From a Stoep to an Empire: How?
In this episode of The Carol Ofori Podcast, Carol speaks to the Founder of Legends Barber, Sheldon Tatchell, about his journey from a pair of clippers on a stoep to Africa’s number one-rated barber shop.
A few days before [Riky Rick] passed on, he called me, and normally when he calls me, we'll have conversations for maybe 10 - 15 minutes. And this particular moment when he called me, I was driving all the way from Pretoria to the office in Randburg, and we were on the phone for fifty minutes straight. – Sheldon Tatchell
This episode of The Carol Ofori Podcast is for every single person who has a passion and a dream of turning that passion into something incredible.
Carol is joined by Sheldon Tatchell who shares his inspiring journey from starting as a barber on his cousin's stoep in Eldorado Park in Soweto to becoming the owner of Legends Barber, Africa's number one-rated barbershop with 70 salons and over 600 employees across the continent.
Sheldon discusses his early passion for hairstyling, the challenges and setbacks he faced, including a partnership that almost ended his ambitions, and how perseverance and a unique approach to customer service propelled him to success.
ALSO LISTEN: Weight loss ‘quick fixes’: Are they worth it?
He also talks about the importance of treating people with kindness, his innovative ideas like the mobile barber bus, and the impact of Legends Barber on communities, including offering free training for aspiring barbers.
Sheldon reflects on personal losses, including the death of friends and celebrities like Riky Rick and AKA, emphasizing the profound influence they had on his life and business.
This episode of The Carol Ofori Podcast is the perfect example of what every single South African can achieve if we have a dream and enough passion and drive to go along with it, even if all you have is a pair of clippers and someone else’s stoep. Nothing is impossible. Listen at the top of the page or directly below.
Meanwhile, in an earlier episode, Carol explored the complexities of South Africans relocating abroad and sheds light on the various factors that need to be considered before packing up and leaving. The podcast featured insights from Mark Sham, a well-travelled entrepreneur, as well as observations from two other South Africans – one who emigrated two years ago and another who left the country and returned eight years later. In the first part of the podcast, Mark discusses the idea that moving away from South Africa involves trade-offs rather than outright solutions.
The second part of the podcast includes conversations with Zane Derbyshire, who relocated to the USA, and Tyron Hansen, who moved to Canada and later returned to South Africa.
ALSO LISTEN: Leaving SA: Worth it or not?
If you’d like to suggest a topic for The Carol Ofori Podcast, please email Carol’s producer, Rory, at [email protected].