Old school barber skills reap big time rewards

Team GIBS welcomes Steve Vilot to the family!

“Write and draw your dreams on paper in details. My dreams have appeared. Over and over and over.” ~ Steve Vilot

Steve Vilot, owner of Sims Barbershops and director of Barber Authority is old school. So old school he’s been a master barber more than half his life. So old school he penned this interview on paper. So old school his small-town barber skills land him on tour with some of music’s biggest names. This husband and father of two sons turned a one chair shop into an 11 seater and we just had to have him on Team GIBS. Meet Steve Vilot, and grab a pen.

Describe yourself in five words: Dad, husband, barber, friend and sex symbol.

You made it to Team GIBS. What’s your secret? I’m a 26 year, overnight success story. Write and draw your dreams on paper in details. My dreams have appeared. over and over and over.

What are you known for? I grew up in a small town; I had to take care of everybody. Age, race, short, long, beards and shaves. I have found my hair tricks cross over; the real depth comes through.

What do you want us to know about you? I love to cut hair. I’m constantly visualizing to the flow. It’s a live instant art project. I was in the business for 13+ yrs when I was featured in Milady Textbook. Then I started working for the Art of Shaving doing popup shaves in store. Working in New York and Boston regularly changed my world. I was hired to teach P!nk how to do a fake shave for a movie in which she plays a barber. Next thing I know I’m on tour with Eminem... then Dave Mathews. It’s been fun.

Favorite GIBS combo? Hitman Texturizing Spray and Outlaw Hair Spackle. I do three to four sprays of Hitman and blow-dry… another three to four sprays, more blow dry. Then light with Outlaw. It rocks. Every time.

Tips for aspiring barbers/stylists coming up in the game? I have been gifted the ability to take my tools across the world because I put in 110%. Don’t treat this profession as a side hustle.

How you enjoying Team GIBS? The GIBS family is something I didn’t see until it happened. It’s Merry Christmas, Happy New Year AND Thanksgiving with 20plus like-minded hair professionals. It’s powerful.

Eminem, Dave Matthews… You do a lot of big names. Surprisingly, they have a hard time finding a barber to take care of the whole crew. That’s why the small town barber is a great fit to take care of them all. With Dave Mathews, I do 62 people, from Dave to the bus driver. With Eminem, I do 16 people and my favorite is shaving Paul Rosenberg’s head. Paul is Em’s manager and CEO of Def Jam Records. They take me around the world to do it.

What makes a great barber/stylist? Passion to cut, shave and style your friends. Everyone that sits in my chair is an instant friend.

You bring more to the table: I tour as a barber and I love it. I have two shops in my hometown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts and started my new chapter in October 2017, with Barber Authority Nashville. Stay tuned!!!

Find Steve all over Instagram at @simsbarbershop and @barberauthority, a collective of top name barbers offering premium, pop-up services throughout the music, action and motor sports and entertainment industries. Steve brought Team GIBS to the X Games in Aspen this January, catch it on our Instagram feed highlights.