About Me
Hi, I'm Craig Whitely, though many people have known me for years as Craig the Barber®.
I've spent more than 20 years in men's grooming, building a career that began behind the barber chair and has grown to include consumer insight, brand strategy, product development, education, and commercial leadership.
The barber chair taught me to listen. Every day, clients told me what frustrated them about shaving, skincare, hair care, and the products they used. Long before I knew to call it consumer insight, that's exactly what I was gathering.
In 2009, I created TheMensRoom.com to turn that knowledge into practical grooming education. That work eventually led to collaborations with brands including LAB Series Skincare for Men and Philips Norelco, national education with Paul Mitchell The School, and editorial work as a men's grooming writer and product tester for Reviewed.com a USA TODAY Network. My work and expertise have also been featured by Men's Health, Forbes, Black Enterprise, Ebony, Byrdie, Mashable, and other media outlets.
Eventually, I realized I didn't only want to recommend great products. I wanted to build them.
I founded Burke Avenue®, a men's skincare and shaving brand developed from the real needs I had encountered throughout my career. As Founder and CEO, I've led product development, formulation, packaging, positioning, pricing, e-commerce, wholesale, content, and customer experience. Burke Avenue's Moisturizing Shave Cream was later recognized as Best Shave Cream in the Men's Health Grooming Awards.
Today, I also serve as President of My-Blades USA, leading U.S. commercialization and market development for a German-engineered portfolio of professional shaving and barber tools. My work spans product launches, pricing, Amazon and e-commerce, wholesale, retailer partnerships, professional education, and brand growth.
My career has taken me from barber to educator, writer, consultant, founder, product developer, and commercial leader, but the principle behind my work hasn't changed:
Listen to the consumer. Understand the problem. Build a better solution. Earn their trust.
That's what Craig the Barber® represents to me, and it's the perspective I continue to bring to the brands, products, professionals, and consumers I work with today.
Selected Barbering Clients:
Over the course of my career behind the chair, I've also had the privilege of working with clients from entertainment, sports, business, and culture, including:
David Beckham • Chris Tucker • Jermaine Dupri • Bruce Willis • Usher • Neil Patrick Harris • Dr. J • Ray Allen • Tim Tebow • Iman Shumpert • Jeremy Piven • William Shatner • Lance Gross • Lecrae • Rodrigo Santoro • Kiersey Clemons • Jason Mitchell • Bryshere Gray • Zack de la Rocha • and others.