In this episode, Indie chats with Celebrity Colorist and Co Founder of dpHue, Justin Anderson. Justin discusses how he got started in the industry, his love of making women feel beautiful, and building a brand while staying in the present moment. You can see Justin's work on his Instagram color page @justinandersoncolor or follow along on his personal Instagram, @justinanderson.
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In this episode, Indie chats with Celebrity Colorist and Co Founder of dpHue, Justin Anderson. Justin discusses how he got started in the industry, his love of making women feel beautiful, and building a brand while staying in the present moment. You can see Justin's work on his Instagram color page @justinandersoncolor or follow along on his personal Instagram, @justinanderson.
Links:
Okay, hello, everybody. Welcome back to another episode of coming clean with indie Lee. I'm your host indie Lee. And today, I am fangirling. so freaking hard because I have been watching Justin Anderson on Instagram for a long while, and I cannot believe you're on the show. So Justin, thank you so much for allowing me to interview you and spend time with you today. Oh my gosh, get out of here. I adore you. We talked on the phone recently for the first time on zoom. And we fell in love with each other. And you just know when you like like someone, right? I mean, and I also think that's kind of something that's cool about quarantine because it's like the zoom stuff. Everyone's like, oh, zoom sucks or whatever, for whatever reason. Like, I feel like, I'm getting to know people better and quicker on zoom, you know, right away. Wow. Well, you're in their house with them. Yeah, exactly. There's like, there's that level of intimacy, right? You know, where you actually are going below the line. Like you're seeing people in their house, you're seeing them sometimes in their pajamas, you're seeing them, like they'll get up and you realize, jeez, they're wearing slippers when they go and walk to shut the door, like you're seeing their houses or their dogs or, you know, kids running in. And I think there's breaking down some barriers that people might have. And then you're more open to having these zoom calls versus just what would normally be on a phone. You're like, hey, let's just zoom. And I mean, I already knew I was in love with you, because I've been following you. So and I just I love how raw and honest you are. I mean, we'll go into that, I'm sure but I always start with a couple things. So first of all, this podcast is all about, you know, living your life fully. Taking your purpose, your passion or your pain and turning into your, your purpose. And and really, how do people as founders typically stay present? So I like to start because I think in my experience, most people find their purpose, right through that passion or pain point. Was there a certain point like a pain point or something where you're like, Okay, this is what I want to do. Like, this is no longer a passion. This is my purpose. Yeah, you know, the reality is, is I love women. I love women my whole life. I'm a gay man. But I love women, all my best girlfriends are women. When I was a kid, I was just fascinated, like, my heroes were women. I love strong, powerful women. And I remember from a young age, I loved beauty in general. And I remember, in my family, we talked about beauty a lot in a superficial way. But I knew from a young age, what beauty meant to people it was it made people feel empowered and made people feel like the best versions of themselves. I saw when people were dressed in their best outfit or their hair was done. The way they loved it. They were the best version of themselves. And I always would like I liked that pay a lot of tension to it. Then as I got older, you know, I was the type that I was like the weird little kid that like I was friends with all my mom's friends and I loved like, oh, that dress looks amazing on you. And oh, that makeup looks loved you. And I loved it. It was it was something obviously I'm a little kid. I don't know how to try to schmooze. I wasn't trying to schmooze people. I just like, I loved women, when they would smile. And they'd like, Oh, you got to wear that and do that. Whatever. So I've always loved it. So as I got older, and I started thinking, I knew I want to do hair, but I was afraid to tell my family that I wanted to drop out of college and go to beauty school. I was I was I was like, I cannot tell my parents, I'm gonna drop out of college because that's gonna mean, that's gonna mean I'm coming out of the closet. They're gonna like, Wait, are you gay? You know, so I was afraid of that. So um, but when I went to do it, the real reason is, is because I do I like making people feel beautiful. I like the connection of being in the chair as a hair colorist. You know, I always was like, that'd be so cool to just sit with a person and really connect and talk to them. I like do my colorist is like a therapist. Yeah, they are. And so a lot of that is why I went into it. I just I love people feeling like the best version of themselves. I'm obviously like a really creative person, because you have to be creative to color hair. And so I've always just been fascinated by it. And I knew I want to do it. But my biggest thing was just being afraid to tell my parents, so you tell your parents had it go. It was not good. You know, there are a few times in my life where I had, you know, I haven't I've great parents really close family. I'm close to all my siblings. I grew up in a big, nice, extended Mormon family. We all got along had a lot of fun together and stuff. But there's a few times where I had that big head butting moment with my parents. And that was one of them. I remember I my parents were in Hawaii at the time. I called them it was before, like, I think my junior year of college. And I was like, Hey, you guys. I'm gonna go to