ON GLOBAL FILIPINOS Ryford Estores: From barber to multi-million dollar inventor of the Self-Cut System
By Loida Nicolas Lewis
Born in San Jose, Batangas, at the Catalina Air Base, Ryford Estores moved to the United States at the age of 8 after his mother, Marily Hoermann, remarried Richard Hoermann, an American.
Growing up in Ossining, New York, Ryford was raised with strong Filipino values and a firm belief in the American Dream.
At just 15 years old, his entrepreneurial journey began with a simple moment of frustration — a four-hour wait at a local barbershop for a basic buzz cut. That day, Ryford decided to take matters into his own hands and learn how to cut his own hair. Soon after, he became known in high school as the “barber guy,” giving clean fades and fresh cuts to classmates while earning extra income.
While pursuing a nursing degree, Ryford never lost his entrepreneurial drive. One night, he tuned in to Donny Deutsch’s “The Big Idea” on CNBC — a program showcasing everyday inventors who turned simple concepts into million-dollar businesses. Inspired, he asked himself: “What if I could invent something that helps people cut their own hair and save money?”
That idea led to the creation of the Self-Cut System — a 360-degree mirror kit that empowers men to confidently give themselves professional-quality haircuts at home.
Success didn’t happen overnight. Determined to learn the business world, Ryford immersed himself in entrepreneurship — studying “The Millionaire Fastlane” by MJ DeMarco and “One Simple Idea” by Stephen Key, attending seminars, and conducting hands-on market research. Eventually, he teamed up with his childhood friend Paul Rosalino, who became co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Self-Cut System. With a strong background in tech sales and experience as a Director of Partnerships in the technology sector, Paul helped lay the foundation for the company’s operations, partnerships, and growth strategy. Together, they built a small but powerful team guided by shared values — listening to customers, building genuine relationships, and focusing on sustainable profitability.
To fund his dream, Ryford worked full-time as a nurse, saving $25,000 and securing a $40,000 line of credit as backup. After seven years of perseverance and reinvestment, he left nursing to dedicate himself fully to Self-Cut System — now a multi-million-dollar global brand.
Over the past 15 years, Ryford has built his brand through creativity and authenticity — leveraging organic influencer collaborations, viral marketing, and strong e-commerce execution to secure placement on Amazon, QVC, and eventually Walmart.
Recently, Ryford celebrated another milestone — marrying the love of his life, Heidi Hernandez.
Now, Ryford is pursuing an even greater mission: to transform the Philippines into a global manufacturing hub. As production costs rise in China, he envisions building a network of Filipino factories capable of delivering world-class quality, lower tariffs, and competitive tax-free exports through the nation’s economic zones.
As Ryford puts it: “If China can become the factory of the world, why not the Philippines?”
To learn more about his inspiring journey, search “Ryford Estores” on Google, Safari, or YouTube — and follow his next chapter as he aims to become the next Filipino-American billionaire entrepreneur.
