Episodes of The Sport Clips Haircuts Hall of Fame Podcast - Tommy Callahan

Red Banner with HOF Episode

In this episode recorded in February of 2019, we interview Tommy Callahan. The Sport Clips team worked with Callahan to develop the brand’s signature All Star Haircutting System prior to opening the first Sport Clips in 1993, based on a system that Callahan had developed for full-service salons. This system and its unmatched coaching system both set Sport Clips apart in its industry. In this podcast, Tommy explains how he got connected with Gordon Logan and Sport Clips in the early 90's, and also shares some of the greatest memories from his decades spent in the haircare industry.

Chad Jordan, Tommy Callahan and Ramona Callahan holding a microphone

Episode Air Date Guest Name Guest Title Topic(s)
February 15, 2019 Tommy Callahan VP of Worldwide Education, John Paul Mitchell Systems His influence on creating the All Star Haircutting System for Sport Clips, founding the Artistic Team and more.


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Chad J: How Fun together. Hey everybody. This is Chad Jordan, director of marketing for digital services at Sport Clips. I have an exciting episode of the hall of fame podcast today. When we decided to call it the hall of fame podcast. It was for guests like I have on here today. He's exactly one of the reasons we named it the way we named it. And so I'm going have him introduce himself here in a minute, and then I'm going to say why he's so special to me and then obviously the others at that Sport Clips. So without further ado, kind, sir, can you please let us know who you are and why the heck you're on here right now? Okay.

Tommy C: Tommy Callahan and I'm here because I've been working with Sport Clips since the company started.

Chad J: He's been working with Sport Clips so long he never even stumbles and calls it Sportsssss Clips like so many people do even years later. So he knows a few things. And when you say you've been working with Sport Clips what kind of capacity are you talking about?

Tommy C: I've been a consultant for Gordon and education mainly.

Chad J: And that would be Gordon Logan for anybody not familiar with our CEO and founder. We're going to get into a lot of Tommy's career talking about some highlights and some career things that have helped him and helped Sport Clips along the years. And quick segue and then we'll get to Tommy's portion. The reason I'm so jazzed about having Tommy on here, he's been a hero of mine. Even before I was with Sport Clips, we were talking about this off air. I used to go around when I was a vendor and speak at leaderships and came across Tommy a time or two. And he always had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. And when I eventually became part of the Sport Clips marketing department and I led a leaderships it was only team leaders they would let me speak to at first.
And there was one leadership in particular. Tommy and I were both there. I was presenting to team leaders on their website and social media and they were falling asleep as you can imagine. And then next door, Tommy had all the managers and we had a wall in between us where we were presenting in this hotel wherever we were. And my crowd, you could hear my crowd falling asleep. They're literally snoring. And in the next room over, everybody's busting up laughing. They're playing games, they're throwing things. Tommy's I could hear him walking around with a microphone all. And I told myself after that leadership, I got to get with the managers. Those are, that's where it's at at Sport Clips. And so ever since then I went back, I begged Gordon, can I please start hanging out with managers more? And it's just been a match made in heaven there as well.
But it was Tommy that actually inspired that because of his passion and everything he's done. So I'm extending you a heartfelt thank you right here on air live for all that you've done. And the difference you made in my career, not just there, but other ways as well. So thank you for that. First of all.

Tommy C: Cool man. Good morning.

Chad J: So let's talk about this. You mentioned Gordon, of course you matter to the Logan family, you mean a lot to the Sport Clips family. How did you, you said you've been around with Gordon since just about the beginning. How did you get connected with Gordon and with Sport Clips?

Tommy C: I used to be a director of education for chains at Paul Mitchell and Gordon and Sport Clips were direct accounts. So they bought directly from Paul Mitchell, not from the distributor. Now they buy it from a distributor but it used to be with Gordon, we shipped directly to Sport Clips.

Chad J: And so you would help ship and train and all that, give them product and all that kind of stuff.

Tommy C: The head of the department was a girl named Kimberly Cope. And she really didn't really, it wasn't organized and know what she wanted to do. And so we were friends and so she brought me on to help her and JP okayed it. And so I started working for chains.

Chad J: And we're in Memphis right now. Were you always based out of Memphis?

Tommy C: No, I was a little over Kentucky back then.

Chad J: Okay.All right. And so you're going back and forth to Austin Georgetown, Texas and you're setting all that kind of stuff up or?

Tommy C: I was going back and forth between a local Kentucky and California. And then Georgetown.

Chad J: And so because of you and your relationship with Sport Clips, what are some of the things that got set up? What kind of ball did you get rolling for the Sport Clips family over the years?

Tommy C: Well, I think we were ones to identify the need for a unified training system for everybody. Did the same thing and understood the same thing.

Chad J: Are you talking the 5 point play or are you talking coaches, training, technical?

