
Wiseguy Attitude
Edition: #03
Name: Stephen Smith
Date: July 27
Instagram: stephenthebarber13
Stephen is wearing the Dapper Series Schorem Barber Pole Wide No. E5319
Stephen, please tell us a bit about yourself?
Iâm a registered, Master Barber in the state of North Carolina, USA. Iâm excited about my current path because I havenât always worked in career fields that were good fits for me. Iâm fulfilling my purpose now, am able to give to others with the âgiftâ Iâve been given, and am truly happy. I surround myself with an incredible, successful âcircleâ and am excited about the future.
How did you become a barber? When did you know that this was going to be your profession
Interesting story, actually. My mom was one of those parents back in the day that would cut my hair in the kitchen every so often with the home hair kit. Sometime around age 14, I started cutting my own hair. It took a little time but I remember grasping the concept pretty early on. I began cutting friends hair in high school. Then I was that guy, during my military service, that was cutting all the guys hair for inspections. All through my life, and whatever job I was doing, I was cutting my own hair, as well as others. As I began âmiddle ageâ I grew unhappy with the career I was involved in, so I took a leap of faith and decided to attend barber academy full-time for the sake of happiness. So when did I know it would be my profession? Just four years ago.
You became one of the early Ambassadors of Wiseguy; how has that journey been?Â
A true blessing. Iâm very particular with the products and companies I associate with and have been so incredibly fortunate to work with Mike and the entire Wiseguy crew. Theyâve believed in me from my early days as a barber student, and I have gladly reciprocated with my belief in their brand, purpose and products.
How were the last few years for you? It seems like you really coped well with all the challenges?Â
Covid-19 hit us all in March of 2020. This was right as I was in the home stretch of graduating barber school. Society was âshut down.â I was able to finish and graduate. The first barber shop I was a part of, post-graduation, was tracking to âgrand openâ two days after our state was allowed to return to work. I was able to hit the ground running with no delay, and thatâs when all the âCovid/cavemen haircutsâ were abundant. Busy, busy.
Whatâs your ultimate goal?Â
I branched out on a solo endeavor and opened my own barber studio on July 19, here in Raleigh, NC. Itâs such an exciting time! âStay Handsome Barber Studio.â This shop offers all the things I love about barbering, and provides the very best experience for my friends, clients and family. This has been a goal of mine. Otherwise, happiness, health, great friends and lots of laughs. The simple things.
Whatâs your favorite food dish? Do you cook? Does food play an important part in your life?Â
I really love hibachi-style Japanese. Steak and shrimp. And I do like to cook. Iâm a self-proclaimed âblack beltâ on a charcoal grill and have fine tuned many dishes from the grill over the years. Food is important, yes, but my real love, and nemesis to my middle-aged midsection, is beer.
Which clothing items do you consider to be your evergreens? Or does your style evolve constantly? What about work wear vs casual wear?Â
I joke when Iâm asked about this by saying, âmy look is to make people wonder if I am getting ready to ROB the place, or if I OWN the place.â This means that my personal style is a combination of classic and dapper, with biker/Viking. Elements of denim and leather, with suspenders, accessories, caps and ties. It confuses people but it feels so right to me. Jeans and tees on any given normal day, and because of my ice hockey addiction, lots of hockey jerseyâs.


Any style icons?Â
The classics:Â
- Elvis
- James Dean
- Sinatra
- Brando
Did you wear braces/suspenders before meeting the Wiseguy Original team? And if not, why not? Any suggestions for people who have never considered wearing suspenders?Â
Yes. I absolutely did. Back then, it was a look that youâd never see anyone wearing and Iâve always appreciated the classic, throwback menâs looks. Whenever I would wear them, compliments would always happen; ladies especially. They fit perfectly with my personal style. When Wiseguy arrived on the scene, with their fantastic designs, hardware and quality, I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of their mission. If youâve never worn suspenders, start with one pair. Black, navy or brown. Simple. Give it a try. Theyâre very comfortable and a relief to wearing a belt constantly. Just be prepared to receive those compliments.

Already any favorites in the Wiseguy assortment? Models? Wide, Slim or Skinny? Lobster hooks, clips or Loops? Leather or elastics?
Oh, where do I begin? The Crazy Horse Flex series. Beauties. The âBarber wideâ and the âDealmaker wideâ from the Dapper Series get a lot of wear. My go-toâs and favorites have to be the "Schorem Barber Pole Wide". Both Dapper series and leather. I use all the mounting hardware because of all the ways I wear my Wiseguyâs.
Any fun anecdotes about yourself which most people donât know about you yet?
Most people are surprised to find out that Iâm actually a very introverted person. Quiet. Barbering is very social and my Instagram page would lead someone to believe that Iâm always on the go with my hair on fire. Not true at all.