Thad Jayaseelan (@thaddeus.10) has been the go-to barber for the likes of celebrities like Drake (@champagnepapi), Big Sean (@bigsean) & J Balvin (@jbalvin). He’s also the “Teacher of Teachers” for L’Oreal (@lorealpro_education_canada) in Canada along with launching his company Gradient (@gradient____), which got sales from Day 1 of launching.
He joins Ara on this week’s episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss what it was like living with Drake for 2 weeks while he cut his hair, why he started his company Gradient, the importance of a strong work ethic, why he enjoys travelling alone, how he blocked out the naysayers, and so much more.
Follow Thad:
– Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thaddeus.10/)
*TAKE THE QUIZ – “What Type of Creator Are You?”**
***JOIN THE LIST – CLICK HERE!***
Timestamps
00:19 – Ara introduces this week’s guest, Thad Jayaseelan
01:08 – Thad’s upbringing in Montreal and his new business “Gradient”
03:49 – Why he’s stepping out of the spotlight and working more behind-the-scenes
05:41 – Teaching abroad in Europe
08:13 – Securing an opportunity with L’Oreal
09:50 – Why he enjoys travelling (alone)
11:55 – Saving and investing from a young age
14:25 – Mentors who have made a difference in Thad’s life
19:16 – How he got to cut Drake’s hair (and living with him for two weeks)
22:47 – How his perception of celebrities have changed by being a barber for them
25:41 – Why he started Gradient, the company’s trajectory after 5 months
30:31 – How the company works, marketing strategy (social media and word-of-mouth)
32:44 – How the Tamil community reacted to Thad’s ambitions at the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey versus now
37:32 – Where he sees himself in 5 years
38:37 – Advice Thad would give his 16-year-old self
39:47 – The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for (by friends and family)
41:16 – Who Thad looks up to in the global Tamil and non-Tamil community
45:42 – Kyrie Irving makes a quick appearance on the podcast
46:12 – Creator Confessions
50:54 – The Wrap Up
Intro Music
Produced And Mixed By:
– The Tamil Creator
– Yanchan
Written By:
– Aravinthan Ehamparam
– Yanchan Rajmohan
