Andrews Asare, CEO of Andis Barber and Beauty Studio, has recounted his journey from a trained artist to an award-winning professional barber, highlighting the determination and resilience that have shaped his career.
Asare, the youngest of four siblings, was born into a family from Anyinase in the Ashanti Region and grew up in Meduma, Kumasi, where he attended Ahwiaa Experimental JHS.
After completing his junior high school education around 2006, financial challenges prevented him from continuing to senior high school. His mother, however, recognised his talent in drawing and helped him secure training at an art shop in Kumasi.
From 2006 to 2008, he trained under an artist known as Samhed before moving to Accra in September 2008 to continue his training under a man known as Keffi in Darkuman.
By 2010, Asare had developed his skills in designing banners and signboards, but the emergence of digital printing and design technology prompted him to consider a different career path.
He eventually found his way into barbering in 2011 after a friend, Ernest, introduced him to Mike, a barber based in Fadama, Accra.
On July 6, 2011, Asare began his professional barbering journey, which later led to the establishment of Andis Barber and Beauty Studio.
He said his difficult childhood experiences and desire to improve the circumstances of his family motivated him to work hard and pursue excellence.
“Because of my background and the family I knew I was coming from, I made sure I worked very hard to change the status quo,” he said.
Asare has since built a career that has earned him recognition in Ghana’s barbering and beauty industry.
He has won the Ghana Barber of the Year award at the Ghana Beauty Awards and Male Personality of the Year at the 1st African Award.
He has also been featured on several media platforms, including TV3, GhanaWeb, JoyNews, Adom TV, Akoo TV, GTV, Max 24 TV and KFM TV.
Asare also hosted the Ghana Barber Summit 2020, which he describes as Ghana’s first-ever barber summit.
Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, Asare said he does not believe in dwelling on failures but rather sees them as opportunities to learn and improve.
“I don’t believe in regrets but rather I believe in learning,” he said.
He has also adopted “Doing is a must” as one of his key personal mantras, stressing the importance of taking action to achieve one’s goals.
“Because if you have a goal and you are unable to get that goal done, just know that someone else will get it done and take the credit,” he said.
Asare, who continues to focus on growing his business and improving his craft, has encouraged young people to consider skilled work and remain consistent in pursuing their ambitions.
“How big will you dream if you know you couldn’t fail?” he asked, urging the youth to take the first step towards achieving their goals.
“Learning skilled work is the new flex, just stay consistent,” he added.
