Due to the regulations in Tennessee, it is required for local barber and cosmetology students to obtain 1,500 hours of training before becoming fully qualified. This has led to certain career-paths in the industry to be financially unobtainable for a lot of people.

Furthermore, most monetary aids have year-long waiting lists, leaving the majority of people having to borrow from the government for their tuition, meaning they start their already challenging career in financial hardship.

However, with help of the ‘Tennessee Promise’, which was launched in 2015, this means there a whole new era of industry hopefuls that this cycle of near (or actual) bankruptcy will not effect.

Since the state launched the initiative, almost half the number of college students taking out government loans have stopped, at about 40%. Student’s debt load also decreased by about 32% on average reports the Journal of Higher Education, which was published in April 2021.

This has led to some capacity issues however, but overall, the ‘Tennessee Promise’ has had a massively positive effect regarding becoming a student locally.

Tennessee has spent around $80 million towards updating renovation public trade schools, which adds to the hope that this may solve the capacity issues in the future.

Commencing January 2022, licensed cosmetologists in Tennessee and barbers will be required to undergo specialised training to identify the signs of domestic violence.

State Board of Cosmetology, The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, and Barber Examiners, are aiming to train more than 50,000 licensed beauty and hair professionals to recognize the markers of abuse, how to respond appropriately and what resources are available to the victim.

“Tennessee’s beauty professionals are caring, compassionate individuals who are committed to ensuring the health and safety of all their customers, but may not know how to respond when confronted with domestic violence,” said Board Executive Director Roxana Gumucio.

He continues “Most domestic violence victims will not report abuse to law enforcement, but they will tell someone with whom they have a long-standing relationship, such as a cosmetologist or barber. Tennessee beauty professionals have a unique position to help identify domestic violence and assist victims.”

Starting January 1^st, this new law will come into effect and industry professionals will have to undergo an hour of training, either online or in person – this training is also completely free.

To assist, Barbicide teamed up with YWCA to offer the Shear Haven Domestic Violence Training.

This contemporary masterpiece posses all the strengths of the Cordless T-Outliner with next-level performance from the modified housing and new GTX-Z blade.

The features for this new model include:

• With classic performance you love from the original cordless T-Outliner® in an intuitive shape, enhancing visibility for precision detailing
• GTX-Z blade is pre-set with a tighter gap for fine detailing in a custom gold corrosion-resistant coating
• Powerful lithium-Ion battery delivers over 100 minutes of runtime on a single charge
• Extremely powerful, high-speed rotary motor delivers 7,200 strokes per minute with advanced Constant Speed Technology for ultimate blade performance through all hair types
• Cord/cordless operation for no downtime behind the chair and no waiting for charging

Andis have advised that the GTX-EXO can be used Cord/Cordless trimming and fine detailing of necklines, facial hair, dry shaving, designs, and hard parts. Rotary Motor; 100-240 V | 50-60 Hz | MAX 7,200SPM.

This model is now available for pre-order and can be shipped on August 16^th 2021, more details on the product can be found here.

First Minister Paul Givan and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill had a virtual meeting of the Executive on Thursday 22^nd of July to confirm a several changes regarding coronavirus restrictions, another discussion will take place on Monday 26^th of July continuing the conversation of the ease of restrictions.

Still under consideration for changes are places such as theatre and concert halls, however the number of people allowed to meet outside, along with barbershops and salons will now be able to remove the ‘booking only’ means of business.

The Northern Ireland Executive said “modest relaxations” had been reached after thorough consideration in a statement on Thursday afternoon.

Currently hairdressers and other close contact can only operate with booking systems or appointments. From Monday this will be eased, and Ireland will follow the likes of Scotland, where walk-in customers are permitted.

Image: belfasttelegraph.com

Independent high street business debt has more than quadrupled over the last year, a new Grimsey Review report has revealed, warning that Britain is facing a fresh wave of closures this autumn.

• Debt for high street independents has more than quadrupled
• Working conditions have become more insecure – 63% of people working in beauty salons are now self-employed
• Growth of trader associations and new adaptive spaces is giving indies a bigger voice and encouraging a new generation of high street entrepreneurs

In the latest review from veteran retailer Bill Grimsey, his team examine Britain’s vibrant independent shops, services and hospitality businesses, which have done so much to turn our high streets and town centres into attractive community places.

