ALL ABOUT ATTABOY

By Louise May

Robby Lippett was born and raised in Adelaide and is just entering his 7th year in the industry. His stepmother, Debbie, has been a hairdresser for 48 years and was a co-owner of a hairdressing chain for 42 years and a private RTO for 20 years, called Cemons Hair & Beauty in the Eastern suburbs of Adelaide, so Robby grew up surrounded by the hair industry.

When he finished school, he was deeply interested in becoming a hairdresser, but at the time, he was working in hospitality and had also convinced himself that he could make it as a soccer player. However, his stepmother laid down a condition: if Robby wanted to pursue hairdressing, he had to work late on Thursdays and all day on Saturdays, which conflicted with his soccer commitments. Refusing to compromise, he stubbornly remained in hospitality and stumbled into a semi-professional soccer career.

Climbing the ranks, Robby became a General Manager by the age of 21 and held that position for 7 years. Then, in 2017, Debbie invited him to a barber look-and-learn event, and within three minutes, Robby was certain he wanted to dive headfirst into the barbering industry.

His close friend, Mat Johnson, the owner of MJ Hair and a member of the Matrix Global team, played a significant role in shaping his decision. Witnessing Mat’s accomplishments was incredibly inspiring to Robby. On his 28th birthday, Robby formally committed to his apprenticeship at Debbie’s salon.

Barbershop Editor Louise May chats with Robby about his Industry journey…

Can you tell us about your vision when first starting Attaboy?

Having managed large hotels with over 50 staff, I naturally developed a strong understanding of day-to-day business operations, staff management, and promotions, With that in my back pocket, I knew I was going to open my own barbershop as soon as I could, and I wasted no time once I completed my apprenticeship. I ran ‘appointments only’ throughout my apprenticeship and my clients absolutely loved the ability to walk in and sit in the chair straight away without waiting. I wanted Attaboy to be a personalised experience, similar to how hairdressing salons operated, but for men.

My clients loved the studio environment, which didn’t feel intimidating, they loved the app-based appointments and consistency with their preferred qualified barber. Attaboy always has and always will be about the quality, not the quantity.

You have recently opened your 4th store and just celebrated 5 years in business, that is a massive achievement! What do you put your success down to?

I can hardly believe the growth Attaboy has experienced in a short time. If someone had told me five years ago that this would be happening, I would have laughed it off. I’ve never been one to pause and reflect on my achievements; instead, I’m always focused on moving forward and finding ways to enhance and strengthen the business.

I strongly believe in the importance of positive culture. When you ask any business owner about the toughest aspect of running a business, I guarantee they’ll mention “staff.” Realistically, my key job in the business is to make sure my staff are happy and coming to work happy.

Each individual at Attaboy is a wonderful person, and I take immense pride in each of them. I often remind my staff that “Attaboy is everything but the haircut”. If we excel in every aspect outside of haircutting—such as providing a memorable experience, a positive environment, nurturing staff culture, engaging with the community, and building a strong brand—then the haircutting part becomes the easy bit.

Are all 4 stores the same as each other, or are they unique? (if so, how?) And will there be more?

We try to keep them very similar with sage green chairs and large free-standing mirrors. The colour palette is neutral with an industrial feel and an abundance of plants. For example, our Kent Town shop is attached to Loxley café (which we also own), previously a car garage workshop, so has more of an industrial look and feel due to the existing structure.

On the flip side, our Hilton shop layout also has an area designed for our hairdresser staff member, Abi. Then you head to our newest shop down at Henley Beach, and you’re greeted with stone-coloured French wash feature walls and natural timber cabinetry to fit the beachside vibe.

What have your challenges been throughout the journey, and how have you overcome them?

Currently, the industry challenges are navigating this ongoing economic downturn and the rising cost of living. It’s evident that our clients are closely monitoring their spending habits, resulting in longer intervals between haircuts.

Now we have to bridge the gap caused by reduced client frequency, we recognised this, and we simply need to increase our customer base. As a team, we have brainstormed strategies aimed at attracting new clientele and ensuring the sustained growth of our business, without putting too much stress back on the client's average spend per visit.

With a team of 19 staff members across your locations, how do you foster a positive and cohesive team dynamic within Attaboy?

Together with our sister shop, Boy Oh Boy, located in Perth, we have a team of 20. I’m a strong believer in a healthy work-life balance for my staff, prioritising their well-being and ensuring their roster offers flexibility to accommodate their life outside of work.

I have one-on-one discussions with each team member, to find mutually beneficial solutions that support both their personal needs and the success of our business.

You are a colour salon also, and partner with NAK, which is not the norm when It comes to Barbering. Can you tell us how this evolved and how it has impacted the business?

Tom Wynn joined Attaboy during our first year, bringing with him a strong background in hairdressing. At that time, the concept of barbers offering colouring services was relatively unheard of, presenting us with a unique market opportunity that we eagerly jumped on. Introducing colour services has not only diversified our offerings but has also exposed us to a whole new clientele beyond traditional clipper work.

Fast forward five years and colour services are now 30% of our business. Our partnership with NAK has played a huge role in our journey into colouring and Tom and I have been a part of the NAK artist team for four years, in their national educational program.

How do you ensure that your team consistently delivers high-quality services and maintains a standard level of customer experience across all Attaboy locations?

Our daily operating procedures need to be high and consistent, which outlines: the client experience, the business’s expectations of our team, and what our team expects from the business. Continuous investment in our team’s education is a priority, whether through hands-on internal training sessions or by hosting guest artists or attending educational events.

Barbering is a craft, and we understand that not everyone will cut hair in the same manner. Each of our team are talented in their own way, but we still work closely with our team to identify their strengths and weaknesses. For areas needing improvement, we develop tailored training sessions to enhance their confidence and skills.

Can you tell us about your education platform?

It’s essentially a comedy show with a hint of barbering. Our education program is tailored for hairdressers and apprentices wanting to boost their confidence in men’s haircuts and increase their male clientele percentage in salons.

We cover a range of techniques including fades, tapers, beard grooming, mullets, sectioning, product sales, photography skills, social media presentation, and, of course, men’s colouring techniques.

Can you tell us about your product range and what inspired you to create it?

Our products are made by a small company based in the Whitsundays, ensuring high quality, and tailored to our client feedback over the years. We stepped away from your everyday branding and essentially wanted to have some fun with it.

Currently, we offer “Holy Water” Sea Salt and “Soft Yes” Matte Paste, both smelling like lemonade ice blocks. We’re about to introduce “Light Weight” Natural Paste and “Soup Strainer” Beard Oil to expand our range.

Creating our own product line has always been a goal of mine, but I didn’t see it working or profitable with just one salon. However, with the expansion to four salons, it became a logical step from a business perspective, plus it keeps the Attaboy brand in front of our clients daily.

You also have a really cool clothing line; can you tell us more about this?

Yes, all barbers have merch for fun, and look, we do too. But from a business perspective, I look at “apparel” as an additional revenue stream. When we developed our initial branding, I aimed to steer clear of the traditional barber-associated logos.

It was essential that our branding looked appealing on shirts, without overtly indicating that it was linked to a barbershop. I’m lucky enough to have a wizard of an operations manager, Marc, who comes from a background in apparel, and have given him free rein…

What is on the agenda for the next 12 months?

Ha-ha! Look, for those who know me know that I’m always working on something… and I’m very excited about our next project. That’s all I can say for now, sorry!

@attaboy_hair