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Oliver Hill on building an award-winning barbering brand rooted in family, education, and passion for the industry.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
My first job was one day a week as work experience at TONI&GUY in Tunbridge Wells aged 14.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE ON A CAREER IN BARBERING?
My brother Max and myself both started cutting our friend's hair under the guidance of my mum, who’s a hair stylist, when we were around 13 years old. Max decided to go down the barbering route, while I decided to go down the hairdressing route as I loved the technical aspects and the fashion side of hairdressing. However, my passion was leaning towards men’s hair so I decided to take everything I'd learned and replicate them in the barbering industry. I’d like to think we’ve helped elevate barbering to what it is today.
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?
When we first opened our first salon, MaxOliver in 2013, Max taught me the barbering side, and I taught him the hairdressing side. Together, we then brought in our youngest brother, Josh, and taught him both sides, that's really how it began. Josh turned into this really good men's hair specialist, and we decided to bottle up that knowledge and turn it into what we call the MaxOliver Education Scheme.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO DATE?
There's always challenges. Opening each new shop has been a huge challenge - the first, then the second, especially the third and then the fourth. Growing always means more to manage: staffing, maintaining skills, ensuring consistency and quality across the team while keeping everyone happy. And on top of running the business, you’ve also got to look after yourself, which is just as important.
WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
Always keep learning, stay inspired, push yourself out of your comfort zone, be kind and be brave. And don’t just learn for yourself - share your knowledge so others can grow too.
WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU’D KNOWN THEN THAT YOU KNOW NOW?
That everything will be okay - some things work, some don’t and that’s fine. You’ll regret the chances you didn’t take more than the ones you tried and failed at, because every failure is a lesson. And take time to appreciate where you are now; I’m living one of my goals with four salons, a great team, and an education career even though I’m still chasing the next dream.
WHAT'S BEEN YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT SO FAR?
Awards have been amazing - like winning Men’s Salon of the Year at the Hair Awards in 2023 and 2025, and working on stage at major industry events like Barber Connect and Salon International. But my biggest achievement is how far we’ve come: four salons, 20 staff, 12 years in business, and incredible staff loyalty. Doing it all alongside my two brothers, each bringing different strengths, is something I’m really proud of.
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOU NOW?
It’s about keeping a happy work/life balance while creating more opportunities for my team - sourcing stage opportunities, more education, and the possibility of co-owning a shop. We’ll grow at a pace that feels right, without stretching too far. I’m currently working on a barbering tool (soon to be revealed) and we are currently fine-tuning branded merchandise. I’d love to be globally recognised as a men’s hair specialist, with my team also celebrated among the best in the industry.
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