Heavy D’s Barbershop – Quiet Location, Loud Impact
Heavy D’s Barbershop has been a staple in Departure Bay for six years. Tucked by the beach in Nanaimo, it’s a husband-and-wife operation — Dan and Shannon — who renovated the entire space themselves. Five chairs, a tight-knit team, and a lot of heart. The shop is family-owned, fully self-built, and known in the community for training new barbers, often through a partnership with Vancouver Island University. They’re not just cutting hair — they’re building the next generation.
The one thing working against them? Location. They’re not on a busy main street, which means no walk-ins, no random traffic. You’ve got to know they exist. So the mission was clear: get more people to know.
Strategy: Let the People Shine
Dan and Shannon had tried grassroots marketing — events, a bit of Google Ads — but posting consistently was tough. They’re busy. So we stepped in and built a system that works for them. We shoot in batches, leaning into their vibe. Shannon’s got this fun, quirky energy that makes people smile. Dan’s more reserved on the outside but clearly a big-hearted guy. Together, they make the place feel like home.
Their staff is full of personality too — charismatic but not exactly camera-ready. That’s where live coaching made a difference. With a little direction, the team loosened up and started having fun with it.
Most of the content focuses on the people. We show the shop as it is — real conversations, real laughs, real moments. But every now and then we drop a sizzle reel, something clean and polished to show a before-and-after or the vibe of the shop in motion. Because let’s face it, everyone loves a good transformation.
Results
From just a few videos, they pulled in over 10,000 organic views. In May alone, they gained a wave of new clients and nearly hit 2,000 followers. Best part? May 2025 turned out to be their best month ever in six years of business.
That’s what happens when good people get seen. For a shop without walk-in traffic, the internet became their foot traffic. Now they’ve got momentum, content they’re proud of, and a growing crew of regulars who didn’t even know they existed before — but won’t go anywhere else now.
Kenneth Lai
Founder Upsmash Media
