ep56 – Jules Tognini

My guest this week is someone really special to me. I’ve known him since he was a little kid, traveling around to hair shows with his dad. Since then he has won Australian Hairdresser of the Year three times, and Educator of the Year four times in a row. He is a globally recognized educator, and a great guy. Today I’m catching up with Jules Tognini!

• Jules grew up around many enormously successful artists in the hair industry, thinking of them as aunties and uncles. It wasn’t until years later he would realize how cool they were.
• Naturally hairdressing was the last career he wanted. He pursued an interest in fashion and traveled the world for many years.
• Restless again, he asked his dad for a job at the salon, and soon discovered his passion.
• Benni Tognini is a mentor to Jules, and Jules is the first to admit he idolizes him.
• “Nothing gets handed to you unless you apply.”

Complete Transcript

Chris Baran 0:00
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 Baran, 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, welcome to one more week of #headcases and you know, this week is really special for me because of my relationship with him and his family. And I almost feel a little uncle ish to him right now but I must tell you, he’s one of the hottest young talents and entrepreneurs on the market now he is four times I believe it was four times Australian Educator of the Year between him his father and the rest of the Tognini team. They brought enough hardware and nominations and when to fill a wall in pickup room. He has been the male hairdresser Of The Year three times in a row ambassador for for EVO, he has developed a love this Joe Bloe, which is a line of hair loss prevention hair products for men. He is the co owner of Tognini’s salon and Little Off the Top salon is Brisbane Australia. So let’s get into this week’s head case. Mr. Jules Tognini. Jules Tognini. Oh, my God, I can’t tell you how excited I am this. Well, firstly, just welcome to head cases. It’s good to have you on.

Jules Tognini 1:40
Oh, nice. It’s great to be here.

Chris Baran 1:43
I think it wasn’t last time. But I I think that not the last time that I’ve seen you but the time before that. I think we were skiing on Whistler. And we had to cut it short because I fell and tore all the ligaments and tendons off my finger and we had to spend the next day down in the operating rooms, etc. But listen, it was so great. And I did get to learn that the third thing is the thing that I learned I’ll pass out to all to the everybody that’s watching or listening right now is his dad. Benny Toscanini was up with this with a whole we have whole family skiing when I had that. He figured he we didn’t have any real How would you say pain meds? So Benny made up Hellfires, which was vodka, triple sec, and God knows what other else we had on the house all poured in a pan with ice cubes and then I was drinking that so I don’t think I was too coherent by the time that they took me down to the hospital. But

Jules Tognini 2:42
anyway, I won’t lie I was quite young than was probably before my dress days but I definitely learned a thing or a thing or two from marketing. I still have this thing in my head that every time I go to Canada now I need to have a seat. Yes, you do. Yes. Hey, you made my parents

Chris Baran 3:02
and for those of you that are we went chasing Go ahead.

Jules Tognini 3:06
We went chasing salary all over Canada to bring home to Australia good it’s not a thing. Yeah. Is it club? Yeah. Finally you get things that don’t exist

Chris Baran 3:15
for people in from the states that are listening. It’s a it’s a clump or a Caesar is like a Bloody Mary except you use Clamato juice which sounds disgusting because it’s made with clam juice and tomatoes sounds disgusting but it’s wonderfully good. And but it’s it’s a it’s a big Canadian bank and we can put it with beer wine or we can put it with cornflakes too but without

listen me it is I have to tell for the people how incredibly lovely This is. For me. It’s not the right word to use between two mates. But it is lovely. Because I’ve known this kid since he was just a wee toddler. And now he’s really taken over the family industry. And you know, you know, I just remember you but you didn’t start off in hair. Like when you got out. When you just went you didn’t go into hair straightaway. Did you?

Jules Tognini 4:09
Look I think hanging out with dad and all these crazy mates who I used to call uncles, myself. It made you see so much of it that maybe there was something else more see when I finished school. I was obsessed with film. I wanted to get into directing. I liked the idea of acting, but I mumbled too much. I couldn’t remember lines. I’m dyslexic. But I think being around it all the time made you looked at other industries and I actually fell into fashion for about five years. I ended up starting up a streetwear label. I did a lot of screen printing, taught myself how to sew and it ended up doing I think I picked up a few Australian Fashion Design Awards and I actually thought that that was my that was my fit. That was my industry. I was going to be in fashion And funny thing is, yes. Obviously I’m hairdressing now and had somebody great connects to it, but it definitely wasn’t on my radar made.

Chris Baran 5:08
But what so what pulled you out of it? Because the stuff that you created was phenomenal. I mean, I’m not blowing smoke here. I mean, it was edgy was cool. It was anti establishment. I don’t know if that’s the right word. I don’t even know what that is. But, you know, it was so damn cool. What pulled you out of that? What? Like what what made me go, Okay, I’m not going to do that. But I’m jumping into hair now. What are happening?

Unknown Speaker 5:33
It’s pretty easy. Like I I love fashion. And yeah, what we did you know what’s great when you’re young, you really don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks about what you do, right? You just do it. You give it a crack. Everything was getting accolades, things were selling, I was stalking into maybe 30 Odd shops around Australia, a little bit into Asia and New Zealand. It started growing really quickly. And I was like, oh my god, this is crazy. Like I there was a period there where I did. I had white jeans done. And I used to grass stain them by rubbing them in floating around them in the backyard. And these things used to be grass stained jeans, and I remember I dropped him off to a store once enough like yet. You’re having a lot, you can’t be serious. I’m like, watch him. He goes when it’s when they wash him, I go read the tag it says, Rob on grass. And I was like make this easy as that and he goes they won’t sell and he rang me three days later going we’ve sold out some more ground today. The sheeple doing was just really left field and out then I think definitely growing up around my father and around his mates like yourself, you guys were doing some pretty bizarre stuff with hair. And I thought, maybe that’s just how you do. But the hairdressing thing came in, I think I cashed my chips with fashion went overseas for a year when I went surfing through South America for a year and came back. And pretty much was like I want to get back into fashion. But in the meantime, easy way out was Dad Can I have a job? You know, sweeping here making coffee, washing hair, and he said you can have an apprenticeship. And I was like, Oh yeah, but I just want to dislike them. Here. He goes, Yeah, you can have an apprenticeship. So he kind of sucked me anyway, I was 23 at the time. So he sucked me any way that you played. He played his cards right? And my I did a year the rules were when I started my apprenticeship. And Benny, for the guys in the states who maybe don’t know about Benni, but Benni is the he’s the most recent, my dad, he was the most unbelievable hairdresser. But he’s also a taskmaster. And I was he’s trained, you know, so many greats, great Australian hairdressers and brought them up to the ranks. But he always felt that these people always liked him. And he realized with me, he was like, I’m gonna go hard on you. And I was like, Why me? He goes, because you’re my son, and doesn’t matter. Whatever you do, I’ll still have a connection to what you do. So he gave me an ultimatum where he was like, you can be an apprentice, you can live at home for free. I’ll pay for your food. But I own you for the first year you cannot quit. And I want you to winch you come on the road with me, you stay back, you do training. And that first year was absolute hell. absolute hell, like I really didn’t enjoy hairdressing. I was a 23 year old blog. I used to dress up to be agenda. I used to clean the toilets with toothbrushes and, you know, do all the crappy jobs that no one wanted to do, you know, the first years never really too much doing here and more about, you know, earning your stripes. But then I started doing hair towards the end of the year, and I started learning a lot more and getting into it a lot more. And realized I’d put a whole year into something that at the end of the first year he came to me goes, you know, what will it be? And I was like, What do you mean, he goes, Are we in? Are we out? And I’m like, No, I’ve worked too fucking be out. I want to I want to I think at that stage, I was like, I was feeling like I wanted to prove myself a little bit, you know, when you’re young buck, and you wouldn’t get out there. And I was like, Nah, um, you know, Sign me up. I mean, so that’s kind of where it all started. What

