In March 2023, Motsoane “Barber Mots” Ranchobe and his business partner, Shakhane “Shakes Da Barber” Pilioane, started Luxury Barbershop with little more than a passion for barbering and a determination to build something of their own.
There was no substantial start-up capital. Instead, the two entrepreneurs began by renting two workstations in a shared premises alongside hairdressers and nail technicians.
What started as a modest operation has since grown into a five-workstation barbershop with its own premises, five employees and an average of about 20 customers a day.
For Ranchobe and Pilioane, the journey has been less about overnight success and more about steadily turning an idea into a recognisable brand.
“We started with what we had,” Ranchobe, popularly known as Barber Mots, says, reflecting on the early days of the business.
The founders say their entry into barbering was influenced by both their circumstances and their interest in the craft. While unemployment and the need to create an income were part of the reality they faced, there was also a genuine passion for barbering and the desire to build something beyond simply finding work.
For Pilioane, known as Shakes Da Barber, the journey has demonstrated the importance of starting even when conditions are not perfect.
“You cannot always wait until you have everything. Sometimes you have to start with what is available to you and build from there,” Pilioane says.
That philosophy appears to have shaped Luxury Barbershop’s growth.
The two founders have had to learn not only how to serve customers and sharpen their barbering skills, but also how to operate a business together.
As with any partnership, disagreements are inevitable. The challenge, they say, has been learning how to separate personal differences from business decisions and find common ground when making important choices.
“We don’t always agree on everything. But we have learnt that the business has to come first,” Ranchobe says.
That ability to navigate differences has become particularly important as the business has expanded from two rented workstations to its own premises.
The founders describe the move into their own shop as one of the significant turning points in the Luxury journey.
Their first premises was a shared space where they operated alongside other businesses, with only two workstations available to them.
Today, Luxury Barbershop has five workstations, a reception area and a dedicated waiting area, a physical representation of how far the business has come since 2023.
The shop currently employs five people, including three additional barbers, an assistant and a receptionist.
On an average day, the business serves approximately 20 customers, giving the operation a steady flow of clientele and demonstrating the demand they have been able to build around the brand.
For the founders, however, growth is not measured only by the number of customers walking through the door.
They have also used the business to develop skills and create opportunities for young people, having trained four young people in barbering.
“It’s important for us to create opportunities for other young people. We also started somewhere, so if we can help someone else learn and grow, that is important to us,” Pilioane says.
Building a brand through collaboration
The founders also see collaboration as an important part of building a modern brand. Rather than limiting the business to the traditional barbershop model, Luxury has worked with personalities from Lesotho’s entertainment, influencer and digital-creator space.
Among the influencers, artists and content creators the barbershop has collaborated with are Mavele The Infinity, Litšepe Lr, TikToker Dumela, Mayeza, Walter Nkopane, DJ Toxique, Chris Theko, Ceejaydamafia and Keshy.
For the founders, such collaborations have provided an opportunity to increase the brand’s visibility while connecting Luxury with audiences beyond its physical location.
The collaborations also reflect the changing nature of branding, where businesses increasingly use relationships with creatives and public figures to build awareness and establish themselves within popular culture.
The founders say working with creatives has been an important component of their growth strategy.
That approach is also reflected in the name Luxury.
The founders say the name was chosen to communicate more than simply a place where customers come to have their hair cut. It represents the experience they want customers to associate with the brand.
From the physical environment to customer service and the quality of the work, the intention has been to create an experience that feels different from an ordinary barbershop.
But the journey has not been without its challenges.
Building a business without significant initial capital required the founders to be resourceful, while the transition from a shared space to their own premises brought new responsibilities and financial pressures.
Their experience has also taught them that entrepreneurship requires more than technical skills.
“You learn as you go,” Ranchobe says. “There are things you only understand once you are actually running the business.”
Although the founders have chosen not to disclose the value of their biggest investment in Luxury Barbershop, their progression illustrates the gradual reinvestment that has taken place since the business began.
From two rented workstations, they now have a five-station operation of their own and a team of five employees.And they are not stopping there.
Luxury Barbershop currently operates from one location, but the founders have set their sights on opening two additional locations within the next five years.
For Ranchobe and Pilioane, the ambition is therefore to transform Luxury from a successful single-location barbershop into a broader brand capable of creating more employment and opportunities for young Basotho.
Looking back at where they started, the founders say the journey has reinforced the value of starting small, remaining consistent and being willing to learn.
What began in March 2023 without actual start-up capital is now a business serving approximately 20 customers a day, employing five people and having trained four young people.
The next chapter will be about whether the two entrepreneurs can replicate that growth beyond their first location.
For now, however, Luxury Barbershop’s story remains a reminder that entrepreneurship does not always begin with deep pockets or perfect conditions.
Sometimes, it begins with two workstations, two people and a decision to start.
Summary
- In March 2023, Motsoane “Barber Mots” Ranchobe and his business partner, Shakhane “Shakes Da Barber” Pilioane, started Luxury Barbershop with little more than a passion for barbering and a determination to build something of their own.
- While unemployment and the need to create an income were part of the reality they faced, there was also a genuine passion for barbering and the desire to build something beyond simply finding work.
- On an average day, the business serves approximately 20 customers, giving the operation a steady flow of clientele and demonstrating the demand they have been able to build around the brand.
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