Tommy C: Part of that but we haven't had it been a language. So I helped develop a language

Chad J: And you also developed the artistic team. You were a big influencer can you help me understand what was going on? Why were you thinking we needed an artistic team? Was it something that you saw out in the industry that other brands could benefit from and you thought Sport Clips would be a great fit or?

Tommy C: Well, usually in a hair show you want to get the biggest crowd and usually the one that gets the biggest crowd is the one with the artistic team usually has the biggest crowd and Sport Clips didn't have a artistic team then. And so I went to Gordon and told him, ask him about it and he permitted us to form an artistic team, which has worked out very well for the company. Yeah.

Chad J: Yeah. In fact, we've had many of them on the podcast. Many of them have mentioned by name as being a big inspiration and an influence on them through the years. So what kind of things at Sport Clips have you gotten to do since, we're talking 25 years, but what are some of the things. I mentioned leaderships. I know you-

Tommy C: I've done a lot of leaderships. I've done a lot of national huddles, which I love doing and meeting all the people but it was such a great company since the very beginning. It kind of reflects Gordon's humanity and love of people and it's always been good. And then another thing is the company's always had integrity. They've never lied to a stylist and they've always paid them a fair wage, which one of chains didn't do in the industry, I've worked for all the chains, but Sport Clips was my favorite one and the one I loved the most.

Chad J: That's a great answer, especially since this is the Sport Clips podcasts that you're appeared on. So I appreciate the unbiased a plug for Sport Clips that you just gave us. You've done so many things in the industry, but obviously at Sport Clips. Do any stand out as some of your favorite memories over the year, whether it was with Gordon or add a huddle or on a podcast? I'm just throwing that out there, but anything that just really just jumped out at you as a highlight that you have a fun memory of even years later.

Tommy C: Well, I remember at one of the National Huddles, I was at Gordon ... I was speaking and Gordon was and I was anxious and so I said, I want to welcome everyone here to the other company. Must have been 1300 people in the audience.

Chad J: Yeah, I see. What I would have done if you had mentioned that company's name, I would've blurbed it out of this, but they couldn't live blurb you. So now that must explain why they have a seven second delay whenever they had you speak years later now. Now I know. Okay. I didn't get the background on why that was.

Tommy C: Well, that's why it was because it was the other company. But I had worked for both of those and we're doing training for both companies at the same time. So it was easy to get confused cause they similar to each other.

Chad J: Oh my. Well, I hadn't heard that story, so I'm sure that's something Gordon probably never let you forget.

Tommy C: Oh no. He didn't bring it up. Only 3 or 4 times.

Chad J: Oh yeah. Three or four times an hour or every time he saw you. So I want to talk about, can we talk a little bit about your career, not just with Sport Clips, but you've been an industry legend for years. How did you break break into this industry? Was it something you were passionate about as a young man or did it get to find you later in life?

Tommy C: My father knew that we weren't gonna have enough money to send me to college.

Chad J: Where are you from originally?

Tommy C: Central Illinois.

Chad J: Okay.

Tommy C: But we lived in the South Kentucky.

Chad J: All right.

Tommy C: And so he started talking to me about we're not going be able to pay for college there wasn't enough money because it was and so I won a Little Bitties scholarship I won a art scholarship to a little bittie school in Decatur, Illinois called Milliken. And so he thought it'd be a good idea if I would learn to cut hair.

Chad J: So this is your dad who's trying to-

Tommy C: My Dad, he was a teacher.

Chad J: Did he have a lot of brothers and sisters and he felt like he could save some money if you cut everybody's hair.

Tommy C: No. I had an uncle that was a barber. In Detroit. And he gets this idea of I go up to Detroit and work for my uncle.

Chad J: But like an apprentice?

Tommy C: Yeah.

Chad J: Okay.

Tommy C: But I never did that. It didn't work out the way dad thought. So he paid for me to go to barber school. And so when I graduated from high school, I also graduated from Barber School the same weekend. And so I came out of high school with a trade. Make money.

Chad J: Right. And did you go open your own barbershop there? Shortly thereafter or?

Tommy C: Three years later I went to work. First Barber shop I worked for was way out in the country. Kenny Illinois and haircuts were a dollar,

Chad J: I was going to say $5 they were even cheaper than-

Tommy C: They were a dollar. And you could tell how many haircuts you did by how many dollars you hit your pocket at the end of the day. So yeah that was my great start for being famous [inaudible 00:11:01] famous as a dollar haircut.

Chad J: And you probably had a sign that said we fixed 50 cent haircuts in your window, right?

