Behind the Chair with Nate Chung

Nate Chung is a proud owner of his own barbershop and began cutting hair 18 months ago as a way to earn a living and pursue a hobby. With clippers and trimmers gifted to him by his mother, he practiced his skills on his family and friends, learning new techniques through YouTube tutorials. After several criticisms over the summer, Nate briefly quit for four months, but he was determined to pursue his newfound hobby. Once he moved to a new school, he met another student who was a barber, and together they created a joint social media account, attracting one to two clients per week. Gradually, as his skills grew, Nate officially launched his own business and a social media account in February 2025. Today, he handles ten haircuts per week and has built a loyal clientele.

Nowadays, Nate excels at low-taper fades, which is his specialty, but he enjoys cutting a variety of styles. He credits his success to both his skills and his rapport with clients. “The chair is a very vulnerable place,” he says. “Once you get them talking, they don’t stop.” His haircuts take 25 to 30 minutes, and he aims to deliver high-quality haircuts efficiently.

Nate was most surprised by the dedication and time required to start a business. “Once you start, it gets easier,” Nate says. “As more people hear about you, you can do less advertising.”

At the end of the day, Nate believes that connecting with his customers and giving them a good experience is what he is most proud of. From his goals of achieving wealth, he realized that it was not the money he was most proud of, but the community and the experience he created through his work. “It's fun to talk to the barber,” he states. Nate hopes to continue to grow his business while maintaining his personal connection with his customers.

To see more of his work, you can follow Nate at @nc_cutz12 on Instagram.