Transcript for Hustle & Heat Episode 6
00:00:04
What’s up, guys? And welcome back to another episode of Hustle and Heat podcast, where we bring the community together, one entrepreneur, one public official, and one businessman at a time. Today, I’d like to welcome a special guest. This guest is a local to Northport, Florida. Some call him dad, some call him barber, some call him coach, and some call him Pendjo. Who knows? Without further ado, I’d like to welcome the one and only Colton Howard. Colton, welcome to the podcast.
00:00:36
Wonderful. That was such a wonderful intro. I really appreciate that. Thank you.
You got it all right though on the—
Except for the last one, right?
No, that’s right.
Colin, tell us a little bit of about yourself.
00:01:00
Oh, man. First—hey, first I just want to say thanks for having me, bro. Like, this is really really cool. Honestly, what you are doing is something that needed to happen in Northport. I think this is a special thing and Northport aside, this can go as far as you want it to and I think it’s amazing thing that you’re bringing to the table for a lot of people. A lot of people don’t have the moment that they need to say things that they need to say and this is a awesome platform and it’s not just that it’s a cool thing to do a podcast, but like it’s it’s even cooler to maintain one and doing one in my opinion like and actually keeping up with it and doing it the right way and trying to make it go as big as it can. I think it’s amazing, bro.
And I want to say props cuz I’m a busy person. I know you’re ridiculously like busy as well and doing something like this. I know like you’re trying to do this while you’re setting up this the the restaurant and make sure it’s all everything’s flowing evenly every day. And it’s a hard thing to do. So I’m I’m first proud of you, bro, for doing this and making this happen. And second, like I wish nothing but the best is really special and it’s cool as hell.
00:01:45
I appreciate that, Coen. And I appreciate you coming on. And like you said, it’s about getting other people’s voices out there and their perspective and their philosophies and not just that, getting their word out, what they do for a living, who they are and how they became. And honestly, it’s more about the people of this area in this community than it is about me, and I appreciate all the kind words you just said and I appreciate you coming on.
00:02:09
No, it takes a lot, bro. It takes a lot to do this stuff. I know because Studio 51, we’re trying to do something similar and we’ve done our little business spotlight and the with the videos and cutting hair and everything and it’s hard. It’s hard to maintain it. It’s hard to get people racked up to that are interesting. It’s hard to keep it going consistently and not—yeah, it’s proud.
00:02:30
It definitely is hard and every week’s different. Some weeks are good, some weeks are bad, but as long as we stay consistent and stay consistently doing it, it’s definitely a blessing and it’s definitely a fun thing to do and definitely a great experience to hear other people’s stories and perspective and just be able to debate with people. And that’s, you know, that’s something that um some people in this generation lack is the ability to debate and be able to understand that everybody has their own perspective, their own opinion, and be open to everything.
00:02:53
Just because maybe you and I don’t like see like the see things the same way or think of things the same way doesn’t mean that you and I should hate each other or just like be mad at each other. I mean life’s life and everyone sees life differently. Everyone has grown up in a different way. So you know um with that being said, tell us a little bit about your upbringing.
00:03:22
Um well I’m from the state of Wisconsin originally. I grew up up north and was there until I was like 12. But I had like a like a really dope childhood just it was a really small town with like 2,000 people and grew up kind of like looking back it feels like a movie. Like it was just right around the streets and know you know everybody and everyone knows everyone.
And then coming here it was obviously like a culture shock big change like going from a small school where I had like 40 people in my my whole grade to move into here where I go to like Heron Creek Middle School and it’s like there’s people everywhere. It’s outside all of a sudden. The school’s outside. It’s not indoors and it’s just a weird thing and like you’re not used to it when you’re—you know it’s a culture shock like I said and moving here was like an eye opener made me realize a lot of different things and I’m grateful to be able to like kind of grow up in both ways from up north and experiencing that type of life to now being in this type of surroundings and seeing both ways and it’s it’s really special and I think it’s made me kind of who I am in general and yeah I’m grateful for it.