With 17,500 chain stores closing in 2020, Grimsey warns that a tsunami of smaller independents could soon follow. They are believed to owe £1.7billion and, as business support measures are withdrawn, thousands are vulnerable.

“Our high street independents have experienced a newfound appreciation during lockdown,” he said.  “But they’ve also been forced to take on government-backed loans, which they would not have normally been able to get because their balance sheets wouldn’t allow it. Now they are struggling to manage a mountain of debt and need help.”

The review is calling for a Government ‘forgiveness scheme’ to write off government-backed loans for viable small businesses.

“The French Government is already working on a policy to save small businesses from being crushed by debt and we need to do the same to save thousands,” added Grimsey.

In a wide ranging examination of how high street independents have survived the pandemic and their impact on communities, the review also looks at a new generation of retailers that are trying out bricks and mortar retail after first building online brands.

To support this sector more, it urges Government to take action on business rates in their autumn review, and calls for more initiatives to entice online entrepreneurs onto the high street.

The review also acknowledges the huge contribution made by hair and beauty, the fastest growing sector on the high street. However, it warns that the sector has become more precarious during the pandemic, with thousands of workers shifting to self-employed status.

It is also suffering from a lack of regulation, and deteriorating standards are encouraging a race to the bottom.

The UK is one of the only countries in Europe and North America where hairdressers and barbers aren’t regulated. Furthermore, after a week’s course, people can start injecting Botulin or reshaping customers’ faces with a dermal filler.

In conclusion, Grimsey said that Britain would not ‘build back better’ unless policymakers looked beyond infrastructure investment to equally prioritise small business and strengthening the social fabric of high streets.

“Britain is at a crossroads and the pandemic has brought about sweeping changes that will make a decisive break with a traditional high street model,” he warned. “But we can’t build our way out of trouble. To unlock the potential of our high streets, we need to focus on people, partnerships and communities as well.”

“That means protecting small businesses. It means supporting a new breed of digitally savvy entrepreneurs and making high streets a testbed for new thinking. And it means promoting high standards and regulating key sectors like hair and beauty. Britain needs a social recovery to lock in an economic one and our high streets should lead by example.”

Hair & Barber Council Registrar/CEO, Keith Conniford, said: “This highly anticipated review focuses on the increasingly worrying position of the retail, hair and beauty and hospitality sectors. It highlights the plight of our sector specifically, and the lack of support we have been given in spite of the many reports, letters and contacts The Hair and Barber Council made during the pandemic to MPs, Cabinet Ministers and direct to No 10.“

He continues “The report highlights the real need for our sector to be regulated to protect it moving forward and forms part of its recommendations to Government. Salons, Barber Shops and Beauty salons/spas are the powerhouse of the high street and Government must now start to seriously listen, support and help us to finally amend the current Act of Parliament from voluntary to mandatory….not until then will we ever be taken seriously as the professional industry we clearly are. The time is now…..a fascinating piece of work.”

Eight of Croydon’s finest barbershops will soon be offering free on the spot blood pressure tests to their clients in an attempt to raise awareness and potentially give life-saving advice.

This scheme started in April and is a UK first being run by London South Bank University (LSBU), Croydon BME Forum, and Off the Record.

The groups provide eight barbers who have customers in Croydon with the training they need to diagnose. Among them are Lambeth, Southwark, and Bromley to deliver the blood pressure checks at their premises, an effective way to detect for issues. About 30% of men in the UK are believed to have high blood pressure and problems relating to it.

The project is inspired by a successful health venture in Los Angeles barbershops, which resulted in 68% of those diagnosed with high blood pressure in said barbershops leaving the study with more healthy blood pressure levels.

The eight barbershops participating are:

• Da Ace Of Fades (Thornton Heath)
• The Barber Shop (Croydon)
• Finishing Touches (Mitcham)
• Yian the Barber (South Norwood)
• Cutter Hair Doctor (South Norwood)
• J & D Doyleys (Thornton Heath)
• House of Bertrand (Bromley)
• Juls The Hair Klinik (Mitcham)

Have you heard of Stormzy, Anthony Joshua, and Lebron James? Well Mark Maciver has – he’s worked with all of them. Work such as this has recently led Maciver to be named part of this year’s Top 25 Entrepreneurs List by the Black Business Sow.

