Today’s guest is one of the most brilliant educators and colorists I know. He is a global artist with Redken, and a lead colorist on all Redken color shoots. He is a three time NAHA nominee and he is here fresh from the stage at the Redken Symposium On Tour. So let’s get into this week’s Headcase: Mr George Garcia.
- he realized early in his training at cosmetology school that if he was going to do this, he better commit all the way
- his paradigm shift from being a kid on the street to helping kids on the street
- how he was fired from one salon after being wrongly accused of stealing $20, and got hired at another salon with an amazing mentor who got him his start at Redken
Complete Transcript
Chris Baran 0:00
We discuss some images in today’s chat and you can see them in the podcast videos at Chrisbaran.com.
How great would it be to get up close and personal with the beauty industry heroes? We love and admire and to ask them how did you learn to do what you do? I’m Chris Barron, a hairstylist and educator for 40 plus years, and I’m inviting all our heroes to chat and share the secrets of their success.
Well, today’s guest is probably one of the most brilliant educators and colorist that I know. He is the global artist with Redken is a lead colorist on all red color shoots. He’s a member of the Redken Mizani texture experts he is the lead colorist catch this for all DMI which is the development marketing international shoots all across the professional products division for L’Oreal. And there is a three time na ha nominee and he is here fresh off the stage from the Redken Symposium on tour. So let’s get into this week’s head case. Mr. George Garcia. Well, Mr. Garcia, I mean, it even sounds stupid in my brain saying that after all the time we spent together on the road, etc. But Georgia, it’s absolute pleasure, not only I mean, I think we only we’ve been apart now for what I think three or four days after the symposium, but welcome to head cases. It’s great to have you on but man, it’s
George Garcia 1:37
a pleasure I’ve been. I’m a big fan of podcasts. And so I’ve been lurking in in stalking a little bit. So it’s a huge honor to be a part of this and always great, always great.
Chris Baran 1:50
Anybody who uses the words lurking you fit into the books right away. You know, and I think, you know, usually we jump into questions, but I, you and I talked about this story. I think every time that we’re together, and somebody will grace us an ear will tell the story of our UK, the UK tour. And I just want to start off with that, because that was not only such fun, but I usually end up starting it on this point, I want you to tell your version of what our UK story was about. Whether you agree or disagree.
George Garcia 2:25
Yeah, so if anyone ever asked me, you know, like, if you feel like a rock star when you’re on stage, and whenever I after, this is the only story that I ever feel like that tour that we did, I felt I felt like maybe even Tyler or maybe Mick Jagger. You know, it was just it was it was crazy. It was I believe it was five city tour. I think it was really UK. And it was amazing because it was a wrecking wrecking event only ranking event so everyone who was there was you know was dialed into red cam and and the UK put a lot of money and effort into this tour. It was stage stage and lighting setup. They I believe they had two sets and they would set up in once I think we started off in London and then the next city was already setting up our our stage and our backup everything there. And then we would we would we would get in a bus and go from there to our tour bus with dancers, models, artists support,
Chris Baran 3:23
elevate choreographers, choreographers, everything and
George Garcia 3:25
we would go from one city to the next city.
Chris Baran 3:29
Your day. I mean, it wasn’t like it wasn’t like the ones where you you did a one weekend after next. These were one day after the next
George Garcia 3:36
back to back. Right, exactly. So as we’re traveling from one city, they’re tearing down our old one, going to the next city, the next jumping past our next city to the third city, and they’re we’re setting up there. So we were going from one city to another everything was set up for us it was just amazing. But I remember us starting off in London, and of course, you know, once you once you start off again, I was ready to celebrate after our first show in London and those were in your
Chris Baran 4:03
drinking days.
George Garcia 4:05
And we were we were there after the show and usually after our shows we you know we had to also meet you at the bar right so we hit the bar. Well because it was such as quick timeline, we didn’t have the opportunity to hang out quite as long as we normally would. And we would you know, so the dancers and I remember the dancers, they would go through the area, the reception area and they would want to grab a bottle of wine we’ll grab some some some free some in some some some crackers or some bread and we’re just grabbing all that we could because we knew we had a long trip in bus to the next show so you know as a hodgepodge of off the haul and snacks that we would grab from the from from the buffet tables, and we would start partying on the bus and so we would get to the bus and we would start partying and we get there. Usually if it were before midnight we would go the whole crew because we’d already started with go straight to the bar. We We continue with the bar hit our rooms wake up early morning call, we got to get the model’s prep and get on the stage do the show again. Again after the show, grabbing it, we got better at it, we got more multiple bottles of wine at that point, we got good.
Chris Baran 5:15
Because there was always it was always the after party, which all the clients were invited to, we were packing, but we’d always sneak out and get a bottle of wine or whatever refreshments we can sneak out of there for the for the models and ourselves. It’s alright, so over
George Garcia 5:29
and over this is this is five days in a row now we’re going on the on so fast forward that you can just imagine got it got better and better as we went through or I guess you know what they got heavier and heavier. So we ended up in Manchester was our last was. And we finished we come offstage and again grabbed our bottles of wine and, and we’re heading back to London. And you and I had to fly out that next morning.
Chris Baran 5:58
So we had it was an early flight. Yeah, I
George Garcia 6:01
believe it was we had to leave the hotel that we started off at at like 5am 4am Something like that, to catch our early flight home.
Chris Baran 6:10
Which we’re going straight to Canada to do another show
George Garcia 6:14
another so we were in Manchester and of course you can just imagine after giving doing all the things we do waking up early staying up late we were we were we were exhausted and and probably toxic toxic level was our time. We get to we get to we get back to London and it’s probably three o’clock in the morning to three o’clock in the morning. And maybe even little later, we had maybe a couple of hours to to you know to either go to sleep. So get packed, whatever it was we were already packed up ready to go. So we walked through the hotel and and I see that the bar still open and this is after hours barstool open. So I look at you and you kind of look at me and like, you know, hey, we can make this can go one or two ways. And
Chris Baran 7:08
you’re at the bar.
George Garcia 7:08
You want to keep going. Yeah, well, let’s just let’s just keep going. So we went straight to the bar continued with some shots and some great conversation, you know, and feeling really amazing about what we just accomplished five cities in the UK that just loved what we did. And so it was no no better time than to celebrate than right. So we just kept going, we just kept going had a couple more drinks and time to go time to go. So you know, both of us head out we called the car we’re gonna take a car together. And we head over the car, we have our luggage right there with us, we bring it over when I go to the back, I throw my luggage in getting the car you get in the car, and we start heading over to Heathrow and Heathrow you know was about 30 minutes away 40 minutes away from where we were so we were just relaxing on the on the feeling really good on the on the taxi and we get there and taxi sitting there we go walk around the back again, you’re taking care of the cab driver. I pulled my luggage out, and I’m looking in there and I don’t I don’t see any other luggage and then mine. And I’m just thinking to myself, well that’s all and you come around you said where’s my luggage? And I was like, that’s a that’s a great question. Where where’s your luggage?
Chris Baran 8:26
Am I going to Canada where I needed that luggage because I went to another show your everything
George Garcia 8:30
else your everything’s are in that thing. So immediately panics, hits, I was completely sober at that time is or it’s over. It’s over. It’s a good beat, because there’s no leggings, there’s no nothing. And so we immediately call back to the hotel. And they said, Yeah, well your luggage is here. And so we’re like, Well, if we had the car still there, so like let’s just keep this car, get back over there, get that luggage and come back and we’re thinking, you know, we’re just running to the hotel, grab the luggage from the people at the desk and you know, we’ll be good to go. We’re pulling up on the hotel and we’re looking at the hotel and as we’re driving I’m looking out the window and I was like he would sit on the curb right there.
Chris Baran 9:14
My luggage still sitting on the curb.
George Garcia 9:17
Sitting right where the kids sitting right there on the curb. No one touched it that hotel didn’t feel the need to go out and grab it and bring it back in. Yeah, it’s here. It’s right. On the curb. Yeah, we grab our we grab our luggage and head back as quick as we could think. Oh, we finally caught up we caught our flight straight straight to straight to Toronto to do a three day show there. So
Chris Baran 9:43
um, the thing is, we’d have to worry about sleep and we didn’t need any melatonin. So lonely not to drool up and the funniest thing was, I can still remember that every time that I go How to sleep I snore, you know, unbeknownst to people, but I can still go on I went oh my god I am so nothing worse than a person that snores. But slump. snores when you’ve been drinking heavy. So I just went on I don’t care. I just don’t care. Any anyway, that was that was just a one of the more memorable times in my life. And I think I had to leave with that story as well.