Tommy C: It was a way out in the country. I just remember that it was like you turned off the highway and 10 miles down the road you ran into this town called Kenny, Illinois, and it was farm community. So you rolling busy on Sunday and Saturday. Because that's when the farmers came to town. And that's what I did. That's how I started and I was never satisfied with where I was always wanting to be better. So I always kept improving, going to get extra training. I went to work at Sassoons so I could learn how to cut hair better. It didn't make any money but I basically work free for a year or so.

Chad J: So you're going, now you're learning to cut women's hair as well. I imagine as barber it was all guys.

Tommy C: Cutting hair is cutting hair. I mean it's just a matter what frame you put on it. But yeah if you can cut men's hair, you can cut women's hair.

Ramona C: Tell them what was going on across the street from[inaudible 00:12:13]-

Tommy C: When I was in Chicago there was a barber school and I worked there part time. And across the street from the barber school, there was a beauty school and I noticed all these pretty girls are going into this beauty school and I was looking at all these ugly guys I'm doing and I'm thinking I'm on the wrong side of the street. So I started beauty school. Became .. went to beauty school. And that was in 1961.

Chad J: And you were in your twenties yet?

Tommy C: I graduated my high school in '62 so. Okay.

Chad J: So this is the start?

Tommy C: Early, yeah.

Chad J: And you get your start. So now you're not just cutting guys hair in some farm town on the weekends. You're now styling ladies' hair and-

Tommy C: There was this guy named Paul Torchalero that I had met and in Chicago. I did some advance training up there and Paul worked at Sassoons. Paul got me a job at Sassoons. And that's where I really learnt how to cut hair.

Ramona C: Is that how you met Paul Mitchell?

Tommy C: No, I met Paul Mitchell at, yeah I met Paul Mitchell at Sassoons.

Chad J: Okay. So you met Paul before you met John Paul?

Tommy C: Yes.

Chad J: Okay.

Tommy C: About same year.

Chad J: Okay. So can you talk ... those are names obviously very well known. John Paul Dejoria and Paul Mitchell,

Tommy C: 1960 Redken, which is a product company. They brought Sassoon to the United States. They paid to him and travel all over and I was in Chicago when it was happening. I was lucky enough to have some guys hanging around me that knew about that. And so we hung out and watched Vidal cut hair in the United States and he was cutting hair like we knew we couldn't cut hair like that.

Chad J: What was different about him and his style?

Tommy C: The haircuts were so clean. Like haircuts today, but they were very geometric. Sharp lines very clean and just completely different. They look like sculptures on people's heads. And I could-

Chad J: He was an artist.

Tommy C: I couldn't make haircuts look like that. And I want you to learn how, so that's why I became an apprentice at Sassoon so. We made all $50 a week.

Chad J: Yeah. Did, did you find, was it the training, was it the tools? Was it some secret formula that he had figured out?

Tommy C: The training.

Chad J: Okay.

Tommy C: Yeah, it was a geometric craning that he had put together with his team over in London. And then I ended up going to work at Sassoons as an assistant, which is a shampoo person, shampoo and sweep. That's what I end up doing.

Chad J: It's like a sous chef in a real kitchen, right? They're not doing everything, they're at least around and learning some stuff.

Tommy C: Yeah. You're a, you're like a Cinderella.

Chad J: Yes. Are they ever call you in to do anything technical or?

Tommy C: At night when you, after you got off work you'd have classes. You'd bring in models and you'd cut hair free. But then you do these geometric haircuts.

Chad J: And they are they critiquing you the whole time?

Tommy C: Yes. Oh God. You'd stay there sometimes eight hours to get the haircut right. Cause you couldn't go home until the hair cut was right.

Chad J: And what is the style of training? Is it very hard very in your face or?

Tommy C: It's what we do now.

Chad J: Okay.

Tommy C: It's what Sport Clips has adopted now and they do the same kind of training that we did now.

Chad J: So what I'm gathering is because of you the Sport Clips training is a direct descendant of Sassoon and Paul Mitchell, John Paul Dejoria, all of these guys. You are the conduit by which now Sport Clips has gotten this, these great like, the haircut I'm sporting right now because of that, because of you. So I should thank you for this haircut. There's no way I have this haircut.

Tommy C: Looks good on you man.

Chad J: Yeah, thanks. Yeah, well I still got it but.

Tommy C: That's what we do with the artistic team. Is introduce them to classic geometric cutting and-

Chad J: I had no, I had no idea that prior to the 60s that everybody was just doing their thing, but there wasn't really this clean system.

Tommy C: Oh no. It was awful. It was just people were just hunting and pecking

Chad J: Good thing. There's not too many photos or videos of prior to the fifties and sixties.

Tommy C: Oh, there is some in some books, but it wasn't very good. You wouldn't be very appealing. They weren't very appealing.

Chad J: People are a lot more beautiful now because of it.

Tommy C: Men's hair cuts were not good at all.

