Band of Brothers

BY JULIE BELLINGER-GIBB, UK CORRESPONDENT

Hairdressing has had its share of family success stories. But for the past 10 years, three talented brothers from Sussex have been quietly shaking things up with a new breed of men’s hairdressing at MaxOliver.

Meet Max, Oliver and Josh, the dynamic trio who run their three salons in Crowborough, Royal Tunbridge Wells, and their latest opening - Lewes. Possibly always destined for a career in hair, oldest brother Max was already cutting hair in his mum’s living room at the age of 13.

“Mum was a hairdresser but when she first asked whether I’d considered it as a career, it hadn’t even crossed my mind,” he admits. Max went on to sign up as the only boy from his school on a ladies’ hairdressing course. But as his confidence grew, buzz cuts and barbering were where his love – and his talents – really lay.

At the age of just 16, Max got his first job in a local salon and in 2013 by the age of 22, Max opened the first MaxOliver salon in Crowborough, with mum, Linda taking the lease on the space upstairs. “I knew I loved cutting men’s hair, but I didn’t like the ‘conveyer belt’ feel of barbering,” Max confides. “I was fed up being told to hurry up and I could see a need for a service where you take time and offer something extra.”

Meanwhile, younger brother Oliver was forging his own path in ladies’ hairdressing. Based in nearby Tunbridge Wells, he was enjoying a flourishing career with Toni & Guy. Talented, ambitious, and relishing the fast-track to creative opportunities at the London Academy, it took some convincing to get him to come on board.

“Oliver is such an accomplished cutter - the best I’ve ever worked with. I swear, he even dreams about cutting hair in his sleep.” Max laughs. It also took a serious promise that MaxOliver mustn’t ever be a one-stop barber shop.

In fact, the philosophy today is quite the opposite. The brothers call themselves ‘Men’s Hair Specialists’ as opposed to barbers and MaxOliver bridges the gap between a highend salon and a traditional barbershop. It’s a professional environment where you don’t just get a haircut, you get the whole package. “It’s for anyone who wants to pay more care and attention to their hair,” Max explains. “You’re treated as an individual and we help people from all walks of life look and feel good.” It helps that the shops also offer a familyfriendly atmosphere with a relaxed vibe, cool music, and nice coffee. The boys put its success down to ultimately listening to, interpreting, and understanding their client’s needs.

MAX: Oldest of the three brothers Max keeps a cool head and takes care of business. Steady, calm and a good listener, he’s the driving force behind the making of the brand MaxOliver.

OLIVER: Creative, style conscious and very talented, Oliver describes himself as a ‘lion on a lead’. The creative visionary, Oliver has a wealth of technical knowledge and heads up education at MaxOliver.

JOSH: Charismatic but laidback and almost always fully booked, Josh is a great all-rounder who is charming, popular and gets involved in all areas of the business.

Youngest of the three, Josh, was the last to join the fold and became something of a protégé for his older brothers. He rose through the ranks as MaxOliver’s first fully trained stylist, cultivated by Max on barbering and Oliver on long hair, he became a model for the kind of multi-skilled cutters MaxOliver is now known for producing.

Today, education is a key focus for MaxOliver. Its internal education program has been built to thoroughly educate their stylists in both classic barbering and modern-day hairdressing - bringing together the best parts of each to build something stronger. “We’ve devised a collection of six technical MaxOliver cuts that everyone in the team has to master to become fully qualified,” Oliver explains. “It keeps expectations and standards high.

We specialise in the mechanics of men’s hairdressing.” It’s something they pride themselves on delivering to the highest standards and with an unmistakable flair.

With such a thriving brand in place, plans for expansion are of course on the table. But one thing the tight-knit team is keen to retain is the principles of the family business they’ve created.

“With a family business you have trust and loyalty,” Max reflects. “Another benefit of being related is that your minds work alike, and you understand each other. You can speak your mind without offending each other.” Oliver describes the dynamics between the three of them as: “the perfect brotherly ranks – we all know our place and where we fit in the mix.”

It’s a philosophy that runs throughout the business and, however exponentially things take off, they’re keen to protect in the future.

Everyone they’ve recruited has either been a previous customer or they’ve experienced the brand and wanted to become a part of it. And they seldom leave. Not only do the brothers look out for each other, team members become almost part of the family too. “Our staff make MaxOliver what it is today,” Max confides.

“Finding good quality talent is the biggest challenge in our industry,” Max reflects. Rare then to get three such exceptional ones from just one gene pool. “It seems to work and come naturally to all of us. There’s no place for ego here at MaxOliver,” Max explains. Absolutely not. Just topquality hair in a setting that challenges the conventions of a ‘barbershop’ and is cutting its own visionary niche in the hair world.

@maxolivermh @gorgeousprhair