April 8, 2025 • 15 mins
Haircuts by a Hope Dealer: Nick's Journey Through Recovery
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At Outreach 419, we always say that behind every haircut at Kutz For Recovery, there’s a story of transformation waiting to be told. This week, we had the incredible honor of sitting down with Nick—a man whose journey through addiction, homelessness, and ultimately redemption is nothing short of inspiring.
Nick grew up knowing the heartbreak of addiction from an early age. His father battled alcoholism, and by age 12, Nick himself began experimenting with drugs and alcohol. What started as curiosity quickly spiraled into dependency. He found himself in a dark place, bouncing from treatment centers to periods of homelessness, feeling the weight of shame and hopelessness crushing him at every turn.
But here’s where Nick’s story takes a powerful turn. In the depths of despair, he found a spark of hope. Through persistence, the power of community, and a growing faith, Nick began to rebuild his life step by step. He credits his recovery not just to treatment programs, but to the relationships he’s built along the way—people who believed in him even when he struggled to believe in himself.
Today, Nick doesn’t just talk about recovery—he lives it. He’s a walking testimony to the truth that no matter how far gone you feel, it’s never too late for a fresh start. His story reminds us that recovery is not about perfection but about progress, resilience, and the courage to ask for help.
If you’ve ever doubted whether change is possible, we invite you to listen to Nick’s full testimony. His words, raw and real, will move you deeply and maybe even spark that same hope in your own heart or someone you love.
And if you’re local, don’t forget to stop by Kutz For Recovery! It’s more than just a haircut—it’s a community of second chances.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome.
My name is Robert.
I am with Outreach 419.
We are a drop-in center recovery communitycenter here in Fenwick, Michigan,
and one of our participants is Nick.
And Nick has been ablessing to our community.
He wanted to come on today and share alittle bit about his story and kind of
what led him up to doing this reallycool project with us that I'm gonna let
(00:23):
him tell you a little bit more about.
So, Nick, take it away, my friend.
Well, my name's Nicholas andI'm a person in recovery.
long time ago, man, growing up,went through a lot of trauma back
in my house with my mom, givingme up to her for foster care.
I had a, a doubt in my mindwhere I didn't belong nowhere,
(00:44):
looking for the next best thing.
And, so to the streets.
And one thing that led tome too was, right to prison.
Everybody knows how that was.
And I came outta prison,missing my party days.
So started partying, using drugs and.
got addicted, fell into thecocaine life, and then, ended up
(01:05):
going to, meet my kids' mom andwhenever we had kids and, uh mm-hmm.
Put myself into rehab.
now I'm five months clean.
Now today, during this whole rehabthough, at Bear River Rehabilitation
Center there in Boyne Falls, I actuallycome up with a Kutz For Recovery program
because I know in the midst of myaddiction, My, my hygiene, my self-care,
(01:29):
wasn't the greatest, I was always high.
That's not always the first priority.
No, not never.
We're always up chasing the next high.
trying to get the next fix.
I come up with this and, broughtit to Bear River and they, on the,
out outside of it, because I wasa person in, in treatment there.
Sure.
So I said, you know what?
I understand, But I'm gonna keepgoing with this, 'cause I feel
like I had something to give.
(01:52):
obviously I come to Randy's househere in Greenville, Michigan, and,
brought it to you, Rob Outreach 419.
And, we sat on it, a couple weeks andit was my way, when I was in prison,
I learned how to cut hair, you know?
Mm-hmm.
And been doing it forover 10 years now, And.
It's my way of, showing people that, uspeople in recovery can still be something
(02:12):
and we still have our self worth.
Yeah.
And our self care still needs tobe a top of the line priority.
Yeah.
Because as a employer we go to asinterviews, they're gonna look at
your self care is the first thing.
Sure.
if you're not shaved up, clean,cut, haircut, you, your first
impression is everything on everybody.
(02:32):
Now you've done.
Kutz For Recovery where you'reoffering free haircuts while we're
open here at the drop-in center.
he's done this now,probably what, six times?
Seven times.
Seven times, something like that.
And each time there'seight people, 10 people.
12, 15 I think one time.