George Garcia 10:27
Which led into when the next podcast we’re going to the next because Toronto was just as easily as it shows.
Chris Baran 10:34
Oh, no, we have we have to go there. We have to go there because we’ve been sleep deprived and still getting the show together in our brain. Yes, sir. And so we’ve got to go there. Tell the story. Alright.
George Garcia 10:47
So we we land, we land in Toronto, we get there we go straight to the hotel, we’re staying in the wreck, find the Space Needle, the CNN tower. It’s called red bricks. Yeah. And so they have the right next door is the stadium where the Blue Jays play Toronto Blue Jays play, which is great because you can stay in the hotel and you can watch the game on the inside from some of the rooms you walk out on your back and you’re literally inside the stadium to watch the games. And so I’ve been there, I’ve been there multiple times. And I just love that hotel. They have beautiful restaurants in there and pubs and bars all inside the stadium. So it’s great. And it’s walking distance from from where we’re going to be doing the class at the exchange usually. So I’m we’re in that we both get in we check in. And the only sleep pretty much that we’d had with we had on the plane. So it’s late night and all the team was there all the team had already checked in. And Chris, is Chris causing the pain you want to run through the agenda. You know, yeah, yeah, I’ll give a ticket bottle of wine has come down to my room, we’ll go through the agenda and Mullah and we’ll get everything laid out before we get to tomorrow morning early for for prep and ice again, it’s a great idea. Let’s do that. It just so happened we checked in though there was a lot of people in the lobby. There’s a lot of people there to see an event there. But it wasn’t baseball season. So we’re like what’s going on. And there’s a bar that’s there that has floor to ceiling windows where you can see into the it’s in. If you’re in the stadium, it’s in the left field, left field bleachers, you can see right into the sea right in the stadium, floor to ceiling. So we walk in there, mounds of dirt mounds of dirt in there, and I asked what’s going on in here and they’re like, oh, it’s the Super Bowl of motocross finals. So the Superbowl Motorcraft they’re gonna be they’re going to name the winner of super, super bowl motocross tonight. So it’s the finals. It ends tonight. So we’re like, oh, man, that’s awesome. So we go to our rooms. And that’s when Chris calls me go down to his room. And we’re in there maybe I would say maybe an hour and a half, maybe that. And we’re going to sit in there looking at your computer drinking some wine and we’re just going over and then all of a sudden we hear all this ruckus going on in the hallway. And running began yelling yelling and the end of the fire alarm. And the fire alarm went off to and I was like awesome idiot pulled the fire alarm. I said let me let me you say that. Let me check Chris So I opened it up. And sure enough, there’s two firemen running down the hallways and what are you doing here? And we’re like, Oh, shit. All right, Chris. Let’s go. So we grabbed your we didn’t actually do we grab anything. We just hit straight out. Yeah, we would write out. We go downstairs and then we see everyone that’s in the hotels out in front. And mind you just quick note it was it was freezing. It was freezing cold outside. And everyone is out there. I saw people that were they were handing out tablecloths because they come out in their pajamas and wrapped up in the tablecloth. People have napkins wrapped around their feet because they came out with no shoes. You and I were fully dressed. We just got there. So we’re fully dressed. So we were like what’s going on here? And from what we understood that the because of the motorcycles. There was so much carbon monoxide in the stadium that it filtered into the hotel which was set up all the alarms so until they could get that carbon monoxide cleared out. We weren’t allowed to go back in the hotel. So we’re walking by there Chris, you’re like you gotta be kidding me man after this whole UK thing now we’re here I’m here. This is what we had to be there next morning at 4am It’s already 11 o’clock at night. So I was like well what should we do and so anyways, we we looked at each other and we see the team you know some of the team Shawn guard was down there Terry ritzy was there and there were all these people that were down there freezing cold all wrapped up bone together. And I thought well either we could do that or
Chris Baran 14:39
go to the bar or
George Garcia 14:42
I could go with my buddy Chris here says you know there’s I know there’s a hockey bar down here there’s you know, the Maple Leafs bar we’ll just go down to here nicely open till to just we’ll wait it out. You know, we think there’s a little office you know, what’s the wait it out? Well, the whole bar just so I happen to be filled with people that were had are the ideal so, so we go to the bar, we find a little nook at the bar, and both of us sit down 2am rolls around 3am rolls around, they’re still not letting people back in the hotel. Finally we get a weed, they let us in back of the hotel. After my end, they kept serving us too. They just kept serving us though, the whole night. So we get we get back to the hotel. And finally they let us in. But guess what? I’m gonna go to press.
Chris Baran 15:29
Go to prep. Lots of melt spray. Yeah, I mean, George, that’s, that’s the part of our labors. I mean, it was hell while we were doing it, but it makes the best stories in the world. And I I just love that story. And you know, your story is better than mine. So I’m glad you told me. It’s like a fish story, I think does it get bigger? Get bigger every time? It was to Blue zero. Yeah, that’s right. And we were up for 76 hours. Okay, well,
George Garcia 16:05
needless to say, when Chris Barron hits the stage, and he’s got a partner like me on stage that, you know, you guys reel me in? Like, here’s what we’re gonna do? Here’s how we’re going to do it. It all came out great. In Toronto,
Chris Baran 16:19
yeah. That was the only thing that shows always went on, that was always about what were people in the audience and making sure we covered them. Now, they that sort of I want to it’s like a good movie, you know, when you get they bring you up to a rate of certain point, and then they take you back to the beginning. You know, this happened 72 hours earlier. But I want to I want to go back probably I don’t know, what, 72 hours, 72 years. And just to give people that the idea, like Where Where did where did George come from? You know, and I always feel that there’s like two kinds of people that there’s the ones that that fell into hair and the ones that wanted to do hair from square one, where which category were you in?
George Garcia 17:03
Well, so I would say I would say a little bit of both categories. You know what I mean? First of all, I was I was searching I was in college, I was a science major. At that time, I was going to community college, my parents were very, very hard workers. But, you know, financially weren’t really able to help me out too much with college and whatnot. But that my second year at I got my Associates in Science at a junior college time for me to transfer into a into a university. And so I went to my folks, and they were like, well, you know, it’s a lot of money. And then so I, you know, not to burden my family anymore anymore. I went back to my counselor, and he said to me, Hey, you know, we offer off campus courses, you know, vocational courses that you could go to, and maybe try to work your way through college, you know, you work a little bit part time you go to school part time, just kind of it’ll take you longer, but you’ll be able to do it. And science was my was my chosen field. And the only reason it was is because it was the broadest major that I could transfer into anything, you know, it was a good basis for a lot of different, you know, a lot of different other majors. And so I just SAFETY PICK, the biggest one that’s transfer a letter on won’t take any more courses over again. So I went down and he showed me a list of things that they offered, you know, radiology, you know, refrigeration, automotive, all this, all these things, and just just check them out, you know, he said, Well, you made the Dean’s list. So we’ll put you to top of list, you know that I didn’t say that. But I said that, you know, just check out what you want, we’ll make sure that you’re in. And one of the top ones was cosmetology and I, you know, being a science major, I was like, you know, ology means the study of and in all about the science of and so I thought cosmetology, let’s check that out. So I went down there, and I walked through the doors of this school. And first of all, everyone is in their nursing uniforms all in white spec, then everyone wore white, and I’m looking at everybody. I’m like, okay, cool. And I noticed that all of them were women. And I’ll say so I asked the lady at the front, I said, Hey, I’m here to talk to some someone in the administration office. So like, she says, Just go right towards the back there. And you’ll you know, you’ll see that the end and I said, Okay, so I walked through, and I see this, I see these group, this group of girls, they’re just laughing and giggling it up, and they’re like, Oh, you’re so funny. And opens up and my cousin Louis is standing there and Lewis’s that. Lewis sees me and he says, Well, what are you doing here? I was like, What am I doing here? What are you doing here? And he’s like, Oh, I go to school here. I was like, I can see that as like, what is the school? What is this about? Is this a cosmetology course? I was like, I know that. Can you tell me what that means. And he says to me, it’s it’s a beauty school. It’s about hair, nails, facials, it’s about all about beauty. And I was like, Oh, this is a beauty school. He’s like, Yeah, I was like, Oh my gosh. And right then and there, you know, when you come to a point where, you know, a fork in the road, either run her run that way or in that way, and I looked at him, I was like, really is like, how is it? How do you like it? He’s like, Oh, I love it. His dad was a barber. And so I love it. I love it. And he said, that he could tell I was kind of mulling it over in my mind. He’s looking, he’s like, hey, just so you know, all those girls out there. He said, If you didn’t like what you saw there. Every three months, we get new manicures and pedicures, we get new essences. I’m the only guy here. Not for long. Back to the administrator’s office. I said, Well, how much is it? She said, Well, since you’re coming from City College tuition will will be paid for. He said, You have to come up with your kid. And I said, Well, how much is a kid? So he’s, she says it’s $500. And I said, Oh, okay. All right. Well, she was like being come up that kit we can put you in as soon as possible. I said, Okay. So I went home, I talked to my and I talked to my mom, she’s like, well, you have to talk to your father. So I waited for my dad got home from work, and he comes in, he’s laying on the couch. And my dad’s the kind of guy that’s, you know, you gotta eat, especially after work. You got to tread tread softly
