115: The Dapper Fox Deep Dive: Elsa Larkins on Building a 3-Shop Empire from £50
About this episode
Elsa Larkins shares her journey of building a multi-shop empire from just £50, discussing the challenges of female entrepreneurship in the barber industry.
In this Noble Barber Deep Dive, Anthony Laban travels to the stunning Grade II listed Wandsworth site of The Dapper Fox to sit down with its founder, Elsa Larkins. This isn't just a story about opening a barber shop; it’s a masterclass in resilience, vision, and the brutal reality of being a "custodian" of a heritage building while scaling an international brand. Elsa reveals the raw truth behind her start - opening her first shop with just £50 to her name after unexpectedly losing her job. We discuss the challenges of being a female business owner in a male-dominated industry, from facing skeptics who "laughed at her" to dealing with interviewees who didn't believe a woman could be in charge. We also cover the essential "un-glamorous" side of business that every shop owner needs to hear: the £1,000 licensing traps for giving away "free" alcohol, the obsession required to manage a Grade II listed fit-out and the complexities of opening a third location internationally. Whether you are an aspiring shop owner or a seasoned pro, Elsa’s journey from a one-chair setup to a multi-site lifestyle brand is the ultimate reality check for 2026. Follow The Dapper Fox! Instagram…
More episodes of The Noble Barber
- 119: Deep Dive: Josh Lamonica
- 118: Menspire: Co Founder from a 3 chair shop to 30+ shops in less than a decade
- 117: Barber Deep Dive: Simon Shaw of Wahl
- 116: The Education Crisis: Is the Barber Apprenticeship Dead?
- 114: The Best of The Noble Barber: Mastering Work Ethic, Hustle & Growth in 2026
- 113: The Truth About Global Barbering: Michael Kontos & JJ Savani on LSB’s India Expansion
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