ALEX BURT REFLECTS ON HIS JOURNEY FROM APPRENTICE TO BUSINESS OWNER
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
I was 14 when I had my first job which was cleaning squash courts. I knew a couple that owned a series of squash courts that needed cleaning and I wanted a Saturday job so it all worked out well.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE ON A CAREER IN BARBERING?
I grew up in Portugal and when I returned to the UK, I didn’t have a qualification to my name because I hated schoolI wasn’t very good at it. I was desperate for a job, and I saw a local hairdresser and apprentice advertised for £60 a week. My thought was “I could do with £60.” So, at the age of 18 I started there.
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?
When I was an apprentice, my manager entered me for a Young Designer of the Year competition. I did a Rachel-from-Friends style cut and colour and won first place. I thought maybe I’ve got something here and that set the tone. I moved around a few salons before I started working in a barber’s shop as it was the only job I could get at the time. There was something about barbering and it just stuck!
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE?
Opening my own barbershops. Fitting them out, opening them and getting them off the ground. There is a long process to opening the shops. Alongside that transforming from being a skilled practitioner into a business owner has been a challenge. It has taken time to learn how to become a good business owner through a lot of networking within the industry.
WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Someone said this to me when I was building the first shop, and a lot of people were helping to fit it out. My friends told me not to underestimate people’s willingness to help, and don’t be afraid to ask for it because people do just want to help.
WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU’D KNOWN THEN THAT YOU KNOW NOW?
I think taking people’s feelings into consideration is a big one. Not taking your staff for granted or how they feel about things. The style in which you communicate with your staff is important in shaping how they feel. I also wish I’d started off at a higher price point. We started right at the bottom and worked our way up the pricing tier. But I wish I’d have spoken to industry people earlier on to get advice.
WHAT’S BEEN YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT SO FAR?
Building the network of people around me and the shops themselves. They are a massive achievement. Sometimes I still pinch myself and think ‘I’ve built all this!’
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOU NOW?
I’m looking to build the Teddy Edwards Cutting Room brand and maximise its earning potential. I have spent the last few years being spread thinly across all threeand at one time four - shops. Now that the latest Worthing branch is established with a good team, I can settle back and be more permanent at one of the Brighton shops. I’m also looking to move into session work because I love the creative aspect of the industry. I also want to focus on education; I recently did a successful barbering training day for a hairdressing salon, so I’d love to explore this further.