Slider Cuts is located Hackney Road, the space between Hackney and Tower Hamlets, since 2018, but the brand has been around for about 10 years. Mark left Camden, London, in 2004 and has been in the Hackney area ever since.

Maciver said “When I was working in another shop my nickname was Slider. So when I decided to set-up a website for myself I called it Slider Cuts”.

Currently Maciver is one of the biggest and most sought-after Black Barbers in the United Kingdom, but still feel gratitude towards this announcement from the Black Business Show. He stated that “It’s an honour”.

Image: complex.com

Everything is bigger in Texas and the 2021 TX Barber Expo and Competition was no exception.

Organiser Rick Morin was surprised to count in more than 6000 eager show goers, that made the classroom education standing room only as barber professionals showed how eager they were to get solid information to move their business forward in this post pandemic/lockdown environment.

Hosting the education stage, Ivan Zoot said: “The show floor was sold out of booth space and quite busy. With the competition generating an enthusiastic crowd. This year’s event was proof that barber pros are eager to get back to some sense of what we were doing before the pandemic, but the overall tone reflected the understanding that we can never go back. We can only move forward. I was honored to host the education stage and look forward to my return to the Lone Star state in 2022.”

Organiser Rick added: “I started the TX Barber Battle & Expo in my home-town of Corpus Christi, TX, in July of 2012 with the help of my mentor Jay Majors we had just over 800 attend the first event.  We have come a long we since then.”

He continues “My staff and I were expecting 4500-4800 people to the event, and we were surprised to see a total of 6,187, officially making us the second largest barber event in the United States. I just want to thank some of the major names that attended the event, including, Mr Official, Sky Salon, Jay Majors, Rob the Original, Ivan Zoot, Kristi Faulkner, YakuzaBarber, TailorFade, TitanBarber, QueenoftheSouth512, The_one_barbet, TheMarcusHarvey, BrydMena, and I’m really looking forward to hosting the New Mexico Barber Expo in November 2021 in Albuquerque, NM.”

Staff of the Fort William, Scotland, Stag&Buck barbershop have recently scaled Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in all of Scotland, to cut hair at the peak all in the name of Make-A-Wish.

They reached the top of the 4,413ft climb and started giving clients the chop, ditching the traditional barber seats for a very inviting and rewarding pile of rocks, looking rather dapper in their Reuzel capes. “Ben Nevis, 4,413 feet, completed it mate.” The shop posted on their Facebook page after the climb.

Terri Nicolson and Sharon Sweeney, Co-owners of the shop, undertook this challenge to not only perform the “UK’s Highest Haircut” but to raise money for the incredible organisation, Make-A-Wish.

Stag&Buck’s ventures doesn’t end there however, they are also the Fort William stop for the up-and-coming Barbersride, and you can read our full article on that amazing tour here.

They sign off “We try to get involved with a lot of charity and local community events where we can. To us our wee barber shop is about way more than just cutting hair.”

Last call for Mizutani’s World Cutting Photo Contest!

Mizutani, the scissor experts, are inviting the last entries to their incredible 100th anniversary special event, the World Cutting Photo Contest 2021.
Show your passion and creativity by entering this photo contest before entries close on July 31st, and put your creativity forward for judging by industry giants.

There are three categories: The Classic Men’s Style, with judges from across the globe deciding on the winner. Then there is the Men’s Avant-Garde Short Style category, giving a chance to showcase that innovation and style. This class is judged again by incredible barbers from both the UK, the USA and Japan. And finally, there is the Ladies’ Avant-Garde Short Style category, which will see the likes of Whitney VerMeer, Stephen Moody, Sofia Justine Pok Emu Okamoto and Jean-Baptiste Mazella selecting their chosen winner.

There is a special prize for the winners of each category including an exclusive live virtual class with Schorem/Mazella and Partners One to One Education, a Mizutani’s Cut Master Set (five scissors), a trophy and certificate, and the opportunity to appear in both Japanese and international magazines.

The final results will be announced on 10th November, 2021. Go to https://www.mizutani-scissors.com/en/wc_photo_contest_2021/ to enter.