In 2011, after completing his Accounting degree at Damelin College, Sheldon Tatchell decided that he wanted to start his own business. He got some scissors, a chair and placed himself infront of an internet cafe where he charged people to cut their hair. Now, this guy had plans and he saw it through.
That chair made enough money to rent a shop, that shop became Legends Barbershop, and the Legends brand became two and then 20 and then over 80 barbershops in 5 African countries, making it Africa’s largest chain of barbershops. He had a goal, he succeeded and given his level of success, he can retire quite comfortably. For a man like Sheldon, however, retirement is not an option and he is always looking for a new challenge.
In May of 2026, the Eldorado Park born and bred Sheldon left South Africa for the US, where, for the next 24 months, he will be completing a two year executive programme at Harvard Business School. The programme itself only accepts high performing corporate leaders that own or have a large stake in a business that generates more than R160 million rand. In other words, to be accepted into the programme, you quite literally have to be one of the best. So, what qualifies him to be in the programme?
Other than the fact that he built Legends from the ground up with almost no money and grew it into more than 80 stores in 5 African countries, it also employs more than 800 people and is estimated to generate more than R200 million in revenue with a company valuation nearing R500 million.
Of course, like any successful entrepreneur with a profitable business, Sheldon is expanding his brand into products and property. If you are in the market for barber products ranging from hair clippers to shampoo, you can find them at Clicks, Spar, Markham or even Takealot. Also, recently Legends started the process of buying and running business properties, his first property already housing several small businesses that employ over 50 people.
Now, we can also talk about all the awards and accolades he received but let’s rather talk about something more important, his mother. You see, when we say that Sheldon started with nothing, we mean, he started with nothing.
Sheldon grew up poor and there were times when it was a struggle to put food on the table. Growing up poor is always hard on a kid’s confidence but it was his mom who made sure that he never looked down on himself and believed in his own potential. She never allowed him to say that he doesn’t have anything. Instead, she instilled in him the idea that although he does not have it now, if he works hard, he will have it in the future. And he took her very seriously.
You see, although he did not have a shop, he believed he would have it in the future and he also believed that he would have more than one shop and he believed that he would own properties and give his family the kind of life that he, well, believed he could give them. And you know what else he believed? He also believed he would attend Harvard and so he did.
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