Chad J: Well, look at the Beatles, right?

Tommy C: That's about what it was like.

Chad J: Exactly. Everybody had it. Any great, because your wealth of knowledge here. I'm loving everything that you're sharing. Any great stories about Paul Mitchell or John Paul Dejoria that you can actually tell in public that's not going to get us in trouble with any of them.

Tommy C: Yes. I remember. They both, it was Paul was hired to do beauty shows. Yeah. And he was hired to do the international beauty show in New York and Paul Mitchell and I and some other guys, were going to this girl's party. She had an apartment New York. And she always had a big party at the hair show, at the international beauty show and Paul and John Paul were at her house and that's where they met each other. I was there when they met. So that was pretty cool.

Chad J: Right. Do you take any credit for it that maybe you were the lucky charm or?

Tommy C: No, you know, I was just there, so I got to witness history, but they got along right away.

Chad J: So the big bang everything coming together.

Tommy C: They started talking, went over in a corner and smoked a joint and started talking about haircuts and that was rest is history.

Chad J: Yeah. Literally.

Tommy C: Yeah.

Chad J: Hair, hair history. So I already mentioned how you've spoken and you mentioned at huddle, you've spoken at Huddle and you spoken at leaderships and I know a lot of our listeners, were lucky enough to get to hear you. But for those who were not lucky enough and weren't able to catch you, I want to pass along. You were just as funny as you were inspirational. You somehow kept the good balance. So the audience is always engaged whenever you've spoken, but there's a reason for them to listen. Since I didn't get to sit in all of those leaderships cause I was usually off boring somebody, another group at the same time. Are you able to share any of the stories of the truths that you would help a Sport Clips people, stylist, managers help uncover.

Tommy C: I can tell a couple of stories. One of them was, I always start out and tell people that I love hairdressers. They're my favorite people and as a matter of fact. I love them so much. I've married four of them. That always [inaudible 00:20:11] and they would laugh.

Chad J: You and Gordon also married a stylists as well.

Tommy C: Yes he did.

Chad J: So you're in good company.

Tommy C: Yeah. So I just enjoy the attitudes and the energy around hairdressers. And their desire to please people. And for the most part they have a certain kind of artistic integrity that I love.

Chad J: Yeah. And good nature.

Tommy C: They work hard.

Chad J: They really want people to feel good about themselves.

Tommy C: Yes.hard work and they really put out.

Chad J: Yeah.

Tommy C: Yup. So I've always been proud of that to be a part of that and always, it seems like I've always been involved in education in one form or the other and think my opportunity at Sport Clips had been a highlight of my career though. Even more than than Paul Mitchell I mean, I did all right at Paul Michelle I was a master association.

Chad J: You did all right.

Tommy C: Yeah. But I think I came to a fullness at Sport Clips, being able to share my knowledge at Sport Clips.

Chad J: Why was that so rewarding for you?

Tommy C: Because I got to see people that I talk to because of the information I shared with them have a better life. Make more money. Have more security, gained some self esteem and that's what I'm all about. Caring, coaching.

Chad J: Yeah. You, you got to see direct results.

Tommy C: I get to see what I did. Yeah.

Chad J: And not many people get to do that, right?

Tommy C: No, it's a real privilege. It's worth more than the money actually.

Chad J: I love that the Sport Clips relationship has, it's been mutually beneficial.

Tommy C: Oh, it has. Yeah.

Chad J: I think we've gotten more from you than you've gotten from us.

Tommy C: That's not true.

Chad J: But to hear you say you would argue with me about that.

Tommy C: Yeah. I've gotten everything from them. I mean my career basically was Paul Mitchell, but Sport Clips gave me an opportunity to work longer for Paul Mitchell. And Gordon has always been very supportive and very encouraging. So he's always been a privilege to work with. We worked together at ... First when I met Gordon he had another company.

Chad J: Yeah.

Tommy C: Yeah. And-

Chad J: You were pre Sport Clips.

Tommy C: Yeah, I worked with that company. I helped him with education at that company. Nancy and Karen Haney both. All of us were there back then

Ramona C: That's before you were VP of worldwide education for-

Tommy C: It was before I was vice president education for Paul Mitchell. I was just vice president of chain education at Paul Mitchell and they were changed that's how the other company, I worked with them too.

Chad J: Had your career ended there It would have been a good career. And then you and Gordon got together with the Paul Mitchell connection and you had it just a renaissance.

Tommy C: I remember us going out to eat and him telling me about his idea and I thought, damn, that's brilliant.

Chad J: Nothing like it at the time. Nothing like it.

