Phil Yates had never cut anyone's hair before deciding to retrain as a barber at age 60. The former marketing executive, now 63, says his father's approval was so meaningful it almost made him cry. His dad, a fishmonger turned factory worker who had lived on the streets as a child, told him: 'That's fantastic. Life's so short.'
From Marketing to Barbering
Yates resigned from his marketing job at a software company and enrolled in a full-time level 4 certification at barbering school, where most other students were 16. 'I think there was a bit of: Holy shit, who's this old man?' he recalls. During the course, he walked into Hava & Co barbershop in Auckland and asked for a placement. The owner visited the school the next day, offered him a trial sweeping floors over Christmas, and Yates has been there ever since.
A Life of Reinvention
Born in England, Yates moved to New Zealand in 1973 at age 10. He left school at 15 and home at 16, working in factories, concreting, photolithography, and billboard production before finding his way into graphic design and marketing in his late 30s. 'There was no grand plan,' he says. 'When I saw something that sparkled a little bit more for me, I went over that way.'
The Rocking Barber
Yates calls himself 'the rocking barber' for his trademark pompadour hairstyle and love of rockabilly music. He curates cutting playlists and hosts an internet radio show called Grits and Grease. On busy days, he sees 16 to 17 clients in half-hour slots, leaving only 22 minutes for cutting after washing and booking. He believes he likely has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and the fast-paced rhythm suits him. 'Even a buzz cut can make me feel good. Because every single cut has to be your absolute best,' he says. 'You're doing a project with your hands; then you finish it and you let it go.'
Inner Happiness
Yates hopes to travel and barber as he goes. He says becoming a barber 'has brought so much inner happiness. There's a vibrancy in my life that was lacking. An incredible satisfaction.' He adds: 'With scissors, you can create something magnificent.'
