Scissor siblings

Who’s involved?

Siobhan Moriarty-Jones and her younger sister Emma Richardson set up Cavalier Club Barbershop in 2015, offering high-end barbering in Bedford. While they’ve had their ups and downs, they agree that working with family is a cut above. Both studied hairdressing at college but switched to barbering because it suited their alternative image better. ‘There was a good culture around the whole industry,’ said Emma. ‘Siobhan persuaded me to switch to barbering and it was the best decision I made.’

Why it works

‘We had only been barbering for a couple of years but neither of us were happy where we were,’ explains Siobhan. ‘We put everything into Cavalier Club. We’re like best friends as well as sisters. At our old place, they would never let us work in the same branch, but they were missing a trick.’

Working together allows the two to bounce off each other. Siobhan says: ‘Sharing the same goals outside work helps to build a brand we both believe in. And we wanted to be able to have a bit of fun at work.’

Overcoming challenges

Their sisterly closeness can occasionally backfire, with Emma once having to step away from the business after they clashed.

‘There can be a lack of boundaries and we probably take things too far with each other,’ says Emma. ‘When you’re coworkers, there’s a line you can’t cross, but that is non-existent when you’re siblings.

Siobhan agrees: ‘When working with family goes wrong, it can impact the business. But now Emma is more in control of the operational side of things, it’s meant our sister relationship is rebuilding.’

LESSONS TO PASS ON Emma

● ‘It’s important to set boundaries and establish mutual respect.’

Siobhan

● ‘Maintain that bond and don’t just be colleagues. Have a laugh, but give each other space to grow.’