37. Brisbane to Birkin: Ghosts, Glam, Grit

Interview

Oct 22

An Aussie stylist on accidental careers, a pre-divorce Birkin, opening a dream salon weeks before lockdown, and choosing joy — ghost story included.

Today I’m sitting down with my dear friendDavid Bamford—Australian hair magician, co-founderofTherapy Hair Studioin Houston, and the only person I know who can go from “card declined” atStarbucks to “it all worked out” in under five minutes. We trace his journey from Brisbane blue-mohawk days to international awards, the Jose Eber era, and a green-card saga featuring Farrah Fawcett. We get into building therapy—the River Oaks space that opened five weeks before COVID—plus the practical pivots that kept clients cared for: curbside color kits, Zoom hair, chic partitions, and an outdoor processing garden.

We also talk about life detonations: thesudden end of a marriage to his business partner, losing hisdad and a beloved 18-year-old pup, and why he refuses the victim role. David’s playbook is equalparts creativity and calm: affirmations that actually work, parenting as a reset, and the choice to keepgoing—with style. There’s also an Hermès caper, a Westheimer ghost, and my 22-question lightning round. If you’re in a season of detours, this is your reminder that grit and glam can coexist.

Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform.

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“You can’t hold onto something that’s trying to leave. Release it, redesign, and move forward.”