Chris Baran 9:14
was it? What was it like, with the other people around? Because I mean, first of all, at for, I mean, I don’t know, there’s many, many, many people here that know who Benny Toscanini is, and some don’t. But if you described him and that came from the suns perspective, and in I know the industry and I know a lot of people in industry and I’ve put them in the top five in the world, you know, there’s I don’t think there’s anybody that I know that is more creative than your father. Now, having said that, well, was there not there was pressure obviously from him. But what what was the what kind of relationship did you have with the people that were working around? You did Were you. Oh, that’s Benny’s boy and oh, he’s gonna get favors, or did he put the boots to you so bad? They’re going on glad that he’s treating them different. What was that? Like?

Unknown Speaker 10:11
Yeah, I got treated like shit at work. I think anyone who wants to take anything out on Benni took it out on me. And I used to come and winch to him and go there doing this and he goes, get back to work back to work. He never let me fly back. After a year. He goes, Okay, you’ve proved yourself now you can step up. But he, I guess this is two ways as well. One, he obviously wanted me to be as good as I possibly could be. And he wanted me to love it. But I also had huge, huge shoes. Yeah. Maybe being young and I had a bit of a chip on my shoulder. But like right now, I’d be very happy to be Benni Jr. But at the time, I did not want to be Benni Jr. I wanted to be, I wanted to be the first Jules, not the Benni and the shoes that everyone thought I needed to fill, I wanted to wear different shoes. And that probably showed a little bit. As I started getting into the industry a bit more and started trying to build my own name. We used to work for the same company while working out matrix for a little bit together when we first started, and that was I finally got a job. I think one I was a bad smell around Benni and I was always there. But two, they started a like an apprenticeship program. And I think by giving me the job, Benny was always at my classes and always making sure that I wouldn’t fail. So I think somewhere in there, they kind of got Benni for free if they paid me. Sure. Yeah, it worked really well, for a really shitty way that they did, they approached me nice. And I told him I was gonna leave at a certain point. And now we’re like, we have really high hopes for you. We want to make you the next Benni Tognini. And that’s why that’s what I was like. Yeah, yeah, that’s, that’s why I’m leaving. I think I need to go and stand on my own two feet. five, nine battles, because right now I am getting everything. And I wanted to Yeah, probably prove myself a little bit, but I wanted to be a bit different. So when we separated away from that problem, Benni is my idol. Like I he’s my mentor. We had a photo shoot together yesterday, actually. And he assisted me and he’s the world’s greatest assistant. He reads your mind when he does things. But I remember doing that for so many years for him. But we work with still best mates. We still work a lot together. We run lots of ideas by each other. But Mmm hmm. Yeah, you’re right. Like you say top five. I everyone’s always like, who’s your idol? And I’m like, Oh, my dad, it sounds Paluxy. But, guys,

Chris Baran 12:44
he is just he has his mind that like few few others, because I mean, we’ve both watched him, he’ll, you’ll just give him a fiver. I remember doing a photo shoot with them. And I messed up my hand. And so he took, you know, he said, I said, here’s the stuff I’ve done this with before. And I had these braids these things, whatever the hell I did with them. I just braided hair. And I messed up my hand. And. And then he said, Well, what about this? And he started just tell you do and he started pulling it apart. And it was just, and that’s what he does. He doesn’t look at things like you do? And he would say, Well, if you did that, what would happen if we tore it apart? What would happen if we burned it? What would happen if and I think if more people in our industry got that? What would happen if and and said screw it if it doesn’t look good? You just learned something?

Unknown Speaker 13:37
No, he, he questions every everything to the point where sometimes when you’re trying to just put in structure, it’s really really hard because he’s not that person. Again, like yesterday, we’re shooting, we’re shooting a bunch of shots, not so much a collection but shots or purpose, a bunch of brands and we’re doing a bit of a rebrand and seller. And I’ve got here’s here’s a shot list. We need all these shots. We have a short amount of time when you get through all these shots. And they go Benni’s off in the corner doing something completely off topic. It looks, by the way, and he’s like, how good is this? I’m like, yeah, not what I need right now. But just to go back to the shot was incredible. I’m like, let’s look another day a creative shooting. Because you it’s good to see and his mind still. Still. It’s almost coming back again, harder. Good. He’s got a bit more time to think so. It’s so and I think going back to the question like growing up, obviously having him but the people around. Like I had great people I worked with in my apprenticeship, but I also had the best, you know, range of, of amazing uncles and Auntie’s of the hairdressing world. People like yourself and in the Soviet era, Douglas and all these great humans that years ago, these people to me, I knew them before hairdressing, so yeah, I guess you’re my mate for you were my idols and then I realized how cool Were my my mates or my so called uncles and aunties of the industry. I was like, Oh, my God. And it was great, because it gave you an open door to a lot of things that it was then up to you to go. If you want to taste it up, then you go for a night, but the doors open, you know, you’ve got to step up if you really want to go and chase as well. But nothing really gets handed to you on apply unless, yeah, I feel that sometimes,

Chris Baran 15:24
if you’re put into it by family, or whatever, it’s almost you got to work harder. Just to do, I think you have to sometimes prove yourself that you’ve got to work even harder than if you like, if you wouldn’t have had that middle God knows, God forbid, if you didn’t have him as a father, but let’s just say that somebody else that didn’t have all of that stuff around that helped to develop your brain, you know, creatively total is what might have you been like, you know, and

Jules Tognini 15:55
I guess the only difference, okay, yes, here’s my dad. But it’s like finding and for anyone out there who wants to better themselves. It’s like, I have this one thing that I kind of live and die by. And it’s like, if you want to surround, if you’re, if you want to saw the Eagles don’t surround yourself. It’s like, go and work for the best. Go and get owned by someone go and go above and beyond. No one, you know, got rich or became the next big thing by doing 38 hours a week. And you’re gonna go challenge yourself, and does it get hard? It does. It’s, it’s, I love stress. I think stress is a really great thing. I like to stress, but when I’m not stressing, I feel like I’m a loser. And I don’t have anything on so I think you always want to continuously push yourself with that. But like, I just turned 40 and

Chris Baran 16:45
start to see that I

can’t do it. You’re not

to say that. You know, Jesus Isn’t that wild?

Jules Tognini 16:53
So I think you, you, you surround yourself I started realizing going you got to surround yourself by people who are the best, best at what you’re practicing? Well, you can’t do everything yourself as much as in my, you know, 20s and 30s. I try to do everything myself. You get to this stage where you want to surround yourself by amazing people and you learn so much. My

Chris Baran 17:14
one of my teachers, just just last year, he said, Whatever, whatever you want to become, or do you have to surround yourself with those people. And he put it to this way, if you want to be a millionaire, you should be hanging around with five if you hang around with five millionaires, you’ll be the six. So you know you’re not going to be a millionaire if you’re not hanging around with millionaires. And I don’t I don’t want to make this about money but it’s the same thing applies for creativity for artists, for entrepreneurship, success, etc. If you want to be successful entrepreneur hang around with successful entrepreneurs and they’ll tell you what you’re doing right and wrong.