beauty school, I'm gonna drop out of college and my mom lost it. She was so upset. And she was saying things like, you know, that's a that's a hobby. That's not a career, you're going to be thinking of doing it after a few years. I think it's really stupid of you to want to drop out of college and go do that. But I knew in my heart that I really want to do it. And I'm one of those people too. If somebody tells me not to do something, I'm going to go above and beyond to be the absolute best at it. So I was like, Oh, you nailed it sweetheart. I mean, I have that in me since I was a kid. If I'm in my parents Remember, if they told me I couldn't do something, I would make sure to do it. And not in a way like I don't I don't love the fpu of it to be like, like, screw you. Look, I did it. I just if somebody tells me it tells my kid I'm like, oh, that I really want to do this. You know? I mean, let's, by all imagination, you are basically you've nailed it. I mean, you are basically the colorist to the stars. I mean, your roster is ridiculous. But that doesn't come because of that that comes from I mean, you're an artist, right? This you're not I mean, yes, your colors, you but you are truly an artist for someone to be able to look at the way light hits other people's hair and understand people's hair texture, etc. and their face framing and etc. and say, Okay, this is what we need to do, and then mixing to get that perfect. Light. Yeah, and depth. That's art. No, there is definitely an art to it, and I have it in me. But I think the thing that you need in the hair world to be successful, is you have to really care. Like, I genuinely care what my client's hair looks like. Because at the end of the day, when you're doing, you know, when I was in the salon, I was doing 25 heads a day, you know, with base colors, highlights, and I had four assistants, and we were just like banging out her, I still cared every person that sat in my chair, because I love it so much. So a big part of it is that you have to care you have to be patient. But as I was getting towards the end of my like my salon days, because now I really just work on some of my favorite big celebrities that I love. But my main focus is obviously DB who the hair brand. But towards the end of it when I was doing all those clients, I was finding that I wasn't doing as good of a job, I was feeling rushed. And that's when I was like, Okay, I've got to shake this up, I can't be doing a half assed job at this, you know, and then was that when you realize that you wanted to really create something so that every woman or man can do this to some extent, for themselves. I mean, obviously, db here, which, by the way, I did my ACV scrub this morning than I did my mask, I use the gloss. I mean, I'm fully stocked on TV. But you really are giving people a way to really extend that experience to while taking care of their hair was that always like you knew that's what you want to do you want to create a product was when I was a little kid, I remember I used to watch the home shopping network all the time. And I remember like I would weirdly watch it all the time like a little strange. Yeah, like a little eight year old boy watch the home shopping network. And I thought it was fabulous that these people were so passionate about their product. And I always was like I want a product mount not knowing what it was going to be because at that time, I didn't know that I was actually going to do hair. So yes, when I went into doing hair, I was like I absolutely want to have my own products that I'm passionate about. And so yes, at a certain point about eight years ago, now, I met Donna Pohlad, my partner dp who was already existing, it was pop up salons where you could go and get your hair color done. But also, they'd also give you take home kits that you could touch up your routes at home. And Donna and I met and we totally hit it off. I love her. She's a good good friend of mine. And she was like, do you want to partner I want to I want to expand this business I want to and we kind of together we're like I was telling I was like there's so many things that people can do at home to keep their color looking fabulous in between going back to the salon, right? So it's like you leave the salon, your hair color is gorgeous. Two weeks later, it's it's not as bright, it's a little bit dull, you know, so I was like, there's so many things that people can do at home. And there's so many products that can be created to take care of that hair color in between salon visits. So that's really the direction that we went down. And now all of our products have a purpose. From all the years of me being with women in the chair, I hear all the complaints about hair color, right? Like everything. I can only imagine so long were you working in the salon? I am. I just turned 40 this year, and I started doing hair when I was like 21. So that's 19 years, right? I gotta get my calculator out. Now like 19 years, I mean, I was doing hair for Yeah, like I was in the salon for like 18 years. And I hear all the complaints. I know what happens to hair color when you leave if you leave the salon with really bright blonde highlights. Even things like washing your hair in your shower at home. There's hard water, green in the water, it dulls down the bright blonde. So there's things that you can do you come out with something for that. That's the one we just came up with the brightening powder. It does the delayed whatever it is. It's a chelator it pulls anything that lives on your bright hair, it pulls it off. And it's shocking. Like this is a product where it's like we've been talking about this for years because obviously like I've done so many famous blondes over the years, so I'm known for blonde right everyone's you're definitely the blonde guy. Yeah, which I do all colors, but the blondes are what everyone knows. So I've been wanting to create this product