— David Bamford

Transcript

I'm like, what? So I've gone from trying to set up the salon to getting the plane, going back to say goodbye to my father who did end up dying and then coming back here to see the salon. But the day I was leaving to go to see my dad, I went to Starbucks to get coffee and I gave him my card. It's been denied. It's fraud, obviously. And I gave him another card and it's denied. And I was like... So I got the bank, holy shit, I've completely spent all my money on that building. thank God it turned out, I will say that. But we're open for five weeks, and then we get shut down because of COVID. And we're like... Perfect timing. Perfect timing. I'm thinking... But I came to peace with it. I you know what? Whatever this universe God plan has, this is my journey. I don't know why I'm here, but here I am. Well, thank you everybody for coming. So in case you don't know and you don't know why you're here because just David invited you. Right? I don't know. I have a podcast called Inside the Design Studio and it was inspired by Inside the Actors Studio with James Lipton. Is anybody familiar? Bravo Days. All that good stuff. Did you ever watch it? No. No? Of course. Okay. You were in Australia. Yeah, that's that's gonna be the answer. You were in Australia. So he would interview actors and they would talk about their process and everything. And then at the very end, he would ask them like a Proust questionnaire about like a rapid fire. Twenty two questions. Well, I don't know how many questions he had, but I have I have twenty two. Yeah, because I'm feeling twenty two big Swifty's over here anyway. And we're not going to talk about the new album. We're just... Well, I mean, might creep into the conversation, but it's really about you. And I told David this is either going to be the easiest interview I've ever done or the hardest because I know you so well. So a little backstory, you usually do a bio, like a professional bio of the person. And it's not that you don't deserve... He's not a real professional, people. That's why we're here today, it's an intervention. David, this is actually a whole ruse. We're all here because we care about you. actually, didn't prepare on purpose a bio because I want people to hear your story because I think it's fascinating. But also I want to talk about like how we met because we met. I actually think we saw each other about seven 18 years ago, but we met officially 15 years ago on the set of a photo shoot for the Houston Chronicle. it was a very last minute thing. I had met the editor of the lifestyle section at that time, Molly Lindsner, at a PR day for Fashion Houston, which was a runway show that we were doing. And she's like, we're doing a photo shoot for this magazine we have called Gloss. and we really want a dress that matches wallpaper. And we haven't figured out how to do it. And I was like, well, I could do that. And she always like, when's the photo shoot? She's like, day after tomorrow. I was like, OK, cool. So we met up the next morning and we went to what no longer exists, high fashion home, and we bought fabric. Yeah, it's gone. It's gone. Doesn't exist anymore. Yeah, you were. He was checked out. Hence the intervention. No, it's gone. Yeah, it's gone. So we went there, we got the fabric, made the dress in a day, and the next day went to the photo shoot and David was hired to do the hair. And we were talking and I was like, it's so strange. was like, you know, three years ago when I got married, Michelle said, I met this Australian guy named David and I think you guys would be really good friends, but it's too bad we're moving to New York. And I was like, oh, that's so nice. And I didn't even think. And then we were talking, I was like, wait a minute, were you at the, because you had your salon at that point, you had open therapy.
I was like, did you work at this place called Tova? You're like, yes. And come to find out very long story short, you had done Michelle's hair for our wedding and her mother had come to their house, like had this whole connection. And so we met on this photo shoot and have been friends ever since. We've literally traveled the world. We've been to Paris several times together. We met, Shilpa, like on the way there. So we had kids. Yeah. So we've... We've had kids at the same time. It's like we planned it. All the same age. All the same age. So we've kind of like experienced life together in very many ways. But I think what's interesting about today is I want people to find out why are you actually here? the meaning of life, the existential question. How did you make it to Houston and like all of that? So we're going to go rewind. I know it takes a long time. Be kind. Please rewind. back to your very beginning, you know, the dark ages. When the was cooling. Yeah, take us back that far not many people remember that. so you were born in Australia. Yeah. But you weren't right. You grew up in Brisbane, but not like you were born in Brisbane. No, I was born in a small country town. You seem very country to me. That's why I asked. I wanted people to get that. Aubrey Wodonga. Aubrey Wodonga. Sounds like a that's what she said joke. It sounds like you antibiotics, right? But that's I was born. And then my parents left the women to Brisbane. Did they leave you there? No. They left me to a banger. See, that's why I really wanted him on the podcast. The origin story. The origin story. Yeah. Cool. So you moved to... Went to Brisbane, stayed in Brisbane, never wanted to be a hairdresser, never entered my mind. Yeah, what did you want? Because I know you studied Mandarin. architecture. I studied Chinese for a while. Because when I went, but that's a little bit further down. Okay, I skipped a bit. So I did finish high school course. Then I was going to go. So this was like the Paleolithic area? No, a little bit in before that. A little bit of ice. Okay, cool. Like end of the Ice Age. End of the Ice Age. Gotcha. started doing architecture and interior technology. Okay. I wanted to be an architect. And that's when they'll bring in cat that computer animated stuff. And I would rather shoot myself to do that. Yeah, that does not seem very you. I like being Pac-Man and that's about it. But I wanted to draw and do all that stuff and it all ended and I didn't want to do that. And so my hairdresser, Alia, who I'm still friends with now, she's still alive. Amazing. Why do they feed these people in Australia? They really should study them. Can you actually draw those little bit slight coming out? Ali's never aged. I don't know what the hell she's on, but we all need to get some. But anyhow, she did my hair at high school and I would let her do whatever she wanted. And she said, do you want to be in a hair show? I was like, sure. I said, you can't do anything crazy because I'm going to a private school and I have to follow the rule. My hair can't be too light. can't be this. And she said, OK. And the color room didn't have any mirrors in it. So once she's finished, and each show went by, I had a twin blue mohawk. And my hairline was shaped back. they were deliberately off center. So it was like a coral reef. I'm glad she didn't do anything crazy. I didn't do anything crazy. Yeah. And I said, oh. And that was in the 80s. And a lot of the hairdressers were drunk and passed out. Who was supposed to be doing this hair show that I was going to be in. Yeah. And I was like, and Ellie was freaking out. And I was like, I do not, I'll do some stuff. So I said, doing this hair on people and everyone said it was great. And then her boss offered me a job. So it just came naturally. It did. Although in high school, I would cut people's hair in behind the basketball court. We're at this smoking, cutting hair. You would just do it. I would just do it. There was a girl called Lisa. I can't remember her last name, but she wanted this ball. And I was like, I reckon I can do that. can't be that hard. So I kept cutting it and cutting it and cutting and cutting. And it was here. And by the time I finished, it was here. It was like super proud. And I couldn't quite get the back right. So I kept cutting it so was nothing left. So you hadn't studied Vidal's S-Una at that point? I didn't think it was incredible. It was this weird shape. And then she got suspended for three months. Oh. You're that friend. And then she tore her hat. We have that in common. have I ever told you so I used to do really good perms like in the 80s. permed my grandmother's hair. So my grandmother's hair too. Yeah. Yeah. was legit about doing it. What do mean? was. you were. I was not. was 12. Yeah, no, it was I don't remember why I started doing it she I think she didn't like what her hairdresser did and she's like I bet David could do it and so I was like sure I I mean I never Met instructions that I couldn't follow so I like did it and I gave her a perm and she liked it and she's like this is the best perm I've ever had and The rest is history. So every time we'd go visit I would give her a perm and I started giving my Cousins perms. I gave everyone but everyone perms and then actually in college I used to cut people with curly hairs hair, because they couldn't find people to cut their hair. And I had no idea what I was doing. I was just did it. So we have that in common. I just didn't become a hairdresser. Yes, butchering people's hair is what we have in common. Yeah. Is that what you still do? But you don't. I think it takes a very special client to get there. Okay, so you're in Brisbane, you somehow get this job because you just have a really, I mean, you obviously do have a knack for hair, but like... And the funny thing is, I thought my parents were horrified. I was like... Because you dropped out of school? Yeah, to do this. No, I finished high school. Oh, yeah, no, but it's college. So I'd go in college to do it and I was like, ah, I don't need this anymore. I'm going to work at Fatty's Hair Studio and work with Elliot. And I thought I'll do it for three years. The apprenticeship in Australia is four years. It's hardcore. like you're working and so on, they test you, you gotta do, it's unlike here, here you could go to beauty school for three hours and come out a hairdresser. Literally. I didn't even do that. You could walk in the street, I don't believe me, look at the hair on the street. But they're very, I think they've loosened up a bit now, but it was very like you had to go X number of hours and do these tests, you had to understand. I had communication and all these tests you had. There's a proper trade. It's a proper trade. Yeah, it's a trade industry. But then if you want to carry on to a university degree afterwards, some of the units you've done would be accredited to university degrees. Oh, that's cool. So was cool. I don't think we have that. And psychology, where's it all of that? Oh, know, if you're crazy, it's a long blow. Really? Tell me about that. That's a whole podcast on its own. No, I always joke with people that I have a degree. should have like a doctorate or a double something in psychology because like that's really all we do. That's why I call myself therapy. But yeah, we'll get there. But the funny thing was I only did it for, so I doing it in four years and I'm out. I'm going to go back into architecture or something else. It's fun, but I can't make a career out of this. This is just like, no, it was just crazy. Yeah. So. My boss invited me to go to the International Hairdressing Society competition and awards. And I said, come on, just come on, it'll be fun. So I'm sitting there with him and everyone's up on the stage and they're going, Baxter, David Baxter, just what I'm like. is I've aged you in all the competitions. Because yeah, quick, you gotta get up on there. I'm like, I've got no one. Because I've got your model, I've got your equipment. If I told you you're gonna do it, you wouldn't do it. You had a good boss. So I had to get up there, I was like, you know, three pounds, like shaking freaked out the town. I'm not equipped for this. Yeah. then I sat down, like, the ventilator. Then they called me up again for another competition. things in my head and three it turned out so it was all done I started drinking heavily because I was young and stupid and very uncomfortable with the situation and then they called it was the end of the night they were calling the people who won and they called the third I thought maybe I'll get runner up because I thought my work was okay and didn't get runner up I said yeah I'm gonna leave and the feddys said no sit down sit down they called third second and first it was me And I'm like, what? I won. So I won best haircut and international hairdressing society women's progressive haircut. won it. And I was like, did you pay them to do this? He wanted more notoriety for this a lot. I thought that had happened, but it didn't. And then the next thing was some wedding thing. I didn't win that. I was happy with that. And then it was a men's haircut. And I was so concentrated, my scissor over comb to be perfect. I ran out of time and I didn't finish the haircut. And I was like, oh, fine. So I it all back, cut it, pulled it back, cut again, and just styled it. And I won. Of course you did. They thought it was such an amazing shape. I'm like. So one, two, and then it was like in the newspaper and stuff.
