Sly Huncho on Leaving the Military, Overcoming Depression, and Building a Six-Million-Follower Empire
“You are the only person who can save yourself; nobody else is coming to do it for you.”
I had the pleasure of talking with Sylvester Brewster. The story of the content creator known to millions as Sly Huncho plays out like a classic American reinvention, moving from a Kansas City childhood to the fast-paced scene of Atlanta. Long before he was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list or gathered over six million followers online, Brewster was just another kid trying to find an outlet for his creative energy. He grew up immersed in comic books and drawing, pushing himself to perfect his work at an early age. “As a child, I was always a creative person, mostly into Marvel movies and drawing,” Brewster recalls. “My mom used to give me coloring books of Spider-Man, and I would say that brought out the creative side of me.” This artistic focus paired with a highly competitive athletic streak, as he excelled in wrestling, track, and football.
When high school ended, Brewster faced a major choice regarding his path. He initially held an athletic scholarship to Missouri Southern, but he chose to decommit and join the Army instead because they offered a larger financial package, landing him at Missouri Western State University. Enlisting required a radical physical change that unexpectedly set his life on a completely new trajectory. Because he enlisted right after graduation, he had to cut his hair off. This sudden change forced him to seek out a new skill. “After doing that, I had my older sister teach me how to cut hair since she was already doing it,” Brewster says. He began practicing on himself out of necessity, but he quickly recognized a financial opportunity in his new college environment. “As I was learning to cut my own hair, my sister and co-worker suggested that I might as well cut other people’s hair to make some money.”
During his early college years, Brewster’s life became a frantic balancing act. He juggled ROTC duty, the Army Reserves, and a brief walk-on stint with the college track team, all while running a makeshift barbering operation out of dorm bathrooms. Eventually, the heavy schedule became unsustainable, and his growing digital presence began to hint at a different path. Around that time, his social media was starting to grow from hair tutorials, and he realized the military structure did not match his entrepreneurial ambitions. Then, in his junior year, the COVID-19 pandemic brought everything to a halt. The university closed its dorms, leaving Brewster without a stable place to live. He returned to Kansas City to continue cutting hair, but he found himself essentially unhoused, crashing on the couches of friends.
The isolation of the pandemic period took a heavy toll on Brewster. He found himself trapped in a cycle of daily drinking and smoking to numb his internal struggles. The situation worsened when his sister faced legal troubles and went away, and his cousin was shot and killed. Falling into a deep depression, Brewster knew he had to make a critical choice to save himself. “I looked at myself in the mirror and realized I should be doing way more than I was,” Brewster says. “That deep depression during COVID made me realize I had to save myself and get on my grind.” He entered a total grind mode, saving his earnings, purchasing his first car, and securing an apartment. By graduation, he focused fully on his business, earning his first $100,000 strictly from cutting hair. When the Army pushed for compliance with the vaccine mandate, Brewster chose to prioritize his brand over his contract, leading to his discharge.
Brewster views social media through a practical lens, comparing digital platforms to a stock where the return is tied to the investment. His breakout moment arrived in 2024, driven by a structural shift on TikTok that required videos to be at least one minute long for creators to qualify for payouts. To adapt, Brewster began using voiceovers, a choice that pushed him past his long-standing discomfort with his own voice. He had previously turned down brand deals because he felt nervous talking on camera. Using his voice changed everything. “I noticed that top speakers, artists, and musicians all use their voices to move people,” Brewster explains. The voiceover tutorials caught fire. Within a short window, he gained a million followers in 69 days on Instagram and a million in 60 days on TikTok.
