In the quiet suburb of West Chicago, the hum of clippers and the snip of scissors echo behind a white garage door. Inside, incoming junior Israel “Izzy” Milazzo has transformed his family’s garage into a thriving hub for clean fades, sharp lineups, and fire freestyle designs.

Barbering runs in the Milazzo family: his father gave kitchen cuts growing up, and his uncle Omar owns In the Cut Hair Studios.

“He was cutting us as a young kid, when he was 16 years old – the same age Izzy is now,” Santino Milazzo, Izzy’s brother, said.

It was older brother Santino who gave Izzy the push to go into barbering. In January 2023, Santino asked Izzy for a haircut out of convenience. Armed with a cheap pair of Walmart clippers and a few YouTube tutorials, Izzy delivered his first cut: a process that took an hour and 45 minutes. It was not perfect, but it was the beginning.

“It wasn’t that hard,” Izzy said, looking back.

At first, he practiced on family and friends, charging $10 to build his skills and confidence. Early worries included going too high with the fade or pressing too hard with the razor when trying designs. But those fears faded fast.

As he improved, Izzy reinvested his earnings into his setup – most notably a pair of BaBylissPRO Black FX clippers that retail for over $200. He now books clients through Squire, a professional scheduling app, and has doubled his rates to $20 per cut.

“Just getting the whole setup the way it is right now,” Izzy said, when asked what makes him proudest.

Though he has not attended barber school yet, Izzy plans to enroll at Midwest Barber Academy after graduation to earn his license. His long-term goal? Work in a professional shop and eventually own one himself.

“This is what I’ve decided to do for the rest of my life,” he said.

Izzy does not just cut one hair type: he prides himself on cutting all textures, and his freestyle designs add flair to his already clean cuts. His work has earned him a strong reputation at West Chicago Community High School, where most of his clients are current students or alumni.

“It’s helped me connect with people I might not have talked to otherwise,” he said. “One of my clients – he’s very funny – and usually, every time I cut his hair, something funny always happens.”

Balancing school and business has not been easy, but Izzy keeps his priorities in order. He has maintained honor roll status while cutting regularly and keeping his equipment clean and sanitized.

“He wasn’t always planning on barbering,” Santino said. “His early cuts had visible guidelines and were kind of choppy. Now, they’re blurry, clean, with fire designs. He’s more organized, gets cuts done fast, and finishes his homework. He’s a pretty intelligent student – and a successful barber.”

Izzy credits his growth to staying focused on his own progress.

“I don’t compare myself to others,” he said. “That’s helped me build my own style.”

With a steady hand, sharp tools, and a sharper vision, Milazzo has turned a garage into more than just a workspace: it is the foundation of a future built cut by cut. He showcases his latest fades and freestyle designs on Instagram at @milazzo.cutz, where his growing clientele can see just how fresh a garage cut can be.