It was kind of big deal. from nowhere won these two awards. And I thought maybe I should do it. How many years into like your whole training was this? It was my fourth year. So it was the year I was not going to do it anymore. So that's the thing that kind of I'll keep doing it for I might be good at this. I might be good at it. Now, were your parents at that point? Because I know you have a really great relationship with your parents. I mean, three months afterwards, and there's so much fun I was having, and I was happy and stuff. like, you know, we worked from, I worked five days a week from 8.30 in the morning to 9 o'clock at night. No lunch break. It was like, her, me and all this crazy shit. That's all we ever did. Yeah. And so. which is a big change to today. How much lifetime do I have? When's my vacation? But you never take a lunch. for five years. But now you're on your feet the whole day. I still go on eat. Yeah. Because you don't have time. When you're a hairdresser, you don't have a designated time. Yeah. It's like wave. You're as wrong with it than it ends. You're like, when are you going to now? Yeah, so did you stay with that salon the entire time you were there or what? I I finished that, then I went and worked for a little bit in London. Real little bit. What took you to London? What took you to London? I ain't know. My friends tell me it wasn't that old. They had invented them by then? I got scurvy on the way. Yeah, was a pirate ship actually. Really? So I went to London for a while with some friends and it so expensive and to live. in London then. Yeah. There's like 10 people in a house. Yeah, doesn't sound very good. It's not me. So then we went to Scotland to visit a friend, Lisa, whose parents apparently were wealthy, they had a big house and could stay there. And she undersolved that story. And we're like, yes. And then at that time, one pound was almost equivalent to three Australian dollars because the dollar, Australian dollar tanked in the pound and going through the roof. And I was like, wait, hang on a minute. I can work the same amount of hours and triple the money. I was like, I'm staying here. So I stayed there in Scotland, in Aberdeen for months. I think maybe almost a year, nine months to a year. think I stayed there. Time was just kind of... That's just how I roll. I just go somewhere and stay until the time's up, then I go somewhere else. So after Aberdeen, where did you go? I went back home. Did I go to a strata after? Oh, yeah. No. From Aberdeen, I saved enough money out that I went through Europe traveling for about seven months. Okay. And the idea was to backpack. so we went to Germany first. I walked into a backpacking thought that, God. Yeah. That's about what I thought when I entered a hostel for the first time. Where's my bathroom? I'm like, it's a middle one. I'm like, I'm out. And so I was like, what am I going to do? And I said to one friend, you can stay. I'm out of here. So I went across the road and there's a nice hotel in there and my parents gave me like an American Express as an emergency money. That sounds like an emergency to me. There's all these bucks, there's like eight people in a room. No, no, no. And so I go there at two o'clock in the morning, phone rings. I'm like, what is it down? Who's calling? It was my mother. She found me because she knew I wouldn't last one night at that. At a hostel. I looked on the map. This is pre-computer, keep in mind. So she was, her travel agent said, there's a couple of hotels near that. And she goes, what's the closest one? And that was where I was. And she found you. It wasn't like she got an alert on her phone from AMAC saying, hey, your son is like, no. No alerts then. Yeah. We're we're in the Gilded Age at this point. I had a friend who was backpacking through Europe and she's like, come to long story, but I was supposed to take her violin from Paris to Rome. And she's like, I'll pay for your flight and hotel if you'll bring me my violin. I got there. She hadn't booked a hotel or anything. And I was like, well, what are we saying? She's like, I just thought we'd find a hostel. And it's like, you thought what? And it was like, no. So I booked a hotel. And then she was like, well, why don't we try one night in the hostel? And I was like, I did one night in the hostel. I like, absolutely not. We are done. I'm like, I don't have any money, but I'm not staying here. That's my thing. I have any money either. I have no money, but I'm not staying. No, I'm like, this is not my thing. This is not how I travel. No. Thank you. I'm good. So I moved on from that. Okay. So you, you traveled through Europe and then you went back to Australia. Went back to Australia, worked at another salon in Dockside, which is a beautiful salon. Dockside is where all the boats and that would come in. And so we had a boy international kind of like point towel. I stayed there for years. And then I worked for Schwarzkopf after that for a while. And from Schwarzkopf, I met some people from America who invited me to come over to Houston. Well, but before that had you worked for Kevin Murphy at that point or not yet? Kevin Murphy wasn't even seeing there right at that point. He feels cut He was a part of a new company called Cusco. That's me. Okay, so it's him and Cusco she and him had a company together Okay, like three products. It was really little. Yeah. Okay, so Swarovski and they knew people who worked in Houston No, no people who are hang on, visible changes, John McCormick. Yeah. Okay, he was there. And he just made that book about all his hairdressers making, you know, three quarters of a million dollars a year and you're like, maybe I'm exaggerating, but a lot. He never do. So, no, it was, it was like a professional approach to hairdressing. Yeah, I'm hobby. It's like you can make a career out of it. And I was always making career out of it anyhow. Yeah. Reading that book and seeing him, thought, no. So then I want more. I want more. So then they invited me to come over for a little while. So I did. And it was like, he was loving that. But I was like, this isn't really my thing. it's very successful. They've done a great job. Now it's just, it was like mass. was like, yeah, next, next. And I was like, No, we don't work like that. I want to take my time with someone and, you know, stuff out. So I was like fine, I'm gonna leave. And then I met Ed. And also too, at this point too, the Australian dollar was a little bit stronger. And so I had some money to burn. And so I went to Saks and shop to shop to shop because I was young and stupid again. Because in Australia, there's a good thing you don't do that anymore. No. But in Australia, there was, I think, a 30 % or 40 % luxury import tax. So here, everything was at 40 % off. Right. So I was like, yes. I just shopped and shopped. So it was like reverse tariffs. was reverse tariffs. Yeah. It's exactly what it was. And then I thought, why do they know me? Why are they so nice to me? Why would they? I in the shop and be like, oh, here's a lactose-free latte. So it's a good thing you didn't talk very much Yeah, and so a body who was the manager at the time of sex, yeah was friendly with me because I was there every freaking day. He should be, And then he introduced me to Jose Ibe. Oh, yes. And that's how I started working with Jose Ibe. Yeah. Which is funny because I didn't really know who he was. Yeah, you're like what? I shouldn't be impressed. You're like what? Yeah, kind of a big deal. Yeah. So when you met Jose, then... Did you think like, I'll just stay in Houston for a little bit and like go for it? Like what was like? I did some TV in Australia. did some film stuff in Australia.
And so for me, because I was in the process of thinking, if I'm going to stay a little bit longer, I need to get a green card. So I can't leave the work here. I need to get a green card. Yeah. We're going to get into that in a minute. The green card. Yeah. I love your green card story. So we'll get there. But. So I had to line up a job first and I had to get them to get all the paperwork done and then I had to apply for my green card So the interesting thing back then was everything was in Spanish because apparently only people's problems America well, and I'm like I don't speak Spanish and the building speaking And so I finally got someone who spoke English with me we figured out what I needed to do And then I went to this, I could get all my vaccines I had as a child again, every one of them. Like in Australia, where the earth could go, you didn't, there was not really a shot record. You just got your vaccines. wasn't a question. It wasn't a choice. You just did it. We all lined up, know, still whose wealth were bigger, called it a day. No one cared. It was fine. Yeah. And so, I did all of them again, which made me violently ill. I think nothing can kill me at this point. you're good. But your COVID stories are, you know. And then they said, you're going to come in for your final exam, your final test. And I'm thinking, my God, it's a bad American history. don't know what's happening. It was bad. And they said, we've got to give you your exam. I said, OK, so I'm sitting there. and he goes, you're gonna have to take clothes off. You're like, I usually get dinner first. I hope your mother's maiden name the last three is social before you got this far. And I thought, is he getting the blood test or something? I'm like, it's happening right now. No, he had to check me for that invisible signs of me having STD. I said- Well, good thing you were too busy. Yeah, too busy shopping. about what I'm gonna purchase next. And I'm sitting there, sitting in this room naked with some weird man, just me out, thinking, this is not how I thought my day would go. And when I said to him, did Nicole Kidman have to do this? He didn't know who Nicole Kidman was. Thinking, I'm definitely at the wrong place. It's of like when you were at the con. I passed. You passed, yeah. I'm spying. You were spying. It's kind like when you're at the hostel, you just knew you were in the wrong place. was at the wrong place. I just couldn't believe it. I'm like, what's this got to do with me getting a greeting card? Apparently everything. Other people like us, no one else has had to do it. They could have gone and some man and shot him with all these drugs. You were young and you had just thought it was the end of the Ice Age. And it had to take a week off work because I was so sick from all this freaking vaccine. As your baby, you get them over five years. I think I get them over two weeks. Yeah. I think my body can take any more. Yeah. This is typhoid and blah blah blah. Four months. That's like... Okay. Yeah, that's how we like to treat welcome. We welcome That's my welcome party. Yeah. Get