for years and that's exactly what it does. It pulls all of that off at home in between salon visits. And you know all my celebrity clients like you I color Jennifer Aniston's hair. And then she goes and she films for three months. I don't know what products they're using on our hair. By the time she comes back to me or the time I fly to wherever she's filming, I see her, her hair colors changed because the products they've been using, or she's living in a different city, and the hard water in the shower at the hotel that she's staying at messes with it. So this is a product that people can travel with. And it literally pulls that off. And our before and afters are shocking, like, it's unbelievable how much it works like I am. I didn't realize that that was the chelator. So I'm really excited because I live up in Westchester, New York, and we do have hard water. And so and even though I have a water softener, and all those things, it's an issue. But even so any prior to COVID I was on the road, two weeks out of a month, and all the different hotels and it would do a job on my hair. Truly Yeah. Another thing that a lot of people don't think about is think about just what's in the air pollution. Like if you live in New York City. Imagine to the choir, my friend, imagine if you wore that white shirt in New York City every day, like you wear your bright hair every single day, it gathers things and then you get the hard water on top of it. So your hair has all this crap living on it. So that's what it does. I say the same thing that of people with skincare, right? So I say okay, they're like, well, I don't need to wash that much because I don't wear foundation. I said, Okay, great. You're in Manhattan. When you come home, do me a favor, take a white cotton pad. Take the toner, swipe it on your face, you tell me what it is. And I'm like, it's exactly why totally the same it is. It's so it's so interesting. Okay, so you decide you're going to do this with Donna. And then what year was that? That you guys partnered? We were just talking about that the other day, but it was about eight years ago. Oh, yeah. It was about knows about seven years ago, that we really kind of came together. And it was one of those things I really do. I trust things that happen in my life. I believe in things, as well as you get my friends to join the club. I am really into that stuff. I'm really good at trusting my gut. And I met Donna and this is not a time. Okay, so I'm working on all these massive celebrities, right, jennifer aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Margot Robbie. So there's all these different brands who are coming to me at the time, big brands saying, Hey, we want you to be an ambassador for our brand. I want you to talk about our products, and we'll pay you these crazy amounts of money. But I always knew I was like, No, I want my own thing, something that I'm passionate about, you know, or exactly what I'm in now partnering up with Donna. And so when I met Donna, we went to dinner that first night. And I just knew right away we speak the same way. She's an angel from Minneapolis, like the nicest person ever right away. Like I met her family I had had already known her stepson, Charlie, that's how we got introduced. So it was just one of those things where I'm like, this is it, like I knew right away. And when she was explaining the business, I could see like the passion and the excitement that she had for it. And that means everything to me, I cannot be around people who are bored. I can't be around people who are bored by their job is going oh, this is gonna be great. Like we're or people or say things like, oh, we're gonna make a shitload of money. This is what's right. Like, they don't understand the amount of hard work that goes into starting. I mean, listen, that, you know, I started this with nothing, I sold my jewelry. I had no idea what I was doing. But I knew I had to do it. The backside of business is like crazy. And I'll be honest, you know, I'm a creative person. And I did really well with hair because I was so passionate about it. And I was good at hustling and getting clients and stuff. But I don't know anything about business. I've learned so much in the past few years. I know how to be successful. I know how to get people to understand what I'm talking about. Get excited about it. But I don't know the backend. So I learned a lot. It's crazy. I mean, it's I mean, but I would say, well, maybe you would I did not even know as much about the brand until probably two years ago. And then all sudden COVID hit. Right. And I was like, Oh my God, this branch is everywhere. Yeah, you know, we had been we've been at it for a while we were like making a really amazing products and whatnot. And a few years ago, we opened this space in Beverly Hills called the dpu house where we'd have all these like, influencers come in reality TV stars, and some of my big a list celebrities were coming in there, I do their hair, I'd introduced them to the product. So we really we built that we got the awareness from the dpu the space right, and really started to grow. I went on to a reality show. So that gave me more exposure. And so things really happening. We're like, Okay, cool. We're like where it's going like the balls rolling, like whatever. And then all of a sudden COVID hit and we were like, what the heck, but all of our products do exactly that if you want to take care of your hair at home and not be in a salon was that so to be completely transparent. Our business took off when COVID it I remember like also, you know, I'd already known about the brand. And then COVID hit and I'm like, Oh my god, I got to do something like I'm not going to see my colorist I like I'm not going into the city right now. And And I'm like, wait, I can use TP Oh, wait, I'm gonna so I use the gloss, right? And then a friend of mine said, Oh, they have enough they have like a