To build on this momentum, Brewster relocated to Atlanta, a city that had fascinated him ever since a high school trip. Moving away from his hometown brought temporary nervousness, but he realized he was the only obstacle holding himself back. In Atlanta, his brand expanded as he branched into acting, landing a role as a barber on the BET series Zatima, and launched a specialized grooming line called “In That Mode.” Looking back on the sharp learning curves of his career, Brewster emphasizes the value of self-reliance, consistent effort, and learning directly from failures. “Take the ‘L’ as a lesson rather than a loss,” Brewster advises. Looking toward the future, he hopes to establish an elevated community facility that combines a barbershop with creative spaces, offering aspiring entrepreneurs the networking resources and skills training he had to fight to find on his own.
Yitzi: Sly Huncho, it is such a delight to meet you. Before we dive in and talk about your great work, our readers would love to learn about Sly Huncho’s personal origin story. Can you share with us a story of your childhood, how you grew up, and the seeds and the beginning of all the amazing things that have come since then?
Sly Huncho: As a child, I was always a creative person, mostly into Marvel movies and drawing. My mom used to give me coloring books of Spider-Man, and I would say that brought out the creative side of me. I also had an older sister who liked to draw, so we would just draw together. I would always perfect my drawing ability. If it wasn’t right, I would get mad and do it all over again until I got it right. That is how my artistic ability and creativity developed, simply because I kept working on it. I was also always in sports, which allowed me to be a team player and build with a team. I used to do wrestling, track, and football. I earned all-conference and all-district honors and excelled in all of them.
I actually had a scholarship to Missouri Southern, but I decommitted for the Army because they were going to give me a larger scholarship. I ended up taking that scholarship and going to Missouri Western. Because I enlisted in the summer when I graduated, I had to cut my hair off. After doing that, I had my older sister teach me how to cut hair since she was already doing it. As I was learning to cut my own hair, I figured I might as well cut other people’s hair to make some money. At first, I didn’t want to do it because siblings usually want to forge their own paths, but that moment pivoted me towards barbering. As I practiced on myself, I started recording videos to perfect my haircuts. I would critique myself on how I wanted an edit or where I missed a spot, and from there, I just grew and grew.
While I was in college, I was doing ROTC and the reserves. I walked onto the track team my freshman year, but I stopped because it was too much and the program wasn’t that good. I didn’t enjoy the Army drills, and around that time, my social media was blowing up from doing hair tutorials. I realized I didn’t like the Army because I wasn’t getting paid as much as I would being my own boss as an entrepreneur.
Before graduation came, COVID hit during my junior year. School stopped early, and I didn’t have a place to stay because the dorms closed. I went back to Kansas City to cut hair, but during that time, I was essentially homeless. I had to stay with friends, acting like it was just too late to go home so I could sleep on their couches.
I was drinking and smoking every day, but eventually, I looked at myself in the mirror and realized I should be doing way more than I was. I had all these followers on Instagram and knew I needed to step up. I was getting really depressed at that time because my sister got into some legal trouble and went away, and my cousin was killed. That deep depression during COVID made me realize I had to save myself and get on my grind. That whole era was when I went into grind mode. I started saving up, bought my first car, and bought my first apartment.
Fast forward to graduation. I was focused on building my business rather than partying. That is when I made my first $100,000 just from cutting hair. When it came time to commission as an officer in the Army, it was during that weird time when they were discharging people for not taking the COVID shot. I took one shot but not the other, but honestly, I didn’t want to do it anyway because my business was blowing up. I chose to prioritize my barbering and social media over the Army. They processed me out, and from there, my brand skyrocketed. Social media is like a stock; the more you put in, the more you get out.
My real blow-up year was 2024. I started at about 100,000 followers, but I knew I was going to take off because I realized my voice was the most powerful tool I had. I noticed that top speakers, artists, and musicians all use their voices to move people. Additionally, TikTok changed their payout structure, requiring videos to be at least a minute long to get paid. I started using voiceovers to extend my videos, and they caught fire. At the top of 2024, I screenshotted my profiles and told myself I was about to blow up. I gained a million followers in 69 days on Instagram and a million in 60 days on TikTok. Throughout the year, I gained over six million followers just by being consistent, sharing my story, vlogging, and creating content beyond just barbering. I want to be known as a mogul, not just put in a barber box. So, that is my backstory.