naked when they shoot you off. Well, now we just shoot you. Turn it's out. That would be but quite less painful than the crap I had to go through. And they're naked and they're on their hands and knees checking you It was the Gilded Age I hope they change the protocol. Like I said, now they just shoot you. I'm going to her legally because I'm not going to go through that press line. Alright, so you were working for Jose Iber. How long did that last? I did tell people this was going to be unhinged. I didn't know it would happen this early. Anyway, so how long did you work for Jose? Only two years. Only two years, okay. When he sold out, then he got purchased by the company he wanted Shiseido. So then my green card was now gonna have to get transferred to another company. Okay. Which is a whole other ordeal. Yeah. I'm not going to the hospital again. I've been there, done that. Yeah. No. Didn't get a mil out of it. I'm not doing it. Yeah. So what happened? Well then... but wait, wait. In the green card, we're skipping ahead. So in the process of getting the green card, didn't you have to get some recommendations? I had to get celebrity endorsements, which I think was... all of it. I think people are just like, let's see what we can get him to do. There's a short route and this long, ballooned, mystery journey. That's where I naturally get to be Yeah, you took the scenic route. just tell the kind people who you got to write your endorsements. The biggest one I got was Sparrow Forcett. You know. Jose did her hair. I've met her once before. We caught a flight back together. We're crossing each other. I kept staring like a freak from Los Angeles to Houston. She knew me from Jose. We shared a mutual frame, it turned out. And then he called. I said, how the hell am I going to get? Celebrity horse like by Monday It was like Tuesday and he was like You met Farah right? said yeah, I think it's more awful her and he called her and she with me in his office And she's in a bubble bath It's perfect for her. Yeah giggling way and she's happy to do it and shrug me later invited me to her house and all this stuff which was lovely. She was very sweet And I had to submit it and then I also needed to have an international award. And I'm like, I haven't won an international award. Wait, you're holding a shop. That's the international hairdressing site. They wanted like a really recent international award. And I was like, I haven't won an international award. And then two days later, I won Best Hair for a Rock video at World Fest. So I thought, oh, I do have one. So then I got that. Yeah, what video? It was a John Evans band. It was a rockabilly band. I don't want to happen to them. But I like big hair, big crazy hair. You like big hair and you cannot lie. I overextended ridiculous wigged out pompadours and stuff. So that one, so that's good. And I need some other ridiculous thing too that I found too. Oh, I got somehow or other, I don't know how this happened, I got invited to go to the inauguration of George Bush and somehow those photographs, he was president at the time, so it was a picture of him, me and his wife. And I thought, Texas can get me a green card. And I got it. You got it. Yeah. So that was good. Well done, you. Cool. So after two years, Jose is old news after he gets you a green card. What happens? I just went to another salon because I was going back to Australia and then another salon was like, I would pick up a green card and pay for it for you. was Tobar. Yeah. So then I went there and they were very nice to me. But then I thought, well, if I'm already here. And I'm a little bit, I know it sounds a little bit atrophic. I never noticed that. tell me. weren't kind of how I would want them. Yeah. I didn't like the music. didn't like, there's just things I knew could be better. And so that's when we decided to do our own song. So at that point you were with Lewis. Yeah. And well, you're still the business partners with Lewis. We'll talk, we'll get through all that. later. Once we get to the art deco period. that would be yes. So were you together deciding to do this business? Or like, what was it? Was it your idea? Like, how did the idea of like, let's do this on our own start talking one day and I was like, this person drives me nuts. This person drive this. It was a really well run business. But there were so many unprofessional people working in there. And I was like, I want to fire that one. I want to fire that one. That one's going to go. You can't work in mid-truth to work. Cover your armpits up. No one's going see a belly button. Put some shoes on. Crocs aren't really shoes. Like, it was that kind of Yeah. And so I thought, you got to... You wanted to create and curate a luxury experience. And it's not luxury. I mean, that place was beautiful. But the people inside of it didn't know what luxury was. Yeah. And I'm like, how are we to give a luxury experience to someone? in crocs and a t-shirt. See, and that's why I've never worked for you. Right? It was pre-crocs. was something uglier than that. Yeah. Well, it was the early 2000s. There was not a lot of good fad... Oh, the platform flip-flops.
Where your big toe was, it was like a fake gem. Oh, yeah. No, I know. Yeah. The flowers were the best. Bang, trim, and tinier. I'm like... No one wants to. this was about, so I met you or I was in Tova because we got married in 2007. So you were still there in 2007. What year did you start therapy? 2008. So it was the next year. Yeah. Now we were going to do it, but we didn't know we did it that quickly because we all got fired. Because as soon as, as soon as, because we said to our boss, they said, we would like to buy your business. Yeah. And would you like a five year buy back? You know, what you can, everyone stays in their years. And I thought that would be a good thing because they were ready to sort of leave and go to Florida and we wanted a business that was already established and we tried to buy it off them and then he was like, no, no, we're not selling. And he goes, what would you do if you bought it? And I listed 80 % of the stuff I'd get rid of and the music which... So you had a plan. I had a plan. was like, he was like, no, we're not doing that. And I'm like, which is the best light? And I'm like, okay. And that was Friday. On Monday I got fired. I was like, no, I really need to get a job because I'm totally going to get kicked out of this country. Yeah. Unemployed, that I still had like a few weeks before my green card would sort of get unemployed. I think within two weeks, Victoria, who was like still with my friends, she, Lewis and myself were like, OK, let's do this. And so under pressure, found a location, spoke to the vendors, got it done. Catherine Badger, who's a fantastic interior decorator, one of our clients and friends and she's been at a huge spread in architectural digest and she's got no time. She's like, she's that person. said, Katherine, we'll get an area and we're renting a cell on from someone. We bought it off them so they would go. Yeah. Because they picked the location, but they didn't want to leave. Like we're going to give you money to get a boot. Go, go, go. Yeah. Cause we got to get this thing started. Getting this puppy started. So she walks in, she says, we've got five minutes. Black floors, white walls, writing it all down. And then she took off and that's how we laid out the salon. And I think nine days later we opened. Wow. So were you able to one, take your clients from Tova and then two... They find you. kind of... No, yeah. So they did. Your clients found you. And then also were the people who were those other salons, did that you get those clients or no? No, again, they weren't our clients. Because what we did was once we got fired, I had that time off. Unemployment time, I guess. there was a restaurant next to the salon. So I sat there doing the paperwork for trying to get all these lease agreements and stuff. And I looked at any head coming out in the salon. I said if any of the hair was good, I'd ask who did it. Right. And keep that person. And mummied was good. Yeah. So you're like, wasn't worth keeping. We kept the assistant though Tristan because he was cute and was sweet and he was hard working. So he he stayed but everyone else left. Yeah. So that's how you started. That's how we started. And we started like. like a meteor hitting you, just like a bang, we just had to start. We didn't have time to overthink it, we just had to get it going, and then we were busy. were like, end of the first week, we already booked out. And I was like, oh, this is actually better than I thought it was gonna be. And so we just got busier and busier, then we outgrew the space, ripped out every wall we could and used every mic from the... I know, it literally was like the Apple Store. It was not far from here on stage. And like you would walk in and there was so many people. It was a beehive. It was a beehive. And it was like there was so much good energy in that salon because everyone wanted to be there. And it was like it was fun. It was fun. was you had the best people and like you did great hair. Yeah. Thank you. But everyone it was like working with your friends and never really felt like work. Yeah. Just hanging out doing pretty hair and everyone was feeling pretty. Yeah. I feel pretty. Yeah. So that was 2008. So it's been a minute. Yeah. Yeah. We were sort of in like past World War II at this point. Yeah. Yeah. so you had gotten to it because I know that you guys were looking to figure out how to expand and you couldn't expand in your current location. They were sort of like tapped out in terms of space. Our landlord where we were was terrible. Like the roof came down. We had to pay for it ourselves. The wall collapsed and the air conditioning broke and the paper just said something. What? there was a man living in the roof. Yeah. Because that's normal. It is really. should have you could have dealt with that. I would work with this person, but there was a person with a television refrigerator living above our building and we had no idea. Yeah. You should have seen if he did good hair. Probably did. I wonder if his TV was connected to your like security footage. So you guys, because I know it was like a big thing. You were looking to expand. Was that at one point because OK, so where our paths have crossed, obviously a lot. But one of my favorite stories is that you actually looked at one of my locations on Moore Street. ghosting thing. Yeah, yeah. Was that during when you were trying to find a bigger space or is that at the very beginning? No, this one looked like a bigger space but then we thought we wanted to buy the space. Right and that one wasn't for sale, yeah. It could have been for sale. Yeah, for the right price. For right price. You just didn't know that you didn't have a good relationship with the ghost like I did. It was very weird, ghosting. There was a weird ghosting You know, okay, so this is the side note, sidebar. So 10 years ago, 11 years ago-ish, maybe it was almost 12 at this point, I was looking for a new space. And I was so excited. And actually, Shyvana, Lisa Hall and Nelson was like, I'll help you. So yeah, I'm going to help you. And so her good friend, Henry Richardson, had bought... Yeah, we love Henry. And he had bought this space on Morrison Westheimer. And she's like, it's great. It's going be perfect. So we went and saw it. That's great. And I was sitting and I signed the lease and everything and I was telling David and another friend Kara like, we just signed this place. And they both looked at me and they're like, wait, what, where, what place? I was like, oh, this place on Morrison Westheimer, it's right across from Southland Hardware. And they both got this like look on their face of like pure terror. And I was like, what is, what, what, what are you not telling me? We both had a lot of boat talks. Yeah. But I could see, I could see. And so, I don't know. So Kara was like, well, I looked at that space to be a salon and I walked upstairs. Well, actually was yours the choking or was yours the voice?
