Charlie Gray is a household name in the barbering industry, his skill and professionalism is unmatched, his recent moves to become more sustainable haven’t gone unnoticed. After breaking away from Menspire to create his own educational platform we caught up with Charlie to see how it’s all going and how being more environmentally conscious has enhanced his business.
What was your biggest challenge when breaking away and setting up Hair In Motion?
My biggest challenge was taking full responsibility for every single aspect of my business. Before i set up Hair In Motion i was only in charge of running courses and making sure things were set up correctly. I was now stepping into the role of a businessman which I had never had to do before, to be honest I relished the opportunity and I knew it was the right path for me, it felt very natural and didn’t feel like work at all but felt like my purpose.
What advice would you give people thinking of going into hair education themselves?
I would say you need to understand why it is you want to educate in the first place. Many people think they want to because of the benefits that might come with it but not fully understanding what it is your committing to. First and foremost educating is about passing on information to other people, your only as good as the information the student can take away from you. What I mean by this is that you don’t have to be the best haircutter in the world to be the best educator but you need to be relatable and easy to understand, this is what makes you a great teacher.
How can the industry raise awareness about being more aware of its environmental impact?
Each and every company should be responsible for their carbon footprint in how it does its business. Things like product companies is where it needs to start, there needs to be a basic understanding and training from the ground up on how to be more environmentally friendly in salons. Things like recycling bins and food waste bins should be compulsory, when it comes to products they should be sustainably sourced or locally sourced.
How has trying to live a low impact lifestyle affected your work and who you collaborate with?
Living a low impact lifestyle as a choice has allowed me to meet like minded people along my journey. These people are doing great things in the industry to better it not just for themselves but for everybody involved. I am committed to helping and pushing these causes for the greater good as it is aligned with what I believe in and I believe it is the only way to move forward.
What advice would you give to businesses who are trying to be more environmentally friendly?
Start looking at alternatives which don’t rely on being the cheapest option, there are plenty of new companies being launched who focus on being more environmentally friendly who produce good quality products for an affordable price. We have the power of the internet at our fingers to research, there’s no excuses anymore to not know something especially if you go looking for it.
What are the best resources that have helped you along the way?
The best resources along the way that have helped me have been connecting with like minded people in the industry. This really pushing the boundaries for a better and more sustainable future, researching the internet and social media pages and even reading books that benefit me.
What’s next for Hair In Motion?
Hair In Motion is currently fully focused on becoming the number one leading online hair education platform there is out there! I have recently cut down all of my 1 to 1 training and any travelling to get this to the point that I’m happy with and there’s still lots of hard work to go. When I’m not working on the platform with content or editing I’m on session work shoots or with my family.
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