Jules Tognini 17:55
Totally, totally. It’s and it’s great because if you show an interest people will share I think I found that with my industry, my career a little bit when I was fresh and young people would share with you if you showed enough teams to be around to help them out to be the backfill you are not getting away and you know, listen take things on stones things in don’t know You don’t know everything like no way in the world. So I think if you can do that people will share with you until you start beating them or becoming better than they stopped telling you that at the time they’re very happy to build you because they don’t think you’re gonna be able to come

Chris Baran 18:33
you’re not seeing this competition at the time.

Jules Tognini 18:36
Nine Nine not after a while they start refusing your phone calls and you’re like okay, we need mentors.

Chris Baran 18:43
You know, it’s funny though that like you said and you just use the word mentor is that you know, is mentorship is just is I first of all I always have to qualify people people most people don’t understand. I used to say that Trevor Sorbie was my mentor but I he wouldn’t have recognized me if it was walking down the street but so he can’t be your mentor mentors have to have to touch you in and shape you and give you ideas and so on. And and but I think to get a mentor everybody says should need a mentor. But the interesting thing is all you have to do is bloody ask is no somebody asked them don’t I? They will tell you stuff.

Jules Tognini 19:22
Totally in this day and age you got this little thing in your pocket right? I feel like I I talked to everyone I quite liked people and I will message everyone back who messages me or comments or I’m not untouchable? lock people out I think that’s that’s my point of view. But the same thing if I ever want to get in contact someone it’s pretty easy to shoot someone a DM and go hey, love what you do. Can I buy your coffee? Can we kind of come and hang out in the next shoot? Can I whatever it is, and if I don’t respond, just keep messaging your dog get them in sometimes. Somebody else will you In.

Chris Baran 20:01
Yeah, 100 toys. Yeah. And that’s what I think is so missing in our industry is number one is availability. You know, and I’m not sure because what I what I’ve always I, when I came to do that that show in Expo in, I was scared, scared shitless going in there, because I knew of the reputation of the Ozzy people, you know, and that because they’re Ozzie hairdressers, in my mind are probably some of the most creative, innovative stylists that I know. And I and I say that is do you think that it’s maybe because we’re never isolated in nowadays because of the phone and everything that’s going on? But do you think that it started off that you guys were so isolated? That you developed your own craft, and you developed your own horizon of where everybody had to live up to?

Jules Tognini 20:55
Like, I won’t lie. I guess growing up with it, you notice that as much as you know, different this day and age look, I see what what what is happening on the runway in Paris gets out to everyone within minutes. But back in the day, like even to watch dad he was the first ever or the hairdresser to educate or present or your show overseas. Like for me, I do a show every two or three months overseas. Now it’s not a big deal. Because the way you organize it, but back in the day, phone calls, faxes, no emails, there’s no text messages. There’s no photos or videos getting sent through high 100% I think well, I say we did our own thing because that’s what we knew. And Aussies are pretty hard working. I think. Over here. There’s lots of lots of slackers over here too. But the guys who want to make a name for themselves, we’re not we’re not America, we’re not in the UK. Like we haven’t. Wait, we were still new at it. And we’re so far away from everything that to get your name out there, you almost have to go twice as hard. Because no one really gives a shit. Oh, yeah, whatever they’re doing down in Australia, rather than the kangaroo work. That’s still good. stuff. Don’t get questions all the time when I travel. It’s right. And I’m like, Yeah, a little bit different to that. But you know, yeah, it was I watched I I also watched the predecessors to me do and work their ass off to get their name out there too. So I think that’s, you know, monkey see monkey do.

Chris Baran 22:23
Yeah, the it’s interesting when I watched the evolution of talk meanies is that, you know, everybody goes to the by Benny, because Benny was always you know, he’s a key figure there. But your mother is creative as hell as well. I mean, she’s one of the most unbelievable makeup artists that I know. So she is, I mean, but a fact that yeah, she is though, isn’t she? She’s She is truly creative. And when I look at she

Unknown Speaker 22:55
very humbled like well, she you speak to my mom’s wing girl wing girl for her dad. It always has been Why did you get make Why’d you have to make up his makeup? Something you want to do? She goes, No, I got into makeup so I could get an extra ticket. So we’d go over to Canada every year and so I could do makeup for the shapes and the shows. And mom used to make the clothes do the makeup do the model preps She’s incredible. She’s still like that today. She’s done an unsung hero business. And every every good key key person out there needs a wing person for him as well. I’ve got a wife exactly the same in the background, supporting and keeping those wheels spinning so you can keep on doing what you you know, keep on fighting the good fight at the front which had right I hate going back really quickly. You mentioned that you’re nervous on stage and Sydney Expo. Didn’t notice. I love presenting and I love education. Can you literally the greatest presenter I’ve seen on stage you’re funny that Phil Knight, but I learned a lot from you watching you present because you just ah yes, it’s polished but with that, that Anthem. of you. You’re so familiar to people and the way you talk to people you don’t make people feel like dickheads or they don’t know anything. It’s you connect so well if it’s on a stage or in a classroom setting, but I did not notice that you’re nervous. I was like, good. Chris is really good dad. It’s probably the first time I actually saw you present

Chris Baran 24:31
present better than I skied. So you know, but the reason why I was scared there is because i Your dad told me that people underestimated the Aussie shows. And, and I heard that a very well known cutting company had had the offer to go over there and they sent their B team in and And, and they got booed off the stage. And I went, Oh my God, they’re the people that I learned from, they pulled them off the stage, what the hell are they going to do to me? So no, it was, but I have to say, I must say, just to end that one. Because this is about you. If I, if I ever was going to quit on a show, I mean, be that was the show that I was going to end on. And you just said, Okay, that was awesome. I’m out. And that was the last show. I that was one of the shows that I said, if you ever quit on the show, that would have been the one that and I went to get on an elevator. And they went I got opened up the day opened up the door and and your father had cut my hair? And he would Oh, I know you. You’re that. You’re that BennI Tognini guy. And I went, Yes, I am. Thank you very much. That was way better New York, Chris Baran. But listen back to you. And again, I want to just go on that that family part as well. Because, you know, it was your dad was always the face. You know, Tracy was always there with incredible stuff that she had to offer. And then she was also kind of the financial side on the backside of the company went it was the two of them. But now it’s kind of shifted down, you know, up the hill, down the hill, whatever that would be. It’s it’s you being the face. And and Christian, your brother is actually the finance side. And that just, I wanted to know just how was that? Because you guys were I remember as kids used to fight. But now you the two of you. How did that how did that all take place? The word it is a pre preordained.

