Mark-Jason Solofa, Men's Grooming

Mark-Jason Solofa, Men's Grooming "Mark-Jason Solofa, Men's Grooming" is Northern California's premier premium men's grooming lifestyl Meter rates are $1.50 per hour.
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Metered parking is available directly in front of the Parlor. Free parking however is available just around the corner on the cross street "Allston Way".

*Please note that there is NO PARKING on "Allston Way" on the first Friday of every month between 9am and 12pm.

08/09/2026

When I first left American Samoa at 16 to attend college in Hawai‘i, I remember a guy asking me where I was from.

I told him, “SAAAAmoa.”

Him: “You’re from San Juan?!”
Me: “No. SAAmoa.”
Him: “Somalia?!”
Me: “No. SAAmoa.”
Him: “Singapore?!!”
Me: “NO… SAAmoa. But you probably say SamOOOAN!” 🙄😩🤦🏽🤣

Fast-forward to today, and it’s pretty amazing how much more of the world knows exactly where Samoa is—and who Samoan people are.

Our people and culture have gained visibility around the world, including through professional sports, entertainment, music and countless other fields. 🇼🇸🇦🇸

Barbering has been another one.

When I started barbering almost 20 years ago, one of the only other Samoan barbers I knew of was philgoodcuts in San Francisco.

Today, thanks largely to social media, I see Samoan and Polynesian barbers all over the world—cutting hair, owning shops, building businesses and representing our culture in the communities they serve.

And that means something to me.

Because I’ve never viewed my Samoan identity as something separate from the way I’ve approached barbering.

It helped shape it.

I was raised in a culture where family matters. Hospitality matters. Faith matters. Respect matters. Service matters. Community matters.

We laugh. We feed people. We celebrate. We protect the people we love. And when you’re welcomed into the family, we have a way of making you feel like you’ve always belonged there. ❤️

Yes, we’re stereotyped as some pretty big people. 😂

But I’d like to think our hearts tend to be even bigger.

That’s why I’ve intentionally woven my Samoan heritage into the fabric of my barbering and my brand from the beginning.

Because when I really think about what I’ve spent my career trying to create inside my barbershops—hospitality, fellowship, service, relationships, belonging and community—

I wasn’t inventing a business philosophy.

I was practicing what my culture had already taught me.

🇼🇸🇦🇸💈❤️

08/05/2026

The loudest voices in an industry aren’t always the wisest.

Over the last several years, social media has convinced a lot of barbers that there are certain things you have to do if you want to succeed.

You have to post every dollar you make.

You have to compete in barber battles.

You have to cut every haircut in 30 minutes.

I simply chose a different path.

Not because those things are inherently wrong.

Because they didn’t align with the business I wanted to build.

For nearly 20 years, I focused on longer appointments, stronger relationships, premium service, and building a brand around trust rather than trends.

Could those other paths work?

Absolutely.

But so can this one.

One of the biggest mistakes I see young barbers make is assuming there is only one blueprint for success.

There isn’t.

Build the career that aligns with your values—not someone else’s algorithm.

07/30/2026

You can put lipstick on a pig… it’s still a pig.

A lazy barber on commission is still a lazy barber in a booth rent shop.

That might sound harsh, but after nearly four decades in this industry, I’ve watched the same story play out over and over again.

A barber struggles on commission, becomes convinced the pay structure is the problem, moves to a booth rent shop expecting everything to change…

…and six months later they’re facing the exact same challenges.

Why?

Because changing your environment doesn’t automatically change your habits.

Booth rent gives you more freedom.

It also gives you more responsibility.

If you weren’t showing up early, marketing yourself, building relationships, improving your craft, following up with clients, and treating every appointment like it mattered before…

…a different pay structure won’t suddenly make those habits appear.

I’ve also seen the opposite.

I’ve watched commission barbers build incredible careers, loyal clientele, and financial freedom because they approached every day with discipline, professionalism, and genuine service.

The truth is this:

Your pay structure can influence your business model.

It cannot replace your work ethic.

Whether you’re on commission or paying booth rent, success is still built the same way:

• Show up prepared.
• Serve people exceptionally well.
• Keep learning.
• Do the work when nobody is watching.
• Repeat it tomorrow.

Because at the end of the day…

Character scales. Excuses do too.

I’m curious to hear from other barbers and shop owners.

Have you seen barbers thrive—or struggle—under both commission and booth rent? What made the difference?

07/26/2026

People sometimes ask why I share my faith on a barbering page.

The answer is simple.

Because without my faith, this brand probably wouldn’t exist.

Fourteen years ago I opened my first barbershop in Berkeley with zero clients, less than two years behind the chair, one barber chair, and no backup plan. I lived more than an hour away and had no idea if anyone would walk through the door.

