Founders With Nick is on the move—this week, we're in Austin, TX with Abel Olmos, founder of The Barbashop, to break down the truth behind building a brick-and-mortar brand from scratch. Far beyond clean fades and cool interiors, Abel reveals what it really takes to scale a people-first business in a saturated space.

From team dynamics and toxic hires to co-founder trust and learning how to let go, this episode explores the uncomfortable but necessary challenges of early-stage leadership.

Whether you're building a barbershop or a startup, the mindset shifts and management lessons here are universal.

• 00:00 Introduction of Abel Olmos
• 01:20 Who you must become for business growth
• 03:50 Finding purpose through early pivots
• 06:26 The magic of finding your cofounder
• 10:05 Building safety and reframing failure
• 13:06 Handling conflict without toxic culture
• 16:42 Knowing when to walk away
• 19:14 How culture naturally filters out toxicity
• 22:38 Bronx roots and adapting to New York
• 26:47 Breaking free from corporate identity boxes
• 28:43 Escape plan for corporate workers
• 35:40 Expanding through hospitality and vision
• 40:05 Playing your own game, not theirs
• 44:55 The moment everything had to change
• 49:23 Creating space for creativity at work
• 52:00 Being the boss you always needed

→ Follow Founders With Nick:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/founderswithnick
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-with-nick

→ Nick Langridge
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-langridge/
Website: https://www.lngr.co.uk/

→ Follow Abel:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abelolmos-pm/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abelolmos/
The Barbashop: https://www.thebarba.shop