When I moved here when I was like 12, um I got into like basketball and sports as quick as I could so I could, you know, make friends and like enjoy my my time as a kid. And um it was it was it was a special time moving here and then growing up high school here, Northport High School and then um met my wife in high school.
That’s awesome. Didn’t start dating in high school, but it’s a crazy story is we met honestly the first time I seen her was in like sixth grade or seventh grade maybe when I moved here and then she had a a Wisconsin shirt on on my bus and I’m like all right there’s my first sign of true love. She’s got my favorite, you know, my state on her shirt. Seen her and I’m like, “Well, this is crazy. She’s beautiful.”
Became friends with her over time and like ended up like just being friends through high school. Never really got to date. Didn’t really pan out that way. Dating other people or whatever it may be, but became close friends. And then like she moved back to Wisconsin after high school and then I moved there probably like six months later and I texted her. I’m like, “I know you moved out here too. Where are you at?” And she was she said, “Well, I’m over here.” And it was like 10 minutes from where I live. And I’m like, “Dude, this is crazy.”
So I, you know, started hanging out up there. And next thing I know, we we’re building a family and an amazing life. And I’ve been with her for 13 years now. And we got two kids, two two daughters, a 12-year-old and a four-year-old. And um now we’re back in Northport and we are been here for a few years now and trying to build our our foundation and everything. We built the house and we’re we’re trying to do things like you know typical family and we’re we’re enjoying the hell out of it.
My favorite part about like when you gave me all those titles in the beginning, my favorite one is dad obviously and it’s yeah super special and—
00:05:53
That’s awesome. Tell us a little bit more about the dad name. As a dad, what is it that you take pride in? And what is it that you do for your children that makes them feel that like you are their dad? And not by like you are their dad, but makes them feel like you are an involved dad, an active father.
00:06:23
Yep. Yeah, I’m definitely that. And I think having two and they’re so far in age—12 and cuz I had my my first one Kinsley when she when I was 20 and then uh my last one four years ago Willow—and with the older one I got to see everything first time you know I’m like new dad and I’m you know no matter what I’m there from the beginning and I I love that life and I was I was grateful to become a dad and everything like that.
Um, but when watching her grow up and seeing all the things, you learn a lot of stuff and the second one you’re like, “Okay, I got some tricks up my sleeve now. Watch this. I done learned the first time.” So, it’s like, “All right, now I’m going to be able to do some things.”
Christian, you taking notes?
So, it’s I don’t know. Like, they’re obviously like my life and that the only thing I care about is on that level and as as well as my wife. But, um, I just watch them grow and I think it’s the most amazing thing. And now that I’m getting older, I’m 32, I realize how life goes by and I’m real like I see my daughter and she’s 12 and I remember when I was 12. I moved here when I was 12. I remember—
I moved here when I was 12, too.
It’s like the that’s like peak childhood right there. And you remember so many things from that time specifically. So, I’m like seeing her go through life and it’s really special because like I can kind of pull the strings on how she interacts with different thing or how the experiences she gets and like I’m kind of in involved in like weaving through everything for her and it’s it’s crazy to see and I’m super grateful but she my oldest is like a little girl version of me which is what you know probably the most the coolest thing you know—girl version but you know it’s—
00:07:41
And um you—being my barber, I know how hard you work. I know how many hours you put in working at Studio 51 and not only cutting hair. I know you’re very involved with the brand of Studio 51 and uh I respect that and I admire that. And I see, you know, you’ve been cutting my hair for like a year and a half now, maybe two years. And I’ve seen the growth in those year and a half, two years. And I’ve seen where you came from and how where you are today.
Are you trying to say I used to suck?
No, I’m not talking about your haircuts cuz your haircut’s always been on point. But I’m talking about the extracurricular activities that you do and the extra work that you do. Your boss should be really appreciative of you.
