Ep. 339 | From Marine to Master Barber: Nicholas Romero’s Vision for the Industry

In this episode of Small Biz Florida, hosted by Tom Kindred, the spotlight returns to the 2025 Veterans Florida Expo and Battle of the Pitches—a premier event celebrating veteran entrepreneurship. Tom sits down with Marine Corps veteran Nicholas Romero, the owner of Thank My Barber Shop in Fort Myers, Florida. Nicholas shares his journey from cutting hair in the Marine Corps to launching his own barbershop and founding the Thank My Barber Association. His mission: to elevate the barbering profession by promoting professionalism, financial literacy, and community engagement. Nicholas discusses the critical role of customer service in the barber industry and outlines his ambitious plans to offer barbers access to medical insurance, financial planning tools, and ongoing education. As he prepares to pitch his business in the event’s Shark Tank-style competition, Nicholas hopes to secure funding to expand his association and impact the industry on a larger scale. This podcast episode was recorded live at the 2025 Veterans Florida Expo and Battle of the Pitches hosted at the Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore. This podcast is made possible by the Florida SBDC Network and sponsored by Florida First Capital. Connect with Our Guest: https://www.thankmybarber.com