I wasn’t dreaming about opening four barbershops.

I was praying to make it through the first week.

Every opportunity that followed required another step of faith. Every season of growth brought new fears, new uncertainty, and new responsibilities.

My prayer was never simply for success.

It was for greater faith.

Faith to trust God’s plan even when I couldn’t see where it was leading.

Faith to be a good steward of every opportunity He placed before me.

Looking back now, I don’t believe God was only building a business.

I believe He was building my character.

That’s why my faith has always been part of the MJS brand.

Not because I’m perfect.

Not because I have life figured out.

But because I know where my hope has always come from.

If you’re facing a decision today that feels bigger than your confidence, remember this:

God doesn’t always show us the whole journey. Sometimes He simply asks us to trust Him enough to take the next step.

Grooming Men to Be Better Men.

What step of faith has changed the direction of your life?

07/24/2026

Every barber talks about getting new clients.

The best barbers become obsessed with keeping them.

When I opened my first shop in Berkeley, I started with zero clients. Every appointment had to be earned through consistency, professionalism, and trust.

Over the years, that single chair grew into four barbershops. Today, the reputation of our brand helps generate new clients for every barber on our team. But one lesson has remained true through every stage of that journey:

Acquiring clients builds a business. Retaining them builds a career.

In business, it’s widely recognized that keeping existing customers is often far less expensive than constantly acquiring new ones. Barbering is no different.

Clients rarely tell you they’re leaving.

They simply stop booking.

Sometimes it’s because of inconsistent service. Sometimes it’s professionalism. Sometimes it’s communication. Sometimes they just no longer feel valued.

Every client who doesn’t return creates more than an empty appointment. They create months—or even years—of missed opportunities that now have to be replaced.

Your appointment book tells a story.

It’s not just measuring how many new people found you.

It’s measuring how many believed you were worth coming back to.

The strongest careers aren’t built by constantly replacing clients.

They’re built by giving today’s client a reason to return next month…

…and the month after that.

Protect your reputation.

Protect your consistency.

Protect the trust you’ve worked so hard to earn.

Because one loyal client who returns for years will always be more valuable than dozens of first-time haircuts.

Grooming Men to Be Better Men.

07/22/2026

People often think leadership is about making difficult decisions.

I’ve learned it’s actually about making necessary ones.

Years ago I watched one of my barbers accidentally drop a comb onto the floor while cutting a client’s hair.

Mistakes happen.

What happened next mattered.

Instead of placing the comb into disinfectant and grabbing a clean one, he looked around, assumed no one had noticed, picked it up and continued the haircut.

The client never knew.

I did.



That moment had very little to do with a comb.

It had everything to do with character.

Integrity isn’t revealed when everything goes according to plan.

It’s revealed in the moment you think nobody is watching.

Over the years I’ve let several talented people go.

Never because they lacked talent.

Because they lacked the character required to protect the trust our clients placed in our business.

If your name is on the door…

Your standards have to be stronger than your emotions.

Because every compromise eventually has your name on it.

Grooming Men To Be Better Men.

07/20/2026

One of the biggest lessons business has taught me is that every “yes” comes with a hidden cost.

Time.

Attention.

Energy.

Peace.

When we’re younger, we often believe saying yes to everything is how we grow.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found the opposite to be true.

The people who build meaningful lives learn how to protect their time, their values, and the people they love.

Every unnecessary yes eventually becomes a no to something that matters more.

Protect the margins you’ve worked so hard to build.

Grooming Men To Be Better Men.

07/18/2026

One of the most valuable business lessons I ever learned wasn’t about cutting hair.

It was about knowing my worth.

Early in my career, every time someone questioned my prices, I felt like I had to explain myself. I thought if I could just justify my experience, they’d understand.

Eventually I realized something.

The people who truly value quality rarely ask you to apologize for it.

Every early morning.
Every class.
Every mistake.
Every year spent refining your craft…

That’s what people are investing in.

Not every client is meant to be your client.

And that’s okay.

Build your reputation around excellence, not discounts.

The right people will recognize the difference.

Grooming Men To Be Better Men.

07/17/2026

A shop’s reputation isn’t built by one great haircut.

It’s built by thousands of small decisions that clients notice every single day.

How they’re greeted.

How clean the shop feels.

How the team treats each other.

How much pride is taken in the details.

Over the years, I learned that the customers you attract often reflect the standards you consistently uphold.

Culture isn’t something you write on a wall.

It’s something your clients experience every time they walk through the front door.

If you want different customers, start by building a different culture.

Grooming Men To Be Better Men.

Address

2211 San Pablo Avenue
Castro Valley, CA
94702

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 2pm
Sunday 10am - 6pm

Telephone

(510) 859-8112

Website

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