Chris Baran 21:34
know how to use a mechanic
George Garcia 21:36
welder. And you know, he was he was he was really tired when he got home. And so I said, Hey, Dad, can I talk to you? And my mom was sitting right there as a buffer. And as they are that I said, Hey, Mom, Hey, Dad, I was gonna ask you as a, you know, I went down to I graduated, you know, from City College, and I want to go to university and you know, I found a way maybe to do that won’t cost you anything. And he’s like, really? Tell me more about that. And because he was always from the, from the, you know, there’s nothing free in this world, ever. You know, there’s always a price you have to pay. You may not see the first but you’ll end up you’ll see it. And so he said, Oh, really tell me more about that. I said, Well, this is what it is. And here, they’ll pay for my tuition because I’m on the Dean’s list. And he’s like, okay, so I said, but there’s, you know, there’s a kit, there’s a thing of a kit, you know, it’s all my tools and stuff like that, that I’ll need. He said, How much is that? I said, it’s $500. He’s like, okay, he’s like, let me get this straight. He said, you went to school for science. He goes, now you want to do hair? He said, Do we need to talk? No. No, we don’t need to talk. He’s like, Okay, I’m just checking. I’m just checking. I was like, Hey, Dad, it’s all good. I just want to do this. And he’s like, Alright, he’s like, if you do this, and I gave you this $500. He said, Boy, you better put all into it. And I said, I will, I promise, so I’ll do it. And that was it. I went back to the school said, Here’s my $500 They gave me my kit. And because I was because I was a science major. Chris it i They had me take this test, just to see if I was competent. If I could read right, you know, so it was a bunch of stuff, a bunch of science questions. And I knocked it out and handed it to the lady and she looked at it. She was like, Have you been to a beauty school before? And I was like, no. She’s like, huh, do you have? Do you know anybody that’s gone to PT school before? I was like, not really. I suck. Why are you asking me that? She said, Because you didn’t you score. You got all the all the questions. Correct. She’s like, it’s never happened here. And I told her my backgrounds like Well, I’m a science major. I know about alkalinity. I know about chemical processes. And when, you know, I just told her and she was like, oh, oh, okay, well, that makes sense. So, you know, in freshman class you got to go through, you have to test out in order to be able to do for real people. So because I was so advanced when it came to the, you know, two, as far as the science part of it, and you know, you have to know about anatomy enough to know about all of it. And so I test it out before a lot of the people that had started way before me. So I was on the floor within a matter of four or five months. And so I was actually doing practical hair practical skill before a lot of people that started before me. And so I thought to myself, that was something that I was key was I remember that and I thought to myself, You know what, George, you went through all that in order to get here. And that’s gonna that’s going to help you that’s going to really set you it’s going to give you a head start. So if you focus on this, I think it might be something and I didn’t know anything, anything about how much money you give me how much you know, the how lucrative our industry could be. The you know, how amazing our industry is. I didn’t know anything about that. All I knew was that you know what This may be good for you, you may have found a little bit of a niche right here, where you you are advancing and you’re, you know, because of what you went through in school, then you’re you may be good here. So I chose right then right there. Let’s ride this out. Let’s see where it takes me. And so that was that’s how I got into hair. Redken’s a totally different stories, right? It’s a totally different story.
Chris Baran 25:21
And before you go there, I want to did so from that point, you said hell with that I’m dropping the dropping the science and well,
George Garcia 25:28
I said to myself, I said to myself, either you can you always have my dad in my head, I always have my dad in my head, you know, if you’re going to do this, you better you better put it all in. We’re going all in, you better put it all in. And so I always had that in the back of my head, you know, just push it, push through this get through PT school. And I was open for wherever, wherever it took me whether it meant I was making a couple bucks to get me through through the first mistake or, or whether it meant it may be the direction I want to go. And just kept an open mind to it, you know, just always stayed open to where it was gonna take me because I really didn’t know what I wanted. You know, I didn’t know, I didn’t know that this was going to be the love of my life. This is going to be what’s going to transform me from being a kid on the streets to helping kids on the streets. You know what I mean? So that was that, to me was a big a big paradigm shift for me. Yeah, yeah, that’s,
Chris Baran 26:24
that’s what I there’s always got to be that transformational moment that that that catalyst to me that it’s always like, the way I describe it is It’s like somebody hits takes a two by four and hits you between the eyes with it. And you go, Wow, this was here all along, and I didn’t really get it. Yeah, no, I do. Yeah. Now I know you mentioned that the retcons story, but I don’t want to go too far ahead in the scenes here of this. Okay, we started at the end we’ve we’ve got we went back to the beginning. But I want to talk a little bit first about okay, you just finish up with the school you you come out of there and knowing you you probably made the Dean’s list in there, etc. which I never did. But what I I want to know what was it like at the beginning? Okay, you just got out of school? Yeah. What was it? Like? What was it like for you for for finding a place to work and so on. Some stairs fit in.
George Garcia 27:23
So this is this is where that was? You know, I yeah, I love how you talk in scenes because to me, there’s there’s different points in your life where if you break it down you Broadview look, the look at the big picture, there are certain areas where they are like scenes, you know what I mean? So that was the first scene of my hairdressing career just getting me to the point where I have my license, and now I’m good to go. And 30 seconds after that, Chris, I find out I’m going to be a dad. And I’m like, wait, what? Hold on a second. What what I don’t even have a job yet. I don’t I’m not even so out of sheer luck. Don’t get me wrong. I was I wasn’t just fear. I was I was for me. My kids are my life. My kids are my kids, my grandkids now. They’ve always been my inspiration in everything that I do. They’ve always been the common denominator for the the choices that I’ve made in my life and so but I found that my son Ryan was coming in I was I was taken aback and I thought to myself, Okay, you don’t have a job, but it’s time for you to make sure that there was another light coming into your life. And this is what your life looks like now. This is whether it’s this is what it is, you know, this is what it was. This is now what it is not about like it was upside down not about you anymore. You know all this stuff, what you thought you were gonna get for you what you want to do for you and what you want to do, where you want to go how you want to do it. It’s not about you anymore. Now it’s about it’s about Ryan, it’s about what’s your what’s your life, your son your son’s life now, how are you going to support them? How are you going to take care of them heading into clothing, how are you going to feed them? And so I hit the streets, I hit the streets I found this little salon it was a little three chair salon and a mall. Went to work and my technical skills down it was a it was a young hip little cool salon, but my technical skills and how quickly I did hair because I had so much more practical experience being on the floor than a lot of so I had already done a lot of hair at I’ve done a lot of blow dries I didn’t want to haircuts. I’ve done a lot and did well at it. And so the first salon that I went to was called trimmers and it was a salon in wine stocks. But they saw my production and they said hey, we have another salon that’s on the upper floor that caters to more hair color that caters not just clipping clipping those that caters to more hair color caters to more perms that was a big thing back then permanent waves and and Your ticket prices will be much higher. So if you want to move up there, you may be working on older clientele, middle aged or older clientele, but they have the money to pay for those services, as opposed to the ones who are coming in just to get a quick fade haircut or trim or blow dry. Your ticket prices will vary if you want one movie upstairs, and I said, let’s do that, more money, even better. So they moved me up there. And I was up there maybe six months. I was maybe up there six months. And this lady comes by she saw a client I was working on I just finished her blow dry, big, fluffy, you know, 90s Blue drive she was she’s looking feeling good about herself. And she walked out into saying, Oh my God, you’re amazing. I could never blow dry my hair like this and just going on and on and on. And this lady was in the area where they were shopping. She heard it and she came over and she after my client left, she comes over and she’s like, I want to introduce myself to you. My name is Sandy priestly. And I own not just hair. She’s like, I just saw you how you handled yourself in that situation. And I saw your work. She says you don’t need to be here. You need to become you need to come work with me. She was like, I’ll give you a chair. I have commissioned salon, I’ll pay you a higher commission will train you with I have a staff of about 3040 people will train you will give you what you need, blah, blah, blah. And I said, Okay, let me give these guys my two weeks. And she said, Okay, fair enough. Because your two weeks I end up going down to Sandy salon. My son is born. You know, my son is born and I had been working there for a little bit. They were feeding me clients. I was busier and ever. Everything’s going good. They love me there they they were like yeah, Georgia. So great having you here