Tommy C: Nobody thought he was going to do well and I thought it was amazing. And he asked me if I would help him and I said sure, I will. So Karen Haney and Nancy Vander asked me to help them. And so we introduced ... I had started a company called ASIS which was a Advanced Education Academy. Okay. And I talked to Karen about our concepts and she heard about our concept training. She thought it was a perfect answer for her. So she brought us in and Gordon agreed. And so that's how we got associated with them. But they didn't even have a hair cutting system yet. They were just doing, who whatever wanted to do whatever they wanted. And that was the beginning of the system.

Chad J: 'Cause Gordon's career to that point in the hair industry had mostly been on the women's side.

Tommy C: Yeah. He owned salons. Chain salons. Yes.

Chad J: And so he tells you this concept and other people are probably telling him, like you said, it's not going to work. And you breathed life into it.

Tommy C: I thought this is the best thing going, man.

Chad J: What was it what struck you?

Tommy C: I just, it made so much sense and we're talking to the person I worked for, my boss then was a woman named Kimberly Coke. And when we Joe Burdens told us about the idea out of this house in Georgetown. I thought, damn, I wish I'd have thought that.

Chad J: How can I get in on this?

Tommy C: Well, you know, it was just perfect.

Chad J: Yeah. Well you did, you did get in on it and influenced it more than a million other people ever could have so. I don't want to take too much of your time. But I do want to also talk about you mentioned one of the things that really means a lot to you is being able to give back?

Tommy C: Yes.

Chad J: And that's been the most rewarding part is seeing stylists and seeing people's careers impacted. But I also know, I mean you're a man of faith. You have a heart and passion to give back to the community. So what I'd like to do, I'd like to talk about some of those here on air. Maybe I'll link to them in the podcast and everything. So what are some of the causes over the years that you've really been passionate about and that you've supported throughout your career?

Tommy C: Well, I tell people I live my life based on faith and that's the Christian faith and all the principles of Christianity I believe in haven't always been like that. I was pretty wild when I was a kid. And luckily I made it back without being dead. So that's just by the grace of God. So I was pretty nuts when I was a young stylists. And with Paul Mitchell, you could be. So I took advantage of that. One of my favorite joke, I'll tell here on this podcast and I apologize if you've heard this before, but I remember when I was working for another company this lady came in and she was pretty overweight and it's really hot, hot, hot, cooked down in Mississippi is hot. And she had on this dress, like those women were not in the summer, in south. Where you see through it and you didn't want to. So she popped down in my chair and she says, Tommy honey I'm just so hot and tired. I don't know which end is up. And I said, well, we've got choose one 'cause we're going to have to shampoo it.

Chad J: Oh my goodness.

Tommy C: So that was kind of the way it was back then. So that's one of my jokes.

Chad J: You were wild at heart. Yes. For sure. So you came to faith you then began giving back and supporting. I believe here in Memphis, there's some communities there's some causes that here in the local community that you've been giving suits to young men. What is it?

Tommy C: Getting suits for young men that are getting ready to go out into work and giving them suits so they can interview.

Chad J: Now, have they been incarcerated or are they coming out of prison or they are just, they're not able to afford a nice suit for a job interview.

Tommy C: Most of them are not able to afford it, but there's some incarcerated. But not just incarcerated they're just men that want to have an opportunity.

Chad J: And is it through your church that you do this or is it a school or?

Tommy C: No it's a separate charity.

Ramona C: The Memphis Suit Project.

Tommy C: Memphis Suit Project.

Chad J: The Memphis Suit Project. Okay.

Tommy C: Thanks honey.

Ramona C: And they're for interviews. They're getting them ready for interviews. And when you retire you had like over 100 suits.

Chad J: That you never planned to wear? Maybe [crosstalk 00:28:54]

Tommy C: Well, when I was working, I wore a suit most of the time. And really not a tie but I wore a suit. That's the funniest story. I remember I came to a meeting that Gordon was running, I don't know where in the hell we were. In Las Vegas a long, long time ago. We weren't very many people in the company then. Maybe about 25 share holders. And I had a tie on and they cut my tie.

Chad J: Because no one else there was wearing one.

Tommy C: We didn't have to wear ties.

Chad J: That was their symbol that ties aren't welcome here.

Tommy C: Yeah. So that was pretty cool. I thought that's cool. I didn't have a problem with that. You could wear a suit, but you didn't have to wear a tie. So that was a bit ... The energy at Sport Clips has always just been for me. It fit me.

Chad J: Well it might've fit you, but you fit it as well, right? I mean it was a give and take.

Tommy C: Yes, it was. You know I just think sometimes the Lord lets you go to situations that are made for you. And then when I stepped in at Sport Clips, it was like, oh, these gloves fit. It's just here. And the people were nice to me. They liked me and they paid me respect. The thing I liked about that is Gordon never talks down to hairdressers. And a lot of people do. Like the other companies, I won't name them, but yeah, I will.

Chad J: No, you're right. I've-

Tommy C: He always treats people with respect.