Jules Tognini 26:40
Like you taught our parents a young, like, there’s 20 years apart from our parents and our so I think when we got into the business, well, you know, fairly young, I think I’ve been in the business now for 16. And Christians, we’ve been there for about 18 or 19 years. It’s a long time. So we’ve gotten into it, you know, mid 20s boasts about mid 20s You’re there a long time before they handed the reins over or, you know, let us kind of take control purely because they were still so young. And they weren’t ready to give it up that was still chasing those still building about three years ago. Yes, before, you know all this turmoil with the world and COVID happened, we approached them and said, Alright, this is how it’s going to be, we really need to sink our teeth into something, we’re gonna open up another salon, if you guys aren’t ready to sell to us yet. And now like, right, and we’re like we’re going to do this as a little venture for ourselves will still work with the main salon today. But we opened up a side a side project. And through that we learned heaps. It’s been amazing. It’s been a great little success. But by the end, once we put that to market, I think Mum and Dad realized that we’re probably ready. And they were like, Okay, I think the time is now, as of tomorrow, you guys are the new owners. You know, we’ll work on a plan to get us out. But at the same time, both of them said, Can I have a job? And we’re like, yeah, of course you got a job, your fabric, but they really did hand over the reins pretty much overnight. And they said, Okay, well, you’re, you’re now in charge. So we’re gonna go by your direction. And 100% know your parents as well as your ex bosses, I guess. So they’re still going to throw in what they feel is necessary. But I’ve got a brother who in the business, right, and he’s been doing a bit more stuff on stage. And definitely, I like to push him out there a bit more. I think he’s actually pretty incredible. And again, another unsung hero who, who’s like the glue who holds it all together, while I go out and Galavan he keeps everything ticking over and making sure that, you know, things are making money and things are still there. And people still want to work for us. But it’s very much like a mom and dad relationship. And then Christian like we don’t fight because we’re different people with different humans. And we do this thing where sure there’s crossover. But when it’s anything creative. Christian is like, Yeah, great. Great idea, JJ. I love it. And when it’s anything financial and like Katie, where I’m on board with you, whatever you need me to do. I mean, like, I think we look at that black and white business a little bit. And we try not to tread on each other’s toes, but offer support as well for each other. And it’s worked out really good because one it’s family and for us, you know, blood thicker than water? Well, we’re a bit you know, and

Chris Baran 29:29
and the point is, you have to have a bit more common sense when you’re dealing with family because it’s it’s family and you know, you can have a business partner if it goes all South, then you may not you may have lost a friend may have lost a business partner but you don’t want to lose family. You know,

Unknown Speaker 29:47
why in the world and we’re tight. Like we’re one of the tight families who ever say we still hang out with each other. This is my mom, I see it pretty much, you know, four or five days a week and she’ll still come to me at the end of the week going I never see you, I never see you. I see you every day. I will see you outside of work. So we’d still want to hang out with each other. I don’t know, maybe I think of that as normal. But I know not every family is normal. You know, you’ve got, you know, your family around you to same kind of thing. And they’re the only people in your life that can tell you exactly what sometimes you need to hear. And a fight will only ever last about three minutes out of family before we’re like.

Chris Baran 30:32
Common sense. So I want to do this back. Because we’ve talked to a lot about the family. We talked a lot about that. I want to talk to, I want to jump in more to what you’re doing right now. Because it’s like, every time that I turn around, I see you’re in America and you’re in over in Europe somewhere or you’re wherever the hell that how’s the travel going for you like what the, the amount of places that you get pulled into is phenomenal. So

Jules Tognini 30:59
yeah, honestly, it’s like I always loved travel, Chris, I think as a kid, I used to do a lot of it. So it’s kind of the only the only downside of travel is being away from the business. But being mostly away from your wife and two kids. That’s like, probably the trickiest thing. I absolutely love being a dad and love being at home. And when I’m in Brisbane, I’m pretty much the most boring person alive because I spend a lot of time or free time with them. And I try not to be too selfish with my time in Brisbane, out of shape because I give up gyms and hang out with kids and stuff. But when I’m overseas, mate, spontaneity is my favorite thing that I felt like I lost a little bit with having kids. So it goes back into that world again, where I’m like, okay, if I’m away for a block, the rules are, you’ve got me for two weeks, I want to work every single day that I’m away. And I want to make sure that every bit of free time we’re doing something good if it’s sneaking in a cheeky snowboarding session while working in Denver, in the afternoon, or going out for dinners or meeting. Networking is my life. And I absolutely love it. And I feel like networking is the reason why I’m probably where I’m at with a lot of things. I talk underwater, but I also just love it. I just love hair. I love people. I love working and seeing how we can work together. And it means that I bite off more and more projects all the time. It always have things on the side. And I probably need to start directing a bit more focused on certain things, but the travel status. I love it. I honestly do. People hate flying. It gives me a sense of adventure and excitement. The companies I’m doing work with. They’re great. They they 100% I get looked after and that’s fantastic. But again, they go above and beyond and I also do the same for them every gig I do. I’ve never I feel like I’ve never done a bad gig in my life. If you put my name to something, I’m 120% going as hard as I can. So the travel thing I don’t get jet lagged a couple of things in my life that don’t get I don’t get jet lag. I don’t get hangovers. But I don’t like to take days off when I land. I like to get hit the ground running like I’d rather walk straight off the plane and into prep keeps me going. Same with hangovers. I like to not say

Chris Baran 33:23
there’s the trick. But you know what? You and I bear? See, I don’t get hangovers, either. You know, I might feel a little tired overs. Like I’ve seen some people that are just, I don’t know, maybe it’s just that there’s still too much alcohol in my blood system or whatever. I’m not sure. Maybe the but I also understand there was a chef, that you how would I put it wanted to idolize or said you want it to be like

Jules Tognini 33:55
few things on my bucket list. I haven’t done yet is a guy called Jamie Oliver, which I’m sure the Americans know, the English chef. And I loved it before I did before I actually did hairdressing. I weighed up going into the shoot. And I was like I could do I could do something and my uncle is restaurants and I actually hit them both that when they came back going yeah, I’m poor. I need a job. And I said you know think about being a chef. He goes I don’t be a chef. I go why he goes Matt you get overworked you do split chefs, You’re never home you turn bloody fat you’d ever want to cook for yourself. McDonald’s becomes your favorite meal because it’s easy. And the last thing you want to do when you get home is getting the kitchen and I was like yeah, really sold it to you guys gonna be a headdress for your dad. Trust me. You’ll be better at that and then just enjoy cooking on the weekend. So my other favorite thing to do in the world is cook I absolutely love cooking. But this is one chef Jamie. It would have been easy. 20 years ago up to him maybe a little bit more straight out of school. And when he first started, he was a young guy, but he, it comes back to the education side of things. The way he educates on food and the way he he looks at it made me look at it going. One, this is super fun to you make it look easy, but you dumb it down. It’s not about perfection, it’s about finding your own vibe is always about rustic food, and flavor. And when I teach as well, I’m like, Okay, if you’re in, you’re in to teach for one day, it’s really tricky to make someone bloody amazing in one day. But what you need to do is try to connect with them in a certain level so that you start understanding what they’re doing and how they can start honing their skills. And the way he spoke to people just resonated with me a lot like spending time with people and getting them to understand and if it’s in layman’s terms, in layman’s terms, I think a lot of the people maybe before me in education, were very structured, and very set into a certain way, and I got trained this way, this is how you do it, and you do it my way or the highway where I am completely different. I’m like, There’s nothing that you do is wrong. I just want you to understand why you’re doing it. Or by doing that, what does it do? What’s the consequence, you can cut if you want to cut. If you want to cut hair with a broken bottle and a piece of glass. As long as that your end result, you want the hair to look absolutely trashed and broken up, and you want it to look like you’ve had your hair cut by a broken bottle. Fantastic. That’s the exact tool and technique you should be using, as long as you’re elevating and distributing. And I tried to get people to feel safe in their, in their flavor. And I think that’s what Jamie did for me. I was like, oh my god, I’m a rubbish cook. But it makes me feel like I was doing better. And to this day, I still follow him. He’s one person I’d love to cut his hair before before I die. Maybe I should reach out to him on Instagram with a few cheeky DMS, Mike. But you know,

