Barbershops are the heartbeat of the community. And we need to take care of the community which takes care of us.
Being a barber isn’t all snips and giggles.
A truly excellent hair stylist has an immense civic responsibility and must be equal parts artist, business person, psychologist, priest and social worker, according to Gaulien Smith, who has owned and operated Gee’s Clippers in Milwaukee since 1995.
“Our clients look to us for comfort and advice,” Smith said. “Barbershops are the heartbeat of the community. And we need to take care of the community which takes care of us.”
Smith and David Hagemeier, who owns and operates six Supercuts hair salons in the Milwaukee area, came to Milwaukee Area Technical College on Tuesday, November 10, to share their stories and offer strategies to succeed in the personal style business.
The event was the latest installment of the President’s Student Leadership Series, hosted by MATC President Anthony Cruz.
Held once a semester and sponsored by the college’s Student Engagement and Community Impact division, the President’s Student Leadership Series gives MATC students a unique opportunity to hear the educational and professional experiences of leaders in various careers.
“These two men can tell us what it takes to build a business and why it’s important to give back to the community,” President Cruz told a crowd that included many students from MATC’s Barber and Cosmetology programs.
Smith grew up in Milwaukee, one of seven children. His father, who drove a bus for Milwaukee County, cut everyone’s hair to save money. When he was 12, Smith grabbed the clippers and decided to cut his own hair. His younger brother and other people noticed. At 13, he was cutting the hair of his five brothers and his friends.
“I became the barber in the neighborhood,” Smith said.
When he turned 21, Smith attended barber and cosmetology school and earned his state license. He opened Gee’s Clippers in 1995 with four barbers and himself. Today, the shop has 30 chairs and serves professional athletes, local elected officials and celebrities.
In August 2023, Smith opened Gee’s MKE Wellness Clinic, which offers blood pressure screenings, blood glucose monitoring and health coaching in drug education, weight management, nutrition, exercise, quitting tobacco, sleep and stress.
Hagemeier took an entirely different path into the field. He earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He worked for Rockwell Automation for nearly 30 years, living in Boston, Europe and then Milwaukee.
“My wife and I loved being connected with people and we wanted to get back to that feeling,” said Hagemeier, who also chairs the MATC Barber and Cosmetology Advisory Committee.
In 2012, he and his wife, Carol, started Signature Two Company, which operates Supercuts salons in Glendale, Greenfield, Menomonee Falls, Mequon, Waukesha and West Bend. The salons employ 38 licensed stylists and apprentices, and serve more than 1,400 clients each week.
Hagemeier encouraged the students in the audience to seek as much help as possible. “Find partners who will both support you and challenge you. Everything we know today we have learned from people in the field,” he said. “Don’t try to do it alone right away. You don’t want this to become an expensive hobby that has you looking for a second job after a year or two.”
Smith suggested that the students read two self-improvement books: Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and John C. Maxwell’s “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth.”
“You need to focus on yourself, empower yourself,” Smith told the students. “The more you empower yourself, the more you can help your clients.”
Both Hagemeier and Smith urged the students to stay humble and stay determined to practice their passion.
“As sure as you think you’re someone today, you could be no one tomorrow,” Smith said. “There will always be challenges. Your will to stay the course must be strong enough to eliminate the distractions that might come your way.”
The next installment of the leadership series will be held in the spring of 2027, President Cruz said.
Last October, Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski, an MATC alum, and Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita R. Ball shared their career journeys with students at the Oak Creek Campus.
In the spring of 2026, President Cruz talked to Milwaukee broadcast journalist Diana Gutiérrez, the first Latina evening news anchor in the state.
About MATC: Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. More than 35,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 180 academic programs — many that prepare students for jobs immediately upon completion and others that provide transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 45 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.