High Life

HIGH LIFE #10 Jul 2017 41 Adds Rocklee, “Our vision is ‘new-old-school’. There are several Shanghainese-style barbers in town, but we are the first working in the three languages. We also offer the newer styles of hair-cut and hair graphic. We were the first salon to offer online bookings too.” Despite the difficulties that inevitably come with running a business in town, Rocklee and Fernando have managed to make their dream come true. “I started cutting hair inmy home. I had just one chair and used to do it on my spare time, after work,” Rocklee explains. The decision to turn his nighttime hobby into a full-time job came about when Rocklee realized how many potential customers he was losing during office hours. “I was working at one of the big hotels, making good money but all I thought about was haircuts the entire day,” he says. “I would receive phone calls from people wishing to have their hair cut and there was nothing I could do.” At this point the self-made barber requested annual leave from his boss. “I wanted to take some time off and think things over, but they refused so I called my cousin and quit the next day,” Rocklee smiles. And so the adventure began. “We went looking at shops right after he quit. Finding the right location, putting a plan to work,” Fernando recalls. “We started small in another location with just three chairs. “We didn’t have any family money, only our savings, so by the time the doors finally opened we were in debt. “We were sitting down looking at the shop window praying for people to come in,” Rocklee adds with a laugh. Soon, though, it was all hands on deck. “Ihadamonthonce thatwasentirelybooked,”hecontinues. The secret, it seems, is about more than just dexterity. “You have to connect with people. Men come here to vent a little too, to talk about their problems, discuss their lives. So you have to build their trust. The first barber I hired was my client,” Rocklee reveals.