Yes sir. And, I'm trying to keep, we'rekeep trying to progress that number, man.
(02:55):
And it's exciting.
That we, you know, I was ableto cut Gary's hair last night.
that was amazing.
That was very, yeah.
Gary Kimble was in town.
if you haven't ever seen him or don'tknow about him, his his story is amazing.
His website is Garykrecovery.com.
Check him out.
But, Nick had theopportunity to cut his hair.
Yes, sir. And, the mantook care of business.
(03:15):
Yes, sir. Like, all we doing,it's when I'm cutting his hair,
he was asking me questions, It waspretty an enlightening thing, Sure.
He was like, it was started makingme think more and more and I'm like,
man, I never thought of it this way.
'cause like me and you were talking aboutwith my mom, he's like, well, if she
don't accept how you feel, just maybeyou can't never come to terms with it.
Sure.
Yeah.
and that made me think on that, Yep.
(03:36):
And it's a, it is a nice thing to have.
like I said, Kutz For Recoveryis just more than just a haircut.
Sure.
we're talking, mental, mentalhealth, physi, everything.
I'll sit there and listen, if you gotsomething on your mind or your chest,
I'll sit there and listen to you.
Yeah.
give you, ask you the questions thatyou need to walk you through it.
and that's another thing is, beingin the barber shop growing up, I
(03:57):
was always wanting to go to thebarbershop with my grandfather.
Yeah.
and men, we have a tendencyto talk more to our barbers.
You know that we're counselors,barbers are counselors.
That for sure.
Yep.
And I think, like I've seen the kids thatcome in, they're comfortable with you.
You make 'em feel likethey're just Oh, yeah.
The star of the show.
Oh yeah.
Most definitely.
I've seen some kids come in thatjust had a scowl on their face.
(04:18):
I don't want to get a haircut.
And then by the time they'redone, they're like, all happy.
Yeah.
I've, I have a tendency, I'velike playing, I got sons of my
own, you gotta make kids feelcomfortable with the clippers.
I had to learn how todo that with my kids.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Play around while they're cutting,getting their hair cut, make
'em feel comfortable and happy.
And some sooner or later they comearound, but when they turn, I turn that
shirt around and they look at themselves.
(04:39):
They're smiling their face.
Yeah.
Makes my heart warm.
Yep.
So this is why I keep doing this, Yeah.
And I'm building more of a brotherhoodhere and my belonging here in this
community than I ever had in Grand Rapids.
Sure.
yep.
like I said, it's more of me.
Getting my high by giving back for sure.
than me going out in thereand chasing that next high.
(04:59):
Yeah, that's the beautiful part of.
Working the 12th step?
'cause this is whatyou're doing right now.
Yes, sir. Is this 12th step work, andthis act of service to the community,
because you're cutting people's hairthat are in recovery, but you're
also cutting people's hair thatmaybe just saw our ad on Facebook.
Or anybody who wants to come out hereand get their hair cut and talk to me.
(05:19):
Rob, Heidi, we don't justspecialize in men's hair.
We, Heidi also your wife.
Does the women's.
Yep.
like we, we make sure we maintain andtake care of everybody who come out here.
Yep.
and like I said, it don't matter ifyou're in recovery, fighting addiction.
Or, have anybody who's financiallyin, not stable right now.
(05:40):
We will take care of you.
Speak about a little bit, 'causeyou talked to me the other day just
about the experience of cuttinghair while you're in a dope house.
Because I know part of it was tofeed an addiction, but then part
of it was also like you're seeingpeople that you wanted to help.
Yes.
So talk to me about that.
So when I was in the midstof my addiction, man, I was.
Cutting hair in the local traphouse in Grand Rapids, and,
(06:03):
just to get the next high.
But also, like people were comingthrough there, it was like a lay down
spot for people to get high and justlay down and get, like the edge off.
But, I was cutting the hair, man, just,and I was trying to push him to go get a
job because I'm like, I can't, couldn'tsay much about it myself because I
was doing, getting high with him, but.
I'm like, this is I was trying toexplain 'em, this life's not for you.
(06:25):
you don't, and then But I go backand do the same thing with that.