Yitzi: Tell us about the exciting things you’re working on now. What are your new ventures?
Sly Huncho: Right now, I am working on my haircare line and launching a new series on YouTube. My haircare line focuses on curls, waves, and beards. I want people to feel individuality and confidence through the products. When I was a kid, I was always working on my confidence and wanting to stand out. Finding the right product helps you be your best self and gets you in that mode. Therefore, my haircare line is called “In That Mode.” I am also working on long-form content and pushing my brand to help other entrepreneurs become their best selves. Through my storytelling, I hope to share what I have been through and help others overcome their own troubles.
Yitzi: Amazing. Sly, you probably have some incredible stories from your successful career. I am sure it is hard to single them out, but can you share two stories that stand out in your mind from your professional life?
Sly Huncho: Moving to Atlanta is one. I had always wanted to move there. What initially sparked that desire was when I was in high school and came down to Atlanta for my aunt’s wedding. I saw an Audi for the first time. Kansas City felt a bit behind compared to a place like Atlanta. I thought the car was amazing, the people were friendly, and the food was great. I kept telling myself I wanted to move there, but as the time got closer, I grew nervous. When my social media blew up, I realized there was literally nothing holding me back but myself. I took the chance to bet on myself, just like I did with the military, and made the move.
That was the best decision of my life. I started networking, meeting new people, and learning how to be a better businessperson. Everything blew up for me in Kansas City, but coming to Atlanta took my social media and branding to the next level and provided me with many new opportunities. If I had held myself back, I would have never been where I am today.
Another story would be getting out of depression. As I mentioned, my sister got into some legal trouble and went away, and my cousin was shot the following month. It really took a toll on me. I was drinking heavily every day. College kids drink a lot, but I was drinking to numb the pain. It was damaging my business. I noticed I was going to work drunk or high, and I didn’t want to be perceived that way. I knew I was meant for more.
I took a hard look in the mirror. Hitting my absolute lowest point is what helped me get out of that hole. You are the only person who can save yourself; nobody else is coming to do it for you. You have to pray, have faith in Christ, and believe that you can reach the next level. I cut out all the negative distractions, stopped hanging around people who were dragging me down, and locked in on my business. Separating things into what either helps you or hurts you is key. I look at every decision that way, and you just have to be prepared to deal with the consequences or reap the rewards of your choices.
Yitzi: Sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a funny mistake you made when you were first starting on social media or cutting hair that taught you an important lesson?
Sly Huncho: I am having a brain freeze right now, but let me see. I would say the biggest lesson came from TikTok. I never liked my voice, so I only did silent videos. I turned down a lot of brand deals because they wanted me to do voiceovers and talk about their products. I simply felt nervous on camera and found talking into it awkward. However, when I finally used my voice, I realized that the very thing I was running away from was what was going to help me all along. I should have been doing it the whole time.
Yitzi: What has been the most challenging project or role you have taken on so far, and why?
Sly Huncho: The most challenging aspect has been the mental battles. Everything happened so fast, and suddenly everyone was telling me what to do. You have to exercise discernment, listen to your inner voice, and ignore the surrounding noise. The mental battles are the toughest because it is strictly you versus you. You can overcome different external obstacles and beat the competition, however, the inner battles — like managing mental health and stopping self-doubt — are the most significant challenges I have faced.
Yitzi: This is our signature question: Sly, you have been blessed with a lot of success, and you have certainly learned a lot from your experiences. Looking back to when you first started, can you share five things you have learned over the years that would have been helpful to know in the beginning?
Sly Huncho:
- First, always use your voice and network. They go hand in hand. Do not stay stuck in your shell because the next person you meet could change your life or give you valuable information. We were not put here to keep to ourselves; we are here to help other people elevate. The world revolves around evolution.
