Meet Jaxon5K, barber and founder at Shear Skill

Hi Jaxon5K, thanks for sharing your story! Please start off by introducing yourself — who you are, your background, what service you provide?

My name is Jackson Li, but I go by the name Jaxon5K. I was born and raised in New York City and now call Austin, Texas home. I'm a barber and the founder of Shear Skill LLC, currently operating out of Kane's Barbershop here in Austin. Beyond the chair, I'm also an instructor at Impact Barber Academy, where I help train the next generation of barbers, and I work as an E-Sports Caster and Analyst — so yes, I stay busy.

How did you get started? What led you to this industry? Was it always the plan?

I wasn't always a barber. I moved to Austin about four years ago, and as an Asian-American guy who loves a clean fade, I quickly ran into a problem — finding someone here who could do both precision shear work and a proper fade. I'd end up going to a salon for the top and a barbershop for the fade, two stops every time. I saw the gap and decided to fill it myself. Luckily, it turned out I was pretty good at it. There's also a style difference worth knowing about. In New York and LA, stretched fades are the standard. Here in Texas, super tight compressed fades are more popular. Finding someone doing a clean stretch fade in Austin was nearly impossible — so I became that person.

What do you love most about the work? What keeps you motivated and inspired day to day?

I'm fortunate to be comfortable working across all hair textures and styles — that's not as common as people might think. Each hair type has its own characteristics, its own response to cutting, its own care requirements. A lot of barbers master one and stay in that lane, which makes sense, but it also limits who you can serve. Because I work across all of them, I have a really diverse clientele, and that means I get to meet and connect with people from all walks of life. Barbering can get repetitive if you let it, but the relationships you build make it worth showing up every day. It really is the people that keep me motivated.

What's something people don't see or know about your industry?

Two things. First, the education. There's a stereotype that people become barbers because they couldn't do anything else. That couldn't be further from the truth. Nobody just knows how to cut hair. There are hours of self-taught study, advanced courses, mentors to shadow, and techniques to master. I promise you there's a world of difference between a $10 buzz cut and a $100 one. Second — and this one surprises people — the haircut itself is almost secondary. Your barber is also your connect and liaison. We spend hours every day talking to people from every profession, background, and walk of life. Over time we become a local knowledge base and your concierge. Whatever you're looking for — a rare sneaker, a great restaurant for a first date, a reliable gardener, something you've been hunting for forever — ask your barber first. They either know someone, know where to look, or know someone who does.

What resources, tools, or support do you wish existed?

I've always liked the idea of community boards — it's actually one of my client-building strategies. I'll frequent local coffee shops and restaurants I like and leave my card on their board. But that can feel like a shot in the dark. What I'd really like to see more of is service providers across industries actively building relationships with each other, creating a real referral network where everyone benefits — providers and clients. That's actually part of why I love what Maisaic is building — a real network where service providers can refer clients to each other and actually be discovered as people, not just businesses, and where real community can form around the services we offer.

What do you want potential clients to know about you or your work?

First and foremost — you will get a great haircut. It won't be rushed, but it won't take forever either, unless you're coming in after three or more months without a cut. Fair warning on that one. What sets my work apart is the attention to detail and how much I genuinely care about your hair. I can help you find a signature style that works with your face shape and your lifestyle. I recommend scalp treatments, cleaner and healthier products, and even help clients figure out how often they should actually be washing their hair (PSA you should never wash your hair every day). More than anything, I want your hair to be healthy. The last thing any barber wants is to watch a client lose their hair.

Your contact info and links are on your Maisaic profile, is there anything else you'd like to share with the readers?

Thank you all for reading! I love sharing and discovering new spots to eat and chill in Austin so let's chop it up. And if you're into competitive video games, we're already friends — find me at Jaxon5K on Twitch. Hope to see y'all in the chair soon.