Sure.
Yeah.
So they're looking at me like, why?
How can you say thatthis life's not for me?
Yeah.
This life.
that life was not for nobody.
but that was the first step of me knowingthat, you know what, this could actually,
me giving free haircuts to people in need.
It could be something bigger thanwhat I thought it was gonna ever be.
(06:48):
Yeah.
and, I could, it still inspiredme through that and, yeah.
Like I, I was giving haircuts tomy friends people that were coming
over to my house and yeah, it wasjust to keep my skills up too.
I just.
I, it's a passion of mine andI'm very passionate about it.
And it shows in your work, likewhen you're cutting somebody's
hair, just the attention to detail.
(07:09):
I've often told Heidi that it's, likewatching a master painter, right?
there's people that just paint thesemasterpiece and they look at, I'm
like, struggling with a stick figure.
You know what I mean?
but you're like thatmaster painter with hair.
Yeah, it's a talent man.
It's a talent that I learned,like I said, in prison.
seven years ago, I picked it, pickedup a pair of beard trimmers and comb.
(07:31):
Yeah.
And started cutting my hair cutting.
And then once my friends thereseen, hey, he can cut hair.
Started cutting their hair.
Yeah.
Next thing you know, I'mthe unit barber, Yeah.
And I'm like, it, one thing led toanother and I started progressing
and getting better and Yeah.
went out to the real.
World.
Yeah.
In Grand Rapids, and I worked in threeor four barbershops in Grand Rapids
(07:51):
from Lio to the Place barbershopto Vita's, barbershop and Salon.
Sure.
I've worked at a lot of shops andit's like I've been always the person
that was getting ragged on at the shopbecause I was a different color or
I didn't fit in at the shop as well.
Okay.
sure.
But.
(08:12):
I worked myself through that andI never gave up on my skills.
but I know this though, onceeverybody's seen my skills and
got a haircut from me Sure.
They're, they always came back.
and obviously that says it right here,it is, everybody loves what we doing.
You got a lot of repeatpeople that come through here.
Yeah.
A lot of them.
And I love what I do, Yeah.
and.
I got people at work I work with.
(08:33):
Yeah.
Coming out, going and getting theirhaircuts now, one of my supervisor.
Supervisor, yeah, he wants to come outand get a haircut soon, it's a big network
that we're, trying to put together, Yep.
And wouldn't be nothing unlessthe outreach was to help me do it.
So I'll give you that.
We're happy to help.
so April 14th, you got a really coolopportunity with Helen DeVos Foundation.
(08:54):
They have a program calledCare Beyond the Chair.
Yes.
Talk to me a little bit about yourmotivation for wanting to do that
and what you hope to get from it.
Because coming from a traumatichome And the traumatic experiences
in my life as a child Yeah.
some words and some conversationsare meant to be just let there.
Sure.
so I know, there's a lot of trauma.
(09:14):
my stepdad, he has PTSD,from the Marine Corps.
Sure.
So there's a lot of stuffhe don't like talking about.
Yeah.
So if I can learn myselfhow to not, and bring up a
traumatic trigger with somebody.
And a conversation that, that's also gonnahelp me be a better counselor barber.
Yeah.
And that's why I feel likeI am as a counselor barber.
(09:35):
Sure.
I'm a therapeutic barber.
Yeah.
So I feel like this is gonna be thetraining that's gonna help me progress
and get better as a communicator.
Sure.
I'm excited, like I said, it's a very bigmotivation to keep going with this, Yeah.
Some days I, you know, I admit Rob.
I've said to you one time, I'mdone, but look where I'm at still.
(09:57):
we don't give up on you either.
no.
but that's the thing though.
We let you cool off.
Yeah.
But you know, it's A lot of it,I'm doing a lot of things, yeah.
and I'm doing it myself andit's some days, it's just
like I need to just lay back.
I love this family that we got hereand that's what we are as a family.
Yeah.
but no, with the HelenDeVos man, it is just.
(10:18):
It is gonna be a exciting day.
Sure.
Very exciting.
I'm, I'm glad you're coming.
I'm glad to be there and help out.
And, uh, this has been, you know,us doing this drop-in center here.