fresh blood, young, young people. I was like, Oh, it’s great to be here when you guys. And the sandy comes up to me, my son was born and she comes up to me. She says, hey, I want to give you this. It’s an envelope is the envelope of money that everyone has put together money for you. It’s, we want you to take a few days off of work, go enjoy your son go, you know, finish up your day, go Joy your son bond. And then when you come back, be ready to work. Because this should cover you for the three four days that you’re out. And I said Thank you, Sandy. I appreciate that. finish out my day. And the last client of my day was a lady who moved from Chicago to California. I did her hair a few times. She loved it. She was trying to get her husband to getting so my husband’s hair is horrible. So we come to the front desk, and she’s paying for me and they didn’t have changed in the register to give her back this $20 And she’s like, Sure, can we go run again? She’s like, you know what, keep the $20 put it, put it in the red shirt. My husband, I’m gonna send my husband in when George comes back. Just tell him what’s on the house and use that $20 for his haircut. And I said okay, cool. So the registered the front, front desk, girl sticks it underneath the right, got an envelope and puts it underneath the cash till shuts the door. And that was it. So I go four days later, come back, enjoy my son come back, ready to work. And Sandy comes she comes in. I could tell there was a lot. No one’s like, Hey, George, welcome back. Hey, she takes me back to the office and she sits me down and she slides slides over her desk, flip to mute. She says I needed to sign that. And I said what is that? She says what? I have to let you go. And I said what why? She’s like, I just need you to sign a charge. She was like, I have to let you go. I was like, can you tell me why you’re letting me go? She said, because people have been someone’s been stealing from me for at least a year. And they’ve been taking product cash out of my drawer. And she’s like, I can’t do it anymore. She’s like, and I know you stole money from my register. And I said, What are you talking about? And she said, yeah, she’s like that $20 That you and the worst. And Robin the receptionist put under the chill. Only you guys knew about that. She’s like, uh, when your client came back in to get that $20 back because her husband wouldn’t come in. It wasn’t there. The envelope was there, but the money was gone. She was like, uh, you were the only one he knew about and I was like, Sandhya Why would I risk my career for 20 bucks. They come on. She’s like, I’m sorry, George, I have to make an example of you. And I just need you to sign that. I said, well, two things. You’re 100% Incorrect. I would not steal. I don’t steal. I don’t lie. Here’s your paper. Here’s your pink slip. I’m not signing it because that says that I did it. And I’ll have my stuff out of here by the end the night. She was like, gotta appreciate that. She’s like, Wait, George, wait, wait, hold on. Look, I feel horrible. I know your situation. I said look, I don’t need your sympathy. I don’t need your pity. If this is your decision and then run with it. I said but you’re making you’re making a bad choice. She’s like, well go down. Look at there’s a friend of mine who owns a salon and visual changes. He’s on first Denise. He’s a wreckin artist.
squeeze your butt cheeks. He’s a, he’s a great guy, he’s educator, he’ll help you. Like, I don’t need your referrals I don’t need. So I marched out there with my tail between my legs and, and couldn’t go home because my, I didn’t, I didn’t really want to tell my ex, you know, my wife at the time didn’t want to tell her that I had I had been fired and reasons why. And so I thought hit the streets. So I hit every major salon in our city and did that for about three, four days and came to the end of the week where I was supposed to be getting paid Sandy paid out on Friday. So it was like, I knew I had to either find a job or tell tell my wife at the time that I had been fired. So I found myself sitting in a parking lot, and waiting till five. And I look up and I see this sign says visual changes. And I was like the visual changes. Why does that sound familiar to me? And I thought back to myself, and I was I couldn’t I couldn’t really honestly remember where or why I knew that name. So I was like, forget it at the salon. So I walk in and this guy standing at the front desk, and he says to me, Hey, can I help you? And I was like, Yeah, I was like, my name is George Garcia. And at this time, Chris, you have to understand I had already pounded on it at least 30 for 3040 salons at the time in our city in to no positive. And so I walked in, I was tired. And I was like, Hey, my name is George. He tried to sell myself. So I walk in and he said, Can I help you? And I said, Yeah, my name is George Garcia. I’m a hairdresser, new hairdresser. And I’m just looking for work. And he said, Oh, okay. He said, Well, I don’t have anything available right now. He said, But he said, I just had a walkout happen. We had four hairdressers leave. And so I really can’t afford to pay anybody right now on the rebuilding. And I was like, All right, and he’s like, Hey, mind, if I ask you you said paperwork before I said, Yeah, you work for not just here. That was my last line. He’s like, Oh, Sandy. And he said, Yeah. He said, um, why don’t you work there anymore? I was like, Well, long story. And I retired. At that point, I didn’t really care. I said, Look, I got fired from there. You said you got fired. And I was like, he’s he? I said, yeah, he’s like, what you get fired for? I told him the story. I said, he thought I was stealing from her. And he’s like, I’m asking you a question. He said, and I would appreciate the game to be honest. He’s like, did you do it? I said, Absolutely not. I said, Why would I do that? You know, why would I risk my career for 20 bucks? He said, Huh. He said, Well, if I help you, if I could, I really can’t. He’s like, I’ll take your name, number. If anything. Once I start to rebuild, I could always use assistance. So he’s like, so if you want, I’ll take your name and number down. I said, Okay, here’s my name. Here’s my number. shook his hand, walked out, went home, told told my, my wife time I told her, You know what happened? She’s like, why don’t you just tell me it’s like she said, Come on, and it’s not a big deal. I know. You’ll find something not a big deal. And we finished up dinner. I was cleaning up the phone ring, and she’s like, Uh, huh. She’s like, Georgia, someone on the phone for us. name’s Greg. You know, Greg, and I’ll say, Craig, great. site. And as I, as I said, Hello. He said, Hey, George says, Greg, remember, I met you earlier today. And I said, Yeah, exactly. I’ll be honest with you. I have no idea why I’m calling you sir as like, but something about you something told me. I needed to call you. I can’t offer you much. But if you want to come to work tomorrow, you sleep some hair, but I’ll at least teach you some hair color. He said, I’m a red Guinea educator. He’s like, I could at least do that for you. He’s like, and I can’t promise you much but come on down. So okay, so went down there, slip up, pear, watch, listen, did all that his wife Bert was over there. She’s like, why did you hire this guy? We don’t even have the money hired. became one of my best friends. After that. He worked me till about noon and then he said You can go now and I said, okay, and I’m you know, I’m all about hard work. So I was leaving, and I noticed that their cabinets were I hate clutters I saw the cabinets. I cleaned up the cabinet. Straighten them all. I got him toward I liked them. And I left off the back door. He called me the next day. He said, You coming into work today? And I was like, Oh yeah, if you want me to, he’s like, Alright, come down here now and bank B, you’re at 10. I said, alright. So he showed up. He pulls me aside. He’s like, Hey, do you do you know anything about our cabinets? And I said, What do you mean? He said, Do you know anything about our cabinets? They look a little different than they did yesterday. I was like, Nope, don’t know nothing about that. Or about that. Yeah, I know. I don’t know what you’re talking about. He’s like, okay, come on in here. So he brought me in. Took me the back should had his hand me so videos on Michael Cole video and Amina video, right in video, right and color video. And he said, I want you to watch these things. And one thing led to another. And I was on the floor within a matter of a year and I was doing great. And he was he just felt the need to share with me and give me and all of it. So there was a day when I remember it was a really long day, it was the end of my, at the end of my day, and I see this guy walk through it. And I now know, his name was Ken Baker. And he was a gentleman drill redken down in Southern California at the time. And he was there too, because Greg wanted to start doing mainstage work, you want to start doing things a little bit bigger for redken. And he was there to re audition him. And so he comes in and while he was talking to Greg, he saw two or three of my clients leave, he comes over to me and you know, Ken Baker is he comes over and he just says, Hey, those were some amazing hair colors. Do you have anything to do about that? And I was like I did. He’s like, Hey, I just wanna tell you that some you got some good color work right there. He’s like, Have you ever thought about doing Greg guts? And I said, What do you mean, he said, You know how he teaches? You know, he goes, and I had known at that point, Greg’s really original artists, like he was just going from Bakersfield down to, you know, Sacramento, on his weekends. And at that time, I was like, I’m not giving up any of my time on my weekends. He’s like, Well, you know, he’s like, Have you ever thought about I was like, Well, I know Greg does things on the weekends, and I just have a new son. And I like to keep my weekends kind of rice like, alright, understandable. Exactly. If you ever change your mind, here’s my card. He’s like, you just give me a call. And I’d be I’d be happy to have you part of our team. And I was like, alright, well, thank you for the compliment. And he leaves. Greg runs over after he’s like, Hey, what was Kim telling you? I said, Well, he offered me to do what you do. And he said, Well, would you tell him? I said, I told him, thank you, but no, thank you. You said, What the hell’s wrong with you? Are you serious? I said, Yeah, I was like, bro, I’m not trying to give up my weekends. I work all week long. I wanted my weekends for my family. segmenter. No, he’s like, I get that I get that. He’s like, let me let me tell you something. He said look at I don’t think you understand the offer that you just got. He said, right. And we’ll let you stand.
