Callum Walker was kicked out of school at 13, but instead of sitting around and doing nothing, he has worked his way up to become one of the hottest hairdressers in Manchester.
Now 20, Callum has become a hit with the traveller community as he's a dab hand at creating extravagant fairytale style hairdos for weddings and other big social events.
He's got 29 qualifications under his belt and has also worked on some of Parklife's boldest looks, as Manchester Evening News reports.
As a result, the youngster has made it to the finals of the prestigious Hair and Beauty Awards in the 'Hairstylist of the Year' category after building his own brand, Swarvella.
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At the very first Traveller wedding he worked on, Callum recalls how he stayed overnight at the Hilton hotel in Doncaster and ended up using 3,500 hair grips to style a group of girls.
"I was asked to do a wedding for a girl at Doncaster Racecourse," Callum said. "By the end of the day, I had done 16 girls.
"They all shared me on Instagram, commented, tagged me in pictures. If I'd stayed longer, I would’ve done even more.
"The day went amazing. Every single girl I did that day personally took the time out and messaged me to thank me, even though we’d briefly just met. They said their hair didn’t move at all, all night."
"That’s where it came from. They started sharing me on social media and a lot of girls started following me. So I reached out to that community and got girls to come in and model.
"I've got eight traveller weddings booked in from now until next August, and counting."
Callum says the signature style is defined by 'something big' on top of the head, with a few curls down and 'a plait here or there'.
“Traveller clients give you the chance to create whatever you want to create," he explains.
"They allow you to give them that fairy-tale look, which is absolutely amazing.
"Every time I do those types of weddings, I can’t sleep at night, thinking about the content I’m going to get and the new faces of my clients and the opportunities.
"I’ve got to do everything in my stride to make the day special for clients. They make the day special for us, as well. It's nice to be a part of it and feel accomplished."
Callum lives and breathes his work, doing hair seven days a week - even when he has no clients booked.
"If I’ve not got clients, I’m calling models in. I’m trying to achieve the best of the best, that’s all I want to do," he said.
"I want to make my name an establishment. When I was younger, I used to use the word suave a lot and one day, a client said to me: 'I’m going to call you 'Swarvella' from now on.'
"Everyone kept coming up to me and saying 'Swarvella'. I ended up calling my business after that."
Describing his favourite aspect of his job, Callum continues to say: "For a client to walk out of my chair, feeling good about themselves, with a big smile on their face, it means the world to me.
"They don’t see it, as a client, but this is me succeeding and making my family happy. That’s what pushes me."
The Swarvella Instagram page, which has amassed over 5,700 followers, is where Callum attracts most of his clients.
Recently he also launched a YouTube channel, where he will be uploading hair tutorials and more beauty content.
Speaking about the upcoming awards, Callum adds: "My fiancé signed me up for the Hair and Beauty Awards. I've previously applied and never had a response.
"But the awards emailed me within 24 hours and said I'm in the final. I was shocked, I was hysterical.
"The first thing I did was pick up the phone and tell my nana.
"It’s one of the biggest goals that I wanted to achieve. It feels like recognition."
Entries will close in January and the final awards ceremony will take place later in 2022. Callum will be cheered on by proud friends and family in Blackley.
"My family, friends and colleagues are super proud," he said. "The whole community is behind me. The local shops have got posters of me, which feels really good. I get a bit overwhelmed. Everyone wants to be a part of it."
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