We didn't know how to do this.
We had seen a couple models of thingsand how different ones were operated.
And I've always believed inempowering people in recovery.
(10:41):
if somebody's good at something, likesupport that, promote it, encourage it.
Yes.
and that's you with, cutting hair.
Yes.
yoga, we have Becky Yoga.
She's yoga with, yoga wellness.
we have's Will is great way.
Wanting to jump in and handmanservice and type of handman service.
And so there's so many people thatjust step up and say, I want to be
(11:02):
involved, I want to plug in here.
These are my skills.
like I'm not asking Will to sitdown and design a website or give me
an Excel spreadsheet on something.
No, that's not guarantee though.
You bring him your car,it's gonna come back great.
for sure.
Yep.
So I appreciate, howeverybody looks for a way.
To really just step up and howcan I use what I can bring to the
(11:22):
table, so yeah, and hopefully,man, like we, we were talking man.
Hopefully eventually we can justget some, I feel like a training
sessions for people, So yeah.
That was gonna be my next questionand kind of to close it up here.
where do you see, if you wereto think what's a one year,
two year goal that you have?
One year?
Yeah.
Dream.
Well, how about this?
Let's do six months.
Let's do it.
Let's do six month a year.
(11:44):
Two years, six months, man.
Obviously I gotta get ahold of Tobias.
have my recovery coach license.
Okay.
maybe if we can finaglesomething with Michigan works.
Sure.
get something set up with them.
I'd love to get intoteaching people in recovery.
The skills of how to operate.
Oh, okay.
A barbershop.
(12:04):
Sure.
Or how to cut hair.
Sure.
because a lot of us people in recovery, orex-felon or felons have artistic talents.
Yep.
I got a, my, my friend,he's down in, down south.
he was coming up, he's actuallycoming up for, sober fest.
Okay.
he's gonna be doing tattoos.
yeah.
But I want to give people theskill and the knowledge how
(12:26):
to operate with Clippers, Yep.
And how to make, not to be intimidated.
No, don't be intimidatedis a, that's yeah's a tool.
It's a tool that you justhave to learn how to use.
Yep.
But, and then, sanitation andeverything, and how to, sanitize your
tools properly and break 'em down.
Adjust them.
Yeah.
Cut.
Then eventually we're gonna goto the next step of cutting hair.
the step-by-step instructions, howto do this, because I feel like
(12:50):
if they see where I came from Yep.
And how much I progressionand success I've completed.
Yep.
And doing this, it can inspirethem to keep going with it too.
Sure.
because a lot of us felons, wecan't get jobs in a regular factory.
so we have to provide for ourselves.
Yeah.
(13:10):
And being a barber, we make our ownhours, we make our own set rate.
And that is where I was at,when I came out of prison.
Sure.
I can't get a job.
Yeah.
I couldn't, I had a tether on my ankle.
I had to go work in a shop, andthat's what was compatible with me.
Yeah.
In my living.
So at the same time, if I can dothat for other people and show
them, hey, there's more than just.
(13:32):
Money to be made here isalso, you're helping out.
Yeah.
you giving back.
and that might be another thingwe give Kutz For Recovery.
The people that are learning howto do this are gonna be hourly
per week to give out haircuts.
we're, it's not gonna just be me, it'sgonna be everybody who's in the class.
Yeah.
So I want to be able to do, bringsomething together like that,
(13:53):
a training facility for people.
Yeah.
I love it.
That's a good long term.
Long term goal.
Yes, sir. Yeah.
good.
Hey, if you're in recovery andyou're looking for a place to plug
in what you're good at, if you'renot in this area, I would say.
Wherever your recovery groupis, just start talking to 'em.
Have that conversation.
Tell somebody about what you're goodat and see what can happen because we
(14:18):
just have that conversation with peoplehere and it just naturally happens.
Ways to serve naturally happen.
And really that 12th step workingservice with someone, for someone,
for an organization, right?
These things are all gonna be those newdopamine hits that your brain craves.
(14:39):
at the end of the day, you'retired at the end of the day,
but mean your heart is full.
Oh, yeah.
Most definitely.