Chris Baran 42:17
Pause you for a second here. Because I think I want you to give props to give give 100% give props, and props to Greg.
George Garcia 42:25
Yeah. So, you know, Greg was Greg to says to me, he said, I don’t think you understand what he just offered you. He said to me that, Greg, Greg said, it will take you countless hours, countless dollars, countless energy for you to invest in yourself, go to shows, go to classes, go to academies go to least listen to speakers, take you all that time, all that money all that effort would and Redken willing to give you that for free. He said to me, I have a training coming up in San Jose. He said me and Bert will pay for your hotel will pay for your food. And if you don’t feel a part of something bigger if you don’t feel that you’ve learned something you don’t feel a camaraderie or an urge to do what we do. He said I promise you I’ll never I’ll never bring it up again. That was 30 years ago.
Chris Baran 43:23
Yeah. Tell everybody tell him.
George Garcia 43:26
Greg Goldston is the main reason that’s actually the number one reason why I’m I’m a Redken artists today, PS II also showed me the, the value of hard work, you know, a lot of a lot of, you know, nowadays we have our, you know, our, our Gen Z years, they they’ve taught us a lot, you know, they taught us a lot how to communicate in different ways. They taught us how to beat sit back and think about work life balance and talked about, you know, they taught us things like inclusivity you know, how to be willing to do everything and everyone is everyone is welcome. So I’ve learned a lot from that. But where I come from Gen Xers were hard workers, and we put our nose to the grind. We don’t look up and at fault sometimes, but that’s just how we that’s just how I was trained. That’s just how I was grew up. And Greg showed me that, you know, he told me that the only he’s given me so many so many, you know, bits you know, call me gems you know you’re gonna get what you’re gonna get out of this injury. What what what you put into it, you put shit in you get shut out. But you put your you put your heart and soul into it. It’ll give you a life. And so that’s the reason why I’m a wreck an artist, and it opened a door for me. You know, it opened the door for me to you know, if you would have told that kid that kid at that time, hey, you’re going to travel the world. You’re going to be one of the highest paid highest requested artists in our industry. You’re going to you’re going to meet people that you look at as icons and work right Next to them, Chris Baran included. And you are going to be able to create a life for your family that you never thought you could create. I would have told him that crazy, honestly. Yeah, sure. If you would have thought in my mind, if you would ask that kid at that time, if I wouldn’t have had my son probably would have been running the streets with the people I was running with. It’s probably been a completely different story. But But Greg turn that around for me, he showed me something that was that I didn’t even think was possible, you know, and, and like I said, In the beginning, he believed he saw something in me that I didn’t even see at that time. He saw a kid who came in who was willing to work would do anything to you know, to support his family, and wasn’t a liar would told me. He said, You told me the truth. He’s like, most people would have lied about it. He said, But you told me the truth. He was like, that’s a that’s a rare, you know, that’s rare and people you know, to tell to lay their shit on the table. You know what I mean? You did that right then and there. He couldn’t stop thinking about you like what kind of idiot comes in here until he got fired? Like this idiot.
Chris Baran 46:04
Did you ever tell him? Did you ever tell them? That it was you that cleaned the street? No, no, no, no. He knows now.
George Garcia 46:13
Fast. Fast forward. Fast forward to Greg right. Fast forward to Greg and you, you know, giving props to Greg. I just, you know, he’s the reason why. My first symposium, my first symposium, I believe, was in 9093 is a five month period. So 93 I was on stage my first symposium ever when, you know, those of you that don’t know what symposium is, it’s the pinnacle in our industry, you know, the largest single manufacturer showed ever done, but and by a single manufacturer, every time that we do it. And so for me to hit the stage of a symposium stage was the pinnacle. For me, I had all my hard work and paid off it was, it was a you know, like, when they told me like that much P came out. I was like, that was for me. It was unachievable. And so when they told me I was I was blown away. So I’m on stage. And me I was with Justin Isaac are programs called Liquid graffiti. And I’m standing on stage with Jay in and I look in like 10 rows back 10 rows back, Greg holes. So I look at Jay, thank you, bro. You know, we don’t get a we don’t get a lot of time there. We don’t get a lot of opportunity to thank the people that that are the reason for what we are and how we do things. And I said hey, would you mind if I took the opportunity to think someone like that? He’s like, you know, Jay, he’s like, Yeah, do it bro. So I said that those of you that don’t know my life was editing in a completely different direction and because of this gentleman I am where I am. And you guys who wouldn’t be hearing or seeing anything that I have to say if it wasn’t for him? So I want you guys to do me a favor. Give it up for where this man’s Greg stand up for me. I even said give it up for Greg Golson. He crowd was crazy. Thank you. Thank you. And Greg standing out there. You know, Greg, he’s like, he’s a talker. He’s like, I’m like, as like, Bro. They can’t hear you. They can’t hear you and somebody and he caught like the, you know, they’re like, oh, when they understood what was happening. So they run a mic and we have 3000 people in front of us and the he runs a mic out to Greg and adds it to my headset mic, Greg. And he said, He’s like, he’s like, Thank you, George. I really appreciate the the compliment he said, but I can’t take credit for what you’ve done. He said, um, those of you that know George, like I do. He said, All I had to do was show him the door. He said in George’s fashion, he kicked the fucker down. And that was
Chris Baran 48:52
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George Garcia 50:06
Yeah, yeah, no 100% Then I had more of like a, you know, like later on I had two by fours like a Chris or we had Chris Barrett and Sam B, I was not good job left and right, like, kept me on the narrow and, you know, God put you guys on my path. And I’m only here for I’m only here as a product of the people that have had been have cared enough to touch my life in my career. So for me, it’s less than my friend, it’s you ever sent my hand we always
Chris Baran 50:38
take it from our teachers, and we and we give it on to other you know, to other people. And that’s what I’m hoping that, you know, the people that are watching or listening this see this that it’s yes, you got breaks, but it’s it’s also some of the shit that you had to go through. You know, and that was those those moments like when when somebody accuses you. And I’m hoping that Sandy eventually found out that it wasn’t you.
