Lipscomb senior Joe Marcario found his calling in life after his hair grew a bit shaggy.
“It all started when I needed a haircut. But like all college freshman in a new city, I had no source of income and didn’t want to use any of the money I did have on that,” Marcario said. “I happened across a pair of safety scissors in my roommate’s desk, and for whatever reason, decided I was up to the task. For the next hour and a half, I sat on the floor in front of my mirror in High Rise chopping away.
My roommate came back into our room a few hours later, noticed it and freaked out when I told him I did it myself,” Marcario said. “He proceeded to ask if I’d cut his, and I did. I shrugged it off and didn’t really think anything of it. It was just one of those random dorm life stories you’d expect to hear from college freshmen.”
Marcario spent the next year continuing to cut his roommate’s hair, as well as a few close friends.
“I found it hilarious that cutting hair became a thing for me, but I did finally start to take it seriously during the summer between my freshman and sophomore year,” Marcario said. “The seed was planted when I went home for a few weeks and it came up in conversation while I was hanging out with a friend from high school. He asked if I’d cut his and I did. When I was done, he thanked me and handed me $10. That’s when it all clicked. This can be more than some joke between me and my friends.”
Marcario returned to Lipscomb with a shifted outlook and a brand new dream. However, he admits he was not expecting much support, and was shy about sharing his talents in the beginning.
“After I returned to Nashville I went out and bought a decent pair of scissors and some clippers,” Marcario said. “I ran my idea about getting a little more invested in this industry by the same people whose hair I did the previous year, and they were shockingly supportive of it. I was extremely insecure about the idea of starting to cut and style hair as a serious part of my life, but after only getting positive reinforcement, it was a done deal.”
Marcario’s new project began to pick up speed during the second semester of his sophomore year, during which he generally did about three to five cuts per week.
“That’s not many at all for someone working in a salon, but I was pretty stoked about those numbers,” Marcario said. “I owe a lot of my success to the few guys that I cut during that first year, because they networked for me like nobody’s business after I decided I wanted to pursue this. They still get free haircuts.”
Marcario still faces challenges though as he works towards his future.
“I’m still not sure how my parents feel about it,” Marcario said. “It never really comes up in conversation which I think is a sign, but that stopped bothering me a long time ago. I’ve got one semester left here at Lipscomb and the plan is to dive right into cosmetology school once I have that terribly expensive piece of paper that says I’m smart.”
Although this aspiring stylist is set to pounce on his dreams, he also claims to still have an interest in his original calling to Lipscomb, and plans to incorporate it just as much into his life.
“I currently work as a graphic designer/social media coordinator since that’s what I’m in school for,” Marcario said, “I still want to keep doing that because who says I can’t have two passions? I’m planning to attend the Paul Mitchell School in Antioch once I graduate. After that’s all said and done, I’m hoping that dream of mine can make its way into reality.”
“My dream is essentially to be a designer by day, and a stylist by night,” Marcario said. “Kind of like Batman, but not really.”