Chris Baran 36:58
it’s interesting. I love what you were saying there because i i We did a podcast with with DJ Muldoon the other day, and he said, what the way that he operates is all I what I want to do when I go into a class, I just want to make somebody feel more confident. And I think that’s, that’s, that’s what you’re talking about. And I think that’s what, that’s the way you impact people and make them you transform them. Or you give them the ability to transform just by making them feel confident what they do appreciate it. I think that’s

Jules Tognini 37:34
all enjoy it. Like I think my DJ is great. We do a bit of work together. Now he’s joined over with Devo. So he’s coming out to Australia early next year. But yeah, again, he makes things approachable, makes it makes you feel like you can do things as well. But just getting understanding, like cutting avocado, like I go into most class and the guy who who’s should get a cutting, and I get about 90% of hands up at the moment everyone’s into belly blow drying and mermaid waves, and no one likes cutting. It’s not so much. A lot of them go I hate cutting and I go, you know, I hate it. And they’re like why I’m like, shredded it. Everyone hates things. And they’re like, right, like, Okay, today my job is once you take away at least one thing that you can take back to the salon, but my job is to make you feel like you don’t hate it. But you feel like you can build enough competence to start loving it again. And sometimes at the end of the day when you’re just doing a bit of feedback around the room going, what did you take in? What’s that one thing? You’re taking away? A lot of them go? I actually realized that cutting is not so sure. I actually realized Yes, I shouldn’t. But I’m saying that as Janet but I’m starting to enjoy it more again as well in hairdressing. Like if you want to become a millionaire is better industries to go into than hairdressing. You do hairdressing and most people sit in the room, especially in Australia. We don’t get tipped in Australia. So it’s not a thing where you can make more money by being nicer to someone. You make more money by doing more clients and working harder. And we, you speak to people you’re like, why do you become a hairdresser? Like, did you want to sell shampoo that excite you? And they’re like, No, you can. It’s cool, it’s fun. And I’m like, then make sure you’re having fun with it. Like you got to start enjoying what you do. You only live one’s like, you have all the options in the world to do something that you love. You can make money on things you love. You just have to make sure people realize that. Yes, a bit of hard work makes your job more fun down the track. Yeah,

Chris Baran 39:23
that’s it’s so true. This episode is sponsored by the salon associate accelerator from trainers. playbook.com. Are you struggling with the time and cost of associate training? Do you feel like your salon is running you will get your associates on the floor, all with 90% Less time from you so you can get back to building your business. Get them world class design, finishing color and client care skills they’ll use every day for the rest of their career. While you focus So on realizing your vision, go to trainers playbook.com and get the salon associate accelerator. And now, back to the show. What? So now? I mean, I guess I know, I know you well enough. And I would kind of, I’m gonna if I had to use the R word for you, bit of a rebel. I don’t I don’t disagree with me on that.

Jules Tognini 40:28
No, no, I get fucking Chris all the time. And I think our industry is great. And there’s been lots of things that people have done. Like, I know when I do a collection. And I would even said Bendigo What about his image? And he’s like, yeah, it’s been done back in 83. They did this and done it. Something’s always been done. I think everything since the creation of what was there before you a little bit. But I think it’s for me, it’s for you. Attitude a bit. And look, I like rebel. Cool. I accept everyone. I, I don’t burn bridges. However, part of my growing up, I watched dad, being humble is probably the other thing that I’ve learned a lot from my father about going you can sit on top of the hill and tell people how good you are. But I’d actually rather show him. In Australia, there’s this thing called tall poppy syndrome. No one likes someone who talks about themselves in Australia, like to the detriment of people who stop following you or stop coming to your things or start bad mouthing you. Anything you do in Australia to get big. You have to you have to show people how good you are. It doesn’t matter if you’re in America and you want to tell people how good you are. That gets back to Australia. People are like, no, no, you’re out. So I’m a big, I’m a big prover on that front. But the rebellious thing is like how do you make noise in the industry with so many rebels? Like how, and I think a lot of people out there who are being rebels are so focusing on the way they look and the way they talk. But maybe their skill set needs a bit of work. So I guess I worked a lot of my skill set into trying to find my voice and what I believed as well. Again, like I said, I don’t shut anything down from anyone, anyone does, I think it’s always good learning curve to see what people are doing and how they’re doing it. My question on everything is why I like to do things with a smile on my face and make a bit of noise and have a bit of fun and do things a little bit differently. A bit like Dad, where he used to look at hair differently, I probably have started getting a bit more excited about looking at business a little bit differently as well. And trying to question things on businesses and how they do things and why they do things. And then I think everything I do if it’s if it’s working for someone or doing my own thing, I like to be me, I don’t want to be a number. I don’t like doing formats that accompanies like, you have to do this or you have to wear that it’s not my vibe, I’m like, you’re employing jewels, the jewels, don’t change me. But I’ll do a better job putting my best foot forward. And I believe in anything, I anything, anyone who will work with one I want to make sure I believe in what they do. But also, like, more so I always say to guys, like if if the audience or the people buy me, they will buy what they are used to me making sure that you you make noise in the right way and you do things different the right way. I think the brands have always been really good with me being a little bit rebellious in the way I do things because in the end of the day, they’re buying into the person who’s who’s on stage, flying their little fragra flag.

Chris Baran 43:37
Yeah, but you know, it’s the sort of thing is the thing you got to learn if you’re going to work for a company or be an ambassador or be something. If there’s no sales, there’s no money to buy the stage for you to stand on. You know, so and you know, it’s interesting, I, you know, it’s funny, I was just talking to somebody just a little bit back and we were talking about our industry and finance and how a lot and I don’t I’m not sure exactly what it’s like in Australia, but I know in America, a lot of people a lot of hairdressers, and I’m not saying all I don’t want to get letters from this from people that are listening or watching right now. Yeah, little pipe bombs. But no, don’t don’t say that anymore. Well, but they’re there people are almost afraid to sell. They’re afraid to recommend pick your word. Yeah. When when I think that, you know, the people that are truly successful at what they do are great at sales. You know, you could sell yourself you can sell you know, you can sell by just saying here’s this is I love this product. I love this thing. I love this stage. I love cutting hair like this. And they buy in because of that as opposed to oh, well. You know, I know you don’t need this, but I’m gonna sell to you anyway. You know? Not

Jules Tognini 44:54
and it’s not their sales and I used to always say I’m not a very good salesman, and people go quite heavy. You’re the best. And I was like, I don’t know, like, Yeah, but you educate you do sales through education, you teach people how to use something, and how not to be able to live without it. And I was like, Yeah, but I believe in it now. That’s why you’re so good at sales, because you’re not selling shit you don’t like and if you don’t like it, you probably don’t use it. And I was like, No, I don’t, I realized that, oh, if there’s something I feel like you need in your kit, or you should be using in your hair, or, you know, you need an extra service in the salon. I mean, I’m big, and they don’t leave without doing it. But I’m only doing it because I feel like I’m recommending it to you. Because it’s a need. Not a not a want, I guess. But it made me realize, but then also, I’m very happy to sell myself. Not you know, not in a lady of the night type of way. But what. But, um, but yeah, selling yourself, I think it’s just them making sure that I’m very fortunate enough to be able to work with brands that I like, rather than having to, I’ve done it in the past where I’ve worked with brands that work quietly. I think I’ve shrugged all that off now. And now everything that I do, or work or put my name in front of is things that I like and people I like working with, pick the dating products or whatnot, I believe in, which has been huge for me as well. Because when you’re young, you you know, you sell out in a heartbeat, your name, I’ve done it, I’ve done it. Funny.

