It is not common to see a child who endured so much trouble and turbulence of life without a breaking point. However, the scars the gruelling childhood memories left with Jimmy Ofuoyan, CEO of 360Kuts were to constantly remind him that if there is a will, there is a way
Jimmy Ofuoyan went through some of the most toughest formative years any child could have ever had. Grew in a family of nine where resources were so scarce that each sibling had to fight for his or her own survival. Denied meaningful childhood, including education, however, he nurtured the seed of greatness in him.
At the age of 12, Jimmy Ofuoyan could pass for a model for teenagers around the world, choosing not to become a social burden to the society, despite being battered by circumstances that were not of his making. He became an apprentice at his brother’s salon, where he learnt braiding and fixing of women’s hair.
The CEO of Khalilimage was diligent and demonstrated unprecedented intelligence. To become an all-round hairstylist at a young age, the entrepreneur, in his own initiative, took lessons on YouTube on men’s haircut. After a few years under his brother, he earned the liberty to establish his own outlet.
“I was born into a family where nine children had to compete for scarce and unavailable resources, sidelined from getting a secondary education because of the non-availability of funds, and having to start learning how to braid and fix women’s hair at age 12. I had every excuse to dabble in crime and any quick-money syndrome but rather I chose the right path”, he recalled.
Jimmy Ofuoyan was not a man given to sentiments, but took the journey of life with all deserving seriousness. With a picture in mind to pursue his dream outside the country, he migrated to Libya in 2016, at 18, in company of friends and a relative. Like the biblical story of Joseph, he fell into the hands of belligerent human traffickers in the crisis-hit country.
Though the entrepreneur spent 18 months in captivity, each day provided wings to his dream. With basic tools such as razor blade and comb, he assumed the role of the official barber for his captors and fellow inmates. Ultimately and inadvertently, 360Kuts was birthed in the time of tribulation filled with hope and aspiration.
“One of the pivotal moments in my career was when I relocated to Libya and found myself in a prison camp. It was during that difficult time that I realized the power of my hairstyling skills. I started providing haircuts to the captives and even the traffickers themselves, using just a razor blade and a comb. That experience not only improved my skills but also ignited a fire within me to pursue my passion even amidst adversity,” said Jimmy Ofuoyan.
The 360Kuts owner escaped from prison to Italy, where dedication to his skill made great room for him. In Abruzzo and Sicily, where he first resided as a migrant, he eked out a living as a home-service barber, and working as a disc jockey at parties, carnivals and festivals on certain days, until he relocated to Pescara, where he gained widespread fame and popularity as a phenomenal hairstylist.
Jimmy Ofuoyan founded 360Kuts as a full-fledge salon and promoted his unique skills through Khalilimage–a lifestyle digital content company, he had also founded. Celebrities such as footballer from the Italian Serie A, artistes and actors quickly became his regular clients.
He was crowned as the best in the trade in Pescara and Milan areas of the country. He won the ‘Blurriest/ Fastest Fade Technique Barber Battle’ against other Italian-born hairstylists and barbers in his community and barbershop, through his unrivalled expertise
