High School Barber Investing in His Future as a Businessman

Edward P. Yorke High School is recognized for producing top performing students in academics, but it’s not every day that you hear of students running a business simultaneously. Sabreena Daly met one such student at his high school preparing for his future by establishing his business at sixteen. This week’s Bright Side features the inspiring story of teenage businessman, Javan Anderson.

Sabreena Daly, Reporting

It’s an ordinary day at Edward P. York High School. The third form industrial students are wrapping up a quiz, eager to grab lunch when the clock strikes that designated time. The ringing of the bell is a signal that they have an hour to themselves, but when everyone storms out, one student of Three-I switches his hat from student to businessman.  Javan Anderson walks out of class with his best friend at his side.  During the lunch hour, however, Nelson Hill is his employee. It is an on-campus barbershop and during this time, Javan is strictly business.

Karen Canto

Karen Canto, Principal, Edward P. Yorke High School

“Initially, for me, when he asked to do it, I was a little hesitant because it’s not open market for everyone wanting to a business here. But for Javan, it started out as a need and now he is using it to save for the future for his plans and all that.”

Samson Jacobs

Samson Jacobs, Counselor, Edward P. Yorke High School

“He would come in with colleague, Nelson Hill. They would set up, they would sweep, they run jokes and I think what I like about it is that even though they are in there to a job, we still develop that rapport and building the relationship with him. I got to know more about him. I have not had any issues with him other than being his time keeper as it relates to not going over the allotted time that is given to him to trim.”

His rates are like any other barber. He set his price for a basic trim at seven dollars, but took it up to ten recently because… “Inflation”.  Javan’s endeavor was borne out of a need to cover his school expenses, including food and travel allowance. But after meeting his needs, Javan later realized that he had a unique advantage over his peers, one that would jumpstart his future as a businessman. And like many administrative staff, Vice Principal Renison Enriquez has also been in Javan’s chair. He attests to his skill and spoke of the importance of teaching financial literacy within the school.

Renison Enriquez

Renison Enriquez, Vice Principal, Edward P. Yorke High School

“He does his academic work very well and he’s very skillful. He also trims me now and again too, so I must attest to his skill. And of course, um, that is developing his own business, entrepreneur. And that is also one of the things that is coming along with this new curriculum. And we, we will encourage those type of things with our student.”
Karen Canto

“It’s important for them to be able to start their credit union account, their bank account. Some of them, remember what we said earlier, come from low income families. Some of them will have to pay for sixth form themselves.”

And at three o’clock when school is over, barbering continues at home, where we met him with another customer. Javan told us what got him interested in this profession.

Javan Anderson

Javan Anderson, Barber
“Um, so, before I even started cutting hair, I always wanted to find new ways to make money. So I would like, go to my uncle’s house, maybe wash his car one or two times, go around in the neighborhood. I also sold fudge for a few weeks in, um, 2020 when there was quarantine. And from that, from the time that I started doing that, I knew that I wanted to do something pertaining to business and this was one of my outlets.”

Javan got his hands on his first clippers as an early Christmas gift from his grandfather. The first haircut was given to his best friend. That would be the start to Javan establishing a plan for his future.

Javan Anderson
“My, um, my same assistant, his name is Nelson. He was the first person that I actually cut his hair.  I showed him how the cut looked in the mirror and he said that I could start doing this at school. He said he wouldn’t mind helping me clean up. I just took it as a joke, but I knew that it would then later be something that I would actually take up and do. It’s not all the time that I make a lot of money, but when I make, when I do make a lot of money, I really look at it as just like a blessing because you know, God is the only one who can help all of us to do what we want in the future. And I feel like that that is the main key. And me, I just get it as an opportunity to put up more, save more money and have my money is set for the week already.”

Sabreena

“So you’re not thinking about buying the newest iPhone when it comes out?”

Javan

“Well, sometimes, you know, you have that little thought in your head that says, um, man, I wanna go buy this thing. I know, but you have to have a strong mind whenever you’re dealing with money, especially when you make a lot in like a short space of time.”

Javan’s mother is one of his biggest supporters, but he also acknowledges his grandmother to be his leading motivator.

Kacey-Ann Requeña

Kacey-Ann Requeña, Javan’s Mother

“From a very early age we taught him how to save. Because of this venture that he went into, he learned to save some money. He explained to me that he needed a bank account to put the money into, so I told him lets go and open a credit union account. He was so excited. I believe that it was like two hundred dollars that he deposited to open the account and he was very so excited. Every chance he got, he saved an amount of money and deposited that money into his account.”

Javan Anderson
“My grandmother is the one who supports me through everything. Like, she, even though like some people might not feel the same way about me, she’s the one that always keeps me going. And even though I might not make a lot of money every day, I still try to, you know, give her something and, and help her with whatever. And she always advises me to save and she helps me save my money. She’s means everything to me.”

So what’s next for the young businessman? Javan shared with us his intentions to establish himself as a certified barber as soon as he can. He also hopes to open several barbershop chains in the future and still intends to continue school. Looking on the Bright Side, I’m Sabreena Daly.