- Second, consistency. If I had been consistent earlier, I would be much further along because I would have already built the systems I needed. Just because something fails the first time does not mean it is over. You learn from the mistake and keep pushing through it.
- Third, you do not have to go to college to be successful. That is a big one. Society used to push the idea that college was the only path to success. Instead, I would advise young people to learn a skill because nobody can take that away from you. I also wish I had started creating content earlier; being an early adopter on YouTube would have established my brand even more.
- Fourth, trust yourself. Failing to trust myself put me in bad situations. Listening to other people can steer you wrong because they give you answers based on their own situations or past experiences. It can take you off your path and make you choose the wrong thing.
- Fifth, invest in yourself early. The earlier you invest in sharpening your own skills and knowledge, the further you will go. Putting money behind yourself is better than pouring it into someone else’s venture. Along with that, bet on yourself and do not be scared to try. Even if you fail, you gain a lesson. Take the “L” as a lesson rather than a loss. I think that makes five.
Yitzi: Amazing answers. Can you share some of the self-care routines you do to help your body, mind, and heart thrive?
Sly Huncho: I will start with intermittent fasting. I fast so I can have energy for later; it helps clean the gut. When I eat at noon, I have more energy because I am only eating twice a day and my stomach is not as heavy. I learned that people often feel sluggish because their bodies cannot easily process all the heavy food they eat, which forces the body to put all its energy toward digestion. Lightening the load and eating clean helps everything run smoother, giving you more energy for other tasks.
For self-care, keeping myself well-groomed is important. I learned that if I go too long without a haircut, I start to feel a bit depressed. I am the type of person who really cares about presenting myself well. I heard a client say he gets depressed if he stays inside too long; for me, neglecting my grooming has the same effect. I aim to get my hair done at least twice a month. If you do not take care of yourself, who will?
Working out is another big one. I work out four times a week to maintain that athletic drive. Pushing myself mentally in the gym proves to me that I can push through anything in the real world.
I also always eat clean. I follow a plant-based, organic lifestyle because pesticides and harsh chemicals can really harm your body. The food systems in the U.S. have a lot of additives, so going the plant-based route is the best choice for me here.
Additionally, I pray. Praying keeps me grounded and reassures me that God is going to come through. Knowing there is a higher power reminds me that only one person can judge me and has ultimate control. Finally, doing competitive activities keeps me engaged and ensures I am actively participating in something rather than just sitting around. Oh, and spending time with my girlfriend — that is very important too.
Yitzi: This is our final aspirational question. Sly, because of your amazing work and the platform you have built, you are honestly a person of enormous influence. If you could spread an idea or inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know how far your idea can spread.
Sly Huncho: I would create a safe space facility where people can go to learn skills, be creative, network, and access higher learning they might not otherwise have. It would be similar to a YMCA, but elevated, featuring people who are actively working in their fields and giving back. It would have a barbershop, fun activities, and essentially serve as a hub for creatives and aspiring entrepreneurs. Growing up in Kansas City, there were not many spaces like that. Moving to Atlanta exposed me to huge entrepreneurial and networking events that just do not exist at that magnitude back home. I want to build a “look good, feel good” creative space. I do have another idea tucked away, but I want to keep that one a secret for now.
Yitzi: Okay, so we will have to save that for next year, the next time we interview. Sly, it has been amazing talking to you. How can our readers continue to follow your work, purchase your products, engage your services, or get a haircut from you? How can our readers support your work in any possible way?
Sly Huncho: If you go on Instagram or any other platform, my social media handle is @slyhuncho. You just click the link in my bio, and it will take you to whatever you need.
Yitzi: Amazing. Well, Sly, it has been a blessing and a delight to meet you. I wish you continued success and good health, and I hope we can do this again next year.
Sly Huncho: Thank you.
Yitzi: Thanks. Have a great day, my friend.
Sly Huncho: You too.
Sly Huncho on Leaving the Military, Overcoming Depression, and Building a Six-Million-Follower… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.