BETTER TOGETHER

Most people might think twice before working with their family but for brothers Max, Oliver and Josh it’s been a success story, that after ten years continues to go from strength to strength. The brothers at MaxOliver have been shaping their own style at their barbershops in Crowborough, Tunbridge Wells and Lewes where quality over quantity is their over-riding ethos.

Oldest brother Max says that despite their Mum being a hairdresser he didn’t immediately know that a talent for cutting hair ran in the family. “One day she asked me: ‘have you ever thought about hairdressing?’ and I hadn’t,” he explains. “I finally got into hairdressing when I was 13. I was round a mate’s house one day and they asked me to have a go at cutting their hair and that was it.”

After enrolling on a hairdressing course, Max discovered his passion for barbering and at the age of 16 he took up his first job in a local salon, eventually opening the first MaxOliver salon in Crowborough, where he grew up. It was a few years before Oliver would join his brother Max, who taught him to cut hair when he was in his second year of high school. “I was on the same extended work experience scheme at school that Max had been a part of and one of those was a day at TONI&GUY, so I initially got into women’s hair, and I was working on Oxford Street until Max asked me to join him,” says Oliver, adding that his one request was that MaxOliver wasn’t a one-stop barbershop, so he could continue to use and develop the skills he had acquired throughout his career so far.

Youngest brother, Josh, was the last to come on board and quickly made a name for himself amongst their clientele. “I’d had about five jobs in a year and a half, one of them was the worst one I’d ever had in my life. Finally, Max asked me if there was a reason why I didn’t want to give barbering a go and I told him I didn’t want to feel like I was doing it because my Mum’s a hairdresser or because my brothers are barbers. I just needed to figure it out on my own.”

When he joined the fold, the shop had up to three-hour queues on Saturdays due to clients patiently waiting to have their hair cut by Max or Oliver, “We started telling people that they could get their hair cut there and then from our little brother Josh, and we’ll watch over it and check at the end,” adds Oliver. Little did the brothers realise that this would result in Josh becoming a skilled all-round barber. “Josh picked it up so quickly, being surrounded by a short hair specialist and a long hair specialist. The fact that we were both focused on men’s hair, meant it was the perfect training ground for him,” explains Max adding that he became a model for the kind of multi-skilled cutters MaxOliver is now known for producing.

Oliver tells us that they take pride in delivering the highest standards and charging customers for the quality of their service, despite some pushback. “We take 45 minutes per appointment, but we have had customers who come in wanting a quick five-minute cut. I find myself explaining that we can’t compromise on that. It’s all about educating potential clients and letting them know your skill and what it’s worth.” For MaxOliver taking barbering to the next level has been a challenge, “People have a concept of how a barbershop should run, how long a cut should take and how much it’s going to cost but there is a market for it and there is room for everyone,” he explains, adding that they are also focused on the environment inside their barbershops. “There aren’t cross conversations, and we’re not swearing, or playing loud music. It’s about being mindful of everyone around us.”

Their staff are also highly trained in their approach to customer service. The brothers agree that whilst it is important to be yourself, there is a professional working image that should be upheld. “When people walk through the door, what do you want them to feel? We don’t want anyone to feel out of place, so parents can bring their kids in as well,” they add. The brothers tell us that it’s this that makes MaxOliver closer to a salon environment - one they are familiar with having watched their mother working in salons from a young age. “A lot of our customers were going to hairdressers because they wanted a certain level of customer service, or they were going to a barbershop but they weren’t one hundred percent happy,” says Max, explaining that their shops have created a welcoming space for those who were looking for something outside of the traditional barbershop experience.

“IT’S ALL ABOUT EDUCATING POTENTIAL CLIENTS AND LETTING THEM KNOW YOUR SKILL AND WHAT IT’S WORTH”

After spending the last ten years refining their individual skills and building a reputation across all three barbershops, the brothers are ready to turn their attention to education. “Over the past ten years we’ve concentrated on our team and our clients but now we’re ready to put ourselves out there,” says Max. Their internal education programme has been built to thoroughly educate stylists in both barbering and modern-day hairdressing, bringing together the best parts of their individual skills and experience focused across all hair types and textures, as well as customer service too. “We’ve devised a collection of six technical MaxOliver cuts that everyone in the team has to master to become fully qualified,” Oliver explains.

As the three brothers embark on the next stage of their business, it’s clear that their dynamic works. It’s one that is based on mutual respect, support and trust from Max training his younger brothers in their craft, to Oliver and Josh putting their faith in Max’s business. “The benefit of being related is that your minds work alike, and you understand each other. You can speak your mind without offending each other,” says Oliver.

Reflecting on how far they have come, Max tells us, “We’ve always had this vision in our head to make an impact on our industry and when you finally find something you’re good at, you really want to excel at that.”