Ageng Patmoko found a new way to support his family after losing a long-term job. At 50, he operates Pangkas Rambut Optima 73 in Larangan, Tangerang, and uses the barbering skills he developed through training and an extended apprenticeship.

Ageng lives with his wife and three daughters in Petukangan Utara, South Jakarta. As the household’s sole income earner, he carries responsibility for the family’s daily needs while his wife manages the home.

His search for a new livelihood began in 2016, when his former employer, a major taxi company in Jakarta, placed him out of work. Ageng tried several small ventures, including mobile selling and an ice-cream shop at CBD Ciledug. His wife also helped by selling medicine in partnership with her sibling, but the family still needed a more dependable source of income.

In 2018, a former colleague told Ageng about barbershop entrepreneurship training organized by Yayasan Inspirasi Indonesia Membangun, or YIIM, and PT Insight Investments Management. He joined the program hoping to gain a practical skill that could lead to an independent business.

After completing the initial training, Ageng entered an apprenticeship arranged by YIIM at a working barbershop. He spent two years refining his technique and learning how to deliver more consistent results. When the apprenticeship ended, he received a set of barbering tools that allowed him to begin serving customers independently.

Ageng used the equipment to open Pangkas Rambut Optima 73 in Larangan District, Tangerang. The shop offers haircuts, moustache trimming, and hair coloring, with prices ranging from Rp5,000 to Rp50,000.

The business now serves an average of seven or eight customers a day and produces about Rp2 million in monthly net income. After nearly three years of independent operation, Ageng said the daily earnings were helping him meet his family’s essential expenses.

The wider support from YIIM and Insight Investments Management has also reached the next generation of his family. Ageng’s eldest daughter received an Inspiration Scholarship that enabled her to study at Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta.

For Ageng, the combination of training, workplace practice, and business equipment turned unemployment into a viable profession. He hopes Pangkas Rambut Optima 73 will continue operating for years to come and remain a stable foundation for his family.

Customers can visit Pangkas Rambut Optima 73 on Jalan Inpres Raya, RT 01/RW 05, Larangan Utara, Larangan District, Tangerang.