I couldn't sleep more better at night.
Yeah.
Than knowing that.
I have done something successfulin Yeah, giving back to the day.
Yeah.
For the day.
if you're out in Fenwick, you guysgotta come check out Outreach.
Check out Outreach419.com.
if you want to get involvedand partner with us, there's
(15:01):
ways to do that there too.
So check out what we gotgoing on the website.
We're gonna have some stuff forKutz For Recovery coming soon.
So keep a lookout if youwanna follow what we're doing.
There's a place where you caninput your, name and email
address at the bottom, subscribe.
We're gonna have a newslettercoming out here real soon, so we
appreciate your support and again,if there's anything we can do for
(15:22):
you, don't hesitate to reach out.
We'd be happy to try to help finda resource that works for you.
Have a good day.
Thank you.
Welcome.
My name is Robert.
I am with Outreach 419.
We are a drop-in center recovery communitycenter here in Fenwick, Michigan,
and one of our participants is Nick.
And Nick has been ablessing to our community.
He wanted to come on today and share alittle bit about his story and kind of
what led him up to doing this reallycool project with us that I'm gonna let
(00:23):
him tell you a little bit more about.
So, Nick, take it away, my friend.
Well, my name's Nicholas andI'm a person in recovery.
long time ago, man, growing up,went through a lot of trauma back
in my house with my mom, givingme up to her for foster care.
I had a, a doubt in my mindwhere I didn't belong nowhere,
(00:44):
looking for the next best thing.
And, so to the streets.
And one thing that led tome too was, right to prison.
Everybody knows how that was.
And I came outta prison,missing my party days.
So started partying, using drugs and.
got addicted, fell into thecocaine life, and then, ended up
(01:05):
going to, meet my kids' mom andwhenever we had kids and, uh mm-hmm.
Put myself into rehab.
now I'm five months clean.
Now today, during this whole rehabthough, at Bear River Rehabilitation
Center there in Boyne Falls, I actuallycome up with a Kutz For Recovery program
because I know in the midst of myaddiction, My, my hygiene, my self-care,
(01:29):
wasn't the greatest, I was always high.
That's not always the first priority.
No, not never.
We're always up chasing the next high.
trying to get the next fix.
I come up with this and, broughtit to Bear River and they, on the,
out outside of it, because I wasa person in, in treatment there.
Sure.
So I said, you know what?
I understand, But I'm gonna keepgoing with this, 'cause I feel
like I had something to give.
(01:52):
obviously I come to Randy's househere in Greenville, Michigan, and,
brought it to you, Rob Outreach 419.
And, we sat on it, a couple weeks andit was my way, when I was in prison,
I learned how to cut hair, you know?
Mm-hmm.
And been doing it forover 10 years now, And.
It's my way of, showing people that, uspeople in recovery can still be something
(02:12):
and we still have our self worth.
Yeah.
And our self care still needs tobe a top of the line priority.
Yeah.
Because as a employer we go to asinterviews, they're gonna look at
your self care is the first thing.
Sure.
if you're not shaved up, clean,cut, haircut, you, your first
impression is everything on everybody.
(02:32):
Now you've done.
Kutz For Recovery where you'reoffering free haircuts while we're
open here at the drop-in center.
he's done this now,probably what, six times?
Seven times.
Seven times, something like that.
And each time there'seight people, 10 people.
12, 15 I think one time.
Yes sir. And, I'm trying to keep, we'rekeep trying to progress that number, man.
(02:55):
And it's exciting.
That we, you know, I was ableto cut Gary's hair last night.
that was amazing.
That was very, yeah.
Gary Kimble was in town.
if you haven't ever seen him or don'tknow about him, his his story is amazing.
His website is Garykrecovery.com.
Check him out.
But, Nick had theopportunity to cut his hair.
Yes, sir. And, the mantook care of business.
(03:15):
Yes, sir. Like, all we doing,it's when I'm cutting his hair,
he was asking me questions, It waspretty an enlightening thing, Sure.
He was like, it was started makingme think more and more and I'm like,
man, I never thought of it this way.
'cause like me and you were talking aboutwith my mom, he's like, well, if she
don't accept how you feel, just maybeyou can't never come to terms with it.