So she's like, I walked upstairs and I felt like this pressure around my throat. And it was, it was like, she was like, couldn't breathe. And I was like, I've got to get out of here. Like, and she literally ran out the door. He, he, he, She had no idea. Yeah, was a ghost, but it really David. But then David had gone to see this space and you tell the story. You know, I was upstairs and I just felt wrong. You know, you're in weird places, you're like... And I thought there someone next to me and they said, go away. And I'm like, that's rude. And I turned around and... So when I went outside I was like, what the hell was that? I went unnoticed from that place every day. So here now, that's when he moved in. Yeah, that's where I moved in. Sure was that? Yeah, and I was like, great, this is awesome. Fast forward to a couple years later and I'm at a party for a magazine and I'm talking to somebody who works at a gallery and They're like, wait, where is your location? I explained to him. They're like, oh yeah, that was old Westheimer Emporium. And I was like, yeah. And they were like, oh yeah, it's just too bad. Yeah. That he died. And I was like, oh yeah. I was like, that's so sad. I just saw him. And they're like, what do mean you just saw him? I was like, oh, he was in town because he had come in town. from, he was living in California and because he had sold the place and he had moved to California and opened something different and he was in town visiting family and he stopped in to see how the place was and he was telling me, there used to be a spiral iron staircase in the corner and he was telling me all this stuff and then like, no, and so it was not just me, I'm not hallucinating. There were, actually, were you there? It was Holly. Holly was there and so it was not just me. three people spoke to this person. Spoke to this person and we're all talking and all of a sudden, like we were like checking on something and he, he, he, he, he left and I was like, oh, that's so strange. And we didn't see where his car was or like anything. And we're like, he just messed up or whatever. And we didn't think anything about it. So we're at this party and this guy was like, no, he died years ago. And I'm like, what are you talking about? And he's like, no, he died in like 2007, eight. And I was like, this is like now 2016. I was like, no, I just saw him in November. This was November of 2015. I'm like, I literally just saw him. I was like, it must be like his brother, something, whatever. Anyway, I Google and I find his obituary. He had died and everything he told me was in the obituary. He had gone to California. He had opened another antique store. Like all the things he had told me, this guy had done. So I have literally seen a ghost and talked to a ghost in the flesh that scared you and Kara. And tried to kill Kara. So there's that. I made peace with him. He liked me, apparently. I'm actually a ghost. And when I left the space, when we left that space, I was like, please treat Henry well. I told him, I was like, please. You've been so good to me. Thank you very much. Please treat Henry well. So I don't know if he's treated Henry well, but like. You should ask. You ask. Yeah. So that was, I don't know that I ever told him that story, but that is my sequence. Yeah. Well, it's on this podcast. Okay. So we've done all that. You didn't decide on that, that location, but now tell us where you are. We have our own place in St. Street. got, it's exactly half an acre. Yeah. And we've been there for six years. Because you opened right before COVID. Yeah. We drained every bank account. When I say drained bank accounts, I'm not underselling it. Like we drained every bank account because we were paying the rent at the other place, bought half an acre in River Oaks and had to a building on top of it. Yeah. Because that's cheap, right? Yeah. Pocket change, We had it, it was... And it just kept going on and on. was like, it said, I'm ready in June. If we were in July, they'd be ready in November. And I'm like, oh my God, like we're going to even see me on the corner of Westover and Boston. I'm going to make some money. then it finally opens. And it was like the Monday. I was, know, so it's going to open. It's opening on Monday. I get a phone call. My father's really sick. He's potentially dying. He to go back to Australia. I'm like, what? So I've gone from trying to set up the salon to getting the plane, going back to say goodbye to my father who did end up dying and then coming back here to see the salon. But the day I was leaving to go to see my dad, I went to Starbucks to get coffee and I gave him my card. It's been denied. It's fraud, obviously. And I gave him another card and it's denied. And I was like... So I got the bank, holy shit, I've completely spent all my money on that building. thank God it turned out, I will say that. But we're open for five weeks, and then we get shut down because of COVID. And we're like... Perfect timing. Perfect timing. I'm thinking... But I came to peace with it. I you know what? Whatever this universe God plan has, this is my journey. I don't know why I'm here, but here I am. It all turned out okay, thank God. Yeah, but it didn't look good there. No, that way it was I mean it scary for a lot of us but I was especially worried for you guys because you had invested every literally everything to open that space and it's beautiful. You can't if you're a hairdresser and you want to go to a strip mall or whatever it is there's no parking there's no security there's not enough space you can't expand you've
got no future there so like we have to you have to own yeah and then we can make it I wanted to be endless grade. like a cell in Australia. Open like a home, like a big open house. Yeah. With a different seating areas and just different vibes and different parts. Yeah. And we did all that. And then we had to lock it up. But we under moments of stress, I think you come up with ideas. Yeah. So it's like, okay, what can we do? Well, if you do, I'm gonna do videos online, how to do your own hand. Yeah. and we're going to get the kits of all the products that I use. If you can call in and they can pay for them and I will put it in a bag, you know, with my gloves on, with my mask on and step back inside behind the glass and watch their car with the mask on, carefully come out and pick it up and leave again. Yeah. But we did a lot, but that was enough to help us get through that. You did, you moved a lot of product. We moved a lot of And you taught, I think what was really cool is that you taught people how to do their hair. Like you didn't withhold the information. You're like, I know you're at home. I know you're doing this alone. And you were very good because you were not going, like you weren't under the table going to people's houses to do their hair, which some people, well, people did, but you didn't. And I would say lead us lead by example. Yeah, we're not And I'm also putting clients over too. It's like, why don't you come to my house? And I'm like, because I don't have my license. Yeah. You were thinking big picture. You're like, this COVID is going to end and I need to be able to have a business. And you could have jeopardized all that if you hadn't. But you taught people, this is how you do it. This is how you're going to get by. This is how you're going to do your Zoom call. This is how you, like... Listen, it's really funny. was showing one our shows yesterday. It was last night. I was showing someone some crazy stuff that I'd done on my Instagram before. And they're like, what the hell is that? There was a picture of me with a long blonde wig on in the shower. I've had that long blonde wig on. Yeah. I had to your hair properly. You had to style it for a Zoom meeting. Yeah. Because you're only doing the front. No one had to crap about the back. Yeah. front look good. For waist up, if this looked good, you're good. Yeah. So it showed people how to do stuff like that. And that's, it worked. It got us through the hump. Yeah, and you're I think that's like the true like when I talk about people designing a life they love to live. It's really when you're faced with those moments of extreme uncertainty is stepping back and being creative about what the solution could be. Because I think so many times it's easy to be paralyzed in the moment and not think about like, what could I possibly do to make this better? Because it's not what I've been presented with. but you were able to use that creative part of your brain, that entrepreneurial part, and like, how do I pivot in this moment? I know it's not gonna be forever. I think you have to have that. The funny thing was me doing all these hair videos too, and then I was just like bored, because I was at home, I wasn't bored. I actually, I probably would be killed for saying this, I loved being shut down for two months of COVID, because I had my kids every day, we played, we painted, were the garden, we plotting for snails. I realized I could actually cook and I started cooking for stuff. And then I'd do stuff on Instagram, how to make this, how to make that. And I'd get questions like, what toaster is that in the back? Where did you buy that toaster from? I'm like... Became an accidental influencer. But I didn't really pursue any of it. But I was like, I can see... Well, because when COVID left, you got crazy busy again. Yeah, we went straight... And we're also the first people to have petitions up. We got loose. As soon as COVID was done, I have a friend who lives in China and she said to me before, this is going to get crazy. It's just going to get bad. And I was like, okay. And so I listened to some of the stuff she said and she was like, we need petitions up to separate people. So I was like, that's a good idea. So when you're a plastic person, you still get some of the petitions up in the shampoo bowls. Yeah. They're moose sites. can't, but when you come and think about it, we're all a bit too close together. Yeah. Like, so we still have those ones. They're really pretty, but we figured out a way to do it. Thank God, because I'm such a freak, that when we built the salon, I made sure this is pre-COVID, the seats are X number of meters apart, feet apart, because you have to be able to maneuver properly around them. But when the laws came back in for people seating, the millimeter. I was like, that's the universe. I gave you a of a high five with that one. We were lucky that we could continue. You were well prepared. And we also, we have a big outdoor area that's fern walled. and I got power in the back of that. So people came in after COVID and they still felt uncomfortable because the weather was lovely then. Yeah. Well, it was really nice because I think the whole world shut down. global warming to the past. The weather was lovely. So people would sit outside and get a great big like... They'd do their processing. get their blow dryers out there. It was nice. Yeah. So it turned out... It worked. It worked. So since then... Life has thrown you a few little curveballs. A little bit. So you have children. They're the same, similar ages to mine. And so, but you found yourself strangely after we got back from Paris three years ago, I guess, without a marriage. That is right. So I was married and the next day I wasn't. Yeah. And just to clarify for people who don't know, David is, was married to his business partner. Yeah. Yes. And we still are. Yeah. Yeah. So it's was a little bit. Non-traditional. Non-traditional. Non-traditional. That's a lovely way of putting it. It was a little bit rough, but I'm like... But that was life throwing you another curveball. Oh, totally did. Big curveball. But the upside of it is, my hair went grey, which I think was better, and I lost my dad by it.
