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A North Belfast man is gearing up to celebrate his first year as the proud owner of a barbershop.
John McCourt, from the Whitewell Road area, was working in the automobile industry when he was made redundant during the pandemic. The 34-year-old had launched a beard treatment product, Big Phat Beard, through the Go For It scheme.
After he was left jobless, John took matters into his own hands – quite literally – and opened his own barbershop, in the area where he was raised.
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Speaking to Belfast Live ahead of Big Phat Barbershop’s first birthday on Friday, John said he would encourage anyone with a dream, to “just go for it”.
“Barbering wasn’t my background, but it is now,” he said.
“Before coronavirus, I worked in an automobile business and was made redundant, which was hard. While I was there, I had started a brand called Big Phat Beard, which is beard treatments. I made it official, had the product tested and went through the Go For It programme .
“After being made redundant, I started to train as a barber and was there for a couple of years. There was a unit at the bottom of the Whitewell Road which was there for about 20 years – it closed and I told my partner that if it ever became available, I would go for it. It did, and I did.
“I moved in on November 17 – I had one single chair, but started cutting straight away. All of my clients followed me down, it was brilliant. On December 1, 2022, I had an official opening, so we are coming up to our first birthday here on Friday.
“We have a signature wall in the shop, and every customer who comes through our doors get to sign their names on the wall. We have just hit over 1,000 signatures.”
John opened up about the fears associated with going out alone, into the world of self-employment. But while it came with its stresses, he is now bursting with pride, and thanked his partner, family, friends and customers for believing in him.
“It was terrifying to go out on my own, because I had no financial help whatsoever,” he added.
“I did have help through a business plan, in terms of mentoring, but I done everything myself, financially. It was scary but I wanted it, and I would do anything to make it work. The shop is called Big Phat Barbershop, and it is an extension of Big Phat Beard, which is going really well, being shipped globally.
“I had a vision, and things have worked out better than that vision. I have a guy who flies over from Florida every two months to see his mum, and I cut his hair, he won’t let anyone else cut it. That makes it all worth it.
“If anyone is reading this, and has a vision or a dream to follow something they are passionate about, I would just say do it. If you don’t try it, you will never know. “
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