Crew cut beginning to increase influence (5)
I believe the answer is:
eight
'crew' is the definition.
(an eight-person rowing team)
I can't explain the rest of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for eight that I've seen before include "Set of rowers" , "Four twos" , "Two cubed" , "Number of the April rainers" , "23" .)