So was like, we two positives. It was not good. It was not great how it happened. We're good now. It was a big... It was a It was a huge shift. Especially when you don't know you're having it. Yeah. But what else did? Right. Yeah, it caught you by surprise. It caught me by big surprise. But the interesting thing is this. I think, like, the universe and God and whatever it was sometimes deliberately... take you out of a situation without your consent. I would have never, you know, I was planning our 20 year anniversary. Like I was like, oh, we're gonna do this and yeah, we'll get there a long time. Yeah. So I, so I was in that mindset and then I was like, oh shit, like I've got to move house. What about my children? What are they gonna do? And I want to separate people. It was, was that. Yeah. was, that was a lot. What do you think was the thing, like the one thing that sort of has helped you kind of like reframe your life since then? Because I mean, in so many ways, your personal lives were intertwined, your business lives were intertwined. But what shift or what practice have you done that has sort of allowed you to come to peace? Because I think you really have. Like, I don't think it's been easy, but you have come to peace with it. It's a choice. Happiness is a choice. It's like you just... have to choose to do it. like, for every person you lose, you'll gain another person and like, and it's really weird. My mother, she's pretty mouthy. didn't know where you got it from. didn't know where I got it from. You know, when I called her when it all happened, I was at freaking club. Yes. Yeah. And she stopped me in my tracks and she says, Do not be the victim of this. No one likes the victim. Victims is not cute. Can I be a victim like this for a few hours? No, get together, blah, blah. Don't be a victim. And she's like, clearly they're not your person. Now you've got be clear, open space to go find your person. Go find your person. I don't hear about it. Like, it's horrible. You're going to get through this. Now keep in mind, she was married for 64 years. Yeah. And my dad died. In the middle of all of this. She never got divorced. So if you ask her she's still married, she says yes, but he's dead. Yeah. But they never get divorced. So technically. Yeah. Well, and I think what's crazy is like, I know it has not been easy and you've you've had moments where it's been very, very difficult. you also lost your dad during all of this. I did. And my 18 year old dog. Yeah. So in a two year period, I lost my dog. I mean, Issa was awesome. She was awesome. She's when the backyard died. It was just. I couldn't bear to put her to sleep. No. And the vet said the day she stops, I mean, she was blind and deaf and bend into everything. soon as she saw her little tail would wag, she's still in there. She's still there. She and Bruno are the dogs that have made me rethink having dogs. I still have another dog who's also 18 right now. He's the sweetest. Ross's Graffons are the best dogs in the world. Yeah. But I couldn't bring myself to put her to sleep. And that morning, she came into the kitchen and I patted her and she's with the pantry, the fridge, and that, and I was like... She's great today. And then I was cooking stuff for the kids and she's went in the backyard and died. And I was like, she's been hit me quite some time. And then she was dead. I said, Oh God. So that was rough. The kids, I thought, Oh God, I want my kids to see that I'll die. And I'm trying to be the parent, detecting things. And they were amazing. They, I was like trying to not to hyperventilate, but they went upstairs and I'm crying. I chalk and they drew a big love heart around her. No, it's that you've raised lovely kids. I can't cry, look like Tori Spellington. I a tool. I look like I'm like Damn Dolphy, but Tori Spellington, like I don't want to look like Yeah. I'm the man in his 50s or something. It's okay. Okay. So there was a lot of loss. Yeah. But it was like a reset. I was like, okay, and I realized that I, I I realized a couple of things. I'm a terrible judging character. What does that say about our friendship? I don't know. Because we were friends before. Yeah. And I had all these friends. Like, you you have a cell on and you're everyone's friend. All these people you think. But then when shit goes sideways, they just all go. Yes. And you're left with a handful of people. it's strange. Two of the biggest supports to me when my life went to shit, you two were just like. I mean, I didn't have to ask for you, you showed up. That's... That's rare. But it was... It was odd because I kept thinking all these people were my friends. They're not actually my friends, they're like familiar strangers. Yeah. Well, and people start taking sides. Everyone took sides. What everyone else having is divorce except me. So everyone picked sides, no one ever asked me what happened and then I was like... so churned up about, know, what about, you want to hear what happened? And it's like a political campaign, like, and it's not their fault. Yeah. But the information you presented with first is what you hear and that becomes your truth and you own that and that's your, and that's okay. And I just didn't let go. It was very hard because I'm, I'm like Libra and I want to think you balanced it right. Well, and you want people to love you. I think, but I just, you know, I just think I was really badly misrepresented. You know what? If you're not my people, if you didn't, if at my lowest point in my life, if you let them, I did it. didn't have a choice. left me, but I was like, at the lowest point in my life, all the people I thought would be there weren't. And I'll just work. I'll do it. So I had to start relabeling. Who are my friends? And out of the And say, I don't know, you got like 30 people you consider, you you're close to network, you're friends. I think I ended up with four. Which is No, because listen, you know, I'd rather have full-fledged things than 90 shit things. Yeah. And, but the one thing I don't like about myself, there's just one thing. There's one thing. No. It's not your hair. It's the one Digsy, just to find out why. My hair's right in my mouth. It's right. is that I'm a Libra by my Libra. Once I realized that you either were malicious or you came at me unintentionally with force and it was not good, you did to me. Yeah. It's fine. It's terrible. Do you wait? Do you have Capricorn in you somewhere? No, that's a very Capricorn thing to discover about yourself. I didn't know I was like that. Yeah. I became so easy and letting everyone go. Yeah. And I was just like, that's fine. That's okay. Done. to me. Dead to me.
Dead to me. And it's, and it isn't with anger. No, you just- I had to release them because they can't, you can't hold onto something that's struggling to get away from you. Yeah. So I was like, bye. And it's hard because I still see all these people now. Yeah. They still come to the salon. Yeah, they still come to salon and it's awkward because you travel with them and they were your family and now they're not. Yeah. And sometimes literally your family. 100%. And then that's another funny thing too. I don't know if you've ever been divorced here, but it's not just you losing the person you're with. You lose the things you thought you were going to do together. Because remember when we were in France, we on the phone, then maybe she had a small apartment here, we could all get a couple of families together. Like, I had these plans and they were out the window. And then that whole side of the family that you thought were your family... Like, I denied it no longer your family. And you're like, I didn't see that coming. Yeah. No, you didn't. mean, you didn't. No. And I was like, wow. So it was weird. was like, was a lot. Yeah. Well, I think you've handled it. I know it's not been easy, but I think you've handled it really well. I thought. Like, sometimes I think back and thought, I can see why people tend to drug and alcohol. Because it was like, it could have been a much more fun way than when I did it. But I don't know. just think you... feel like it's good self-help video, but I think you just had to go through it. You were not a victim. No, I couldn't be. My mother was slapping me across the face. Yeah. No, but you made that choice. I think you chose not to be the victim. You had to be, and yeah, you couldn't be. And shit happens, and it's okay. Like, we're good. Like, my ex and me, we're good. We take the kids at lunch, breakfast, and we're good. That all, it just all played out. Yeah. Okay. We're not making any of that, that's fine. It's just the next tier of people that disintegrated away. Like one of them in particular, I had in my will. I thought we were like that. And then I realized, we're not, we're not like that at all. Like, cause I thought, you know, this person works so hard and they give, give, give to everyone. thinking, how are they ever going to have anything for themselves? Because not that I had anything for myself, because I spent all my money. But before I the building. Hashtag sacks. And then I had to think to myself, that time I realized I'm terrible judging character. They didn't give a crap about me. I thought they did, but I think because I provided something that I think they needed, does that make sense? Yeah. You weren't used to them in a way that they- I used to them anymore. And so you just discarded. But that was okay because it's funny, I went- on like a dinner date with someone a couple of weeks ago and they said to me, would you change anything about your life? And I was like, how? Yeah. Cause I like myself better now than I was before. Yeah. And it's funny to go from doubling come no kids to ceiling cut to kids. It's your whole life is like completely changed. it's- jointly to single? Yeah. It's hard. It was hard. It was hard. It was weird, but you do it. You just get on with it. You don't have a choice. It's true. Well, some people have, mean, I think it is hard. knowing that there's much more to the story than what we've talked about, it's very, it's not an easy choice to make. And I think it's wonderful how you have prioritized, especially your children in all of this because. They're what matters. Yeah. No, my kids are my priority, period. Like that's which they'll always be my priority. And they're not everyone's priority, which is interesting when you're in your 50s beside dating people. You're a gay man with kids and they're like, yeah. So let's I mean, I like not to move on past, like, mean, I could obviously talk to you for years. But people do want to probably go home or stop listening to this podcast. I mean, I'm sure you don't. You don't have a life. I'm but yeah, so but just like briefly like what has it been like to move on? romantically after divorce Different it's just different because i'm a different person now. Yeah, like you you're you're not because you were together a long time It was not like you had an open relationship and you were like, you know, I don't want for 20 years, but it's It's just weird because if you're with one person for so long and it's like, who's this person? know what Yeah. But I dig it. I like to mess with people. I've never noticed that. So tell me. Like, I like to with people. And I find myself in these weird situations, which is funny. Someone said I'm going to have dinner with this guy and I said fine. And when I was pulling out of my driveway to get in my house, this Uber car almost hit mine. think, what fuck is driving that? When literally, like it was almost like a head on. Yeah. And I'm following this person, that asshole was such a terrible driver. And then the person gets in the car and says, oh my God, I this person might be naked. They weren't the driver, they were the passenger. So anyhow, hey, dinner was fine. And I'm to myself, what am I doing here? I'd rather take a bullet. Like what's happening right now? I was waiting for it. I kind of smashed the door or someone to scream fire or. something just to get me out of the situation. I wanted out. Yeah. And I'm thinking, know I shouldn't do this. But we'll leave it. And I said, Listen, I know where you live. I can drop you off. Like you almost hit me on the way here. I know exactly where you live. It's like, okay. And it's like, do you want to come for a drink? said, No, that's the always laying the ball. It's a hard no. So anyhow, gets in the car. And I thought to myself, why don't I do I'm a in my car. I'm scraping 5.8. This one's like probably 6.2. I'm thinking, this is not a great idea. I guess I'll be right back. And then he said to me, you look really nervous, David. you scared I'm a serial killer or something? And I said, well, what are the odds of having two in one car? And as he said that, my car went BOOM and locked him in. And I was like, are you feeling a bit dizzy? And this is why I love you. Well on that note, yeah, on that note, we're ready for the final round.