highlighter pencil too, because I obviously love my highlights. And I was like, Oh, I never even thought about that. I just wanted to make sure I kept some level of blonde in my hair. Yeah. And I mean, it was a game changer for me to try to keep my hair to be somewhat bright. When I was going close to a year, maybe even a little more between when I had been able to get my color again, right. I mean, I was like holy mackerel. And then I everywhere I saw it was like DPO DB DB here. And then I was like, okay, COVID absolutely transformed part of this business, because this is what people are looking for. And people are lazy. And so if they don't have to do it, they might go to their colorist a little bit more often as they're like noticing, but now they can't. So how are they going to keep their hair looking? Great resumes, because despite not going out, we were more visible than we ever were. Right? And I think it's true. Yeah, we really, really were I feel like I've been in front of way more people than I ever would have been in my normal life. I mean, I'm doing social media way more. So yeah, I mean, that's the thing. My thing is a hair color. So like, I always believe people should go back to the salon to kind of get their look set. And of course you get your roots touched up. But my whole purpose for all of this is there absolutely are amazing, quick, easy ways to make your hair color look fantastic at home to kind of extend back to the salon, but to just make the color look good all the time. And I felt like no one was really talking about that. And that was something about the hair. The hair industry that kind of bothered me as a colorist is I felt like we know these things as colors. We know things that people we know people can gloss their hair at home, I don't need to charge a crapload of money and make someone come back to the salon. It's a time thing too for a lot of people, right? You don't want to be 100%. But you can absolutely gloss your hair at home. If you have gray roots that come in every I had clients who after nine days, nine days after being the salon, they didn't need it, they'd already have gray roots coming in because their hair grows fast or their grades really intense. And you can absolutely cover your grays at home until you go back to see your colorist. And so I kind of I I felt like that needed to be done a lot. I know I think that's why you're so successful is because you're being honest about it. Right? Yeah. And it's not taking away from the slump people will always go back to the salon. You You need to go see my therapist ever, you know, to kind of set the look to make everything everything's on track and whatnot. But change during like when it's winter I go a little bit darker. But as it comes, you know, as it gets springtime like okay, like let's brighten up in here just because the weather and you feel good. But let's face it, that's what this that's what I think a lot of hair is about. I mean, you think about the whatever the cliche is having a good hair day, you have a good hair day, you feel freaking good. Yeah, like I put me on anything you need me to, I'll get on Instagram all day long. If you want me to. I'm going on lies, whoever will talk to me. But it's so true. And so much of your self esteem is so often tied to either good hair day, or good skin day. Absolutely. I mean, I remember being a little kid and I would not go to school if I didn't like my hair. feel so confident. I mean, it's just the real thing if we're having a good hair day. So yeah, it's it's so true. One of the things that I wanted to also delve into, which is what I really was drawn to with you is watching your stories, right. So okay, we talked about dpu. We talked about the color. But there's you, Justin, right, you are so real You are so you're unapologetically genuine. And what I think is magical is you're also accessible, like you are having conversations with all your followers and remembering people and saying, Yeah, you when you talk to me about this yesterday, it's unbelievable. And you talk about other indie brands, you raise other people up. And what is interesting about you, that you don't see in a lot of other people is you're always asking for people for their advice and wanting them to be heard. But then you actually listen. And then you show up. And you show them what you got based upon their advice. It's Thank you, as somebody who watches you, thank you for being so honest, thank you for being so genuine. It is something that is so refreshing. I don't know how you do it, though. I really appreciate you saying that. Like I appreciate you saying that a lot because it is something that I take seriously. And I'm going to be really honest, I enjoy social media. And I think that we should if we're on social media, we should enjoy it. And if we don't, we shouldn't be on it. And it always kind of bothered me when I would see people would have like a following. And they wouldn't talk to their audience or I'd see like comments where it was a lot of questions and the person would never respond. And I felt like social media for a while became just a platform for people to show off. And I understand that if That's, you know, some people want all these perfectly filtered pictures, they always want to look like their absolute best. And it's just like this glossy version of their life. I never related to that. So I'm at an early point in Instagram was like, you know, I don't want to do that kind of stuff, I just want to talk, I want to have fun with people, I want to make them laugh, I want them to make me laugh, whatever. And so it's something that I think about all the time, but I don't like I don't have like a plan for it. I just when I go on, and I am I'm myself and have fun with it. So I appreciate you saying that. Because sometimes I'm like, if people don't get, or do they think that it's a stick? Do they think that like no personality I'm