As a boy growing up in Fridley, Akeem Akway rarely came across successful images of African entrepreneurs. Now a successful hairdresser, he hopes his own achievement of the American Dream can help inspire others.
From tailored suits and sports cars to flashing lights, all the stops were made at Fhima’s Minneapolis restaurant on the night of July 3 to celebrate the seventh anniversary of Akway’s Sports Barbershop. Friends and family came out to show their love for the famous barber and Minnesota-raised Akway.
“It feels amazing because I wish I had this growing up, but I didn’t, so it’s up to me to create it,” Akway said.
Known for sitting courtside at Timberwolves games, Akway has cut the hair of professional athletes such as Anthony Harris, Patrick Beverly, Anthony Edwards, and Karl Anthony Towns to name a few.
But before he was known for giving top NFL and NBA players fades, Akway got his start as a barber for his school’s basketball team at Fridley High School. In 2009, before cutting hair for professional players, Akway gained notoriety for his work as a high school team groomer, where he earned $5 per cut.
From there, he attended Moler Barber School and later worked as a barber at Final Cut in Maplewood Mall. Approximately six years later, Akway would open his first barbershop in Spring Lake Park, where he would quickly gain a reputation for hard work, generosity, and famous clientele.
making the cut
He took a cut with former Minnesota Vikings player Jerrick McKinnon to get the ball rolling. McKinnon then referred Akway to teammate Anthony Barr, who then contacted former Timberwolves player and fellow Minnesota player Tyus Jones.
For a while, Akway was Jones’ best-kept secret until Timberwolves power forward and center Towns started meddling.
Once Towns discovered Akway, his work as a celebrity barber took off, even becoming an official hairstylist for the Timberwolves. Akway and Towns became close friends over the years with the star player often referring to Akway for sponsored photo shoots.
“As far as celebrity hairstyling goes,” Akway said of his success, “I knew if I got the chance to cut a guy, that would be it. I believed in my ability.”
Born in Ethiopia, Akway came to the United States at the age of 10. Becoming a business owner was not an easy task for him, and it took years of struggle to get to where he is now.
“We are celebrating adversity,” Akway said behind her glasses while wearing an all-white suit. “Sometimes the owner would say, ‘They have to move because they’re making too much noise,’ and we were able to get through those stages.”
Akway, 31, now owns three different barbershops in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. He moved the store’s original location to Mounds View and proceeded to open his second store in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis, near the intersection of Lake and Lyndale.
Last fall, Akway opened its third location at the Twin Cities Premium Outlets in Eagan. One of the people who saw this trip early on was the cousin and business partner Goliath Oboyo.
Oboyo hosts the “Addition” podcast which Akway frequently co-hosts. The two discuss topics ranging from finances to sports to pop culture to making it in America as an immigrant.
Oboyo knew Akway was well on his way to success when his older cousin began collecting cuts for the family. “When he didn’t cut my hair, that’s when I knew,” Oboyo laughed. “I used to ask him, ‘Yeah, bro, can I get a haircut?’ He says, ‘It’s a business matter.’”
But, Oboyo said, “He’s a very humble guy. He has helped many people in this city to be where they are today, and that is why I am here to support him and let him know that we are here for him.”
The great artist and friend Flahn Manly recalled his first meeting with Akeem over a decade ago. He realized how dedicated Akway was to his craft, but he was also proud to see an African brother following his passion.
For a member of the African diaspora, that image of success can travel far and wide. “Akeem is the epitome of the American Dream,” Manly said, “doing whatever it takes and making the ultimate sacrifice to improve and serve people as well. In the end, he won. That’s why we’re here to celebrate.”
While Akway can often be found at one of his three locations, he made sure to select an image on social media that showcases the lifestyle he’s earned. This inspiration has led several young men and women to work in Akway’s barbershops and launch their own businesses after working with him.
Having watched Akway grow over the years, Oboyo noted that one thing Akway continues to do that makes it more successful is supporting others. “In the business world, when you get older you have to have younger people to give you that energy. He finds the young artists who are doing something and helps them.”
in the grind
Entering his eighth year in business, the hairstylist-turned-entrepreneur shows no signs of slowing down and has branched out into a new venture: coffee.
He recently helped launch a coffee brand, Afro Grind, with his brother and fellow creative Omot Akway. Omot first taught Akway how to cut hair, which started her journey to launch his business and she joined this business to support his brother.
The coffee, sourced directly from the African countries of Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania, is a testament to the hard work and dedication of Africans. They hope to launch a store in the near future to help foster a spirit of collaboration and networking.
Manly, who is an ambassador for the brand, stated that Afro Grind is a way to connect Africans globally. “The concept of Afro Grind is compassionate capitalism to provide jobs for our people back home. The coffee brand is more of a bridge than anything else,” he said.
Having sent many of her now fellow hairdressers to school, Akway plans to open her own show one day. “I really want to put a lot of people through barber school, and I wonder, why don’t I open my own barber school? But for now, I’m going to keep building my brand on social media and launching haircut tutorials on YouTube,” Akway said.
Abdi Mohamed is a contributing writer for the MN Spokesman-Recorder. He can be reached at amohamed@spokesman-recorder.com.