George Garcia 51:06
So so it on that point, if you don’t mind this small little my firt my first class that I took the first class that I did with Greg and you remember a guy named Bill Peplow old guy,
Chris Baran 51:18
just vaguely, vaguely, he, he’s the probably the person that that so many of us are. So
George Garcia 51:26
he was doing a program with Greg trying to help Greg out, right kind of give Greg a one up on his facilitation and it was at a beauty school. Greg says, hey, I want you to come up on stage with us and just do a little something, do a big trim or do a color placement or whatever it was. And I was like, what, and I had already been through some of the trainings that you got this George, you got this you. I was like, alright, so he’s like, just, I’m just gonna kill you. So what are you doing over there, Jordan, so you just tell me what you’re doing. And so I was like, Alright, cool. So I go up there. He’s like, I’m gonna introduce to him and Bill, we’re up on stage. And he’s like, I’m gonna bring this young kid up. He’s like, he’s a member of my team. He’s also already an artist, and he’s got some great stuff to share with us. He brings me up and I’m doing some you know, putting some coils in and and these extra Georgia, what do you do another and soon as he said that, I looked out to talk to my audience. And in the first row, Chris Bracy, sitting in the first row with Sandy Parisi. And I forgot everything. I lost it, I would just like he’s like, so what are you doing over there? George, you doing some coils? And I said, Yeah, I’m doing support. Like, what else you doing? What are you using? And I was like, and I just had to block it out. I blocked it out for a minute. I said, so what I’m doing is, this is the, you know, what I’m doing? This is how I’m going to do it. And this is why I’m doing it because this is and just started going into or, you know, to facilitation mode, and I got through it. I turned around, I looked back at the audience and she was gone. She left. And I was and that blew me away. She’s like, she just walked out on my class. You just as soon as I started talking, she walks out. So it hit me I was like, that really sucked. You know, like, I first person walked out of my class, first class and they walked out on me, like in so I started questioning myself and Greg Gaffey, and he’s like, Hey, you did a great job. And Bill gave me a handshake and encouraged me like, keep keep working at it. And so I walk out, and I’m heading to my car, and all of a sudden I hear someone say, Hey, George, and I look around, and it’s Sandy. And I was like, hey, Sandy, what’s up? She’s like, hey, hey, I just wanted to talk to you for a second. You have a minute and I was like, Sure. And she said, I’m glad to see that you’re glad to see that you’re doing well. She’s like, it’s where you needed to be. She was like, I just, I was watching you do what you were doing and you’re doing so great at it. She was like, I just couldn’t, I couldn’t stomach it anymore. I had to leave. She was like I just it was one of letting you go was one of the worst thing worst mistakes I’ve ever made. She’s like I found out later on that the people that were stealing for me were my receptionist. She said there were two sisters, twin sisters that work with me that we could we took them on our vacations. We they were like our family. She’s like we found out they were stealing from us the whole time that they’re working from say sold in cash and product. Probably over $150,000 since they had been with us, like wow, I said I’m sorry about that. She was like, so it had nothing to do with you. She said but you know, in retrospect and seeing where you are now she’s like, hopefully, that was what was supposed to happen and she was like, because I see that you’re on a better track something that could have never, never offered you cheese. So I wish you all the luck and I apologize for what I put you through connected. You’re right it’s I’m on the right track and and so So that was another closure and almost like, you know, like, when you see things like, in like thing, you’re going through things in life, and then all of a sudden you get this, something shows you like you’re on the right track. Yeah, you’re doing the right thing. It’s working. You made the right decision. That was that was one of those moments where when she said, I made, I made the wrong choice. But I’m glad it’s working for you. And I knew right then and there. Yeah, I’m on the right track here and keep pushing, going forward from where you’re going. And that was it. All closure. From that point on, I didn’t have to worry about anything anymore. I didn’t have to worry about, you know, and all I had to do at that point was focused on the opportunities that were going to be given to me.
Chris Baran 55:41
You know, it’s interesting, because I find that it would be nice if life was two plus two is four. Yeah, but it’s not you know, it, you know, every time you get to a road, and there’s, do you think, is there a right answer? And is there a wrong answer? And that’s not what life is, is life is? That’s one path. And that’s another path of, I’ve always said that, you know, when I started off, I, you know, I had no confidence I was, you know, you know, just whatever. And I told this story before, but I was either going to be a mechanic or hairdresser. And it just so happened over a pizza with my mom that she said, she said, What do you want to do, and I just said, I’m going to become a hairdresser, because I knew I couldn’t get fired. And, and immediately it was in school. And but the point was, is that I had to analyze that later on in my life. And I just went, what would have happened if I would have became the mechanic. Yeah. And I can’t remember who I was talking to. But they said, you’d probably been the best damn mechanic that was around teaching people how to do that, and so on. Because the you know, it wasn’t a path one wasn’t right one wasn’t wrong, right. But it’s sometimes maybe one’s right or than the other, I don’t know quite where to put that. But the way I saw that was, you had that path that was there that it was, I got fired, and I could have been vindictive, I could have done whatever. But you know, the universe gave you something out of that, and you just ran with it. And, and that’s where you are today. And I, you know, that’s why I’m always proud to, you know, that, when we did are some of the best moments that I think is in our career or on stage. And there’s equal moments that happen after, you know, and have mercy. Yeah, you know, I know that you’ve already kind of went through this, but I know that people look at George woods on stage. And let’s face one of the most requested artists booked all the time, only wishing that you’d have a cancellation so you get some time off. But I think that what I always loved is you always told vulnerability stories, and I think that’s why you do so why you’re so amazing that your education is that you’re a great storyteller. And if people haven’t figured that out, from what we just went through, and what we just talked about, then you’re blind. But also I want them to know like, what what that was so there was a rough spot in there that was a wrinkle, but how it all turned but is is like is there other things that have happened in your career along the way where I’d call them? I call them mom, I just don’t want to get out of bed today. You know, because you had some shit that’s got stirred up and whatnot and I and the reason only reason I’m asking you this my friend is because the people that are listening and talking or listening and and what are watching this, they they always see people like you on stage and they Yeah, they idolize it probably even half of the time scared to come up and even talk to you which I’ll tell you is that long thing that’s what they should be doing is come up and chat with you. But is there any other like other setbacks in your career that you’ve had along the way that that made your mom I don’t want to get out of bed today?
George Garcia 59:10
Yeah, no, there’s been you know, that was easy. Well, when I first started working with with Greg there was there was you know, a couple of times where you know, things in life you know, because you have work and then you have life you have family and your kids went through a divorce actually two divorces you know me and Sherry were talking not too long ago about sacrifice you know sacrifice of what I do and what we do and what what it takes you know, you put 100% in sometimes harder putting 100% It is not really it’s not okay for your partner it’s not okay for you know, how many prom or how many graduations I missed how many you know, ballgames I’ve missed how many soccer games I’ve missed. You Due to do what I love to do, and so, there’s been there’s been many things, many things. But I talked to I talked to my kids, you know, I have great relationships with my kids, and especially my daughter and my daughter, Andrea, she told me one time she’s like, Dad, don’t don’t ever feel bad about that. Yeah, don’t ever feel like, you know, you took something from us? Yes, it would have been great to have you there. Yes, it would have been great to, you know, have you be a part of and, but what we saw was that you, you showed us first of all, you showed us that you know how to work your ass off and, and you you hit every opportunity you took on head on every opportunity that you were getting, whether it was a small, or there was a huge opportunity, you took it on head on. And you showed us that if you push through, and you give your all to it, that it’ll lead to more opportunities for you. She said, and you just showed us that, you know, you can still have, you know, balance in your life, like you could be here for us, you can be here, help us, you know, support us, encourage us and still have that. And you showed us that there’s a bigger there’s a bigger place than other than just Fresno, there’s a bigger places, you’ve taken us to New York, you’ve taken this two year view. And it’s all been because of Redken. And because of what you do, and helping people that we love that you help people, people. We hear people tell you all the time, you know, like, I’m this because of you, why am I you know, I was headed this direction. Now I do this. And that’s all because you cared about them. And you you share her money. She was like she you? Yes, we did miss Socrates, but you’ve given us even more, you know, you’ve given us bigger things, you know, and I see that in my kids, I see that they have drives, they know that there’s bigger things they know, they they know how they believe in themselves. They know I’m there to to help them and support them. So yes, there are things that that that come you know, divorce, divorces, you know, losing your house, all those things, but when you know, they’re when you know, your your purpose, you know, and you know, people ask me all the time is, oh, it’s great. You know, your purpose. hairdressing is like, no, no, no, my purpose is in hairdressing. Nope, someone who can know their purpose early on in life, they’re blessed. My purpose is always been to serve. I’ve always been someone there to serve. Someone’s put in front of me serve someone an audience’s there. Give them give, just keep giving, keep serving them. After symposium go down and shake hands. Thank them for being there. Thank you for being there. You’re a servant. You know, and I know that I know that about myself. And everything that I do. It just so happens to really be a strength that I have in in what I do with ranking. And what I do is hairdresser. Just you just serve, you know.
