We spoke to international men’s hair educator, Josh Lamonaca, on his career journey pushing the barbering industry into a new wave...
What has been your career journey so far?
My career began when I was 15. I was interested in footballers’ hairstyles like Darren Huckerby and David Beckham – the really cool, textured hairstyle. I was fascinated as you couldn’t get this from the barbershop because they didn’t have the style and technique. People would want a short and faded haircut, but they couldn’t get that from the hairdresser. They’d go to the barbershop to get a fade and then go to the hairdressers to get the top cut. There was an interesting niche, and we decided we wanted to cut hair like hairdressers but fade like barbers.
What do you do as an international men’s hair educator?
I started teaching in 2015 about a year after we opened our salon. Social media started to come onto the scene and people began to see the kind of work we were doing. They noticed it was different, more fashion focused and forward thinking. We started going up and down the country doing day workshops and staff training, and then we started to get international requests on Instagram. We started travelling the world and we’ve been doing that for six or seven years.
What’s a typical day in the life like for you?
It varies, but I could be in the Menspire Academy teaching a professional course. Or the next I could be flying to Brazil to give a seminar in front of 2000 people. I could be stacking shelves in the academy, sending out orders, and I could be having meetings with my directors or Zoom calls – there’s so much that goes on, every day is different.
What challenges have you faced during your career?
Finding the right balance. As an educator, you’re a leader, mentor and boss – you’re constantly giving to others. One of the main things is trying to establish boundaries, where your time lies, and how you can give time to yourself, your family, and your friends.
What inspires you?
Anything and everything. Life itself and also the absence of life. Understanding there is an end gives me motivation to do the best in this life.
What’s next for Josh?
Online education – being able to provide people with education digitally around the world makes sense to me. I also want to get more involved in fashion, get more experience, get involved in some runways. Let’s see what happens!
2014: Opened Menspire
2017: On stage in Brazil for the first time in front of 2000 people
2023: Won Best All-Round Barber at the Modern Barber Awards
2024: Menspire's 10th anniversary and won Educator of the Year at the Modern Barber Awards
