll never tell my story. I can never tell my story of my career without you. Period. I tell people that all the time. All roads lead back to Marcus. Even at like regardless of where like I say, I work with Kendrick. Yeah.

I work with Kendrick because Gabe I met Gabe through Marcus. I work with Dwayne. Oh yeah, I work with Dwayne because they called him initially but uh he wasn't available so he gave him me or anything. Oh yeah, my my film and television career. Oh yeah, Marcus gave me my first opportunity. You know, I can't tell the story of my career, especially where I am now, without mentioning Marcus Harvey. So, I appreciate you, brother. Man, salute, dog. Man, get off my phone, y'all. We love y'all. We out. We out. Success.