A barber is celebrating her 10th year in the industry.
Carol McCubbin, 32, is the owner of Gatsby’s Barbers and Ladies Salon in Fakenham, where we has been working since 2010.
This June will mark her 10th anniversary at the barbers.
Originally from Dereham, Mrs McCubbin used to commute to the market town for her job. Until a year later, when she was just 22, she brought the shop on the town’s Bridge Street from Michael Fanthorpe when he retired.
Looking back at her 10 years in the business, she said: “I’m really proud. It is an honour that I’ve been able to be a big part of people’s lives. I cannot thank them enough for supporting me, I wouldn’t be here without my clients.”
The 32-year-old has always had a passion for barbering, taking great pride in making her clients look and feel good.
She used to cut her family’s hair, and was inspired to make a career out of it when they returned home from the barbers with a bad haircut, she was livid. She knew that she could do a better job.
Mrs McCubbin has trained across the United Kingdom to become a master of her trade. She expanded the bussiness by opening a salon upstairs and recruiting passionate staff.
“My customers inspired me to keep improving myself. Listening to them and their stories and making them feel safe has made me want to be stronger for them and be here for them,” she said.
The barbers has been locked up since March 23 due to the current pandemic. It is the most time off Mrs McCubbin has ever had in her 10 years of barbering, having only taken two weeks off for the birth of her daughters.
But the messages of support from clients is helping her through. She said: “This time especially has made me realise just how lucky I am and how hard work has made clients become friends.”
The Gatsby owner has also put a focus on men’s mental health during her time cutting hair. She believes the relationship she has with her customers has allowed her to help, she said: “I am not trained in mental health support, but seeing someone so often you can tell when something is up and I can help point them in the right direction.”
The shop has been her whole life, as she met her now-husband Zak while cutting his hair, as well as having two children who she hopes will be involved with the shop when they grow up.
She is looking ahead to the next 10 years, hoping to bring lots of exciting things to the shop and already has plans to train with non surgical hair replacement.
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