Season 1
Business, Mindset & the Cost of Success
The Truth About Building a Hair Business Nobody Posts Online
What does success really cost—and what’s the point of building a business if you don’t have time to enjoy your life? In Episode 3 of What’s the Tea?, Gareth and Suzi get into the lessons they wish they’d learned earlier: investing in personal development, understanding what drives people, teaching different learning styles, and finding the right support to plan for business—not just react to problems. They also get real about the pressure to keep chasing the next milestone, the toll of living in constant “go” mode, and why success isn’t just money or status. It’s having time for the people you love and a life that feels like yours. A funny, honest conversation for barbers, educators, business owners, and anyone trying to grow without losing sight of what matters.
This episode is a fast, candid conversation about keeping perspective in hair, business, and education. Gareth & Suzi talk through why the industry can get too serious, why authenticity matters more than performance, and how real-life pressures put online drama into context.We discuss business legitimacy, brand partnerships, the reality of running a salon or academy, and why personality and honesty are often what actually build trust. Key topics Why real-life struggles can put online industry drama into perspective How the hair industry has become overly rigid, robotic, and obsessed with perfection Why showing your personality helps attract the right clients and opportunities The hidden realities of running a barbershop, salon, or academy The difference between headline hourly rates and actual earnings Why business owners are often the last people to get paid The importance of understanding your trade before stepping back from the business Why education should be approached with humility and genuine care for students How collaboration can be more valuable than competition The realities of brand ambassadorships and partnerships Why brand alignment matters more than follower count How consistency, hard work, and business sense create long-term success Why your business is ultimately a reflection of your leadership
The advice around becoming an educator is backwards - and it is holding the entire industry back. Gar and Suz open up the first episode of What's the Tea? with a brutally honest conversation about gatekeeping, imposter syndrome, and why being a great barber, hairdresser, or trainer is not the same thing as being a great educator. What starts as a light-hearted name reveal quickly turns into a much bigger mission: raising the standard of education without shutting people out. Gar & Suz unpack why "runs on the board" is often used to block new voices, why experience matters less than professionalism and preparation, and why the real goal is not clout, but impact.You'll discover: Why education should be open to more than just people with decades in the industry The difference between technical skill and actual teaching skill How confidence is built through reps, leadership, and putting yourself in the room Why planning, class structure, and knowing your student matters more than ego What makes an educator trustworthy enough to change someone's career Gar & Suz also share how each of them got into education in completely different ways. Suz talks about building courses organically through her own academy, learning from the best, and realising that connection and delivery matter just as much as cutting hair. Gar shares the unexpected path from fitness and sports education into teaching barbering, including the awkward, on-the-job first class that changed everything. Together, they make the case that education is a business, a responsibility, and a chance to create real transformation. When a student leaves with a skill that can change their income, confidence, and future, the stakes are a lot bigger than a class booking. If you are an educator, want to become one, or care about the future of the industry, this is the episode that will make you rethink what qualifies someone to teach - and what it actually means to do it well.