The Longhairs 156 Blog Post

Blog Post #156: Three Years Long and Strong

In Advocate by El Rubio197 Comments

Longhairs Roll Call

This is blog post #156, and it’s a special one.

It’s special because we have published a blog post every single week since the beginning, which means this post marks three straight years of original, quality content, direct from the heart. We’ve never missed.

When we first started, we only had two people reading our blog: our moms. After a while some of our friends started reading, because we made them. Over time, as we talked it up at bars and handed out hundreds of referral cards, others started reading.

We wrote a few posts that started attracting organic traffic. We started publishing on YouTube and getting a little traction. We found that guys were searching for the stuff we were putting out there. Still, our email list and social media following grew painfully slow.

A year after we started producing content we launched Hair Ties For Guys™. Though we still had a pretty small following, the hair ties started selling.

We can’t say exactly where or when, but somewhere between years two and three we started getting real action. You guys started leaving comments. Asking questions. Saying thank you.

The hair ties picked up, we added more collections and products, launched the commercial and kept grinding. Today we have tens of thousands of readers from all over the globe.

Through everything, the content machine has produced. Every single one of those 155 blog posts has as story behind it. Every one took some heart, and some hours. Some were exceptionally grueling, encroaching into Monday, Tuesday, and once even Wednesday.

We’ve had lots of guests contribute some great posts, but even those require hours of editing and production.

Estimates will show the fastest posts in history still took at least five or six hours between the two of us, the longest ones easily over 100. But the machine carries on, fueled by an unwavering determination to achieve greatness.

There are more highlights than we can highlight, but you can find some gems sifting through collections like these:

Yet every time we hit publish, the next week’s post looms: the content, and it’s demands. We’re ready for it, and shall tire not.

The lesson here: if you do anything meaningful for 156 weeks in a row, good things are going to happen. People will start paying attention. It’s the long game.

Don’t be fooled by promises of get rich quick, rock-hard abs in days or overnight success. It’s all bullshit. With very rare exceptions, anything worthwhile takes time, dedication and perseverance. Poetically, it’s just like growing out your long flowing mane. There’s just no quick & easy way.

When you start, no one is going to read. Except maybe your dear old mother, and she counts. You won’t see results for months or years. Stick with it. When you make it to 156 weeks you’ll have something.

We have something, but it would be nothing if it wasn’t for you guys. It would still be just two bros making blog posts with our moms reading them. Which wouldn’t be so bad…but now it’s so much more.

To commemorate this benchmark we’re asking you to sound off with an official Longhairs ROLL CALL. Let us know you’re here. Write something like this in the comments:

  1. Your Name and/or Alias
  2. Where you live
  3. How long your hair is

If you’re feeling extra zesty, answer one or more of the following questions in your comment:

  • Why did you start growing your hair out?
  • How did you first find out about The Longhairs?
  • What was the first blog post you remember reading or seeing?

Just for a little example, and since we’re part of this community too, both of us have commented on this post below.

Lastly, follow us on our social channels if you don’t already. Show some love.

And we can’t wait to read your comments.

 

Comments

  1. 4 months in. Read all the how to’s out there. In for the long hall. I’m from Melbourne Australia 🇦🇺

  2. My name is Blayne Massengill, I live in Knoxville, Tennessee. I have been growing out my hair for about 7 months and I’m about half an inch away from being able to tie all of my hair up (the sides are the only thing not long enough). When I started growing my hair out it was about an inch on top, and completely shaved on the sides.

    I had always wanted to grow my hair out, but I was always afraid of what people would think, especially my parents. I had always seen these guys with awesome, long hair, who had the same hair texture as I did. I always wanted to look like them, so one day I decided to grow it all out.

    Nobody really said anything at first, not until my hair got to about 5-6 inches, then came the comments.

    “When are you gonna get a hair cut”

    “How much longer are you gonna let it grow”

    Etc.

    I started wearing the top of my hair tied up to keep it off of my face. This is when a lot of criticism came my way, there were a lot of people who made fun of my hair, or said that I needed to cut it. Especially my parents. My father is a very traditional guy, he believes men should have short, neat hair, and that women should have long hair. When I told him I was growing it out he flipped. After several months of fighting, and him threatening to cut my hair, we came to an agreement. As long as I maintained straight A’s in my Highschool classes than I could grow my hair out.

    It’s been around 7 months since I started my long hair journey, and since then many people have switched from hating the idea of me with long hair, to absolutely loving it! While I still get a fair amount of hate, most people love my man bun, and more importantly, I love my hair! I’m so happy I made the decision to grow it out, it was definitely worth it!

    I was ecstatic to find out about the Longhairs, it’s nice to know that there are people just like me, who went through the struggle of growing it out, who dealt with the awkward stage and the Nay-sayers. I also love that there is a place for some sweet long hair merch for men. The LongHairs is definitely a brotherhood.

    1. Author

      Blayne dude! Your story is the reason we do this man! Super stoked to read your comment, especially that you were finally able to reach an agreement with your parents. Keep up those straight A’s amigo. And keep lettin it ride. We’ll be here.

  3. My name is Aaron, I’m 27 from the London area in England.

    I’ve wanted to grow my hair long for a while but been working in a corporate law environment since entering work, I’ve been working from my home office for a little over a year and figured screw it, time to let it ride! I’m 11 months from my last hair cut with most of my hair about an inch from my shoulders, but still awkward as shit because my old style had some hair much shorter in some areas. I get a lot of social pressure to cut it as most people I know are from the corporate environment.

    I’d almost caved in before finding El Rubio’s & El Moreno’s content, you guys are awesome and have inspired me to keep going. Can’t wait for it to hit my shoulders, and can’t wait to get my hands on the hair ties I’ve ordered!

    1. Yes Aaron! Way to go for it man so pumped you have committed. Can’t wait for you to try the ties!

      1. Thanks dude, so psyched to hear from El Moreno himself! *celebratory hair-whip*.

        I’ve been sharing your content all over the place and already two of my short-hair friends have decided to join the flow. Turns out that a lot of guys have had the dream, but until now there was never a place to feel at home – your mission is truly a global one fellas.

        I owe you both some beers if you ever find yourself in England!

  4. I’m Dave from Mariposa, Ca (just outside the gates of Yosemite National Park)
    I started regrowing my hair 4 years ago because I wanted to return to my hippie roots (pun intended) and at age 60, I was finally able to (after 35 long years of suffering under the shears)
    I was wearing it loose and letting it flow one fine summer day about 2 years ago, when I was given a card by one Lowell Young, and have been a fan of the Longhairs and this community ever since.

    I’m expecting to see Mark Cuban going through the awkward phase in a few months!
    Keep rockin it, guys.

  5. Austin
    Reno, NV

    Started growing it out in my sophomore year at college because I don’t like my hair short, but it behaves very poorly at that awkward intermediate between short and long, growing forward straight in front of my face. Two years later, we’re at about 24″, and totally loving it. Thanks for all the work you guys put it, this is really an outstanding resource and community.

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