Name: Luke Burden
Business: Blackdog Haircutters
Job title: Trainee stylist
Website: www.blackdoghaircutters.co.uk
Luke applied to Blackdog as a barber’s apprentice. His interview was not good. Luke had dropped out of uni and found it almost impossible to communicate with people. He was struggling socially and personally, but there was something about him so we decided to give it a shot.
Blackdog’s ethos is built on alternatives and acceptance, a place to come should you not fit into mainstream society, a haven for creatives looking for a space to shine. Taking him on was the right decision and it’s been a pleasure to watch Luke grow.
There were teething problems – he was still struggling to communicate – but with perseverance and a strong working relationship, he has improved each day.
Luke sailed through his NVQ – we’d never seen someone grasp cutting so quickly, and he has a gift for cutting patterns.
Luke is more than a barber – he has diverse set of skills, turning his hand to most things without prompting. For example, he advises on marketing campaigns, designs artwork and posters, is our IT administrator, a barman at Blackdog gigs and is well on his way to being shop manager.
The highlight of Luke’s input was one night when he pulled out a tatty bit of paper with an intricate, scribbly mind map of all the ideas he’d been storing since joining. Luke had thought through a clear pathway of how Blackdog could be the best ‘Haircutters’ in its field and open more salons round the world through franchising or licensing. He’s come such a long way and we’re so proud.
Nominated by Helena Mitchell, director of Blackdog Haircutters
