Asher's buzzing business

What began as a casual evening of online shopping on Temu has unexpectedly turned into a lucrative side hustle for Year 11 student Asher Carter.

After ordering a product that arrived with a bonus set of hair clippers, Asher’s friends encouraged him to give haircutting a try.

“My mates said I should attempt a haircut for a joke,” Asher recalls. “I cut my mate’s hair and didn’t do too badly, so they told me I should keep going.”

Taking their advice seriously, Asher upgraded his gear with a new set of clippers for his birthday — the first step in what quickly became a genuine passion. “I realised it could be a fun way to make money — not like a normal job sitting at a desk. You get to talk to people,” he says.

Since then, Asher has been honing his craft through determination and self‑learning. He watches YouTube tutorials to refine his technique and swaps tips with his own barber. His dedication mirrors a wider revival in barbering — a trade once considered old‑fashioned but now experiencing a resurgence thanks to social media.

Asher has already built a loyal client base of friends, extended networks, and even a few dads. His weekly schedule is filling fast: two cuts on Tuesdays, two or three on Thursdays, and up to three more over the weekend — all balanced around football training.

His range of styles is growing too. From everyday tapers and fades to more adventurous looks, Asher enjoys the creativity the job brings. One of his most memorable requests was an “Avatar” haircut: “A buzzcut with an arrow down the middle,” he laughs. “That was probably the craziest.”

Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Classmate Jahsta, Asher’s very first customer, remembers the reaction vividly: “Oh my days, that first day after I got my cut from Asher, multiple people came up to me asking, ‘Who cut your hair, man?’ And I told them it was my mate Carter!”

Looking ahead, Asher is already thinking beyond school. With growing confidence and a potential offer of employment at his local barber, he hopes to pursue the profession full‑time.

In the meantime, he’s taking his skills into the community. Asher will be offering haircuts at the Whau Youth Board’s ‘Street Beats’ event this Friday afternoon - make sure you swing by and get yourself a free haircut!