UNSCRIPTED: KENNY’S ACADEMY OF BARBERING is expanding to the Summit City!

Unscripted By Keith Edmonds
FWIS Contributing Writer

With more than 40 years of experience, Kenny’s Academy of Barbering (based in Indianapolis, IN) has joined our city. (It launched October 7th, 2025). Under the distinguished leadership and guidance of Mr. Gregory Kenny Sr., our community will benefit from the expertise of graduates from this esteemed institution. In today's edition of UNSCRIPTED, I had the privilege of speaking with Mr. Gregory Kenny and our own Mr. Lewis King (a graduate of Kenny’s Academy) to learn how his dedication and passion have shaped his success in the barbering industry. Please join me in welcoming Mr. Gregory Kenny Sr. and his academy thoughts to today’s UNSCRIPTED.

UNSCRIPTED: Mr. Kenny could you please give our readers some background on how you got started in this business? How did it become your passion?

MR. KENNY: "I am part of a family tradition of barbers that began with my uncle, Theodore Kenny, who established his barbershop in the 1960s within Indianapolis's vibrant jazz community on Indiana Avenue. Tragically, he lost his life in an altercation the year I was born. My father also practiced the profession and encouraged me to consider barbering as a career path, which I began to pursue as a student at Indianapolis Technical High School. That experience marked the start of my journey in this field."

UNSCRIPTED: Mr. King, tell me what your role is in the process of Kenny’s Barbering School/Academy arriving in our city?

MR. KING: "I graduated from the program in 1993 and benefited greatly from his mentorship. His values inspired my career path and business model in barbering. When he aimed to expand his academy to our city, I pursued the opportunity, knowing the positive impact it would bring to local students."

UNSCRIPTED: “Relationship building” is an important piece of being an independent business owner. Can you share how this aspect of ownership helps you be as successful as you’ve become?

MR. KENNY: “In the barbering industry, building strong relationships is essential, as many clients become long-term friends. For example, a graduate from my academy now serves as my banker and has done so for more than thirty years. It is imperative to treat each person with respect and dignity, ensuring they feel welcomed and valued during their experience at your establishment. Something that was shared with me years ago was you can find everything you need to be successful in the relationships you build in the barbershop.”

UNSCRIPTED: Can you share with us what Kenny’s Barbering Academy will bring to Fort Wayne, which maybe we haven’t seen in other academies in our city? And why Fort Wayne as a new branch of this academy?

MR. KENNY: “A considerable number of our Academy’s graduates come from Fort Wayne. As an African American business owner, my objective is to foster both business and educational opportunities for African Americans in order to address historic inequities. Once we obtained accreditation, our focus was to ensure a high-quality educational experience for our community, and through dedication and effort, we have successfully met that goal. Given that Fort Wayne hosts the second largest African American community in Indiana, we believe that our academy would be well-suited to this city and would provide valuable opportunities for students to pursue entrepreneurship within their own community. We felt that although there are accomplished barbers in Fort Wayne, this city needed an accredited barber school. ”

UNSCRIPTED: Mr. Kenny, what do you look for in potential students to become a part of your schools and approximately how long will it take to become a graduate of your academy in terms of months/years?

MR. KENNY: “It always helps when you have students that have a natural skill set coming into the academy but the main thing that we look for are people that have a STRONG-DESIRE to work and want to succeed. You can start as young as 16 years old and can complete the coursework in about 10-16 months.”

UNSCRIPTED: When I come to Kenny’s Barbering Academy can I expect more than just learning how to become a barber?

MR. KENNY: “Our curriculum emphasizes training students in bookkeeping and financial literacy to ensure they fully grasp the essence of true professionalism. This includes not only technical skills, but also discipline, appropriate dress code, strong character, and proper language use—all of which are essential for representing themselves as both business owners and alumni of our academy. One more especially important aspect of our training is teaching our students to give back to the community and giving opportunities to those who may be less fortunate than themselves.”

UNSCRIPTED: To bring this interview to a close. Can you men share with me 3 things about Kennys Academy of Barbering that you want to drive home with our readers that brings the mission statement home?

MR. KING: "We aim to give people hope and help them support their families. The academy has benefited me as a business owner. Connecting with others who create positive change makes sense. As a pastor, I enjoy guiding people toward their strengths and providing resources for growth."

MR. KENNY: “We are guided by our principles and a belief in purposeful progress. Our move to Fort Wayne is aligned with our mission to support the growth and development of others, and we trust that continued opportunities will arise as we remain committed to service. While financial sustainability is important, our primary focus is on positively impacting people’s lives. Without this commitment, our efforts would lose their meaning. We look forward to contributing to the Fort Wayne community through this academy and are eager to see the impact we can make.”