Chad J: Really does. Yeah. He really does.

Tommy C: And I learned so much for him. I mean he's one of my mentors. I've learned a lot from him, but in turn I've been able to share some information. So it's been great.

Chad J: Just a little bit. Yeah.

Tommy C: Yeah.

Chad J: You share a little bit.

Tommy C: That's good.

Ramona C: Tell him a little bit about Leah's house. You served on the board for a year and you [inaudible 00:31:02] money

Tommy C: Yeah we have a-

Chad J: Leah's house?

Tommy C: We have a project we work with for women and it's a reclaiming loose lost women, not loose women.

Chad J: Yeah. We can't help that. That's a lost women. Okay.

Tommy C: You might be loose, but I didn't have anything to do with that. But whatever, but my wife and I, we got involved in that. As for women who can't find a place to live and they've lost their home. They're homeless.

Chad J: Help them get right back on their feet and yeah?

Tommy C: Yeah.

Chad J: Is this a local charity?

Tommy C: It's in Mississippi is the only one I know.

Chad J: Okay.

Tommy C: Yeah.

Ramona C: Really not for homeless people. It's more for people who've come out of prison. Or who-

Tommy C: Been abused.

Chad J: I like it. Yeah.

Ramona C: It's a sober living organization where when you've been through rehab and maybe you still don't have connection with your family and you want to continue your program and it is a Christian based program. So that's mostly the population that every now and then there'll be somebody coming with [inaudible 00:32:12].

Chad J: But people that society might have given up on or?

Ramona C: And they need a place to stay or whatever.

Tommy C: [inaudible 00:32:20] ladies coming out of prison.

Chad J: Yeah. And it's Leah's house.

Ramona C: Leahshouse.com

Chad J: L E A H?

Ramona C: Yes.

Chad J: Okay. So I'll find it and I'll put a link on the podcast too. So if anybody that's a worthwhile cause. Here's what I'd like to do. I haven't given you these. I have 10 fun questions I want to ask you and I haven't revealed what they are yet. Before I get to them. We're doing good on time, but is there anything else that you feel in your heart you want to share or have the audience know about before we kind of get to some of the fun questions that I might happen to ask you?

Ramona C: We need to talk about the warriors project that you-

Tommy C: Wounded Warriors?

Ramona C: Is that what it's called?

Tommy C: Yeah.

Ramona C: Help a hero. I think it was called Help a hero.

Chad J: Oh, help a hero at Sport Clips. The one at Sport Clips?

Tommy C: Yeah, that's important to me. And so Paul Mitchell, the company I represent has given a lot of money to that. And it's very important, but Gordon is always looking to do stuff like that. I mean that's, how could you not love being associated with that.

Chad J: Especially up his alley as a veteran himself so.

Tommy C: But yeah, they do a lot of work. So I just thought, I've never seen Sport Clips be associated with anything that I wouldn't be proud to be a part of. And I can't say that for the whole industry because there's a lot of companies in this industry that I worked for that I'm not going to be bragging about.

Chad J: Well, I get to in couple of weeks, I'll brag, I get to go interview the CEO of Saint Baldrick's which raises funds for childhood cancer research. And that's another cause Sport Clips was the first national partner to step up and partner with them. So we get to do that. Obviously do stuff with the American Red Cross of course with help a hero and the VFW so.

Tommy C: Gordon's always worked real close with VFW.

Chad J: Yup. It really is an amazing organization-

Tommy C: With the military.

Chad J: And an amazing cause. So glad that you're passionate about it. All right. Can I ask you my 10 kind of funny, funky questions. And I ain't editing these, so anything you answer, I'm going to just stick with. All right. You Ready?

Tommy C: Yeah.

Chad J: Okay. So if you had a superpower, flying a, invisibility, lasers coming, what superpower would you most like to have?

Tommy C: I'm thinking of all these Marvel dudes.

Chad J: Yup, exactly.

Tommy C: I want that hammer that Thor has.

Chad J: Okay. Thor's hammer. All right. And you'd be worthy enough to pick it up. You can wield it and. I don't know if you could cut hair with it but-

Tommy C: I'd come up with some kind of way to make it cut hair.

Chad J: Okay. Number two what is your personal motto or words to live by?

Tommy C: If it's to be, it's up to me.

Chad J: Yes. I was trying to get that out of you earlier and I forgot. If it's to be, it's up to me. I love that. Yes. Okay.

Tommy C: Doing, gets it done.

Chad J: That's another one? Doing gets it done.

Tommy C: Doing gets it done. Ambition's not doing.

Chad J: Okay. Yes. Yes. That was it. That was the one I knew I couldn't remember or say the word myself, so I needed you to say it, so, okay. Excellent. Number three, other than where you live now, which is beautiful Memphis, right outside Graceland. Where else in the world would you most like to live?