Yeah.
And um I’ve seen you grow as an individual and I respect that. Um I feel I don’t know how many hours you put in a week to the brand, but I would if I had to guess at least 60.
No, you’re—you know.
Yeah. No, it’s a lot. And with all those hours being worked, how hard is it uh juggling being a businessman or a barber, a brand official, and being a dad at the same time? How do you make sure that you’re still there for your kids?
00:09:10
I think it’s putting time aside. You got to do it. But I think it’s almost effortless because, like I said, that’s my favorite part of all the titles. So when I’m home, I’m not the same person I am at work. I get to walk through the door and luckily my kids are screaming “daddy” and they are so happy to see me. Well, not my oldest one. She doesn’t really care—she’s getting to be a teenager. My little one though is extremely ecstatic to see me and it’s like the most heartwarming feeling.
So when you get home, you flip the switch. You feel a whole different way and it’s easy to relax and be home with the kids and enjoy it. When I’m at work, I’m at work. I talk to my wife when I need to and we balance everything together. She’s my crutch. We work like one person—we think simultaneously and know how to handle things.
When I’m at work, I’m dialed in. As long as I have my coffee and a shower in the morning, I’m good to go. I get in the car after work and my secret is sitting in the driveway for about ten minutes. I let everything unwind, take a breath. When I’m working, I’m focused on service—making sure people are taken care of and experiencing something special, not just in my chair but in the shop. That focus wears you down.
Once I leave work, I don’t have to perform anymore. I can chill and then go home and take care of things. My wife’s been sick the last year, so it’s been even harder.
00:10:54
When you say sick, would you like to elaborate?
Yeah. She had an abscess in her stomach. My wife suffers from Crohn’s. It started about a year and a half ago and it was scary. She was in the hospital for about three months. It turned into basically a hole in her intestine and it really took a toll on us as a family.
Over time, God showed me a lot of different things. Perspective is the biggest thing I took from it. What she went through was upsetting and sad. You never want to see someone suffer. It sucked every day. But we gained a lot of perspective.
I realized how much she does as a wife and mother because I had to fill both roles this past year while still working. It’s hard. But she kept me grounded. My kids still gave me that same hug when I got home, and that made being home easy.
Doing mom’s job and dad’s job is tough. Salute to single parents. My wife went through something incredibly difficult. She couldn’t really move or do much for almost a whole year. It was tough on all of us.
She recently had surgery and got everything taken care of. She’s on the road to recovery and doing better every day. She made me breakfast the other day—and that meant everything. We’re slowly getting back to normal. It’s slow, but it’s amazing. I wouldn’t look at things the same way without going through that.
00:12:46
I totally understand. When I was 12, I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. I struggled with it for about four years.
Yep. My wife thought she had ulcerative colitis at first and later was diagnosed with Crohn’s. When you have flare-ups, it’s the hardest thing on your body because your mind is gone. Your body is so worn out you can’t even think straight.
As a client and hearing what you’ve gone through with your wife this past year, it’s really respectable what you’ve accomplished with your family and standing by her side. You deserve all the love and appreciation.
Yeah, I couldn’t do it without her. She holds it down too and keeps me grounded. I appreciate that.
00:13:59
That perspective gives me strength to keep pushing. I was everywhere—mom and dad, barber, shop manager, and now coach. My doctor told me I need to slow down and put something down, but I love all of it. You can’t take any of it from me.
Basketball started again. My daughter plays basketball. She’s 12 and plays for Imagine Middle School and the JV team. I started coaching last year and this year I became the head coach of the middle school team.
How’s it going?
It’s amazing. I love barbering, but coaching made me fall in love with something else too. It’s hard to do both, but I grew up playing basketball and when you get back into it, you realize how much you missed it.
00:14:52
How rewarding is it seeing the kids you coach get better every day and win games?