Chris Baran 46:27
There’s a very, very a huge name in our industry that was doing a show in America. And and it he was working on a head of hair. And also the people that were in charge of the show came out on stage and they started taking all the product off the stage. And then and they said and he looked at them anyway. What do you Why are you taking that product? We need that? He said, well then tell them that. So you know, it’s just like I say anything, when you’re taught when you’re when if you’re in the salon and you love what the product you’re doing you love what? What they have, and you have it for sale? Tell them about it. You know, I think our industry is so worried about diversion. And yes, it is a problem. Sure. But look, if you if you’re in the salon, and you know, you liked the product, and you had to use it to get their hair to do that and just tell them about it. That’s all it is. That’s called a sale

Jules Tognini 47:34
right away. I know we have a bit of issues that people talking about diversion, and I can bite on wine and blah, blah, but I’m like got them in your seat for an hour, two hours, three hours. Like, if you can’t, if you can’t get a message across to him in the chair don’t complain, then, you know, they’re pretty good chance that they’re on the same day they get their head on. There’s a huge percentage. It’s in Australia, it’s like 70% of people will buy product if it’s not from you. They’ll go and buy somewhere else. On the day they had their it’s like

Chris Baran 48:06
damn job, and then the diversity necessary.

Jules Tognini 48:09
Yeah. Yeah. I believe I believe in.

Chris Baran 48:15
Oh, love it. So totally. What I want to go a little bit deeper here what like because first of all, I just found out just the other day. Thanks for telling me that you started up. You have a product that you just started up for men with? What is a Joe Blow is what tells me.

Jules Tognini 48:34
By the way, I love to make my boys. Well. Okay, so I’ll give you a concept. And I’ll give you the reason why. But Joe Blow. The idea around it was that as I started to get older, I started noticing my hairline starting to go back a bit. And I started shooting myself. And then I looked at my brother and I looked at our mate who was doing a lot about branding for our salons at the time. And I was like, what’s going on? What do you guys do? Are you guys using anything and one of the boys was like, I use this shampoo from here and it’s spray from there. And I take tablets from his doctor over there. And I tried to line it all up. And I was like, aren’t you a bit bolder than me? So you’ve only been doing this for longer than I have. But can you give me some I only have a little play and I was having a play and I was like what is this shit? Is this you know, is this snake oil? Anyway, because my work so we kind of got a bit of researching and worked with a local chemist in our hometown, and she does like compounding chemists. So she makes her own pills and tablets of drugs. And she had actually done all the formulas for the biggest hair loss company in Australia. And ideally, we tried a bunch of stuff and I came back going okay, yes. If you say it works, it’s great. But consistency is wrong. It makes your hair oily, it stinks. It’s danger pillows it does this it does that. So we kind of went on down the track of trying to change it to make it more easier for blokes to understand to try to and I guess it’s more progressive More than anything, it’s like, I went in to learn a lot more about how how, how come he leaves and what at what cases or to like, be able to get it back again. And this is a preventive, so you can either use it before you start using it losing your hair, and you can have it in different stages, or you can go through it, once you’ve recently lost before you college and close up all those holes and your hair on your head before their hair can’t get back out again, and suffocates, you can get onto that way. And I find that all it is, is that it’s a learning procedure that I watch my wife, you know, put on, you know, 14 different, you know, skincare creams and hair masks than all the rest of the beauty services. And from a guy’s point of view. You know, we’re lucky to have a shave these days, we get a hair cut, you know, once in a blue moon, you know, we might put a base moisturizer on if you’re a pretty boy that’s like you know, anything. So this is a way of trying to get guys to understand that, mate, it’s not too late. You can get your hair back or maintain what you’ve currently got. i We obviously started trialing it and it killed it. So we came up with a name Joe Blow based around it’s for every Joe Blow. It’s not for any. It’s not just for the pretty boys who care about themselves. It’s for everyone. It’s something that it’s it’s like why can’t we you know, girls are using Botox to prevent wrinkles. So guys, I guess. But why can’t guys use preventative shampoos and conditioner and, and treatments for there. So we we launched online, we set up as a new online business in Australia as like almost a subscription model, which has been unreal. So we’ve been doing a bunch of Outlook, everything around. It was great. All the branding was fantastic. But the whole campaign was based around like lots better with it. So that’s just smart amongst it and learning how to build into your routine. And I love the sooner

Chris Baran 51:55
you start the sooner it will stop disappearing. That’s awesome. That’s it? Yeah.

Jules Tognini 52:02
Not so easy. That’s it’s been it’s been going great guns over in Australia, which is great. It’s making I get to Europe a lot these days, Chris and European men, they’re so into themselves. I love it. I’d like they care about what they wear, they care about the way they look, they you know, spend money on skincare and making sure that they have the right haircut or the right products to suit things in Australia, like guys are lucky to own their own. You’ve got this level where you’ve got a few guys who care. And again, going back to this tall poppy thing, as soon as someone starts caring too much they ended up you know, people started dragging me down giving them a little bit of lip. Yeah, having said that, it’s starting to change definitely in the bigger capital cities. It’s definitely a lot more on shirts happening in Australia at the moment, which is nice. And also the pictures almost a little bit guys, but a lot more at the wives and I think a lot more of a catch on it from the wives and girlfriends who are buying it for the partners to get. You’ve got to use them, which I love. I think that’s fantastic. So we tried pitching and marketing towards the men. And then we did a campaign for women towards women, for their men in that campaign will almost get about the same as what we did with the men. Yeah,

Chris Baran 53:22
that’s America, that’s pretty much what it is. Maybe not so much anymore, because I think it’s shifting where the men are. Men are changing, but it used to be I’m saying whatever, 10 years ago that the women would buy the products for them but they would always buy also buy the product for their husband. And and that was your that was your that’s who you directed your marketing towards. So but yeah, I’m I’m wishing you the best on that I can.

Jules Tognini 53:53
Thank you.

Chris Baran 53:54
That’s good stuff.