trying to put on because it's like, you would be exhausted. I mean, you probably exhausted anyway. But you're consistent, right? And what I noticed about you is there's a tenderness there truly is. And you're making me feel so good. Right? I love you so much. Because it's like you're saying the right really nice words. And I'm good. I want to have that I want it No, you see it, you absolutely see that tenderness and that deep love for others, right? Whether it's someone who you're connecting with on social media, or your family and your friends, you show up for people. And and from what I see, you show up for people who you don't even necessarily know you by answering questions by going into DMS. And what I also love is you don't put up with the bullshit, either. No way, because I like it so much. I don't want it to become a place that feels negative to me. Or if people start writing negative comments, I'll absolutely bark back at um, you know, or I don't block people because I, I have a I have a floss I feel like I can always get to the bottom of where negativity is coming from. So if somebody is writing nasty things to me, which I do get, you know, because people will just show up on my page and like, Who is this guy? And they'll do the negative stuff. I will dm them, I'll say, Hey, you know what, I don't know how you ended up on my page. But what is your issue? Did you have a question for me, we'll get to the bottom of it, we'll end up being friends that will we'll write for months later. Because it's always it's a it's an insecurity. I think people may be like, something's not going good in their life. And then they'll see me smiling and singing in my car. And like, this guy's a fucking idiot. You know, they write that I just, I'll dm and say, hey, what made you write that, like, whatever. And this is something in you that they want to see in themselves. And they don't. There's so many different reasons. And it's never about you at the end of the day. It's about what they're going through. But my thing is, is I feel like people are yearning connection more than ever before, especially because of what we just went through this past year with the pandemic. And I feel like people want to be heard, and I thrive it. I like that I like making people feel heard. I like seeing people. I like asking them questions. That's why I was so good at doing hair, I could listen to people's stories all day long. In my chair, I'm genuinely interested in people. How do you as a personal brand, and also as a founder, I mean, obviously kancil culture is such a big piece now, which I am. I just can't stand like, as a business owner, you know what goes into starting a business and you say something wrong? You're so afraid that somebody else on your brand is going to be canceled? Because you spoke incorrectly about something or misunderstood? It's it's actually quite frightening, to be honest with you as as, as a founder, I'm always afraid of Okay, what do I have to say before? I think I say and part of why I love doing the podcast is because this is my way of people getting to know me better. And yes, I'm doing better at being on social media. Thanks to you, you've really you've given me the boost that I needed. And you're whether you like it or not, you're going to continue to coach me because I really do feel that when I'm there for people, the connection that I'm building is so different and so unique. But there is that fearful side, which is what I wanted to ask you about, you know, you get a lot of heated comments, as you said, right, a lot of heated topics. From the outside, I can tell you're like very emotionally connected. person. How do you deal with that when they're coming? Like how do you on a constant basis? How do you separate and stay Okay, and focused and be able to come back out there despite some times when, I mean, I remember there was something I don't even know what it was about, like a couple months ago, and you're like, Hey, guys, I'm not even addressing this. How do you stay so emotionally connected, but not absorb it? It's a hard thing. And I think that for me, it's just cackling it right? You know, if somebody calls me out for something, I'll have the conversation with them, even if it has to be publicly and we'll kind of laugh at it. I know for a fact that my whole core is about being kind I don't judge anybody. You know, I remember things that my parents said if there's any sort of judgment happening our house if any sort of racism stuff came here, that was not tolerated in our house. So I have none of that me. I don't understand it. So if I ever were going to say things that are going to people are going to take the wrong way or whatever. So people call me up for it. I'll address it. I'll address it right on. When you bring up canceled culture. I think about it too, because of course I hate it to freaks me out. I have a brand It scares me. But we have to remember we're seeing a lot of these things that are like big news and big things that happen. A lot of times, if you look pretty deep, it's a pattern that people have set up, or it's like, it really is something that was bad. And these people may be needed to be held accountable. Of course, you're just constantly trying to cancel people. But again, I feel like if you're a good person in this audience that you've created knows who you are, they're going to come to your defense. I feel like if something got misconstrued about me, and somebody was trying to cancel me, I would know that a lot of people who follow me would come to my defense, you know, so I don't know an excellent point. I never really get that scared of it. I also think about you know, when I was going on to my friend, my best friend is Kristin capillary, I went onto a reality show on E. And when I was going on to her show, a lot of people were saying, like, Justin, why are you doing reality TV? Like, what what if something bad