Oh God. Okay, so I don't want to. rapid shooting? It's a rapid, well yeah. Rapid fire. we're not nobody. yeah, sorry. So we're do 22 questions. I don't want you to overthink these. Well, no, you can swear. I don't care. You're Australian, by the way. And you'll actually that that pretty good. You've done really well. But you may not do well when I ask you one of these questions. Anyway. So we're gonna go very quickly. You're not gonna overthink these things except for the last one. I'll give you a little leeway, okay? Cool? So when are you your most yourself? Morning, afternoon or midnight? I think the same all the time. Okay, you're a Libra. don't have a good time or a bad time. I wake up the same mood that I get about it. Cool, you're a Libra. One tiny detail, daily ritual you guard? Positive affirmations and retin-a. Your current anthem in one word. Any anthem, like what's the word? What are you optimizing for right now? We're in the lottery. A belief you've retired. believe I've retired. Familiarity is equal loyalty. Favorite humble tool of your craft. So something under $20. Like, is there something under $20 that is like a go-to you must have? I can't pronounce it right. Is it Marvay? Marvay. They do that orange flavor on the face. It's delicious. You can eat it, but it tastes good. I leave two of my credit cards next to my bed. But I remember the numbers. In five words, a risk you're glad you took. Well, yeah. A risk, hang on, what do you mean by? A risk you're going to moving to Houston, moving to. I was going to have a coffee by myself. I was like, I was that person. Now I bring it. I'll do anything now. Yeah. A place that resets you. Paris. It's tacky, but I love it there. No, me too. Comfort, rewatch or reread. Absolutely fabulous. I'd say Kath and Kim. Oh, that's a good one. Kath and Kim. You guys know Kath and Kim? It's an Australian comedy about these women. It's a mother-daughter and they live in this artificial neighborhood and they're just ridiculous. There was a very brief American remake with Molly Shannon and um... I can see it. Somebody else. It lasted very... not two seconds. This comedy didn't translate. It didn't translate but it's hilarious. A sound you love. music sure is it Kylie yeah a sound you loathe whining a word you overuse fuck say I told you a word you wish you used more finish this done is better than A recent no that made room for a bigger yes. Thanks. I've got a big going date with someone, realizing that I don't care how much money in the world you got, there's a big part missing now. Yeah, that's what she said. Add one person to your imaginary board. Who? Do you have an imaginary board? I do. name Wes. Yes. Really? I love me some. yeah. This is where this is where we differ. Yeah, he's a visionary. He he's crazy. But I think his media the media makes him crazy and what he is. But I think like that goes cut his ear off. So this is the science. You do you? Yeah. Yeah. How do you take your coffee or tea? After 11. Go to coffee. Do you them at fast? No. This is going to be a hard one. What do you collect? Accidentally or on purpose? Yeah, yeah. Oh my god. we have to brief pause. I know this is supposed to be rapid fire. So Dave and I were in Paris and of course we have to go to Hermes. And of course we don't have an appointment. We just go because that's what we do. No, you have but not a leather appointment. Do you need an appointment? It turns out you need two appointments. Yeah. So in Aramaz, if people don't know, you can have just an appointment to shop. But if you want a bag, you have to have a leather appointment. They're notoriously hard to get, and they're very stingy with them. But we went to the main flagship on Rue St. Honoré. And you're just shopping around. at that appointment, you're supposed to buy a scarf. That's the kind of shopping appointment it is. And we're walking around, and you very nicely had gone to the bag session and asked one of the salespeople who Actually, did we even have an appointment? I don't think we had an appointment at this one. No, no, we did. We went there and I said, David Bamford, 11-11, blah, blah, blah, blah. And she says, oh, yes, what do you need? I said, I'd like to see what you meant, space. We didn't have any. Yeah, literally no bags in the store, right? No bags, absolutely no bags. She was not going to help. So we were done. If it was longer, I totally would have. Yeah. So we're walking around the store. We're like, well, we're here. We might as well just look around. And so we're walking around and like, There was a very nice man who was like, can help you and we're in the clothing section. And there was a bag that was on the pedestal that said not for sale. And it was in French. I couldn't read it. Yeah. And I was like, oh, but I was like, David, this looks so good. this goes with your like what you're wearing. And I said, it's not for sale. And so he like turns to the guy and he was like, I really like this bag. I picked it up. You picked it up. You literally picked it up. And it did not touch to. Yeah. French, but you didn't pay attention. so I said, I want this one. No, he's like, how can I help you? Not even what bag? And he was like, what? And he was like, well, I like this bag. And apparently it was like some runway sample or something that they were not supposed to sell or whatever Hermes said. And long, very long story short, we walked out with a bag. I said to the people, I said, you don't understand. I've had children. I've been in the Paris for eight years. I'm not leaving with a bad bag. I'm leaving with this one. Yeah. And so you can't have the bag. You're saying, well, someone's going to have it. It's going to be me. I should have done a little this was pre Lord Bamford Yeah, that's a whole other story. That's another podcast people just know that David is a lord. Okay, He the guy reluctantly got more people from the back to hear my hard luck story Why I needed a stupid bag and then they said oh you can have it and then I was like How much is it and then he said to them if you have to pass how much and you should probably can't afford it
And then we all laughed about it. It was like, do want me to say how much it was? It was 4500. For an air mass bag, it's not it was not bad. It was for an air mass bag. It was not it was not a Birkin or a Kelly. But still, it was a runway sample, not for sale. You got it. And it's this beautiful like aqua teal color. It's a really cool color. And then when I said I'll buy it, then he bought up the scarf and then he bought it about. Yeah, they upsold you. said next. she was in the other part of the store. We moved on from her. I'm telling you something that I did learn though. If you buy anything from a mares, do not say you're going to build a relationship with someone and stuff like that. Your sales assistant gets zero money for selling your book and or a cowling. They get nothing. That's why they don't sell it to you because they're not going to get it. There's no benefit. So if you go there and buy hand soaps and towels and this and that all that and just have a relationship with them. Yeah. And they see that you like in the brand, then they'll be like, you can have one. Wait, can I tell the funny after the prologue to the story? I don't know if I want to. OK, can I tell it? OK, so we get back home from Paris and he's come home from Paris with this Hermes bag and the accoutrement, if you will. And he calls me. He's like, David, you'll never guess what happened. I'm like, what? He was like, well, I was walking by Hermes in River Oaks District. I was like, what happened? And he's like, the sales associate called me in and I was like, OK, I can see where this is going. And he's like, you know that bag you've been wanting for 10 years? I have it. Do you want it? And this was literally just after you found out you were getting a divorce. No, no, no, no, it was right before. Right, but literally right before. No, it was the Monday before I found out I was getting divorced on Friday night. Right, OK, so this is Monday of the fateful week. So go in and they have you say what the bag is. Jeremy, who was the manager there, he wasn't the manager originally. We're just friends. And we're talking about ridiculous stuff. know, the bags are stupid, blah, blah, blah. A lot of designer stuff, I think now, is about the label. But I like the fact it's all hands-on. I You really appreciate the craft. Yeah. mean, I buy these weird bags and no one knows what the hell they are. Yeah. I like the craft. You know, Kardashians have ruined Birkens for the world. Of course. Well, and the baggy bottom of Paris is not what most people think of Hermes. it's just a good bag. It's just a cool colored bag. But anyhow, so I wanted a 40, which is a big matte black Birkin with gold hardware. Because the 40s are men's, just throw that out. And they're rare. Yeah, he said, this is the first one I've in the store in eight years. I said, God. I said, I don't like fresh jewelry. I said, OK. So I called my now ex and I was like, look, is there ever a bit of a pickle? I know I spent more than I should, but I was just... Yeah, we've just been embarrassed. Yeah. I said, look, the funny thing is, so I can get it if we don't like it, I can always sell it. But I've been offered it. So I think I should take it. And they're like, yeah, take it. And so I was like, so I did. And I carried it twice. Yeah. Are you selling five years later. Are you selling it? No, I just, don't know. I don't know why I don't carry it. It's good bag. Are you selling it? So I'm just like, yeah, yeah. We'll talk later. I'm going to broker a deal. I think the only time I really took it, which was just me being a little bit sassy, was to, do know when you're having a divorce and you have that thing that's sitting across the table? Mediation. I took it to a media station. of course. Because guess who paid for it? Yeah, both of you. OK, if life were a cocktail, what's in it? Tears? No, I don't know. I can't say that one in the podcast. know. I'm taking it for $500. Hang on, one sec. So what's a five minute thing somebody in the audience, whether listening or in person, can do to take action to make a life that they love? find a quiet moment for yourself. Do a good, I've got all these positive affirmation things they say and when I first started doing it, they felt really corny. They work. But they work. Manifesting. Yeah, manifesting. Yeah. You're gonna manifest. I got a really good one yesterday.
What is it? Tell me. It's really long. on my phone. And it's like, you say, I'm David Peck. Is there any great things gonna happen to me? I'm manifesting positive, great connections. My day is gonna be great. Only good things will come my way. All the negative things from yesterday I release. I'm welcoming change and prosperity into my life. I like it. So that's it. That's all you gotta do. And if you wake up, it in the morning and I'll do it at night too. Cool. As long as the kids aren't about me, because they sleep with me. That's a whole other story. That's a different story. I thought it was all like, you know, like... give it a hug or some BS, but it's not. It actually works. Cool. Thank you, David, for being... Wait, that helped? I know. You did very well. Well, thank you for being inside. We'll have to have you back and we can... Cheers. Thank you, guys. Thank you. Good job. Good job.

