This barber comes to your home

Traveling Barbers Logo
Photo courtesy of Simul Martin

An ambitious Florida State University graduate student has started an innovative new company, Traveling Barbers.

Simul Martin, owner and founder of Traveling Barbers, didn’t expect the life of an entrepreneur. After double majoring in political science and criminology, and an internship experience that was less than appealing, Martin unexpectedly found himself on this new path while working on a an MBA.

“I did an internship as a legal aid and it wasn’t the work I expected to be doing. The atmosphere, the lifestyle, I didn’t see myself doing it,” said Martin.

Martin has been cutting hair since his youth, making Traveling Barbers a logical business venture.

“I grew up in foster care and because we couldn’t always afford to go to barbershops for haircuts, I would cut my own hair out of necessity. I was my own guinea pig, therefore I did not look good all the time, but I learned.”

After arriving at FSU in 2008, Martin found himself cutting hair more and more often.

“I got to college and having to cut my own hair growing up became something of a blessing in disguise. When it was hard to keep a job in college, I leaned on barbering,” said Martin.

What began out of necessity eventually blossomed into a growing new company.

Simul Martin, Founder and Owner of Traveling Barbers.
Photo courtesy of Traveling Barbers Instagram Page

Traveling Barbers provides convenient barbering services for those who feel alienated by traditional barbershops. Busy professionals, or anyone looking for a quality haircut in the comforts of their home – or hotel room – is who Martin had in mind when creating his company.

“I really enjoy using Traveling Barbers,” Daryl Lattimore, a business administration major from Sarasota, said. “I don’t have a car, and it’s really great to be able to get a haircut and the barber comes to me.”

With $35 student discounts from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Traveling Barbers is convenient. The company has a large Tallahassee client base and is actively expanding into more cities.

“As of right now, while we do service other cities like Atlanta, we are focusing much of our efforts on the expansion in Tampa Bay,” Martin said.

He is optimistic about his plans for the company. While business is doing well, the journey of an entrepreneur hasn’t been easy.

Martin has experienced the challenges that often come with starting a new business, difficulty marketing and lifestyle adjustments, but he doesn’t let this discourage him. He often urges many other new entrepreneurs to start working on their dream.

“My advice to anyone looking to start a business is: Don’t be afraid to start. Whatever you have, use that and start right away. It takes time to build the clientele you want and people respect tenure.”

With a new booking app currently in production, interested customers can visit the company’s Instagram page (@TravelingBarbers) to view previous work and book appointments.