Katja Finžgar

I started at a small hair salon but was quickly dismissed because I didn’t have enough experience. I didn’t lose hope and looked for a new salon, but no one wanted to hire me because I didn’t have enough clients or sufficient knowledge.
When I was almost ready to give up on being a hairdresser, I saw a jumbo poster about a new barbershop opening in town. I immediately called to ask if they needed a barber, but they turned me down. The manager said he would call me if they needed someone in another salon, but I was sure they wouldn’t. However, less than a month later, the boss called and said that due to a death in the family of the current barber, they urgently needed a new barber. Honestly, I was just a barber and I had never shaved anyone’s face, not even in school, because I was only in extracurricular education where they never taught us how to groom a beard. But I felt that I had to try.
The very next day, I went to the barbershop with my model and shaved his beard as confidently as if I had been doing it for years, even though it was the first time I held a razor. I signed the contract that same hour, and my first working day at the barbershop began. From that day on, I felt an energy I didn’t know existed. For the first time, I felt like I was living my true purpose. Clients liked me, and people began to respect me for my work. I also started to realize that I wanted to improve and make people happy with the best fades and beards possible.
Unfortunately, the pay was not good enough to afford seminars or good equipment. I was forced to work in an ordinary salon in a shopping center where the contract and salary were good. However, it wasn’t a suitable environment for my work; there were no appointments, no barber’s chair, and no peace of mind since I was forced to do women’s hair. That’s why I invested every euro I saved in the best barber seminars and workshops in Slovenia and other countries. At barber events, I met like-minded people, and when I met successful barbers in the industry, I realized the right way to make my dreams come true with the knowledge I was acquiring.
Since I couldn’t stand working in a shopping center salon anymore, I started looking for a job in local barbershops, but none were hiring. It was even harder because I wasn’t taken seriously, especially as a woman. But with the knowledge I had, I knew I could do it, so I decided to end my suffering. I quit and started on my own path, trusting God that everything would be okay.
In January 2024, some barber friends invited me to compete with them in a barber battle in Sarajevo, Bosnia, called Barbers United. This was my first battle. I had always wanted to compete in such a battle to show my skills, and I did it. I won. I wasn’t afraid to be different and be exactly who I am.
The victory made it possible for other barbers to start taking me more seriously and showed that we women are capable of being professional barbers.
When I was looking for a place to rent for my own barbershop in December 2023, there was no suitable space anywhere in the city, and I almost gave up. But then a friend randomly gave me the contact of a landlord who had bought an old building in a very good location in Maribor and completely renovated it. I got the opportunity to arrange my shop in my own way, in my own style, and that’s exactly what I did. I invested in custom-made furniture, good barber chairs, and equipment so that I could truly provide my customers with the best place for shaving and hairdressing.
In February 2024, I finally opened my own DIOS MIO barbershop by Katy. I once again proved that dreams can become reality with hard work and willpower. That’s how I started working with my partner and his La Casa barbershop team. Together, we grow, attend seminars, and participate in events.
My goal is to spread my work and knowledge around the world so I can collaborate with other barbers in the community. I want my story to show other barbers that all dreams can come true and that knowledge is the key to freedom and success. The most important thing to me is that all people, with different styles, are welcome in my shop, that they feel comfortable with me, and that they leave satisfied. I am happiest when clients return and spread the good word about my work. Now I can do good every day and spread positive energy among people.