THE MASTER CRAFTER

Josh Lamonaca, Co-Founder, MENSPIRE Salon, UK, shares tips for new barbers to get that much-desired creative edge.

Spanning across cultural boundaries and becoming an integral part of personal grooming, barbering has evolved with changing trends. Passionate hair professionals Josh Lamonaca and Samuel Palmer started MENSPIRE in 2013. Since then it has grown to be an international salon group with over 30 outlets and an award-winning academy.

MENSPIRE represents the revolutionary transition between precision barbering and contemporary hairdressing. It embodies a fusion of technical and artistic skills, with a commitment to bridging the gap between traditional barbershops and the modern hair business. Lamonaca and Palmerare are perfectly positioned to provide insights on trends, education and business strategies.

“It’s not a race to the top - you have to be the best you can be along the way,” says Lamonaca.

Here are the three key points of advice for young barbers starting out in their careers as per Lamonaca and Palmerare:

1 WORK HARD: Perform as many haircuts as possible on various hair types. Perfection may not always be achievable, so embrace mistakes as learning opportunities.

2 WORK SMART: Pay attention to your colleagues on the shop floor. Observe their strengths and areas for improvement, and apply these insights to enhance your own skills.

3 PRACTICE PATIENCE: In a world of instant access to information through platforms like Amazon and YouTube, it’s essential to remember that mastering barbering requires patience. Becoming the best barber or educator doesn’t happen overnight. Allow yourself the time to develop your skills and mindset gradually. Understand that success in this field is a journey that takes time and dedication