Jeff Mpile, a junior at North Forsyth, paves his own way by giving haircuts to his peers. Most weekends, he is working in his garage, perfecting his client’s cuts.

It was for this interesting pastime that Mpile was chosen as Student of the Month for October. 

The series of his side hustles began when Mpile was in seventh grade, when he made money selling candy out of his lunchbox to students at his school, “But I got in trouble for that, so I had to start something else.”

Thus his side hustle as a barber was born. Mpile used his own money to invest in equipment for his work. He had his first client in his seventh-grade year.

However, the job is not without its difficulties. 

Mpile had to actually learn how to cut hair. He admits it was difficult at first, “I was messing up people, but you have to learn, so I just learned off YouTube.” It worked, and now people regularly visit his home for their haircut.

Another obstacle in his way were his parents. At first, “They had a bunch of concerns,” he says. However, he explains, “When I paid money for all my stuff, they couldn’t really do much about it.” Now, he says his parents are accustomed to his work and even support his desire to make money.

Mpile describes the process as low-key, and, even though it was a concern, he has never had an issue with his neighbors or customers.

Mpile advertises his work on his Instagram account and through his friends.

Similarly to when he sold candy, Mpile says that “it’s just a side hustle”, and he plans to pursue a career in sales.

Mpile’s side hustle focuses on a service and marketing it toward his peers, which is important for experience when planning for a career in sales. Mpile is moving toward a bright future full of creativity and success.