Modern Barber caught up with Marcus Lewis Roper to talk about the similarities between the Armed Forces and barbering, mental health and staying inspired
You found barbering after a challenging time in your life, to put it lightly. What attracted you to barbering?
I have always been interested in barbering – even when I was in the Armed Forces, I would have a go at it with friends when we were away. I fell into barbering after leaving the army, as after several jobs I couldn’t find anything I liked. However, my appendix burst and was near fatal, so I couldn’t work for a while. That’s when I decided to offer free haircuts on Facebook Market Place to see where I ended up, and after a month I was offered a job in a shop in Stafford.
You were offered a job after only one month of cutting hair – what skills do you possess that you think helped with this?
I believe that some skills from my military career have helped me in my journey to success, including attention to detail and having the attitude to not give up and give 110% in anything I do.
You now give free haircuts for men’s mental health – is this through a charity, or something you have set up independently? Do you think there’s a connection between mental health and barbering?
Mental health is a huge part of my life and I’m a big believer in becoming the best version of yourself. I set this up on my own and chose Manchester Piccadilly train station because of the heavy flow of traffic. I definitely feel mental health is a big topic in barbering; as a barber not only are you providing a service, but you’re also a friend, a voice and an individual a client can talk to with zero worry. You’ll be surprised the way clients open up and I think it’s extremely brave.
You also cut hair for veterans and homeless individuals – what prompted you to do this?
As a veteran, I feel we’re not offered the support we need or require – you’re just left to your own devices and even when you reach out, often not a lot comes of it. However, there are some brilliant charities out there that support veterans and service personnel, these are fantastic and you should most definitely utilise them as much as you can.
You’re self-taught – are you looking to develop your skills in any new areas in the future, or undertake any training courses?
Every day in this industry is a learning day, there are always new hair styles and products and kids always want the latest trend. Efforts to keep on top of the fast-paced nature of this industry must start with a willingness to learn; personally I always watch videos, try new things and always take advice from others.
Barbering seems to have given you a renewed sense of purpose. What does a typical day look like for you now, and how different is it from your time in the army? Are there any skills that overlap?
I enjoy helping others and I also strive to make people smile; the feeling you get when someone leaves the barbershop with a smile is a great feeling. A typical day for me is working in a fast-paced shop offering a walk-in service for anyone. The difference between a booking system and walk-in services means you can have anyone in your chair, ranging from a two-year-old to OAPs. This gives you a challenge and a chance to cut different styles, keeping every day fresh. In some ways, my skills from the army and barbering overlap – I’m regimented and very organised when it comes to hair, and cutting keeps my mind busy as I’m always concentrating. There are definitely skills that are similar, attention to detail being one of them.
How do you stay inspired or motivated, especially when juggling so many different projects and responsibilities?
I stay inspired by striving to be in a position some barbers are in; I want to be on stages, I want to be a name others talk about, but also be a name that someone says, “That’s that MLR ADONIS BARBER, the crazy one who cut someone’s hair on top of Snowdon.” I just want to be the best I can be and that is really all that matters to me. I am my own person and I will continue to be; I take things day by day and I suppose just crack on. You can’t change what’s happened, but you can definitely change what’s to come.