Tommy C: I'm part of a beauty school in Colorado and we've been up there and that it looks like a nice place to settle in too. So maybe if we ever get lucky, we might relocate up there.

Chad J: In the spring.

Tommy C: Yeah.

Chad J: I don't know about in the winter in Colorado.

Tommy C: I don't like snow so.

Chad J: All right.

Tommy C: It won't work well. But yeah, we own part of a beauty school in Denver, Colorado.

Chad J: Okay.

Tommy C: So that looks like a nice place to live. I've thought about Florida, but I don't like the hot-

Chad J: Humidity.

Tommy C: Bugs.

Chad J: Yeah. Mosquitoes.

Tommy C: Yeah.

Chad J: I'm with you there. And they have a Palmetto bugs, which are roaches that fly.

Tommy C: I hate those things.

Chad J: Yeah. Anyway, sorry. Florida for bagging on you. Okay. You've met a lot of celebrities?

Tommy C: Yup.

Chad J: We've mentioned a couple of them?

Tommy C: Yup.

Chad J: Who is the one celebrity that you've not met that you'd like to meet one day? He could could be even heaven. It can be a dead or alive celebrity that you'd like to meet.

Tommy C: Interesting.

Chad J: You might've met everybody.

Tommy C: No, I've met a lot of people, but to hang out with somebody would be cool. Like I think maybe hang out with Warren-

Chad J: Warren Buffet?

Tommy C: No he got too much money. Warren Beatty.

Chad J: Oh, the actor?

Tommy C: Yeah.

Chad J: Okay.

Tommy C: Yeah, he was cool.

Chad J: Yeah. All right.

Tommy C: He did a haircut movie called Shampoo and the hairdressers haven't even seen it. Tried to get it.

Chad J: Is it like a spoof. Or is it a comedy?

Tommy C: No it's a great movie. It's a true story.

Chad J: Shampoo?

Tommy C: It's a story about a hairdresser in L.A that was named ... Trying to remember the guy's name cause I knew him. I worked with him in LA.

Chad J: Based on true story.

Tommy C: Yeah. And Gene Chekhov. And he had a small Harley Davidson motorcycle and he'd go from house to house and cut hair in Beverly hills and the stories that he would tell are pretty amazing.

Chad J: Stylist to the stars. He's seen it all.

Tommy C: He's seen a lot.

Chad J: So Warren Beatty is your actor or famous person that you'd like to hang, you don't want to just meet him, you want to hang out all day.

Tommy C: 'Cause he's cool.

Chad J: Alright. Hey, we'll put a link to him on the podcast and see if he responds.

Tommy C: Okay.

Chad J: All right. Maybe he listed you as his person he'd like to hang out with. Wouldn't that be something. Okay. Number five, which words or phrases do you most overuse? Like dude or something like that.

Tommy C: Well, because I speak in public so often, I don't really do that. Because I've trained myself not to.

Chad J: So no ums or like.

Tommy C: I hardly ever do likes or just

Chad J: Just, yeah that's a sneaky one that people forget.

Tommy C: Yeah. Most of the time I'm pretty comfortable with what I say.

Chad J: Yeah. So that's it. You've been to the mountaintop. You're fine, you don't have them. What about this? What sound or noise do you love? And I, as we're listening to the rain, that would be one of mine. But what sound or noise do you love to hear?

Tommy C: Harley.

Chad J: A Harley. Okay.

Tommy C: Starting. That's my favorite sound.

Chad J: Do you have motorcycles or?

Tommy C: I had a Harley until I turned 70.

Chad J: Okay.

Tommy C: And then they wanted me to quit. Because I can't hold it up anymore. If I drop it, I couldn't get back up.

Chad J: So you had one, you got a good run out of it?

Tommy C: She made me quit.

Chad J: Oh, all right. I See where she-

Ramona C: He didn't want to ride [crosstalk 00:39:57]

Chad J: Side saddle or whatever side car? Okay. All right. Yeah. I don't blame him, so I'm just saying. Oh well shoot. Okay.

Tommy C: Yeah, the sound of a Harley man.

Chad J: Just when it's starting?

Tommy C: Best sound in the world.

Chad J: What about this? What sound or noise do you hate?

Tommy C: when people are writing on a chalkboard and it get squick.

Chad J: Yeah. Okay, Sorry to replay it for you.

Ramona C: And when our dog barks.

Chad J: Oh, really? Is it a little yippy bark?

Tommy C: Yeah it's a little but yippy dog and dunk doesn't quit.

Chad J: Okay.

Tommy C: And I'm upstairs and I have to take a chair lift to get downstairs and it just drives me crazy.

