In Belize, where many dream of owning a business but are held back by limited resources, one young entrepreneur is proving that determination can travel farther than money ever could. Tonight, reporter Jaleeza Roberts takes a look at how some people inherit opportunity, while the owner of Faith and Fades builds it with his own hands:
Reporter
Behind me may look like just another old bus at the side of the road, but for one entrepreneur it's a unique business opportunity: Faith and Fades barbershop, the barbershop that can take haircuts literally to the streets. Let's take a look inside:
When the COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a halt, thousands of Belizeans found themselves asking the same question: What's next? For 27-year-old Daniel Coleman, unemployment became the catalyst for reinvention. Unable to find stable work during one of the country's most uncertain periods, Coleman decided to learn a skill that could not only provide an income, but create opportunities where none seemed to exist. Armed with little more than determination and free YouTube tutorials, he taught himself the art of barbering:
Daniel Coleman, Faith & Fades Barbershop Owner
"Getting a job was a little bit difficult during the pandemic. And I saw that there were some barbers who were still cutting hair. So I saw that they were one of the ones who were a bit flexible during that time. And I said, 'Man, it's a good trade to have, you know.'"
But his journey started with a dream and a small zinc shop. Now, inside what was once an ordinary bus is a fully equipped mobile barbershop, complete with professional barber chairs, sanitization equipment, running water, and all the amenities customers would expect from a traditional salon. It is a business model rarely seen in Belize:
Daniel Coleman, Faith & Fades Barbershop Owner
"I actually, when I first started, I started going to people's houses, and then I rented a little small zinc shop. It was a vegetable shop first, and it wasn't working out. And so I said, 'All right, I'm going to rent another spot.' And so I rented another location, which is right up the road from here. And it still didn't work out. And I said, 'You know what? I'm going to go mobile. I'm going to go mobile'."
"And I went, I started to go to people's houses on bicycle, riding to their houses with my little knapsack, with all of my equipment and everything in my bag. And I loved it. And the people, they loved it as well. But I always had the desire to offer more to them. I wanted to do hot towel. I wanted to do steam. I wanted to wash their hair, but I was unable to do all of that. And so the idea came to me: Why don't you do a full mobile barbershop?"
For many entrepreneurs, two failed locations would have marked the end of the dream. For Daniel, it became the beginning of a better idea. And coming from a background where dreams are often limited, he didn't look at his bank account as an indicator of his future possibilities:
Daniel Coleman, Faith & Fades Barbershop Owner
"The biggest challenge, as is for many people, is the financial challenge. I am a poor man. I came from a poor family. And so even to get the bus was a big expense for me, but thank God I am here. You know, it has been a bit, a lot of challenge, but thank God, every step of the way, God has provided. He has opened the way. And yeah."
Reporter:
"You say that you're a poor man. You come from a poor family. What does this mean in terms of poor people getting an opportunity to still dream?"
Daniel Coleman:
"Well, I always encourage my fellow Belizeans, especially the lower class of which I am a part of. One of our biggest challenges here in Belize is not job opportunities, but rather innovation. There's a lot of jobs and innovation that we can do and we can have."
"But I believe it's just like I always say: many people out here, they have a lot of good ideas of how to start a business and stuff. But at the end of the day, it's just an idea unless you step out and do something. And so I always try to encourage our people. The biggest, the hardest part is just to step out there. You might not be able to see around the corner, but if you step out, something might happen along the road. It happened to me. I stepped out with what I had, and that was nothing. And here I am today."
His start challenges one of the most common misconceptions about success: that great businesses begin with great wealth. Sometimes an original idea is more appealing than deep pockets:
Daniel Coleman, Faith & Fades Barbershop Owner
"I went into the health department because, you know, health has to do inspection. And I said, 'Miss, I was wondering if I can get a health inspection today.' And I said, 'I brought the business here.' And everyone in the spot, everyone laughed. They said, 'You brought the business here?' I said, 'Yes, I brought the business here. It's a mobile barbershop.' They didn't believe me. And everyone came out wondering what kind of... what kind of thing I'm coming up with. And, you know, everything got through in one day. Thank God."
Today, he serves busy professionals, tourists, families, and local residents, offering haircuts at convenient locations or directly at customers' homes. His mobile setup allows him to provide services beyond what was possible when he traveled by bicycle, creating a premium experience while bringing convenience directly to his clients. His dream is to build a nationwide network of mobile barbershops:
Daniel Coleman, Faith & Fades Barbershop Owner
"The future of my business is to renovate more buses and rent them across the country. So we create a chain across the country. We have a mobile barbershop or two in Orange Walk, or two in Corozal, in Toledo. So we have it across the country so that everyone can benefit from this new experience in barbering."
Dreams rarely arrive fully funded. More often, they arrive disguised as risk, and for Daniel, the risk has proven worth it. Jaleeza Roberts, 7News.
Anyone wishing to book a haircut can contact 636-6894.
