West Chester native Miguel Nieves is the owner of Champions Barber Shop & School of Barbering in West Chester.

Nieves graduated from the Hair Academy School of Barbering & Beauty in Newark, Del., and furthered his education and training to become a Pennsylvania State Certified Barber Instructor. He credits his employees – his “Team of Champions” – as having the biggest impact on his professional career.

“They have trusted and respected my vision,” said Nieves, who began working at age 13 in a factory, where he would package and assemble epidurals and surgical dilators. “They don’t just fight for me. They fight for each other.”

Nieves’s proudest professional accomplishment is building a successful business and serving as a role model for those in his industry.

“I am thankful for all aspects of my business journey, but I must say that enrolling my first group of students and watching them graduate has been amazing,” he said. “They all took that leap of faith by believing in me.”

Nieves’s favorite Chester County restaurant is Teca in West Chester.