My name is Emmanuel Mawoyeka, I’m 21 years old, I’m from Nigeria and I am a self taught barber.
I started cutting hair when I was 15 years old. I began cutting hair by practicing on my brother and my father. I had a real passion to learn how to cut hair and used to cycle to my friends houses and give them free haircuts as practice. It began as an interest in which overtime, became more fascinated to me, and then I began to see it as more of a craft in which people acknowledged my talent and ability which motivated me to take it on more seriously.
When I was in my final year in college I began to cut in my student accommodation and with a working knowledge of marketing I began to expand my clientele in a whole different town and was able to build a steady and consistent clientele in that town as well as my clientele I had already had back home.
I was very consistent with my work and I would cut hair on a weekly basis at least 4 full days a week. At least twice a week in my accom and every weekend when I would head back home. I took my business to the next level when the first lockdown period began around March 2020. I had finished my final year exams and was able to focus more on my craft and my social media page and by doing so, received a lot more exposure.
It was from that moment on I knew I had I had potential to open up my own shop one day, however I didn’t think this event would occur so sudden. Under a year of me graduating college I was able to open up my first barbershop at 21. This is to date my biggest achievement, through many trials and tribulations I was able to overcome all the obstacles thrown my way and open up my very own barbershop