Hey, my name’s Jake. I am 25 years old, from Birmingham in the UK and I was raised in Cannock, Staffordshire. Although I have had a passion for cutting hair since around the age of 13, I have not always been a barber. Prior to becoming a barber and after leaving school aged 16, I decided to join the British Armed Forces. During my 6 years in the British Army, numerous overseas deployments and experiences, I grew in ways I could have never imagined. My biggest achievement of my time in the military and my life so far was completing the British Army’s Commando Course, one of the military’s most arduous courses, earning the coveted green beret to become a commando, specialising in amphibious and arctic warfare. Achieving this at just 17 is something I am and always will be very proud of. As exciting, adventurous and promising as my military career was, there was no room for creativity. I realised I would never be completely happy without being creative. I decided to leave the army and transition to the hair industry. It’s now evident that there are many qualities and experiences that I gained in the military that I have now applied to barbering, such as discipline, attention to detail, and clear communication to achieve the main objective, your perfect haircut. I have been cutting hair for 5 years, 3 years professionally. My interest in cutting hair began from when I was a boy. My father would spend what felt like hours cutting my hair (barbering was never his profession), but he always took time and pride in me and my brother always having the freshest cuts. I started my barbering career as a student in London School of Barbering, UK. It was here I produced my first haircuts after being taught the basics of hair and customer service. My best memories of barbering before joining Chaps and Co were working in a busy Birmingham city centre shop before the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m also proud to say that I worked throughout Asia before coming to the UAE. 6 months ago, I joined Chaps and Co. It has been a huge step up in terms of the service and customer care. Catering to the individual’s needs and finer details has really opened my eyes to what a barbershop experience can be. But more importantly, it has shown me anything and anywhere is possible if you want it. I’m very proud to be part of such a creative, highly respected and elite brand. In my future with Chaps, I see myself continuing to grow and progress but ultimately my goal is to become a Chaps and Co educator. I’m also hoping to gain some experience working in the New York shop.