Nexus Barbershop – People of Timely

Hey Danny, thanks for taking some time to chat to us today. How’s things?

Hey guys, well thanks for stopping by! Things are great. We’ve got four seats in the shop now, everyone is putting out some amazing cuts, and there’s an all round good atmosphere.

What’s been the best thing about owning and running your own business?

I like that I can control my own destiny. I get to choose who I want to work with, and follow my passion. I do what needs to be done, and the business succeeds because of it. Most of all though, I love connecting with my customers every day.

Can you tell us about your personal values?

Sure. I like to show, and live, my passion. I’m a family man with an open heart and consider myself to be caring… a good listener. This works well for me as a barber. I’m always listening to our customer’s needs.

“Most of all though, I love connecting with my customers every day.”

Your Grandfather was a barber as well right?

Yeah my Grandfather was a barber back in Samoa. His name was Uiliamu Usini Peteru, and he would be 98 this year if he was still around. He was self-taught, only using scissors and comb with missing teeth… no clippers!

He would make sure all the males in the family had haircuts before White Sunday (a special day for the kids ). He also gave haircuts to some of the youth in our Falefa Village.

I remember watching him cutting hair from a young age, I just loved being around my grandfather and watching him work.

So you were first exposed to the barber life in Samoa, and then what?

I moved to New Zealand in ‘92 with my mother. I started giving the boys rugby team haircuts at school. I was also cutting hair for friends and family for ages and then started sweeping the floor in a barbershop where my cousin was working.

In 2013 I started a barbering course at Cut Above Academy, and worked part time in a barbershop over in Auckland’s North Shore. I was still courier driving full time at this point. I graduated from the course in 2014, and started barbering in a bunch of different shops around Auckland. I moved my way up into a manager role, and then decided to open my own place.

December 17th 2016 was the grand opening of Nexus barbershop.

Where does the name ‘Nexus’ come from?

It’s a long story, but I’ll keep it short. When my wife and I were living in Brisbane, we used to attend a church called Nexus – where we also got married. ‘Nexus’ means ‘point of connection’, and this really resonated with my wife and I. So for my own barbershop, I wanted it to be a point of connection for the whole community. A place to come and talk about your issues, or your success. As men we tend to bottle up a lot of our issues, so we want to create a place where someone can come and talk, and be listened to. We kind of act like counselors really.

“So for my own barbershop, I wanted it to be a point of connection for the whole community. A place to come and talk about your issues, or your success.”

Is community something that you try to instill here at the shop?

Yeah definitely. We involve the business in the community wherever we can. We help support a basketball team in the YMCA competition, sponsored prizes for a beard competition, and help out other local businesses.

What’s your advice for those starting a business?

• Pay your tax.
• Complete a business course.
• Be passionate about what you do.
• Do your research about everything.
• Enjoy yourself.

What do you see for the future of Nexus Barbershop?

I’ve got big plans…big plans. Watch this space.