Meet the Waihi teens taking out top customer's choice award in Hauraki-Coromandel

Maddcutzz co-owner Maddie Grey at work on client Dylan Pascoe at Dylan and Jamie's Waihi salon. Photo / Alison Smith

Waihi brothers Maddie and Jamie Grey are living proof you can leave school early, grow a business despite a global pandemic and win the top customer's choice award in your whole region.

Maddcutzz, their barber salon in Waihi, is expanding into Paeroa and the boys who started out cutting the hair of friends at their local youth centre free are employing two mates.

At 17, Jamie is coming to grips with his shyness and learning how to help customers feel at ease while helping them walk out of his barbershop feeling better about themselves.

His 19-year-old brother Maddie, who has guided Jamie since the pair started Maddcutzz two years ago, is learning about work-life balance.

"I actually enjoyed lockdown," he says. "The main thing it's such reliable job, hair keeps growing back, and everyone stayed loyal too."

The boys' barbershop in Haszard St Waihi is a walk-in barber where males of all ages feel relaxed. With graffiti art on the wall, a ping-pong table, music and couches with books to read while waiting, a constant flow of customers come here to get their fade cuts, short back and sides, mullets or whatever else they need.

Some chill out quietly, others need a chat.

"I went straight from [school] year 11 to cutting and the hardest thing was confidence, social communication with clients and staying happy the whole time," says Jamie.

"It can be mentally challenging talking to people every day, you get a whole variety of people and you have to find a positive, but it's always good to talk to them."

Jamie and Maddie's loyal customers and their friends and families voted up large for the brothers at this year's Hauraki-Coromandel Business Awards, and the boys took out top spot in the People's Choice for 2021.

The award celebrates the best local businesses in the Hauraki-Coromandel region.

They wore their smart chinos and Maddcutzz shirts to collect their award at a swanky dinner at Puka Park in Pauanui.

"It was a different sort of buzz there, real formal," says Maddie. He left school to start his business in 2019, but still went to the senior formal where he was crowned the ball king.

"We wanted to shout out to everyone that has supported us so far, it's been a pretty wild and challenging journey but we love what we do," they said.

"A massive thank you to the community for their votes and support."

Jamie Grey on the ping pong-table at his Maddcutzz barbershop in Waihi. Photo / Alison Smith

Maddie professionally trained in haircuts at a barber college in Mount Maunganui and Jamie followed, after the boys started out watching and learning off YouTube and practising on the other teens at the youth centre where their mum, Sarah Spicer, worked.

"The young fullas asked for a cut because they'd be full afro, and I had a YouTube clip and learnt from that, and they'd keep coming through," says Maddie. "They're still asking for free haircuts."

So successful are the boys that they're opening a shop in Paeroa, where they're employing friends Zane Huiarangi and Jordn Masters full time.

Zane, 17, has worked on the team since February and followed his long-time friend Jamie to Barber College.

Usually, the clients know what they want and skinfades are the cut for summer.

"I like them giving me a direction of how short to go and I'll do my own touches. You communicate as you go," says Jamie.

"It changes their personality, it's definitely a confidence booster when they leave."

Maddcutzz in Waihi is expanding with a Paeroa barbershop opening soon employing Zane Huiarangi (centre) with owners Maddie (left) and Jamie Grey. Photo / HC Post

Zane says Maddcutzz is a nice vibe and always has friendly customers cruising in. "I've always found cutting hair satisfying," he says. "Jamie and Maddie are great teachers and I like transforming a client, making them feel good."

Maddcutzz opens at 3 Mackay St in Paeroa and continues in Haszard St, Waihi.