Jules Tognini 53:57
Now that we always have a crack at some new things that come in, I rise to the occasion, but like, okay, and everything getting a minute we’re doing is all based around here. I think I was mentioned to you earlier that I’m trying to take a bit more time off and so on for the minute, we’ve got two cell phones, and we’ve got about 30 on staff. And these sounds pumped every day of the year, and everyone’s on salaries, and so on. So everyone’s on wages. And it just turns over and I spent I spent a lot of time working but also training our staff to make sure that they everyone’s getting to a certain level where we sit in our marketplace as well. We’ve been around for 35 odd years. So there is a bit of a higher benchmark for for for our team, really. So I’m backing off a little bit next year because I’m realizing our staff are bloody good, and they’re possibly better than me and that’s our own situation. And funny little bit more time to try to train the new guys having through it’s been a bit more one on one time with them. I think that’s really important. I spend half my year traveling training others and I don’t spend enough time to Anyway, so we’re resetting that I’m going to do a day a week in the salon. And then the rest of the time, we’ve got a bunch of new projects that we want to think our teeth into. And working with some really cool people on some things. We’ve got an eco Tao company that we’ve been just about to launch, which is really cool. All these towels are made out of recycled plastic bottles away. And they’re absorbing traveling minute. If I take like, different to a cocktail, but absorbent, and then they also, yes, you still have to wash them, but they dry in three minutes, really. And they’re like a black cow. Like, yeah, when you just get like two hours, you put them in your salon. And then they come this, you know, frayed very light gray thing within a year. We’ve had them in two or three years in the moment. And they don’t, they don’t stretch at a place. They’re still as black as they came in. They’ve been amazing. So we’re working on trying to get them out into the market a bit more as well. We’ve been having a bit of chatter, a few people in Europe and a few people in the US to which you know, just trying to work on price points at the moment. By being greener, it does cost a little bit more on the upfront. But it’s it’s such a great story, because it’s saving you having to buy as many towers constantly. Yeah, well. So we’ve been trying that for the last three years in the cell. And we’re, I think we’re ready to go to Tarrytown, which is really cool. And a few little things like this, that we’re and we’ve got a few other things that are probably a little bit hush hush at the moment, but lots of lots of fun little, you know, bits and pieces within the within the world of hair that we just love that you realize going. But the towel opportunity came up through Christian and he was like, What about a towel? And I’m like, You know what? Every single cell in the whole world knows what a black box I want ours. It’s not sexy. But can we go? Well, can we make a change? You know, and

Chris Baran 56:51
but I think there’s a thing, and that’s the biggest thing that if I could pass on anything to people or industry would be just would be the What are you doing to make money while you sleep? You know, because, you know, for all everybody that’s out there, you just got to remember that your as, as you’re from if you’re working in a salon or doing whatever you can make you’re earning based on your hours in the day. But what else can you do that while you’re working while you’re sleeping, or whatever earns you some money. And some people might say, well, investments or whatever, or investments could be just another thing that you side hustle of some sort that you have? Yeah, totally. No,

Jules Tognini 57:33
we, I looked at that a little while ago, when I was educating about 200 bucks or 200 days a year. And realizing that you’re just worked it out, right. And I’d leave these people know, like when he coming back. And I was like him like this is the point where I need to be able to sell something to them and leave them something. So we created we created our own like tool. We did like toolbelt like pouches we got, yeah, we got a fanny pack. We launched these little hair colors as well, which are amazing. I can’t cut hair without them. Now. We did our own combs, just little things to start leaving behind. I start I work with a really great scissor company over in Australia called excellent edges. And we do a lot of we do a lot of work with them about making sure that people have got the right kit, which I’m really tools are a huge thing for me now, too. I love tools. And then we’re just about to launch an online education platform called education, which we’re shooting for yesterday. And that was the one other thing that I’m realizing that I sometimes go these towns where I don’t know when I’m gonna get back to leave something, leave them with something or something that you can tune into is was the next step. So we’ve, over the last couple of years, we’ve been filming and working on this platform about trying to do it a little bit differently. Again, trying to put more personality into it. Make it more familiar for people putting pushing fan into education again, but how can we do that as an online setup. So we are getting close to launching the subscription model but really achievable and a really affordable thing to do. But working the minute we’re launching cutting and we’re going through all your basics, and then we’ll be adding more trend based here classical

Chris Baran 59:20
monthlies. Awesome. It’s gonna keep you busy man and working with

Jules Tognini 59:25
it’s gonna give you busy Yeah, well I quite like doing it but I found that I didn’t have time to. I didn’t have enough time to sit down film and edit with my I’ve got a business partner on this as well who does all the filming and editing and his family are in the hands of CT 300% gets into a lot of filming for the industry, but um, we just get along with the house on fire and he gets the best out of me. And I didn’t realize but he films everything and when he cut all the initial stuff together is all these balloons of me just Losing, it’s great because it makes it makes it look. He’s added them into the videos. He’s like, I haven’t cut these out by the way, I’ve actually erode them a little bit, because I want people to realize that it isn’t just that easy. Like, even good people suck up. And it was it’s actually hilarious and I’m really cool with it because I think it makes it a bit more human. Rather than,

Chris Baran 1:00:20
Oh, no, it’s true. I think that everybody they actually see you in a better light if they see you messing up to so they

Jules Tognini 1:00:29
get to get to know the real you as opposed to it’s really,

Chris Baran 1:00:32
really you is doing the things that they do in exactly the same way saying the same things that they do. All they do now. Oh, you mean he’s like me? Okay, well, oh, yeah,

Jules Tognini 1:00:43
yeah. Oh my God. He fucks up yeah, I’m

Chris Baran 1:00:46
Street. Like, how? Well listen, but we’re at our rapid fire round here. And for people listening, it’s just quick answers, etc. So I’m going to read through a whole bunch here and you just shoot away. Okay. What turns you on in the creative process?

Jules Tognini 1:01:09
I’m obsessed with branding and visuals. That’s what I’ve said what

Chris Baran 1:01:13
stifles creativity for you Hold’em an event will you see we talked a little bit about this what it was like for me but an event or a show that you loved that you did first one that I know there’s many but first one that comes to mind.

Jules Tognini 1:01:30
I recently got paid to spend about 10 days on a cruise around the Mediterranean teaching on a boat and the days kept getting canceled because it was too rocky. So I ended up having the most amazing holiday and worked a couple of days and we did a big launch in Ibiza and it was fantastic. But it was a bit of a pinch myself moment where I was like this actually happening

Chris Baran 1:01:56
Okay Good job. Kevin at the Martini police thing in life thing in life that you dislike the most.

Jules Tognini 1:02:10
Negativity, bad vibes. Hate it counts dead. Like the word I can’t just hate it. I also hate the word hate.

Chris Baran 1:02:18
I hate the word hate things in life that you love the most.

Jules Tognini 1:02:27
Oh family. The giddiness that you get by getting excited or getting under pressure and achieving and going oh my god, I you know, all that hard work paid off to something and you feel like a child again, I’m just obsessed with that feeling. You know, you chase it the same check the same feeling as when you when you have your your child and you meet your child for the first time. I’d happy to often you know 100 kids to get that same feeling and

Chris Baran 1:02:54
just the most difficult time in your life.

Jules Tognini 1:03:01
Um, I a couple years ago, during kind of the whole COVID thing. My wife got pretty sick and got pretty scary for us all. And it made me realize how good it is having such a strong partner with you as well and how I was like, What am I gonna do without you? She was like, If I die, what are you gonna do when you read Mary? I’m like, I can’t do this by myself. She was what about a nanny? I’ll go Yeah, but I’ll fall in love with her too because then she’ll be looking at the kids like you do want to remind me but it was it was tricky. It was really anyway she’s doing really good now and she’s backfiring. 100% But she knows kept me on my toes. Give her my love. It made me realize I could stop everything and focus on one thing and it made me realize what’s actually important. Give her my love. Okay.

