EDITORIAL SPRING ISSUE 2024

WILL I SEE YOU AT BARBERSOCIETY LIVE?

It’s finally here, Sunday 14 April, the seventh edition of BarberSociety Live! How relieved and happy I am that it is going on again. This year too, it was quite a job to get everything set up. Not only the move to a new location made this edition possible, but especially the support from the industry, sometimes from unexpected quarters. That touched me, and for that my sincere thanks. A big shout-out to our sponsors ANKO and FNV Mooi, the battle sponsors and all the brands that have booked a stand. A special mention deserves Wahl, our loyal support and mainstay since our very first event in 2016, who was and is there every edition. Thank you, Wahl!

Together we will make it a blast of an event. With an amazing line-up of barbers from home and abroad showing their skills and two sizzling battles! It’s quite exciting to organize our event at a new place after all those years at the Westergas. Thanks to a golden tip from our community, we ended up at Hemkade 48, near Amsterdam. This unique and easily accessible location, with parking and a terrace overlooking the North Sea Canal, is the perfect place for an inspiring day full of craftsmanship. I hope to meet you on the 14th where it’s all about personal connection, just like in the barber’s chair!

Attention and experience

Personal connection is at the heart of this edition and is seen by many as the most important marketing tool. Daniela Becheanu, better known as Sofycuts, shares her passion for the profession in an interview. She is not afraid to share on social media also the misses and learning moments. That authenticity strengthens the bond with her clients. Authentic engagement is also one of the five action points to boost your barbershop marketing, according to columnist Dennis van Lierop. He talks about the customer journey where every interaction is meaningful. Our new columnist Cor Bouw joins in and emphasizes the importance of a warm welcome and paying attention to your customer. Chris Foster argues that forging connections and inspiring, is as important as sharing your technical skills.

Josh Lamonaca also stresses the importance of personal engagement with your customers. “Take it to the streets, communicate face-to-face”, he says. Combine that with fantastic haircuts and excellent service, and you have gold in your hands. He shares a personal story about the challenges in growing their MENSPIRE franchise chain. He is strongly committed to education and enthusing for the barbering profession. Just like Dario J. Braun who puts his heart and soul into training his team and giving training classes and shows. He is now launching the online education platform ‘Barbersessions’. A new concept in the Netherlands that offers a wealth of knowledge about the men’s profession. Jeff Rooze, on the other hand, who always taught others the men’s profession, now finds satisfaction in personal interactions with the clients in his chair. Due to the many challenges on his path, he has delved into other matters through which he inspires and supports his clients in their lives. A surprising story!

Josh Lamonaca, Sofycuts and Dario J. Braun will be on our BarberSociety Live stage on 14 April, with Chris Foster as our host. Don’t miss it!

BarbersRide is coming to the Netherlands!

The famous BarbersRide from the UK is crossing over to the Netherlands and Germany this year! Read all about it in this edition and sign up. Not only for a great motorbike tour with fellow barbers, but also to raise money for Make-A-Wish, which makes the dreams of children with lifethreatening diseases come true.

And there is more in this spring edition

Besides various other hair collections, the Trend pages revolve around the Wahl Professional Future Makers™ campaign. The world’s top barbers from different countries, the 2024 Future Makers™, have come together to create the must-know styles for 2024, in the hopes of inspiring other barbers and stylists around the world to push the boundaries of their craft and make their mark on the industry they know and love.

Lastly, in this issue, you will find the beard trends for 2024, Barbers & the City Tapei, the latest product news and photo reports from barber events in Japan and Taiwan, as well as a beautiful story from UK barber Daniel Rymer who, with support from Andis, has cut hair on top of Kilimanjaro and raised money for disadvantaged people.

Enjoy reading and I hope to see you on Sunday 14 April!

Marc van de Hare

Founder BarberSociety, Owner of Van de Hare Amsterdam Barbers

PS: BarberSociety Live tickets are on sale at www.barbersocietylive.com.