comes out? Or like, What if something bad happens? And I was honestly like, I was like, I live my life like it's on reality TV on Instagram. Yes, Yes, you do. Genuinely, like I'm not afraid of something that came out. And if something did come out, there'd be a reason for it. And I can't think of anything that would come up. But it's like, No, I'm not afraid of that kind of stuff. And I think that I do think that a lot of people need to chill on the canceled stuff. I don't I think a lot of people get off on seeing people when and then they want to take them down. It's the weirdest I don't understand that mentality is someone who truly prides themselves on helping to build others up. I mean, that's what my life purpose is also is to help people live their healthiest, most empowered version of their life that's what I want to do. I don't understand it. Like I literally like I'm like, what does it serve for you unless somebody did something so atrocious. Yeah, okay. Exactly. Most times it's things are taken out of context and it gets really really scary. Yeah, and I'm with you I live for building people up I think that there's nothing more rewarding than seeing people around you when I know for like for me you talk about social media like when I find products that I love, I talk about them and I remember the first time because people would always be like, oh Justin, like you're an influencer now. Like, please don't say that. I hate that works. I always associated that with like, maybe girls who were doing those super like Posey photos. influencer, this is not I run a business. I was a hair colorist. Like I'm not an influencer. But I remember at the beginning of quarantine, I shouted out I was just talking about I talked about everything on Instagram. But I was talking about my favorite laundry detergent. And I was just talking about the brand or whatever. And then the owner of the brand ended up reaching out to me a few days later, and she was like, Justin, that was insane. What happened to my product? She's like, Oprah's talked about it. Kim Kardashian is talking about my laundry. And she's like, I've never seen it like that. She's like, Oh, I got I got sold out of all of our products, whatever. And I'm not building myself up. But that was the moment where I was like, oh, wow, people listen to me, you know, I mean, that's the difference between influencers for the steak sake of just being able to do what you're saying. Like, this is exactly my job to do it. I like to share things. You know, I also lived in when I was doing hair in the in the salon, you know, I got to sit with Jennifer Aniston or Gwyneth Paltrow and talk about skincare with them. So then I was like, we're sharing things. They're asking me, oh, what are your other clients using? What are the cool new things, we're talking about fashion. I like that shareable stuff I like finds a really cool product you're passionate about, I want everyone to know about it. But then on top of it now that I'm a small business owner, you know, I understand what that does for a brand when people are excited. And so it's like, I love doing that for other people. You know, when I like something I want everyone to know, I hate when those people are like, Oh, I love this thing. I don't want it to sell out. I'm never gonna tell anyone about it. Or when someone goes, Oh, I really love your outfit. Where'd you get it? And you don't want to tell them where you got the alpha from? Like, who cares? You know? You're wearing it on the same day. I have clients I would have clients who would be in my chair and they were like, oh, all my friends asked me who colors my hair but I'm not going to tell them because like, I don't want you to be too busy for me. And I was like, What a shitty thing to say every night. I never understood that. I never I really don't Oh, I love your shoe. Who makes it? I don't know. We'll step ahead of it. So I can take a look at the freakin shoe. Like Come on. Give me a break. We just oh, by the way, they're the same people who carry the same never fall you know, Louie Vuitton bag. So we know what that is? Like, come on, please, please. It's it's absolutely insane. And I'm the same with you. I my hope is that I can continue to build my own personal platform to raise other people up and to help them make no decisions or help them realizing that you know it. Maybe it's not even as much products but you know, you now knowing what I've gone through and live through and saying, sometimes the world gives you lemons, right? You have the opportunity to make lemon cello and if I can help people make some lemon cello in their life, and really shitty, terrible, dire circumstances. I live for a reason. And that's and that's what I love about what you're doing is, is really sharing but opening up and letting people We'll know how real you are. I mean, I, I'm in awe of what you've done, and how much you allow people to come into your life. It's It's really beautiful. Justin Just so you know, as a fellow brand founder, you are someone who I look up to and how you do it, when we go out, I really, really appreciate that. I appreciate that so much. But let me tell you the fact that you're even talking about this, like that, that is your calling that I think when you're talking to your audience, and the way that you say you want to know everything, like just start doing it and like, have a relationship with these people, whether it's 300 people or 300,000. People just talk to them, like, communicate with them, you know, and it's just as easy as that. I don't know, it's interesting. And the more I do it, the more people are like, Oh, I love that you're doing and I'm like, Oh, you know, it's that insecurity, you know, we all have it. And I'm not like, it is a thing like I you know, like, I've always been like that when I was a kid I used to go around talking to everybody, I asked a lot of questions. As an adult, I've always