Chris Baran 1:03:51
I think that you dislike most about our industry.

Jules Tognini 1:03:57
me big time. We talked a little bit about earning it before a call with your Nago. You’re worth it. It’s just the people that maybe aren’t worth it yet. And respect I think for the people who who are before us. I think there’s a lot of respect for people like yourselves, and these these so called uncles and Auntie’s that I’ve had in this industry. I think that notches might not be 22 anymore. They weren’t 22 Once upon a time and no absolute Renegades as well. So I think

Chris Baran 1:04:26
and what do you like most about our industry?

Jules Tognini 1:04:31
All right, playfulness, the fun. The fact that we all get to, you know, have that really beautiful culture together. That’s, you know, keeps you ticking

Chris Baran 1:04:40
all this one. What’s the proudest moment in your life?

Jules Tognini 1:04:45
Ah, there’s so many but from a personal point of view, having kids it’s so cool to be because dad, from a work point of view, being able to do what I love every day with the people I love is yeah This

Chris Baran 1:05:01
a living person that you’d like to the living person that you’d like to eat or you admire the most

Jules Tognini 1:05:11
I’m gonna get back to the Jamie I’m still a big fan I think he’s my one person I keep going back to game you changed a lot for me mate so you

Chris Baran 1:05:20
and this might be the same person person you wish you could meet what something here’s one something people don’t know about you.

Jules Tognini 1:05:36
Oh, I’m a world class juggler. I own about 65 pairs of denim jeans Yeah, world class out of control. I got my juggling balls here but next time I’m on stage a yellow.

Chris Baran 1:05:53
I’m there I’m there. I want to see that. Okay, a month off. Where would you go? What would you do?

Jules Tognini 1:06:01
a month. I’m obsessed with snowboarding in Australia. We don’t get a lot of snow. So I love surfing and surfing would be my highlight but lately because it snows a little bit harder to get to. I’m going to I’m going to pick snow I’ve got a trip booked to Whistler to just re chase the memories again mate so let’s go there with

Chris Baran 1:06:22
like I said I’m gonna hook you up with my buddy there he’ll be he’ll be able to take you I’ll give you all the all the stuff that you need.

Jules Tognini 1:06:30
flav what your greatest fear um, being a loser not succeeding. Not having anything to show for myself. I I probably fear a bit still I just said I turned 40 recently and I feel like I haven’t done at all yet and I I don’t want to leave any any stones unturned so I just like to keep on going I

Chris Baran 1:06:55
don’t see that happening with you but curse word

Jules Tognini 1:07:07
use puck a lot.

Chris Baran 1:07:10
What’s your favorite comfort?

Jules Tognini 1:07:11
It’s an Australian thing it’s an exit

Chris Baran 1:07:15
Yeah, and a noun. What’s your favorite comfort food breathing

Jules Tognini 1:07:19
Oh, I’m a sucker for pasta every day the

Chris Baran 1:07:25
wave of pasta what’s your favorite pasta AZ

Jules Tognini 1:07:30
I like our equality which is like the little here pasta. My favorite? My favorite

Chris Baran 1:07:36
if you could change one thing about yourself what would it be

Jules Tognini 1:07:42
ah maybe speed my metallic my metabolism out so I could just eat as much as I cumin.

Chris Baran 1:07:48
That I’d pass it over to me. Yeah, yeah, most treasured possession Oh, geez.

Jules Tognini 1:07:56
I don’t know if I’ve got I don’t know if I I’m looking around to see if I’ve got anything I actually love. Okay, ready? I’ve got I got a Nicholas given to me recently by my mother, which I actually obsessed with. And she got this for a 21st birthday from her grandmother. And she passed it to me she was like that pearls. And I was like and I absolutely love it. I maybe maybe dad

Chris Baran 1:08:27
love it. Yeah, yes. I

Jules Tognini 1:08:30
probably my most treasured things are memories, I guess. Nice spend a lot of money on memories as opposed to things.

Chris Baran 1:08:41
Something in the industry. This is gonna be interesting. This one, something in the industry that you haven’t done so far, but you want to

Jules Tognini 1:08:52
know what I feel like, I haven’t cracked America yet. As much as I spend a lot of time there. I would love to nothing else to go and do a huge show in the States. And really actually be a part of it. ICD symposiums that happen with 1000s of people and I think that looks like the greatest fan. So I actually would really love to be able to crack the US market on a bigger level than

Chris Baran 1:09:19
I do. What if you had to do over in your life? What would it be?

Jules Tognini 1:09:24
I don’t regret anything. I feel like Yeah,

Chris Baran 1:09:26
I mean, we got that we all are who we are. What’s it do whatever you would do. She

Jules Tognini 1:09:36
I rolled my I rode my car when I was that three days into my life having my license, but I I was surfing down a dirt road and you know, thought I’d give fishtails a run for their money. enrolled my car with a few mates in it. Look, no one was but it definitely shook me up. It’s probably it’s probably a good thing that it took me out because it showed me out a little bit. During crashing go Hey man, you like car that we just got given for Christmas that we’re supposed to share. Yeah, well, it’s onside. Thanks, man. Yeah. Well, at

Chris Baran 1:10:09
least you got a brother that can come and help and get it. Get it. Get it towed. Get it. Okay, here’s one thing I

Jules Tognini 1:10:14
signed that it was a man it was a manual. It was a stick shift and he never got the stick stick license so he couldn’t drive it anyway. So, last

Chris Baran 1:10:21
got one here for that I really want to know, Okay, tomorrow, you couldn’t do hair or do anything in our business that related to hair. What would you do

Jules Tognini 1:10:35
I keep myself busy. I think I mentioned earlier I love branding. I’d be very happy to sit as a creative director within this fashion world. But I’m just happy to call for a living. And and or be a landscaper and spend my days outside with you know, planting plants and laying turf and doing a bit of a hard day’s work and getting a few calluses on these. You know, pretty little

Chris Baran 1:11:03
Okay, last one. If you had one wish for industry, what would it be?

Jules Tognini 1:11:10
One we threatened to take down we have a bit of an issue over in Australia. We’re trying to get people to be excited by hairdressing and I’d love nothing other than our industry to start taking pride a little bit and what they do start charging the right amount for what we do. Everyone start appreciating address a little bit more and making it the industry that I probably came in as a kid watching it from the outside I’d love for hairdressing to be what it was like in the maybe the 80s and 90s where it was bought alone.

Chris Baran 1:11:40
I bring that back I think it’s about to shift but I am sensing a shift a shift i

Jules Tognini 1:11:47
i totally into you know belly and just in February hairdresser just value yourself you’re so important if you’ve ever putting effort into your skills and education and being better charge for it. You know if you’re a lawyer who does it hell, why not? Jules?

Chris Baran 1:12:06
It feels like it was yesterday. And it’s a treasured moment for me that that I see somebody this seven and nine year old kid that I saw running around and and is just really making a mark on the world. So Jules just from the bottom my heart I want to thank you and giving up your time and helping to share that with the world. So love you brother.

Jules Tognini 1:12:32
Thank you. Appreciate it. love to have you, Australia i feel like i you. You let me sleep on the hallway of your house and a blow up mattress in New York. So the only one I always always open for and bring your own air bed

Chris Baran 1:12:52
it was a pleasure to all the family Okay.

Jules Tognini 1:12:57
I will say with big love bye bye