It’s similar to parenting. Watching kids grow, guiding them—it’s the same thing. I don’t just have two kids anymore, I’ve got a whole team. Sports teach discipline, teamwork, chemistry, camaraderie—life lessons you carry forever.
My daughter plays JV as a sixth grader, which is crazy. There’s more conditioning, more running, pushing past limits she didn’t think she could handle. You don’t think you can do it—but you can. And once you do, you’re stronger.
Those moments build character. Sports do that over time. It’s crazy.
00:16:25
Do you link coaching with fatherhood?
Absolutely.
Do you think fatherhood prepared you to be a coach?
Yeah. If I didn’t have kids, I wouldn’t be as good. I coached my brother and sister in rec league years ago, but I’m completely different now. I know how kids think, how they listen—or don’t. I know how to break things down so they actually understand.
At home, if my kid doesn’t listen, there are consequences. On the court, it’s “baseline—get on the line.” There are similarities. Watching them grow, watching them win—we won a championship last year and we’re hoping to win another soon. It’s amazing.
Imagine is a great school. Smaller, more attention to detail. I’m actually a staff member now, which I never thought I’d say. I love being part of it.
00:18:14
You’re a father at home and a coach at school. How does that translate into the barbershop when you’re managing and working with other barbers?
I like to take people under my wing. We hired my little brother—he’s 26. He saw how passionate I was about barbering and wanted to be part of it. I helped him through school.
In the beginning, he sucked. He was terrible—just like everyone else starting out. But he worked hard, stayed dedicated, and turned the corner. Now he’s becoming a really good barber, and I couldn’t be more proud.
I feel the same about new barbers coming out of school. Confidence and customer service matter. Clippers can be learned, but dealing with people is huge. At Studio 51, the experience from start to finish matters.
00:20:18
That’s really the epitome of what we’re going for at Studio 51—focusing on customer service and taking care of people. Giving them the right experience from start to finish. From the moment you walk in the door until you leave. That’s where I think the industry is going.
I get excited helping new barbers learn that and grow into it. Studio 51 and I are like peanut butter and jelly, bro. It’s exactly where I need to be because everything comes together. We have the same vibe. I really focus on customer service. If I just wanted to cut hair, I’d go somewhere else, but I care about what we’re building.
So yeah, there are a lot of things we’re trying to do better.
Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
00:21:18
Five years? There’s a million different things, bro. It’s crazy. First of all, in five years I’ll be 37.
Where do you see yourself at 37?
Ah, crap. Your kids will be what—19 and nine?
No, 17 and nine.
Like 17, 18… oh man. We don’t even need to talk about that.
It’s an important question.
Yeah, you’ve got to have five-year plans. I always do, but I haven’t really been in this stage of life yet where the kids are growing into that age range.
I definitely want to see myself evolve, but also the industry keep evolving. I want to push it to where it needs to be. Salons are a great example of customer service done right. Barber shops can be anything depending on where you are—quick in and out, more culture-driven, or something else entirely.
That’s the beautiful thing about business. Everyone does it their own way and has their own customers.
00:22:13
I want to cater to a certain audience and show them what a real haircut experience should be. We’ve got to keep raising the bar. People need to understand the value of a real experience.
There’s nothing wrong with places like Great Clips or Joe’s Barber Shop—everyone does things differently. But as a whole, the industry needs to see how haircuts should be treated.
At least here in North Port and surrounding areas, our goal is to keep expanding, bringing in more shops, and letting more people experience it. We’ve got two shops now, a third in the works, and we’re going to keep pushing forward.
00:23:32
That’s awesome. I hope you guys continue to prosper and wish you nothing but success.
I keep seeing you looking down at the table, so we’re going to try something new today. Dubz is introducing a monthly special. This month, we’re featuring a Dubz flatbread with homemade BBQ-infused marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, street corn, mixed greens, balsamic glaze, pulled pork, and red onions.
Colton, I want you to try it and give me your honest opinion. If you hate it, you hate it. If you love it, you love it.