been that way. So I'm not saying like anyone can do it, because some people aren't very social, or whatever it is. But the fact that you are interested in in the you're talking about it like that passionate about it, passionate about it, it's so funny, I'll do it on my brand page, but then I want to go on my own page. Like, it's so funny. So okay, so when I do Instagram stories, I literally in my head, and like thinking like that, I'm talking to my five best friends, you know. So it's like, really, really why I'm not like holding back at all. And then every once in a while, like, you know how you can go on to your Instagram stories, and you look at the views. So like, there'll be times where my views are like, 200,000 people are looking at it. And when I think about 200,000 people staring at my face in my bathroom talking about ACB scrub. I'm like, that's the weirdest thing in the world, because that's 200,000 actual people, you know, it's like, it's no Oh, yeah. Like, it's not media impressions, where you're like, oh, the mv bakley. And these are people who now because I'm sharing so much of my life, because I enjoy it. It's fun. These are people who are kind of following along with the story. So then they start asking me things about my cat about my dog, like, Hey, remember, you're talking about this the other day? I'm like, Oh, my God, these people are kind of following along. I am. No, actually you are my reality television. I mean, I'll be honest, I wake up in the morning, and I'm like, let's see what Justin's doing. He gets up Oh, dark 30 like I do to go do yoga. And I'm like, just Mm hmm. He's just he has a glass company takes in the car is that and I'm like having this conversation. I'm like, I'm having this conversation with myself. And watching this, and I am fully invested in your life. It's fascinating to me. But I mean, listen, that's what you do. And I think that I wish more people were as open as real as you are. So let me ask you this. What's next for dpu? What's next for you? What do you see happening in the next 1224 months. Um, we have really cool products coming out that I'm super excited about, like now's the part of the brand. You know, we got all of our amazing stuff upfront things that you need in a haircare brand. Now we're really doing like specialty products, things that we've been talking about for a long time. So I'm super pumped about all the things that are coming out in the future. So I can't wait for that. Um, you know, I really am one of those people. Like, I have major goals for myself and I love I love success and getting to the place that I want to be but like I really don't set up actual, like goals and I really just kind of, like we were talking about earlier like I trust things that come into my life. You know, like I didn't know I was going to be on a reality show a year ago. And it was the best experience ever. I had so much fun with it. You know, it got many people say that a lot. No, not many people do. But you know, I just trusted I went with it but but it got me here to Nashville. I'm absolutely in love with Nashville. I'd say that's a huge move. Yeah, moved from Los Angeles to Nashville. I would not have done that without the reality show necessarily. Like we were already planning on moving here part time. But I probably would have like got cold feet, you know, but we came down here we were filming it on the show about us buying a house down here. It was gonna be a part time home, I was going to be going back and forth between LA and Nashville. But I fell in love with it here. We stayed here then the pandemic happened. So I really didn't go back to LA so now Nashville is my home and I am so happy here like I drive around. I'm just like, exactly where I supposed to be. So I don't know what's coming up in the future. There's a few things that I plan on doing soon. workwise that I won't can't talk about yet. So that'll be cool things. I'm excited for you. I am I'm excited to continue to watch wheels. I know that you bring us along on the journey. I don't know how your whole family. I mean, everybody is signed on though. Like it's a scooter go, hon stop. Like I don't want you to show pictures of Kevin on my head when I'm sleeping. No, it's so funny because I'm so skewed as my partner. We've been together for seven years. We're actually engaged now we got engaged, right no one's know what I'm like waiting. You know, I'm an I'm an officiant. I can Oh, that's amazing. We got engaged right before the pandemic happens. So then we're like, let's not even plan a wedding until all this is that I don't want a COVID wedding. So we'll wait. We're in no hurry. I'm not going to get him pregnant anytime soon. So we'd like you, I was gonna talk to the wedding. So that's why, but also skewed is he's a super private person. He doesn't do social media. People don't know. But he used to have a really, really successful he was a huge YouTuber. He was a massive YouTuber. He was on The Ellen DeGeneres Show because one of his videos got over like 30 million views. And he's crushed it. He did really well that well, but he didn't like it. He didn't love that kind of stuff. And, um, but since I do it, he he's comfortable with it. Now. He just kind of was like, okay, but as long as he doesn't have to be front and center, it's fine. He's he and he's also he's just gotten it. He's gotten over it. He's, he doesn't care cuz Yeah, I am. I'm snapping pictures of him laying in bed with with a dog on his head. Yeah. And, but I also think it's kind of forced him to just not fucking care, you know, because I used to be like, does my hair look okay? Does my skin look okay? And that's what stressed him out about social media and YouTube before, because the comments did get to him when people talk about appearance or like, whatever. And so that bothered him. But all of a sudden with me, like now he's kind of like, Who cares? You know, people are