Chad J: Well, off air, we'll talk about shock collars and all that kinds of stuff. I'm not suggesting it's just saying that you should do that. I'm just letting you know.

Tommy C: He's 15 years old.

Chad J: Forget it. No, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Okay. I mean, this question, this will be really relevant because you became a barber and then stylist right out of high school, but what profession other than your own would you have been good at or at least have wanted to try?

Tommy C: I think I would have been good at training, teaching people to do public speaking.

Chad J: Oh, okay.

Tommy C: I do do that. I did that. With Sport Clips and a couple of other companies. But I think I could have made a profession of it.

Chad J: Yeah, almost like a coach. A public speaking coach.

Tommy C: A public speaking coach.

Chad J: Toastmaster.

Tommy C: Yes.

Chad J: okay. Next to last question, what do you consider your greatest achievement? We've listed a lot of them, but what do you consider your, and maybe it's one we haven't even talked about, but what do you consider your greatest achievement?

Tommy C: Well, getting married to Ramona is probably my greatest achievement.

Chad J: Good answer. Good answer. With her sitting right here. Just off camera.

Tommy C: Yeah. Find the right one that's been a good one because I was searching all over.

Chad J: You were over until Ramona.

Ramona C: I was gonna say he achieved his 4 hair dressers [crosstalk 00:42:18].

Tommy C: Yeah, right. That's something else, man.

Ramona C: They got younger each time.

Tommy C: They did, yeah, they got younger.

Chad J: And prettier, right? So anyways.

Tommy C: No they're all pretty.

Chad J: Oh, okay. All right.

Tommy C: No reason to marry ugly people.

Chad J: Preach. Life's too short.

Tommy C: If you're a hairdresser and you marry somebody ugly.

Chad J: Oh man.

Tommy C: You need your-

Chad J: That's a whole nother podcast. We can get into a relationship for hairdressers. Greatest achievement?

Tommy C: I think my greatest achievement would be learning how to love myself.

Chad J: Whoa. Okay.

Tommy C: 'Cause I had an inferiority complex for a long time.

Chad J: So how long did it take? When did you finally get to that point? Yesterday.

Tommy C: It's not been long time, probably ... The thing about Sport Clips was I could see what we were doing and I could see what we were doing was making a difference. So when you see what you do as a result, you feel confident. When you have felt confident, you get stronger. So the more I work with Sport Clips and Paul Mitchell the stronger I got the more I felt good about myself. So I didn't have to worry about being ... That's why I can stand in front of 2000 people and talk. Because I'm not afraid of them.

Chad J: Boy, you knew most of them I mean and they knew you.

Tommy C: I think you just have integrity and share honestly what you think and if you can help somebody gain a step ahead, like what you talk with them or touch them that's what you need to do. That's what life's about. Helping other people. And I truly believe that and I've been able to do that with Paul Mitchell and Sport Clips.

Chad J: Yep. My last question, then I'll let you go.

Tommy C: Okay

Chad J: If heaven indeed exists and I believe you believe it does, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

Tommy C: Welcome good and faithful servant. Welcome in. I'd be fine with that.

Chad J: Yeah. me too. I'd much rather him say, welcome other than get outta here. You're in the wrong place, right?

Tommy C: Are you sure ... I think you want the other door. There's another door down here.

Chad J: How did he get in here.

Ramona C: [crosstalk 00:45:08] always used to tell me that he figured instead of a mansion he was going to have a base apartment.

Tommy C: I would settle for a [crosstalk 00:45:15]. You know, I live in Chicago and the basement was [inaudible 00:45:21]. So I would take that in heaven.

Chad J: Well, yeah, but I think there's a verse, it doesn't say in my father's house are many basements. I think it's many mansions. I think you'll get one buddy.

Tommy C: Okay. Well I'll take that.

Chad J: You're amazing Ramona. Thank you so much for jumping in here as well. I've had too much fun and we've ran out of time.

Tommy C: I'm sorry.

Chad J: But can we, how about this? I don't know if we can put it on the calendar yet, but I'd like to do it again and maybe we'll talk about some more stories that we didn't cover this time.

Tommy C: Yeah, sure. It'd be good.

Chad J: And maybe I'll go swing by Gordon's office and see if he's got some special questions he wants me to ask. Cause these were all just me just kind of wanting to hang out.

Tommy C: No that's good man.

Chad J: And those that I couldn't tell I was fanboying the whole time. Getting to hang out with Tommy and just have them. Usually I have to ... we're somewhere together and there's a whole crowd of people. But to get to hang out just he and I for a little bit it's been pretty cool today. So thank you sir. We're going to do it again.

Tommy C: Okay.

Chad J: Alright. Pleasure's been mine.

Tommy C: Looking forward to.

Chad J: All right, thanks everybody. Stay tuned for our next episode. Appreciate you joining us for this one.