Dave Diggs - Barbers Inc

Sometimes, when people face immense hardship, a hitherto unseen ambition erupts from them, transforming their journey into an inspiration. Dave Diggs is one of those people. Barber, business owner, author—he seems to do it all. But all this came after a tough childhood and a truly life-changing experience in prison. After he got out, Diggs kept at it. He enrolled in the San Francisco Barber College. With a seemingly limitless sense of ambition and a desire to help people out of situations like the ones he had found himself in, Diggs opened the Barbers Inc., a true barbershop in the heart of downtown San Jose. Moreover, he specifically sought out former convicts looking to make a life cutting hair on the outside and actively fostered their growth. Along the way, Diggs also realized he was a natural educator and now travels the world educating on hairstyling and barbering for And is Company. With a book under his belt, a sizable social media following, and an inherent desire to give back to his community, Diggs plans to keep helping people realize futures for themselves that they could never have imagined—all through cutting hair.

“We started here [at the Barbers Inc.] with six chairs and four barbers. Now we have 15 chairs and 15 barbers. And the guys I bring in—a good number of them have a history. They understand that life and want something different. They want a good environment where they can provide for their family as well as be assets to the community. So it really comes down to: ‘How can we help?’ How can we help elementary school kids, college kids, homeless people—anyone that needs it? We make a point to show our support for the community and give people a chance in the same way that someone once gave me a chance. So really, for me, it’s all about giving back.”

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Written by Tad Malone | Photography by Daniel Garcia