gonna judge they're gonna judge like, whatever any kind of moves on, I think, I think it's also because he's in love. And he has his life partner and his soulmate. And honestly, at the end of the day, that's what matters and having that stability of true love. So the rest is just noise. Yeah, so perhaps that's, that's something that you did for him. I'm so lucky to have him. I mean, he talked about I mean, he really balances my whole life. I found my soulmate. You know, I do believe in soulmates. I think there can be multiple soulmates out there, it's just a matter of when you meet them, or how you meet him, whatever. I mean, he is my perfect match. You know, the way that I talk about him on social media is absolutely real. I am so in love with him. And I feel like that again, was like we found each other for the right reasons. I love it. I love it. Okay, so my final question is being an entrepreneur, right? Both selep coloris. co founder, personal brand, I mean, who's always on social media? What do you do? I mean, cuz to me that straining, right, what do you do for self care and to stay present? It's funny that we talk about that right now. Because actually, today, I had a rough day, I never have, I really enjoy social media, I enjoy my business I enjoy where I'm at my life now. But today, I had a rough day. And I was just actually talking to school a couple hours ago. And I was just telling him, I was like, it kind of hit me today, because I am trying to do too many things. But then all of a sudden, I'm not being cheesy, but coming on this call and just talking to you all of a sudden, like I feel good. This is what I like doing this. I like communicating. I like talking. And I think the reason that it got to me today is because I have been in the house a lot and in the car and all of a sudden, like you want that back and forth with somebody and I missed that and crave that. But for the day to day it is absolutely yoga, I go to yoga pretty much every single day. And the minute I get into the hot yoga studio, thank God I'm here in Nashville, and we live more and more in the country. But they in the yoga studio, they've been spacing out the yoga mats, 12 feet apart, if you have to wear a mask into the yoga studio, and then you take off your mask once you get onto your map. So I've been able to do yoga for months now in in, in COVID are in lockdown. And that's my thing, it The minute I get on that mat, everything I just I come you do it early in the morning without fail. Yeah, I go every single day. And it's my favorite moment of the day. Like, even if I go in there. And I'm not necessarily like I'm kind of tired. So I've been working out too much. Even if I go in there and lay on the mat for half of the class, you know, just being in that peaceful energy, the heat for whatever reason, hot yoga really does it for me, I do have really bad add. So it's hard for me to really kind of focus on one thing unless I'm talking to somebody. So when you're so hot in yoga, and you're listening to the yoga instructors, instructions, it really just kind of like grounds me. So that's what that's what it is. for me. I walked out of yoga like a badass. I feel like just superhuman every time. I get up every morning at five, like that's my thing. I get up and I meditate every day. I'm practicing Buddhists. So I'll chant. And I'm trying to get back on the journaling, track track. I just, but I will read every day, but I need to start. I love all that stuff. And you've got to find those things that work for you. You know, I've tried to go to a meditation, I went to a meditation course. And meditation, like I feel like it might come out a different point in my life. Maybe, you know, because I'm meditating that yoga. And meditation takes different forms. And people like people who sing, right, that's a form of meditation, as you're quieting your mind, and I think people just put it at you have to get into the lotus position and go home and that's meditating. No, that's not necessarily. A lot of people will ask me they're like, how do you wake up so early morning, I want to do that and I always say to them like it If you're not a morning person, you can actually train yourself I think to be a morning, you, but also like, if it's not your calling or if you don't have to do it like don't force it, like find whatever else works for you. Like I love being awake in the morning because I love knowing that nobody else on my street is awake. It's really my quiet time. I know that people who are following me on instagram aren't really awake yet. I love the morning. I get so much done, and nobody's bothering me. It's totally my time. Yeah, it's heaven. To me. It's my favorite thing. Okay, so now I'll just start texting you in the morning. Just. He's like, great. Justin, thank you so much. I will put in the show notes because I know everybody can follow you. On Justin Anderson on Instagram. I know dp Whew. I know you have a call, you know, your colorist, Instagram as well. And I'll make sure to put them on on our show notes. But most important, thank you for inspiring me. Thank you for your help, and, and really getting over my fear and getting out there more on social so it made me so happy when you're like yeah, I see you're on there more. I'm like, Oh my god, it's actually happening. Yeah, of course. You're welcome. I adore this friendship already. I mean, right when we met I knew so thank you for having me on here. It was fun. And are you gonna come back with your podcast soon? I want to I miss it. It is a thing. Because I was doing it was in the chair. So I was doing with my clients. I'd be doing their hair. It was a it was a scheduling. It was hard with scheduling because I had to get there. But now if I could just kind of do this format where I just talked to people. Yeah, I think I think that I want to bring it back. I miss it. So yeah, I should. Yeah. Thank you so much. Thank you. So