ROCKINGHAM — Daniel Sweatt, owner of Headlines in Rockingham, said when he was 14 year old his father bought a pair of clippers to cut his hair.
But instead of putting them away after he was done, he would ask Sweatt to do his hair, and his brother too would ask for him to cut his hair. Pretty soon, Sweatt started trim up the boys on his baseball team.
“By the time I was in high school, I knew what I wanted to go to school for,” said Sweatt, 25, of Rockingham.
He completed an apprenticeship at Merle Norman under Bo Grooms where Sweatt said he learned a lot about professionalism, business, how to treat clients with respect and how to respect his client’s time.
Grooms said he’s mentored several students in the past, but none have been as determined as Sweatt.
“I was amazed by what he already knew,” said Grooms. “He was doing cuts even before he went to school. He knew what he wanted to do and attacked things before he started.”
Grooms didn’t know Sweatt before they started working together, but he said he knew of his Sweatt’s parents. Grooms said they made it work so that he could mentor him.
“He was great student and eager to learn any and everything,” he said. “He has always been ambitious and he always dreams to do bigger and better. He has a great imagination and doesn’t hold himself to any limits.”
Sweatt went on to work at Fred’s City Barbershop in Hamlet for four months and then returned to Merle Norman where he worked for a year. And in 2016, Sweatt opened Headlines on East Franklin Street in downtown Rockingham.
“When I first started, I told my dad that it would be cool to get as many people in and cut their hair,” he said. “But now, it’s six to ten haircuts for the same pay. Quality over quantity.”
When customers sit in his chair, Sweatt said they ask them to “hook them up.” Sweatt doesn’t consider himself a barber, but more as a men’s hairstylist. He’s passionate for what he does and enjoys every minute of it.
“I love every day,” he said. “It’s different when you have a passion for it.”
In addition to running a business, he also has a production company with his two brothers called 3BE, or Three Brothers Entertainment, Productions.
Sweatt said music was something he was always interested in as a child. His youngest brother sings country music and his oldest brother raps.
“We all love music,” he said. “Even in the salon, music brings out the mood in here. My brothers like to bring good vibes.”
His oldest brother, who goes by Tony Rich, has an album that will be released May 17. Sweatt said he’s been working on the album for four to six months and can’t wait to see it all come together.
“It’s crazy,” said Sweatt. “Every song he’s dropped is a banger. It’s crazy how you can go from nothing to something.”
Eventually, Sweatt wants to open a music studio in either Rockingham to “bring the attention back here,” or Charlotte. For now, he commutes back and forth to Charlotte to produce.
“Everything is coming together and I’m working hard,” he said.
Sweatt’s parents have played a major role in his life. He said they showed him a lot of tough love growing up, which helped him get to where he is today.
“They wanted me to see failure and I’ve made some mistakes,” he said. “But they love what I’ve done and they see it all coming together.”
Grooms describes Sweatt as someone who is “determined and has conquered his ups and downs.”
“That’s just Daniel,” he said. “He’ll get knocked down, but he gets back up again.”
His dream? Sweatt said he wants to open another salon, but not in Richmond County. This time, it’ll be in California. He already has the blueprint drawn for how he wants the space to look and a name, so now it’s just time to move.
“It took me two years to build my clientele here,” said Sweatt. “And in LA, it will be easier to do there. It’s easier to blow up there … more eyes are on you.
“But I’ll miss my clientele, and family and the community,” he added. “But I’ll come home and take care of my people.”
But until he moves, Sweatt will continue working with his staff and clients at Headlines and will soon put on a hair show called Emabark New Styles Hair Show on June 1 at the Place of Grace campus in Rockingham. The event is free but donations are accepted and money raised from the show will go back to the church.
The event is open to cosmetologists, barbers and stylists in Richmond and surrounding counties looking for new tips and tricks on how to do a style, cut, color and learn about different products. This event will be a first for Sweatt and more information can be found on his Facebook page.
“It’s a way to reach out and keep knowledge around,” he said. “But there will always be things that I won’t show.”
Sweatt said to remain balanced, from juggling his business with their music production company, he goes to the gym, lives right and prays everyday.
“I put the work in,” he said. “Everyone is scared of failures, but you can’t be.”