Sure.
Yeah.
and that made me think on that, Yep.
(03:36):
And it's a, it is a nice thing to have.
like I said, Kutz For Recoveryis just more than just a haircut.
Sure.
we're talking, mental, mentalhealth, physi, everything.
I'll sit there and listen, if you gotsomething on your mind or your chest,
I'll sit there and listen to you.
Yeah.
give you, ask you the questions thatyou need to walk you through it.
and that's another thing is, beingin the barber shop growing up, I
(03:57):
was always wanting to go to thebarbershop with my grandfather.
Yeah.
and men, we have a tendencyto talk more to our barbers.
You know that we're counselors,barbers are counselors.
That for sure.
Yep.
And I think, like I've seen the kids thatcome in, they're comfortable with you.
You make 'em feel likethey're just Oh, yeah.
The star of the show.
Oh yeah.
Most definitely.
I've seen some kids come in thatjust had a scowl on their face.
(04:18):
I don't want to get a haircut.
And then by the time they'redone, they're like, all happy.
Yeah.
I've, I have a tendency, I'velike playing, I got sons of my
own, you gotta make kids feelcomfortable with the clippers.
I had to learn how todo that with my kids.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Play around while they're cutting,getting their hair cut, make
'em feel comfortable and happy.
And some sooner or later they comearound, but when they turn, I turn that
shirt around and they look at themselves.
(04:39):
They're smiling their face.
Yeah.
Makes my heart warm.
Yep.
So this is why I keep doing this, Yeah.
And I'm building more of a brotherhoodhere and my belonging here in this
community than I ever had in Grand Rapids.
Sure.
yep.
like I said, it's more of me.
Getting my high by giving back for sure.
than me going out in thereand chasing that next high.
(04:59):
Yeah, that's the beautiful part of.
Working the 12th step?
'cause this is whatyou're doing right now.
Yes, sir. Is this 12th step work, andthis act of service to the community,
because you're cutting people's hairthat are in recovery, but you're
also cutting people's hair thatmaybe just saw our ad on Facebook.
Or anybody who wants to come out hereand get their hair cut and talk to me.
(05:19):
Rob, Heidi, we don't justspecialize in men's hair.
We, Heidi also your wife.
Does the women's.
Yep.
like we, we make sure we maintain andtake care of everybody who come out here.
Yep.
and like I said, it don't matter ifyou're in recovery, fighting addiction.
Or, have anybody who's financiallyin, not stable right now.
(05:40):
We will take care of you.
Speak about a little bit, 'causeyou talked to me the other day just
about the experience of cuttinghair while you're in a dope house.
Because I know part of it was tofeed an addiction, but then part
of it was also like you're seeingpeople that you wanted to help.
Yes.
So talk to me about that.
So when I was in the midstof my addiction, man, I was.
Cutting hair in the local traphouse in Grand Rapids, and,
(06:03):
just to get the next high.
But also, like people were comingthrough there, it was like a lay down
spot for people to get high and justlay down and get, like the edge off.
But, I was cutting the hair, man, just,and I was trying to push him to go get a
job because I'm like, I can't, couldn'tsay much about it myself because I
was doing, getting high with him, but.
I'm like, this is I was trying toexplain 'em, this life's not for you.
(06:25):
you don't, and then But I go backand do the same thing with that.
Sure.
Yeah.
So they're looking at me like, why?
How can you say thatthis life's not for me?
Yeah.
This life.
that life was not for nobody.
but that was the first step of me knowingthat, you know what, this could actually,
me giving free haircuts to people in need.
It could be something bigger thanwhat I thought it was gonna ever be.
(06:48):
Yeah.
and, I could, it still inspiredme through that and, yeah.
Like I, I was giving haircuts tomy friends people that were coming
over to my house and yeah, it wasjust to keep my skills up too.
I just.
I, it's a passion of mine andI'm very passionate about it.
And it shows in your work, likewhen you're cutting somebody's
hair, just the attention to detail.
(07:09):
I've often told Heidi that it's, likewatching a master painter, right?
there's people that just paint thesemasterpiece and they look at, I'm
like, struggling with a stick figure.
