Innovation

While Genero’s has not explicitly linked helping the kids in Colombia to a UN Sustainable Development Goal, we see that it is associated to SDG 4 which is quality education. When asked why he helped the kids in Colombia, Gustavo responded “Helping others is a good feeling, it is a joy because you are giving them opportunities and at the end of the day that all a person needs sometimes is an opportunity”. His help does not just stop in Colombia. In April, Genero’s Beauty Salon helped distribute basic essentials to the homeless, domestic violence survivors, women and girls in Liberia as well as families living in poverty in New Jersey, with the help of Hope for Health and Hygiene. Any opportunity they get, they are helping out; the Salon is even in talks of having a toy drive for Christmas. Something we really enjoyed about the interview was what Gustavo had to say about inspiring others as he responded, “The best way to teach is to take action.”

Inspiration

Gustavo moved to the United States from Colombia six years ago, and stated “I love it here” and “It has been a big opportunity.” Gustavo is motivated by the opportunity to be here in this country and to help resolve problems in his home country. Gustavo states in the interview that “I want to do my best in everything.” The combination of these motivations within Gustavo led to the inspiration and idea to use his skills as a barber and kind person to assist the people in his home country. In order to feel Gustavo was doing his best and right by his way of life, he chooses to help and make people happy which is a very powerful and amazing thing to see.

Using some of the profits from cutting hair, Gustavo directly sends funds over to Colombia to financially support those less fortunate. He is intrinsically motivated by loving the process of cutting hair but also being able to help others. To be a barber is not just about cutting hair. Gustavo states “Cutting hair is like being a psychologist.” This comparison was drawn to further explain how he frequently has deep conversations with his customers about life, school, tough situations going on, etc. Innovation has a powerful meaning behind it which is to be helpful and kind towards everyone. Gustavo also has perspective on life from living in Colombia and in the United States. He has seen first-hand the struggles some of the people in his home country face, understanding how impactful the money donated every month can be for the Hilos De Luiz Foundation. Gustavo's efforts to support Colombia and his people, whether his customers or people from his home country, are extremely significant and have massive purpose. Gustavo is positively impacting the world.

There has also been innovation that the management including Gustavo has implemented into the work done at Genero’s Beauty Salon. Helping people and giving back to the community in Colombia has helped change the perspective and message the company is trying to convey to their customers and the world. Gustavo states “I am always trying to improve my business, life, etc.” This quote helps show the mindset Gustavo has that he is always trying to do better and do more. As noted previously, the most powerful message from the entire interview was when Gustavo stated, “The best way to teach is to take action.” This quote means lead by example and act/work the way you want the other members of staff to work and treat others. This mindset and commitment to being kind and helping others sets precedents for how the environment in the barbershop should be. Gustavo says “It is a contagious energy” which perfectly sums up how he feels about leading by example and being active in the cause and mission of the company.

Overall impact

It is without a doubt that Gustavo Guzman is dedicated to helping those in need, specifically the youth of Colombia. Before Gustavo was able to make an impact in Colombia, he first had to take advantage of his opportunities in New Jersey. Gustavo opened his business, Genero’s Beauty Salon, two years ago and it has grown exponentially since then. The business’ model is customer oriented and strives to keep customers happy. The impact that Gustavo has made in the community of Plainfield is simple yet significant. He credits the success of these strong relationships to sustaining a positive attitude as he believes happiness is contagious. What started with exceptional haircuts and happy customers soon became an environment that was a second home for workers and their clients. As mentioned previously, Gustavo claims “when you are a barber, you are more like a psychologist.” Clients tend to stay after their haircuts just to hang out, talk about their life, and overall have a good time. Gustavo surpasses the barber-client relationship for deeper personal connections. The connections that he makes through his business give him genuine happiness and remind him why he became a barber in the first place.

Living in a city that has provided him with so many opportunities, he now feels indebted to Plainfield and is eager to give back to the city that gave so much to him. When coming to Plainfield, Gustavo’s expectations were high due to the fact that he was looking for a place where he could really be successful. He had people that depended on him and a community of people that he wanted to help, so he needed to keep expectations and his motivation high to be able to accomplish what he wanted to.

Business benefit

Gustavo Guzman chose not to limit his positive impact to just Plainfield, NJ. Starting four years ago, Gustavo began donating sums of money to an organization called Hilos De Luz, a foundation that provides children easier access to education. This organization has two sites that stretch across each side of Colombia. One site is in Gustavo’s hometown Ibague, and the other helps children that live near the Amazon rainforest. Through his donations, children are able to afford notebooks, writing utensils, education fees, transportation, and so much more. Such responsibilities take a significant amount of effort and resources which is why Gustavo has the help of friends and family from Colombia to put his donations into action.

Over the past few years since the opening of Genero's Beauty Salon, Gustavo’s income increased steadily as COVID-19 restrictions were slowly lifted. At the start of the business, ten percent of all profits were donated to Hilos De Luz monthly. Now that the business generates more revenue and has more profit, Gustavo increased the donations and now gives fifteen percent of business profits. He disclosed that he has sent almost ten thousand dollars in total to the foundation during his career. As the success of his business grows, so will his support for the children of Colombia.

Social and environmental benefit

Even while living abroad, Gustavo continues to contribute and send back to his community making a huge impact on families in need. Gustavo experienced firsthand the extent that children go through in order to receive their education due to scarce resources. Thanks to his donations, hundreds of children no longer have to walk 2+ hours to receive basic education, families no longer have to skip meals to pay for textbooks or utensils, and educators are paid a livable salary. Gustavo occasionally receives videos from the foundation of children expressing their gratitude for the immense support. These charitable acts have even rubbed off on the other barbers that work at the salon. Others see Gustavo as a positive role model and they too choose to spread kindness and give back to the community. The numerous communities that Gustavo impacts benefit society short and long term. He believes helping children achieve success now will also help grant success in future generations.

Interview

Gustavo Guzman, Owner