LAKELAND, Fla. – After cutting hair for two decades, Travis Settineri feels very comfortable in a barbershop.
“I’ll probably cut hair until I die,” he said. “I love it.”
This statement may be surprising considering that hairdressing is not his actual profession – Settineri is a popular YouTuber who appears online under the name Travis Doodles.
He has a total of more than 8 million followers on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, where his entire social media presence revolves around kindness.
Through his social media and his philanthropy, Worth and Purpose, Travis Doodles has become a household name in Lakeland.
Now he is expanding his offering to include a mobile barbershop.
“I think it was always part of the goal to get back to cutting hair, but not to make a living, but more to give back,” he said.
But the original goal was to remove the hair from his office – his mobile shop was a surprise.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Settineri said. “It’s just too good to be true.”
About six months ago, a barber from Montana came to Travis’ office after seeing his charity work and wanted to donate a mobile hair salon.
And about six months later it arrived at Gospel Village in Lakeland.
“I thought, ‘Wow, this is really happening,'” Settineri said.
After the outside of the caravan has been redesigned, the inside now also welcomes people looking to renovate in their own way.
“This is the only person who really understands me,” said Russell Miller, who had previously received help from Settineri.
Miller has autism and lived on the streets for five years until he met Settineri, who helped him get a trailer.
“He brings out a lot of good in me,” Miller said.
According to Miller, a new haircut can also help people in similar situations find a job and get back on their feet.
“It gets noticed and people say, ‘Oh, that’s great,'” Miller said. “And people notice you when you get your hair cut.”
Other hairdressers also take notice; about 20 join Settineri’s efforts.
For example, Jesse Lima, owner of 6ixthelement Barbershop in Brandon, didn’t hesitate when Settineri asked him if he wanted to cut hair for free in Lakeland.
“I changed my schedule,” Lima said. “I had to come here.”
For these hairdressers, helping people is the style.
“I just know how much a haircut can change a person’s life and how important it is,” Settineri said.
Settineri said his barbershop will remain mostly at Gospel Village in Lakeland, but he plans to take it to various outreach events in the future.
