DOUBLE UP.

Fodaya Turay’s journey from Sierra Leone to establishing Doubleup Barbershop, a successful home-based barbershop in Queensland is a testament to his resilience and passion for barbering.

After migrating to Australia in 2007, Fodaya, AKA Fkon, completed high school in Sydney before moving to Canberra in 2011, where he met his wife, Angiie.

Inspired by his elder brother, who cut hair and provided a communal space for friends, Fodaya honed his skills in an environment where barbershops catering to textured hair were scarce. His talent for cutting hair, initially a hobby, became a profession when he returned to Sydney. He exclusively sought barbering positions, working in various locations while completing his Cert III at TAFE NSW, primarily through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

In 2020, seeking new opportunities, Fodaya and his family moved from Sydney to Queensland with only a carload of belongings. Now settled with three children, they run a successful home-based barbershop in South Ripley QLD. Fodaya’s story highlights his dedication to his craft and his ability to adapt and thrive in new environments.

Editor of Barbershop Louise May chats about business and life with Fodaya..

What motivated you to establish your own home-based barbershop in South Ripley?

When we were looking for a home online, Angiie came across our now community page and started searching and posting. She realised there was no barber close by, so she started gaining interest and promoting my services even before we moved from Sydney.

We put the word out in local Facebook groups and received a lot of positive reviews, which really fuelled our excitement and gave us confidence that we were making the right decision. With limited family support, working from home is ideal for managing the kids. We needed flexibility and had an interest in running our own business. There was no barber in our community/estate, so we saw a real opportunity with lots of families and a school, plus future community growth.

What challenges did you face in relocating to different cities, and how did you overcome them?

We faced challenges like not knowing anyone and lack of childcare. Connecting in community groups and utilising other local small business owners for our own needs helped us connect. We moved here two weeks before COVID border closures, so the mandates were challenging at first when trying to build a customer base.

People didn’t feel comfortable leaving home, but that was also a blessing as we now still have customers who started with us four years ago and continue to come regularly. They’ve become close friends, which is amazing. Our community has seen us grow from a family of three to five and has always been so supportive. We feel really accepted and blessed to be in such a welcoming community, which made relocating easier.

Angiie your wife works in the business also. Can you tell us about her role? And how do you balance work and personal life with young kids and working from home full time?

Angiie has always believed in me and saw barbering as a talent to pursue seriously and not just a hobby. She handles all the behind-the-scenes work, setting up the booking system, website, social media promotions, and more. She’s into project management and digital marketing.

Working from home has given us both the opportunity to be more present as parents. We can coordinate and share the load of parenting and housework easier as we have better control of our hours. When life gets too hectic, it’s much easier to take a few days off or work shorter hours to reset. We are both hard workers, so we don’t think too much about what we don’t have; it’s more about getting it done and working with what we’ve got. We’re blessed with a lot.

We are appointment-only, so we can adjust our calendar depending on our needs. I work my hours around school drop-offs and pick-ups. It’s a constant juggle, but both of us working from home has helped a lot with flexibility. Some days are tougher than others, especially if the kids are sick.

Luckily, most of our customers are families with young children, so they’re very understanding about changing appointments due to life events. Last year, we had to cancel a few days of appointments because Angiie went into labour early, and everyone was so understanding and rescheduled easily. Communication and building networks and a support system are key.

Could you tell us about the inclusive atmosphere you’ve cultivated in your barbershop, especially in catering to families with ASD kids?

I’ve worked in many barbershops where parents would leave without their kids getting a haircut because it was too challenging. My wife, Angiie, pointed out early on how overwhelming it is for a mum to head into a busy shopping centre barbershop with multiple children. We wanted to provide a space where mums can relax knowing the garage is closed, so there’s no chance for little ones to run off.

This setup allows them to actually relax. We also saw adults who deal with anxiety and feel uncomfortable being around strangers, so the 1:1 appointments have proved to be valuable. Another amazing thing that has happened since our barbershop is in the garage space of our house is that we’ve had handicapped customers driven directly into the garage and then assisted into the chair.

We’re appointment-only to limit unfamiliar faces and noise. We listen to our customers’ needs and make adjustments to create a better experience. Flexibility is crucial; we allow extra time for kids who need it to settle in. It’s all about making everyone feel comfortable.

Can you tell us about the scepticism early on in your career?

To be honest, where I come from, barbering wasn’t taken seriously and was often seen as a woman’s job. Early on, I got comments that I needed to do something more “manly.” Had I listened to the pressure and scepticism, I would have stayed in a job I didn’t enjoy. Now, the same people encourage me to do more. Following my passion and choosing to listen to the right voices is what kept me going.

The industry has changed a lot in the last 5-10 years, and now there’s a positive response to barbershops, especially since COVID, with people wanting to look their best.

Can you share some insights into the challenges you’ve encountered in finding barbers who can proficiently cut diverse hair textures, and how you aim to address this issue?

I’ve faced many “We don’t do that kind of hair here...try the shop down the road” moments. When completing training at TAFE or private educators, students should be required to complete a set minimum of different hair textures and styles as part of their assessment before being certified.

In the future, when we hopefully expand, I hope to train new apprentices or qualified barbers in working with different hair types. You don’t know what you don’t know. We need safe spaces for trial and error and learning from one another as barbers. Barber Events should cater to different categories, and to be a true master of the trade, you should be familiar with other hair textures besides your own as part of your foundational skills.

As you reflect on your journey so far, what are you most proud of? And what are your future goals?

I’m most proud of how far I’ve come and for not letting other people’s opinions control my career or life choices. We didn’t give up and kept trying new things. I’m proud that I can do this for a living and support our family. Looking back, we’ve had what seemed to be so many cards stacked against us, but we took leaps of faith time and time again. It’s helped us see the possibilities and allowed us to dream bigger and bigger.

For the future, the goal is to first take on an apprentice as it’s just myself cutting right now, then hope to expand into a commercial space and really build the Doubleup Barber brand, a shop in every state! Private rooms would be a key element of the shops to cater to those that need quiet spaces. Maybe one day we will have Doubleup Barber Academy where we train future barbers.

Another dream is to one day be in a position to give back and provide employment opportunities to young people in Sierra Leone or Malawi by training them as apprentices. That way, they can have a better future too.

There’s only so much we can do right now with young kids, but we’re excited about what we’ve achieved so far. We also hope that our kids grow up and know that they can follow their heart and pursue different interests, not just what seems ‘right’ and that they can form their own path.

It would be great to have all three train as barbers, but I won’t hold it against them if they choose to do something completely different. Looking at how far we have come continues to motivate, and keep us hopeful for a bigger future.

@doubleupbarber