00:24:06
I know what I hate—and it’s the fact that you put this here while I’m trying to do an interview.
I keep seeing you looking down, man.
What’s this called?
The Colton.
The Colton?
Yeah, the Colton. Studio pizza.
This is the first time I’ve ever had corn on pizza—or even thought about it.
Did you make this before?
That’s my third time making it.
Second time making the sauce.
The corn’s got this little pop that’s actually cool on pizza. I’m not going to lie. And the meat—bro, that BBQ is amazing. The marinara is a perfect blend. I’m not hyping you up—this is special.
00:25:07
One to ten? It’s already going in for a second bite.
Don’t forget the crust.
You want ASMR?
Stop caressing the mic.
I’m not going to lie, dude—this is really good. Let me go in for a third bite.
Jesus Christ. Please come back after we’re done eating.
Scale of one to ten?
Honest opinion—if this was straight out of the oven, it’d be even crazier. Right now, this is like an 8.7 or a 9.
Wow.
Let them try it.
Bro, the corn… that pop is legit. The balsamic adds that little sweet to the salty. Perfect.
00:26:12
I’ve got a very sophisticated palate, so trusting me with this was a big move.
How’d you build that palate?
I had a palate joke but I’m not doing it.
Over time. I’ve been in a lot of situations. When I moved out of my mom’s house, we were making mac and cheese. Then I worked at Carrabba’s as a kitchen manager. I learned a ton—wine tastings, three-course dinners, big events.
I have a lot of respect for anyone who can run a restaurant successfully for years.
Six years in June.
That’s not easy. Sometimes you want to throw hands.
I’m a Gordon Ramsay kind of guy.
Let’s hear the accent.
Get the **** out of my kitchen, my friend.
That’s the attitude.
00:28:01
I give that pizza a seven out of eleven.
I’ve done a lot of things before barbering. Kitchen work gave me a lot of respect for the industry. I’m glad to be where I am now.
During COVID, a lot of people either suffered or found opportunity. I was able to sit back, reflect, and take a leap into barber school. With kids, that’s hard to do—but I took the chance that was presented.
I’ve been going to Studio 51 since I was a teenager. I watched it grow from the beginning. Those guys were pioneers in North Port. Watching it grow and being part of it now is full circle.
00:31:41
I do all the social media now too. Fun fact—Colton made one of the Dubz videos and it hit almost 50,000 views.
Camera work is another side of my creativity. I just love anything artistic.
You graduated North Port High School in 2011, right?
Yeah.
What feels different about North Port now?
Low taper fades.
That’s the difference.
It’s wild seeing how much the city has changed. It’s grown a lot—for better and worse. I miss that small-town, close-knit feeling, but that’s why things like this podcast matter. Culture matters.
No matter how big a city gets, there’s always a community inside it.
00:34:30
If you don’t try, you’re failing. Even if you fail trying, at least you tried. You don’t want to be 70 thinking, “I should have tried that.”
We did the Studio Stone to bring the community together every week. It was fun, but it was a lot of work. We’ll bring it back someday—just taking a break.
Barbers are therapists. The chair can be more therapeutic than anything else. Helping people through conversation matters.
00:42:30
Looking ahead to 2026, Studio 51 is focused on leveling up. We don’t just talk—we plan, meet weekly, and execute. A third shop is in the works. We want to keep building the best experience possible.
00:44:37
You’re a genuine person. A father. A great barber. I respect what you’ve been through and wish you nothing but success.
Thanks, bro.
Please go support Studio 51. Like, comment, and subscribe. Come try the flatbread—$16, available all January.
00:45:33
Final words?
Come to Studio 51. If you don’t like your service, it’s on me.
Also, I bought a Jeep and haven’t gotten a duck yet. I don’t want it forced—I want it organic. I’m driving around duckless and it hurts.
00:45:58
Thanks, everyone. Have a great day.