You know what I mean?
but you're like thatmaster painter with hair.
Yeah, it's a talent man.
It's a talent that I learned,like I said, in prison.
seven years ago, I picked it, pickedup a pair of beard trimmers and comb.
(07:31):
Yeah.
And started cutting my hair cutting.
And then once my friends thereseen, hey, he can cut hair.
Started cutting their hair.
Yeah.
Next thing you know, I'mthe unit barber, Yeah.
And I'm like, it, one thing led toanother and I started progressing
and getting better and Yeah.
went out to the real.
World.
Yeah.
In Grand Rapids, and I worked in threeor four barbershops in Grand Rapids
(07:51):
from Lio to the Place barbershopto Vita's, barbershop and Salon.
Sure.
I've worked at a lot of shops andit's like I've been always the person
that was getting ragged on at the shopbecause I was a different color or
I didn't fit in at the shop as well.
Okay.
sure.
But.
(08:12):
I worked myself through that andI never gave up on my skills.
but I know this though, onceeverybody's seen my skills and
got a haircut from me Sure.
They're, they always came back.
and obviously that says it right here,it is, everybody loves what we doing.
You got a lot of repeatpeople that come through here.
Yeah.
A lot of them.
And I love what I do, Yeah.
and.
I got people at work I work with.
(08:33):
Yeah.
Coming out, going and getting theirhaircuts now, one of my supervisor.
Supervisor, yeah, he wants to come outand get a haircut soon, it's a big network
that we're, trying to put together, Yep.
And wouldn't be nothing unlessthe outreach was to help me do it.
So I'll give you that.
We're happy to help.
so April 14th, you got a really coolopportunity with Helen DeVos Foundation.
(08:54):
They have a program calledCare Beyond the Chair.
Yes.
Talk to me a little bit about yourmotivation for wanting to do that
and what you hope to get from it.
Because coming from a traumatichome And the traumatic experiences
in my life as a child Yeah.
some words and some conversationsare meant to be just let there.
Sure.
so I know, there's a lot of trauma.
(09:14):
my stepdad, he has PTSD,from the Marine Corps.
Sure.
So there's a lot of stuffhe don't like talking about.
Yeah.
So if I can learn myselfhow to not, and bring up a
traumatic trigger with somebody.
And a conversation that, that's also gonnahelp me be a better counselor barber.
Yeah.
And that's why I feel likeI am as a counselor barber.
(09:35):
Sure.
I'm a therapeutic barber.
Yeah.
So I feel like this is gonna be thetraining that's gonna help me progress
and get better as a communicator.
Sure.
I'm excited, like I said, it's a very bigmotivation to keep going with this, Yeah.
Some days I, you know, I admit Rob.
I've said to you one time, I'mdone, but look where I'm at still.
(09:57):
we don't give up on you either.
no.
but that's the thing though.
We let you cool off.
Yeah.
But you know, it's A lot of it,I'm doing a lot of things, yeah.
and I'm doing it myself andit's some days, it's just
like I need to just lay back.
I love this family that we got hereand that's what we are as a family.
Yeah.
but no, with the HelenDeVos man, it is just.
(10:18):
It is gonna be a exciting day.
Sure.
Very exciting.
I'm, I'm glad you're coming.
I'm glad to be there and help out.
And, uh, this has been, you know,us doing this drop-in center here.
We didn't know how to do this.
We had seen a couple models of thingsand how different ones were operated.
And I've always believed inempowering people in recovery.
(10:41):
if somebody's good at something, likesupport that, promote it, encourage it.
Yes.
and that's you with, cutting hair.
Yes.
yoga, we have Becky Yoga.
She's yoga with, yoga wellness.
we have's Will is great way.
Wanting to jump in and handmanservice and type of handman service.
And so there's so many people thatjust step up and say, I want to be
(11:02):
involved, I want to plug in here.
These are my skills.
like I'm not asking Will to sitdown and design a website or give me
an Excel spreadsheet on something.
No, that's not guarantee though.
You bring him your car,it's gonna come back great.
for sure.
Yep.
So I appreciate, howeverybody looks for a way.