Know someone in a plot-twist season? Send them this pep talk with punchlines.

Key takeaways

Luxury isn’t a logo; it’s how people feel in your space—and it starts with standards.
Creativity is a survival skill: when the plan explodes, pivot fast and keep serving.
You can’t hold onto what’s trying to leave; release it and redesign your life.
Happiness is a choice and a practice—affirmations help anchor it.
Joy and grief can coexist (see: Birkin on Monday, divorce on Friday).

Guests Appearing in this Episode

David Bamford

Australian stylist; co-founder of Therapy Hair Studio (River Oaks, Houston)

Australian native David Bamford co-founded Therapy Hair Studio alongside Luis Perez where they share the goal of being the best of the best. He has searched far and wide for the top talent in Houston and requires his stylists to be nothing short of perfect. As a result, Therapy Hair Studio has built up wonderful esteem throughout the Houston area and, in fact, the entire U.S. As a result, they were named Top Salon in Texas by InStyle’s Beauty Black Book and have received numerous other awards and accolades.

David has had the honor to work alongside some of the best hair stylists on the planet, including Jose Eber and the legendary Kevin Murphy. David was one of four session masters for Kevin Murphy, which gave him a unique opportunity to be involved in the creation of new looks and have an influence on the hair industry on a global scale. He also has years of experience styling for movies. His work has been featured in award-winning films and he has styled international icons including Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith, Muhammad Ali, and Oscar de la Renta. He is the go-to stylist for many designers nationally and has worked locally on photo shoots for Elaine Turner and David Peck.

David focuses on using cutting-edge styling techniques and insists on quality. That is why he only hires the top talent to work with him and Luis at Therapy Hair Studio. David has an eye for great talent and personally trains each stylist he brings into the salon in the advanced techniques he has learned over the course of his illustrious career. He works tirelessly to motivate, teach, and share his vast knowledge and experience with his stylists, helping them grow to be their best. He expects excellence, and all the stylists, makeup experts, and colorists at Therapy Hair Studio come to Therapy to be the best. Being the best salon in Houston is a team effort, and David works hard to ensure that everyone at Therapy performs to his high standards.