JOHN O’Shea was always destined to be a hairdresser.
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As a child he used to cut the hair of his pet cat and dogs, as well as sister’s dolls.
“I’ve been cutting hair my whole life,” he said.
While he’s been cutting hair since he was a kid, this week marks 30 years in the business.
John was 15 years old when Sandra Hope, at Donna Callista gave him a start as an apprentice hairdresser, and the rest is history.
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After five years, he opened his own barber shop in the AMP building, and has remained virtually in the same location, ever since.
He said he loves the creativity in his job, and likes to keep his skills up to date.
“I try my hardest to be the best in town,” he said.
Over the years he has also forged many friendships with his clients, with many coming in just to say ‘hi’.
“You become a bit of a counsellor in this job,” he said.
“People come in, sit down and have a yarn about their problems. I’ve been doing it for 30 years, so I know how to talk,” he laughed.
He said he currently employs three staff, which he said were up there ‘with the best’ he has ever had, and thanked them for their support.
He also thanked Sandra Hope for giving him a start in his career.
“I was just a kid when I walked in looking for a job, she believed in me and gave me a chance, and invested a lot of time in me.”
He said he was also proud to be the only barber shop in Bathurst to receive a Bathurst Business Award, and thanked his clients for their support, saying Bathurst “was a great city.”