To really just step up and howcan I use what I can bring to the
(11:22):
table, so yeah, and hopefully,man, like we, we were talking man.
Hopefully eventually we can justget some, I feel like a training
sessions for people, So yeah.
That was gonna be my next questionand kind of to close it up here.
where do you see, if you wereto think what's a one year,
two year goal that you have?
One year?
Yeah.
Dream.
Well, how about this?
Let's do six months.
Let's do it.
Let's do six month a year.
(11:44):
Two years, six months, man.
Obviously I gotta get ahold of Tobias.
have my recovery coach license.
Okay.
maybe if we can finaglesomething with Michigan works.
Sure.
get something set up with them.
I'd love to get intoteaching people in recovery.
The skills of how to operate.
Oh, okay.
A barbershop.
(12:04):
Sure.
Or how to cut hair.
Sure.
because a lot of us people in recovery, orex-felon or felons have artistic talents.
Yep.
I got a, my, my friend,he's down in, down south.
he was coming up, he's actuallycoming up for, sober fest.
Okay.
he's gonna be doing tattoos.
yeah.
But I want to give people theskill and the knowledge how
(12:26):
to operate with Clippers, Yep.
And how to make, not to be intimidated.
No, don't be intimidatedis a, that's yeah's a tool.
It's a tool that you justhave to learn how to use.
Yep.
But, and then, sanitation andeverything, and how to, sanitize your
tools properly and break 'em down.
Adjust them.
Yeah.
Cut.
Then eventually we're gonna goto the next step of cutting hair.
the step-by-step instructions, howto do this, because I feel like
(12:50):
if they see where I came from Yep.
And how much I progressionand success I've completed.
Yep.
And doing this, it can inspirethem to keep going with it too.
Sure.
because a lot of us felons, wecan't get jobs in a regular factory.
so we have to provide for ourselves.
Yeah.
(13:10):
And being a barber, we make our ownhours, we make our own set rate.
And that is where I was at,when I came out of prison.
Sure.
I can't get a job.
Yeah.
I couldn't, I had a tether on my ankle.
I had to go work in a shop, andthat's what was compatible with me.
Yeah.
In my living.
So at the same time, if I can dothat for other people and show
them, hey, there's more than just.
(13:32):
Money to be made here isalso, you're helping out.
Yeah.
you giving back.
and that might be another thingwe give Kutz For Recovery.
The people that are learning howto do this are gonna be hourly
per week to give out haircuts.
we're, it's not gonna just be me, it'sgonna be everybody who's in the class.
Yeah.
So I want to be able to do, bringsomething together like that,
(13:53):
a training facility for people.
Yeah.
I love it.
That's a good long term.
Long term goal.
Yes, sir. Yeah.
good.
Hey, if you're in recovery andyou're looking for a place to plug
in what you're good at, if you'renot in this area, I would say.
Wherever your recovery groupis, just start talking to 'em.
Have that conversation.
Tell somebody about what you're goodat and see what can happen because we
(14:18):
just have that conversation with peoplehere and it just naturally happens.
Ways to serve naturally happen.
And really that 12th step workingservice with someone, for someone,
for an organization, right?
These things are all gonna be those newdopamine hits that your brain craves.
(14:39):
at the end of the day, you'retired at the end of the day,
but mean your heart is full.
Oh, yeah.
Most definitely.
I couldn't sleep more better at night.
Yeah.
Than knowing that.
I have done something successfulin Yeah, giving back to the day.
Yeah.
For the day.
if you're out in Fenwick, you guysgotta come check out Outreach.
Check out Outreach419.com.
if you want to get involvedand partner with us, there's
(15:01):
ways to do that there too.
So check out what we gotgoing on the website.
We're gonna have some stuff forKutz For Recovery coming soon.
So keep a lookout if youwanna follow what we're doing.
There's a place where you caninput your, name and email
address at the bottom, subscribe.
We're gonna have a newslettercoming out here real soon, so we
appreciate your support and again,if there's anything we can do for
(15:22):
you, don't hesitate to reach out.
We'd be happy to try to help finda resource that works for you.
Have a good day.
Thank you.
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