Chris Baran 1:02:50
Yeah, you know, it’s the, I’ve always seen that in you. And I, I think that there’s, I made sure to ask you, we just came off of the rest of the BritCon Symposium on tour. And I thought I saw one of the most amazing color. And I’m going to get Lee to bring up this this video, I had something altogether different plan for in here for you. And I was going to talk about, you know how chat GPT you know, and, and, and how that’s made a difference in in life that night, this one thing that was on there just about color and dark hair, etc. Yeah, and I and I watch you at the symposium because not only were you working with us backstage, creating all those magnificent transitions and so on, but you, you had a segment that you were doing on not only in the box or the cube as we talk about it, we do a turnover of something, but you had a class that you had to do. And one that I purposely after seeing this and I was so blown away by this, that I want you to share what went on here and when you your job in the I’m using for if you’re just listening, I’m using air quotes with my fingers. But you were said that you were charged with creating blondes and you said I want to have somebody with dark hair I’m assuming and they sent you in this four shot. And this is an before shot and she said she was willing to go through and be a blonde and I want you to tell the story. Yeah, of what happened here.
George Garcia 1:04:35
So this is this is why you know I was asked to do all those things, all the things Chris and also and also be on stage teaching the classroom so they asked me they said well, you know we want you to represent our blinding segment we want you to talk about talk about fine hair, how you approach buying hair, we know you teach color and the wise you’re principally grounded in that which When you share the principles when and the approach to blonding hair, fine hair, and what products you would use and why. And I said, Okay, I got it and Jasmine, my stage partner was going to focus on using our new product Power Lift taking really, really darker levels to lighter levels. She’s amazing colors, just her approach to, to hair color. And so I got a list of models, they sent me in pictures, and I got one of these, this one here. And I was like, Oh, she’s beautiful. And I remember Anna from other shows. So she’s a beautiful person. I was like, Oh, I’d love to work with Anna. I’ve Sam uses her all the time. And I said to myself, I she has a great presence. She’s beautiful, and I want to work with her. So Emily says she sent me over four pictures, and I recognize this and I said, Oh my god, honestly, I said, I’d love to work with her. She was like, Are you sure? I was like, yeah, she’s like, we have three other ones. I was like, No, she’s the one. She’s like, can you send me a picture what she looks like, and this is a picture that I got. And I was like, Oh, perfect. And I said she’s willing to go all over blonde, a global app of global blogging service. You said yes. I said, perfect, then do. So I get to the model room. And Ana shows up. She comes in and I look at her hair. And I noticed that she has a bit of a line of demarcation from her natural color to this lighter color lighter brown on the ends. And I was like, I thought you you said that was like, you know that was your natural hair. The picture that you sent. She’s like, Oh, yeah, that’s my natural color. I said, that’s your natural. That’s your natural hair there. That’s virgin hair. No, that’s what my hair color is naturally. And I said, Oh, so you’ve colored your hair in the past? And she said, Yeah, I was just at a matrix, shoot my friends at matrix. She said they wanted me to be red. And I said, Do you have pictures of that what they did to you? And
Chris Baran 1:06:44
we’ll bring that up here.
George Garcia 1:06:48
And this is what she shows me. So talk about a little peek me now this was I said, Wait a minute. Let me let me ask you this. I said, so they lightened your hair. She’s like, Oh, yeah, they bleached it. And then they colored it. This color. She’s like, and then I went home because I knew I was going to do a red wrecking show. And I just grabbed a brown color that was said it was medium brown, which is what my hair is naturally. And I just put her over. So the red is gone. You don’t have to worry about it. Now, like
Chris Baran 1:07:19
all the colors that are out there right now. their butts are just puckered. You know, that is gone? No, it’s not. To the point. This is your only model. My domain stage presentation means all the people sitting in the audience at the Toyota Music Factory in Dallas with 1000s of people sitting in the audience, and you have to perform with this.
George Garcia 1:07:46
Yeah, so I looked at I immediately panic. And I said, Thank you. Thank you for that picture. And I go to Emily, who was Emily Bhama, who’s handling all of our models. And I said Emily, and I showed her the picture. And she’s like, You got to be kidding me. And I said, I I just put an oil in there for a test run, just to see what it would do. Because I didn’t want to tell her we can’t use you. Sorry, I just looked let me do a test ran and that was going to be my excuse. Oh, you see how it’s not lifting here? We’re gonna have to thank you for coming. We’re gonna have to use another model. So I told Emily, like, I’m going to have to find a room I can’t take her up, there’s going to be flooring, just this and not even blonde will be orangey blonde. And she said, Oh my god, I can’t believe she’s like, let me work on it now. And she stopped in the hallway. And she turned around, she says, Are you sure you can’t handle that? And I said let me look at this test trend real quick. And she’s like, okay, so she came back with me open it up, I wiped it away. And I said, George, you know, you get to stand up there on stage and you know, like, yeah, it’d be great for you to have a virgin head of hair. But what kind of story is that? What kind of story is that? These are the these are things that people deal with on a daily basis. These are the challenges that people have, if not worse, sometimes than this. I said if I can make this if I can make this look good, that can make it look beautiful. For those people. What a story that’s going to be and so put on my big boy boots. Over there lock got loaded like Michael Cole says lock in full speed ahead and I went for it and I had a foil I had to completely boil I think I did like maybe 4000 coils. But by the end of the day because of the wreck and products that I use and all the the lighteners that I use the products that I use to reconstruct and acidify the hair. Boy, I tell you Chris, I was I was pretty shocked at what the end result was and the audience loved it. They love it that I would even show them what it was in the beginning and not hide it from
Chris Baran 1:09:54
anybody if you’re listening to this and you you didn’t get it that was a brown say what at level three to four brown, and then it was like a beautiful read. But it was like a cool based what level six screaming red scream and then you had to take that out. But what now if you look at it right now it says beautiful beautiful blonde. And it looks like it has dark roots, but it doesn’t. But that’s just the photograph.
George Garcia 1:10:25
Does Chris eye shadow shadows in? Yeah. Well you did to make it look like it was natural. So yes, I brought her all left with all these foils. But then I shadowed it into where it looked like it was her her natural color coming through. You know, smoke and mirrors. Probably you know how we do it. Yeah. And
Chris Baran 1:10:40
but the point was, when you asked her what did your hair feel like? Oh, yeah, yeah, because everybody would go Oh, yeah, you did that for stage, but it’s probably like mush. Trash, but it wasn’t. And she was saying it’s still feels amazingly beautiful, soft and shiny. And the integrity was still there. So George, that is the mark of a true, a truly unbelievable colorist and I just had to fit this in. And if if you guys if you really want if you’ve been listening to this, you need to go back even just to listen that back around the one hour mark that to see those photos were just absolutely phenomenal. George I, I would be remiss if I didn’t do my usual bit at the end of every one. And I’ve just rapid fire stuff. And I just dispersed stuff that comes to your brain. You got and first thing okay, and which could be scary, but let’s just go there. What turns you on in the creative process?
George Garcia 1:11:51
The inspiration part of it, the first part of it if it’s something that makes me say whether it be that’s horrible, or that’s amazing. Just something that makes me save. That gets me thinking that’s that’s the for me, that’s the most exciting part where I go with it. I don’t know yet. But that part of it right there that like thing that just like wow, that room or like, wow, but why am I still looking at it? You know, that is to me the most exciting part of the crisis.
Chris Baran 1:12:21
And what stifles creativity with you.
George Garcia 1:12:25
Money little voice, my little voice always it’s always come on. You don’t come on, you don’t want to do all that work. Like, come on. You don’t want to do that. Or, you know, or even somebody coming in asking me what it here’s one that really gets me. What are you doing? Why? Why? Other people? They’re like, I know where I’m going? Or maybe I know sometimes I’m just going with it, you know, but someone who just is not on that, in my space at that time coming up in from a different light. What are you doing? Man, I started going to start questioning you know, so yeah, yeah, that can be
Chris Baran 1:13:10
an event or a show or a shoot or something in the industry that you did that you loved. proud moment. First one that comes to brain I know there’s been many, but just the one that comes to your brain right now.
