Local Businessman wins two Tennessee Business of Year Designations

From Clippers to Community: Craig Charles's Inspiring Journey to the White House

The room was filled with applause as Craig Charles stood before the crowd, brimming with gratitude and humility. His journey from a single barber shop to receiving the Tennessee Small Business Person of the Year award was a testament to how community and determination can transform lives. As Founder of Crown Cutz Academy alongside Kennedy Pascal, Charles has made the academy a cornerstone of hope, education, and leadership for students across the Appalachian Highlands.

Finding the Roots of Resilience

In his speech, Charles reflected on three life-changing moments that defined his purpose. As a child of six, an art project taught him the value of persistence. At thirteen, a written assignment instilled the importance of living without excuses, and in ninth grade, a teacher’s stark prediction that most of his classmates wouldn’t make it to 25 lit a fire in him to be a role model.

These pivotal moments shaped Charles’s values of hard work, education, and community service. They would guide Crown Cutz Academy not only to train barbers but to prepare students for fulfilling careers and lives.



A Community United by Compassion

Mark Bays, Director of the Tennessee Small Business Development Center, praised Charles’s unwavering compassion and dedication, noting his role as a barber ambassador for the Confess Project of America. This non-profit organization promotes mental health and domestic violence awareness in the barbering community. Charles's status with the project allows him to travel and train other barbers nationwide.

Devaun Miller, a student at Crown Cutz Academy, shared his appreciation for Charles’s mentorship: "Craig gave me this opportunity to be a positive pillar in my community." Miller also emphasized how the academy’s values shaped his growth into a leader willing to "get there first and leave last."

Norman Howard, Craig’s mentor, highlighted Charles’s community impact, saying, "Success isn't about how much money you make. It's about the difference you make in people's lives. Craig, you make that difference."

A Message Rooted in Service

As he accepted the award, Craig Charles acknowledged the unwavering community support and the dedication of his partners. He invoked the motto of "Excuses are the tools of incompetence, which build mouments to nothingness.  With this powerful message, he affirmed his commitment to integrity, education, and uplifting others.

From a pair of clippers to the White House, Craig Charles embodies the spirit of learning, earning, and returning, building a legacy that reflects the Johnson City way. His story isn’t just one of personal triumph; it’s an example of how determination can uplift not just a business but an entire community.