APPRENTICE TO BARBER - 10 Lessons I Learnt the Hard Way

By 2025 AMBA Best ANZ Barbershop Team Member of the Year - Keegan Walklin, Kings Domain Barber Shop

Barbering is one of those trades that looks simple from the outside but can feel huge once you step into it with so much more to learn. When I finished barber school 18 months ago, I thought I had a decent idea of what the job would take. The reality is that every day in the shop brings new challenges, and most of the best lessons I’ve learnt so far have come the hard way.

I studied both full time and as an apprentice, which gave me the basics, but it was only when I got on the shop floor that things really clicked. Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to rise to a Senior Barber at Kings Domain Barber Shop and even win two national awards. I’m constantly making mistakes, learning from others, and realising just how much further I have to go.

Here are ten lessons that may help to inspire you…

1. Confidence Comes from Practice

When I first started out, I thought I needed to know everything right away. The problem is we never know everything as this industry is forever changing and so we can’t always be confident and proficient in all styles, but we can learn and get better. Use your knowledge from School as a foundation and continue building on those foundations with new skills but don’t forget the basics.

Lesson: Keep practicing, bring a positive attitude and an open mind and your confidence will follow

2. Always Ask Questions

Early on, I was nervous about asking too many questions in case I looked inexperienced. But the barbers who improve the fastest are the ones who never stop asking. Even now, I’m constantly asking my team about techniques, products, or how they handle certain situations with clients.

Lesson: Curiosity is the fastest way to grow. Ego will only slow you down.

3. Step Outside of Your Comfort Zone

Every time I’ve avoided something that scared me, I’ve regretted it later. The times I’ve grown the most have been when I pushed myself. Whether that was cutting a style I wasn’t confident with, entering a competition, or stepping onto a stage. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s also where you level up the quickest.

Lesson: The cuts that scare you are the ones that make you better.

4.Long Hair Isn’t Going Anywhere

Many barbers tend to lean into fades and shorter cuts, but long and mid-length styles are in demand more than ever. For me, scissor work on longer hair has always been my strongest area. It’s actually helped me build a loyal clientele, because clients with longer hair value patience, precision, and trust. The truth is that long hair isn’t going away... Barbers who can confidently handle a variety of hair length will always stand out.

Lesson: Get good at long hair now, or risk missing out on a deeply loyal clientele.

5. “Old School” vs “New School”

Barbering is built on tradition but is constantly evolving. “Old school” techniques are the foundations for everything that we do in the shop and without them, we wouldn’t have the new techniques that we do. There is a time and a place for both. I make time to practice old-school and “new school” techniques. Understanding both has not only made me more versatile but also helped me start shaping my own niche.

Lesson: Balance tradition with innovation. Both matter.

6. A Great Haircut Should Complement Your Clients Lifestyle

I’ve learnt that a haircut isn’t just about how it looks when the client leaves the chair. It has to work for their lifestyle too. I once gave a client a cut I thought looked amazing, but he came back frustrated because it didn’t suit his day-to-day routine and was impossible to style at home. That moment taught me to ask better questions: How much time do they spend styling? What products do they use? What do they do for work? A Great hair day only works when it matches the person’s lifestyle.

Lesson: A haircut doesn’t end at the chair. It has to live with the client. Tailoring your cut to your client will always win out.

7. Inspiration Can Come from Anyone

One of the best things about hair is that there’s no single way to do it. I’ve learnt just as much from apprentices and students as I have from industry leaders. I’ve picked up techniques from watching hairdressers blow waving long hair, from colourists working with texture, from barbers on stage, and even from scrolling Instagram or watching TV. Inspiration isn’t limited to one corner of the industry. If you’re open to it, every person who works with hair has something to teach you.

Lesson: Respect all parts of the craft. Inspiration has no hierarchy.

8. A Barbershop Shave: The Ultimate Selfcare Experience for Men

The first time I held a razor, my hands were shaking. This is a skill that certainly takes time and patience to get good at but a skill that will help you to shine above. With a traditional Barbershop shave there’s nowhere to hide. It’s all precision, control, and patience. There is no better feeling for your client than a satisfying hot towel shave, so why not also enjoy it and embrace tradition. Shaving is a reminder of what barbering has always been: a mix of ritual, service, and trust.

Lesson: Hone your shaving skills and have your clients always coming back for this luxury service and experience.

9. Know Your Numbers

In barber school, no one talked much about the numbers. In the shop they matter. I’ve had weeks that felt busy but didn’t add up financially, which forced me to look at things like rebooking rates, average spend, and retail. Barbering is creative, but if you don’t understand the business side, you’ll limit your growth.

Lesson: Barbering is art, but it’s also business. Track your numbers and set goals each week if you want to progress.

10. Barbering is About People, Not Just Hair

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt is that clients don’t just come back for the haircut. They come back for the way you make them feel. I’ve seen technically perfect cuts that didn’t build loyalty, and simpler cuts that did, because the barber built a real connection. Barbering is half technical and half personal. Get both right, and you’ll keep clients for life.

Lesson: The haircut is only half the service. The rest is the relationship.

I’m still learning, and still making mistakes, and I think I always will in some ways. This is how we grow as barbers and stylists. Every client teaches me something new. From learning to handle long hair, to matching cuts to lifestyles, and mastering the hot towel shave experience, the lessons have come fast and often painfully. But I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

If you’re starting out, don’t just stay in your comfort zone to avoid the hard lessons. They’re the ones that shape you. Barbering is patience, resilience, and curiosity. Set goals, keep learning, keep asking, and let every mistake sharpen you into the barber you want to become.

@k.w.barber