George Garcia 1:13:24
Yes, my first institutional shoot, I was given one model. And I was was given a swipe swipe is what they want the end result to be. And then I have the inspiration of what they wanted to finish like and institutional shoots are the images that Rick in or a company will create that glow globally that have the standard and the vision for that company. And it was my first time that I ever had a model in one of those types of shoots, which is huge for me in itself. But to get the response that I got from that from one of those from that model. You know, it was quite addictive after that I wanted to be part of every shoot that I could could and so and then to see your work in Italy to see your work in Spain to see it in the UK to see it in the US. Whether it be on a shelf talker, or whether it be on a big screen. It was that to me it’s just like, yeah,
Chris Baran 1:14:24
it’s best and congratulations on that things in life that you dislike this most the most
George Garcia 1:14:34
things I like dislike in life
I don’t like dishonesty. That’s one of the things I really I really, you know, because it would this honestly comes a lot of other negative things, you know, so if I get that initially that’s to me, that’s a turn off. And I just had to run from that as much as possible. all the negativity also for me is a huge one. Someone’s always, you know, poking holes and everything. We need those people though, by the way, people, those of us that are created, we need people to poke holes in those things so we can see if it holds water. Right. But yeah, initially negativity is definitely, you know, when I tried to stay away from too.
Chris Baran 1:15:18
Yeah, but yeah, and life floods what the things that you love the most
George Garcia 1:15:26
I love family, family Teach For me, you know, coming off a Father’s Day in coming off of a weekend off after symposium, I just love falling into to the people there that I really love and care about, but I don’t love my Rick and family, but I love this family in a different and 100% different way. You know? So family is something that I always fall into for that I love, you know,
Chris Baran 1:15:52
things that you hate most about our industry.
George Garcia 1:15:57
One of the things that I really like a little thing is, yes, I love the new generation coming in. I know the I love the fact that all these new hairdressers are coming in with new insight, new new approaches, because they just don’t know that they can’t you know what I mean? Like just like the freedom and like, I’m just gonna do this, because I like it. And then someone comes around like, Well, did you know that that’s, I love that we get this fresh rejuvenation all the time from new people coming in. One of the things that really is like a little stickler for me is that people that don’t understand the people that have come before them understanding where industry comes from understanding the icons that have laid the groundwork for that, that allows us to do the things that we do you know what I mean? And just knowing the history, people knowing the history about the things, you know, the things that have happened that got us to where we are today. That’s one of the big things that I always try to look at my audiences I’m like, you know, do you know this person? Do you know this person if you don’t study them, look at them, find out about their lives? You know, it’s it’s your history, you should always know your history. So that’s one thing about our industry I feel is lacking you know, yeah.
Chris Baran 1:17:06
Well known hate maybe isn’t the right word. It’s things that you don’t like or dislike because hates the person that you admire the most.
George Garcia 1:17:18
person I admire the most probably my mom. Yeah. My mom always on her knees praying for me, always encouraging me always, you know, we have the buffer between me my stern Dad always been you know, just constantly nothing but loving and positivity. She, you know, my mom’s where I’m grounded. My whole family actually will say would probably say that same thing. No, no.
Chris Baran 1:17:50
person that you wish you could meet. living or dead?
George Garcia 1:17:55
Yeah, I had the opportunity. Like I said, many people have been in my in epic put in my path that have helped me grow. And I had the opportunity of going to London to attend Vidal Sessoms funeral with Chris Tory, and all the icons that I met that they were there, and I just could not stop thinking about when I was, you know, Trevor Trevor Sorbie was there you know, Robert libretto, all the all the all the crew, you know, that that started what we do to honor Vidal Sassoon and I could not stop thinking about why how I was meeting all these people Angeles seminar I was hanging out with all these majors and I was like, I wish I would have had a chance to meet but also soon in my life.
Chris Baran 1:18:39
I’m with you on that brother. Something that people don’t know about you
George Garcia 1:18:47
people don’t know about me and God gelatins
Chris Baran 1:18:54
and they come.
George Garcia 1:18:56
Yeah. People don’t know that. That my whole family is musically inclined. And I played the bass and yeah, so I don’t really like to tell people like if you’re like, I’ll be FaceTiming somebody in my room and they’ll be like, is that a bass over there? You play that thing? Let’s not talk about that. That’s that’s what I do for myself. That’s something you know, I’ll go up there I’ll plug plug in my app and play for me. I don’t that’s not something I but yeah,
Chris Baran 1:19:29
I have to say I didn’t know that. Fleet could snap fingers month off, where would you go? What would you do?
George Garcia 1:19:37
month off. My favorite place out of all the places I’ve ever traveled and I’ve got I’ve been blessed to be here. And you know how it is like last place. Last thing you want to do is get back on a plane after being on a plane. But if I could go back to Santorini to Greece, and be on the volcano side of the I’ve had a chance to spend some time there with my excavating Casey and, and it was probably one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen the sunsets where they’re inspired me to for the color palette that I did for Ruth Roche for her know how collection that you nominee for Master stylists and all that color work came from the census that I saw in century it was just food was great people beautiful. It was just it was perfect for me. And so I go right back there.
Chris Baran 1:20:25
Yeah. Things that. Anything that is there a thing that terrifies you
George Garcia 1:20:32
failure? Yeah. My eyes closed failure is in my eyes what failure is you know what people would look at some of the things that I’ve done as like, oh my god, that’s amazing. But to me in my mind what I thought it was going to be. And what it ended up doing is not to me, I look at that as a failure, which I probably shouldn’t. But other people may not see you there. But I for me failures is always a tough one for me.
Chris Baran 1:21:00
Your favorite curse word Ashi. Your favorite comfort food? Spaghetti. Hmm. Something in the industry that you haven’t done but you want to
George Garcia 1:21:17
gosh you know, after hitting a symposium stage, Chris that? Oh, I know what it is. Three time nominee for now. I just want to hold on in my hand, it has my name on it.
Chris Baran 1:21:33
There you go. Well deserved by my dad. Okay, what are you doing over? One do over in your life? That what would that be? If you want to do something over again?
George Garcia 1:21:44
Yeah, I can do it over again, I would have I would have bypassed I can’t even say that I wouldn’t, because science is what got me there, I would have I would have. If I could do it over again, I would have put more into ranking. Knowing now what I know, was achievable. I would have put more effort into in the beginning stages of learning how to be a facilitator, learning how to teach learn how to communicate with people. So that it would have been even more impactful. I don’t I don’t really see. And when I when they get into those things, I don’t really see like my success in awards, although it would be nice to win when every now and then. But awards or stages or you know, places money. I look at it as the people that come up to me and they say the things that they do and you’re like, oh my god, I love you and you did this for me. That’s that to me. That’s success. You know that to me? Helping people serving people. That’s where success happens for me.
Chris Baran 1:22:48
And tomorrow you couldn’t do here. Couldn’t do here. What would you?
George Garcia 1:22:55
I love? I don’t know. I’m not very good as I do leather work. I I mean, I make leather stuff and I love working with my you know, of course inheritors. I love my hands. I love making bags. So I think I would I would I would do leather work. I think that to me, I just love spending time doing that. I’d give me some artists, little little totes that I’ve made and whatnot. I’ll get I’ll get you on. I just love I just love making money. I’ll take pictures of purses and stuff like that bags that I literally love. But yeah, I would do leather work. I think
Chris Baran 1:23:29
that’s that’s amazing. That’s amazing. If you had a wish for our industry. Last question. If I had a wish for industry, what would that be
George Garcia 1:23:41
by to wish for industry that I would wish that I wouldn’t want to change anything about our industry. But what I would, I would wish for industry is that we be viewed. We’re seen as we see ourselves. We know how our industry is we know that it’s full of loving, caring people that are all inclusive, that are willing to help each other out and willing to you know, we love making people beautiful and feel better about themselves. And we’re there are good business people there are people that are successful that make a great living that are and I just wish people outside of our industry would see us as that as opposed to just a hairdresser. Just someone that does hair, you know. And so that’s what I would that’s what I wish for industry so that we take
Chris Baran 1:24:27
away the Yeah, just the title.
George Garcia 1:24:29
Title. Yeah.
Chris Baran 1:24:31
Yeah. That’s amazing. That respect
George Garcia 1:24:33
for our industry, I guess I’d say,
Chris Baran 1:24:35
George, I got to have you back on because we there’s so many things that I would want to talk about etcetera. And I I always love talking to you like having my brother on here that
George Garcia 1:24:48
I feel like we’re at the bar right now. Yeah.
Chris Baran 1:24:51
Yeah. And I know exactly where I’m going right as soon as we are off for this. But I just want to say thank you, thank you for your what you do for the industry for how you serve. Thank you for your knowledge that you do and how you pass along. What you do and I just want to thank you for being on headcase as it was an honor being here. It’s an honor to call you friend and it’s an honor to learn from you as I always do.
George Garcia 1:25:16
Thank you, Chris. I’ve learned from the best. Cheers, man. Cheers.
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