"Become the barber
they request by name."
1,500 hours. Straight razor to skin fade.
Chair confidence in 14 months.
The Craft
1,500 hours broken into six chapters. Each one builds a hand skill the previous couldn't exist without.
Foundations of the Blade
320 hrsStraight-razor anatomy, strop maintenance, lather chemistry. You learn the tool before you touch a face.
Clipper Architecture
380 hrsGuard gradients from 0.5 to 8, clipper-over-comb transitions, and the millimeter discipline of a true taper.
The Skin Fade
280 hrsLow, mid, and high fades executed with zero hesitation. The technique that separates requested barbers from walk-in barbers.
Shave Ritual & Hot Lather
220 hrsPre-shave prep, hot towel protocols, lather temperature and consistency. The full ceremony clients pay a premium for.
Shop Business & Floor Culture
180 hrsBooking systems, chair rental vs. commission, client retention, and the unwritten rules of every shop floor.
State Board Preparation
120 hrsPractical and written exam prep. Our pass rate on first attempt: 94%. We do not move on until you are ready.
1,500 hours. One chair. Your name on the board.
Next cohort starts March 2026 — 12 seats remaining.
The Transformation
Three people who showed up not knowing what they didn't know — and left with a skill set that pays every Friday.
Marcus T.
Program length: 14 months
Before
Forklift operator, 9 years. No cosmetology background.
After
Now booked 3 weeks out at Elevation Cuts, Harlem.
"Week one I was shaking on a mannequin. Week eight I did my first real skin fade and the client asked when I was getting my own chair."
Destiny R.
Program length: 8 months
Before
Licensed cosmetologist, 4 years. Never touched a balding fade.
After
Promoted to senior barber at Studio 21, Atlanta.
"I had the license but I was terrified of clippers. Fade gave me the technique and the confidence. I charge $85 a cut now."
Jordan L.
Program length: 14 months
Before
Eighteen years old. Learned on cousins in the kitchen since 14.
After
Apprenticeship at Kingsmen Barbershop, Chicago.
"I thought I already knew how to cut. Fade showed me I knew maybe 20% of what I needed to know. The other 80% changed everything."
The Chair Waiting for You
Numbers from our last three graduating cohorts. Not projections — actuals.
Avg. Year-One Income
Across last 3 cohorts (USD)
Shop Placement Rate
Within 60 days of graduation
State Board Pass Rate
First attempt, last 5 years
Open Apprenticeships
Live count — updated weekly
Partner Shops with Open Seats
Live — Feb 2026
Elevation Cuts
Harlem, NY
Kingsmen
Chicago, IL
Studio 21
Atlanta, GA
Cornerstone
Brooklyn, NY
Iron & Grain
Houston, TX
The Ritual
Los Angeles, CA
"The average Fade graduate is making more at 16 months than I made after 4 years in retail management."
— Darius W., Graduate, Cohort 7 · Now owner, Darius & Co., Detroit
Not clicking feels like
leaving it on the table.
The enrollment application takes eight minutes. The next cohort fills in an average of eleven days. There are 12 seats left for March 2026.
No tuition due today. Application is free. Financial aid available for qualifying students.