2 mins
INVESTING IN YOU
Welcome to the April - June issue of Modern Barber. At the start of the year, I caught up with our dedicated barber focus group to find out what the industry needs to see more of right now. Their overriding thoughts? More support for barbers entering the industry, this being just one example of how brilliant the barbering community is at looking out for each other – when they could have taken the chance to demand more opportunities for themselves! Suffice to say this inspired me to dedicate this issue to new barbers, young and old and ask myself: Do we really know what they’re thinking? I got back in touch with some of the Raw Talent 2023 winners and finalists to ask them what their experiences have been like entering the industry and their hopes for the future. It makes for a compelling read to find out that, contrary to popular belief, they don’t all want to be celebrity barbers on TikTok but are determined to make access to the industry easier than it has been for them.
Continuing on a theme, our cover stars are the team behind STMNT’s latest collection, featured exclusively in this issue. I jumped on the train to Manchester to sit down with STMNT ambassadors Charles Rose and Ryan Lewis to ask about their experience leading a young team on the shoot for The Interview (page 42). Ryan told me: “We shouldn’t be using the platform we’ve been given just for our own gain,” a sentiment that rings true for a lot of barbers who want to support the younger generation of barbers. For example, Simone Real talks about the need to consider the self-employment landscape for the newly qualified barbers in this month’s Soapbox feature.
Elsewhere, we discuss what capes and gowns say about your business (page 34), from the creative to the simple, every decision (even down to the cape) can change and enhance your brand image. Looking for more inspiration? Barbers share the trends set to dominate in 2024 and the tools you’ll need to achieve them on page 29. We’re seeing a shift towards longer styles so get your kitbag in check on page 38.
Finally, as I write this, we’re wrapping up our programme for Barber Connect at The Telford International Centre on 23-24 June. I can’t wait for you to see what we’ve got planned; we have even more education and business content to help 2024 become your best year yet – in fact, I’m rebranding 2024 as The Year of Investment. So, grab your tickets, invest in yourself, your team and your shop. See you soon!
Sian Jones Editor
sian.j@thepbgroup.com
020 7349 4798
Chloe Weldon Content Writer
chloe.weldon@thepbgroup.com
020 3841 7362
Josie Jackson Editorial Assistant
josie.j@thepbgroup.com
020 3841 7368
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