We had the good fortune of connecting with David Thomas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work life balance is huge for me right now. Life in the big city with a wife, 2 kids, my current business plus my new business adventure and my health journey can get hectic at times. Sometimes everything is screaming for attention all at once. So BALANCE and BOUNDARIES are extremely important for me right now. I used to be a Yes man, saying yes to every opportunity or request that came my way. And that lead me down an anxious path of feeling like I was in a hampster wheel. Never making time for my self, eating whatever, working as many hours as i could, just unaware and unconscious. I’ve seen the most progress by making sure I spend time training my mind, body and feuling it with the nutrients I need to thrive. (Things I can control) The other stuff, is truly unpredictable. One day the kids can have something come up, or something with business can get delayed. (Things I cant control) Making sure I spend time to take care of MYSELF everyday, ensures I will have the mindset, strength, & attention to give my BEST Self to the other things that matter in my life. Some of my daily practices include, Training/Movement, Meditation, Journaling, Reading & getting enough Sleep. These practices keep me energized and ready for anything the day may bring.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I’ve been a Barber Stylist for about 13 years. I’ve seen a lot of ups and downs being in this industry. The challenges of keeping clients happy, staying healthy & raising kids have not been easy by any means. The most progress I’ve seen has been in the last 4-to 5 years, I decided to take ownership of my life. I completely changed my lifestyle, eating habits, and friend groups. In doing so I’ve been able to establish myself as a reliable, trustworthy, consistent, & top quality Barber. So I am most excited to see what the future brings on this new journey into running my own haircare brand helping men make conscious hair decisions. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to never give up on what you believe in, cause it will haunt you. Go after whatever it is you want to do in life, you only get one of these. It is going to be hard. It is going to be stressful, but if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. If I can make the change to be better, so can you. I want myself/my brand to be known for always testing the limits and potential of self-mastery and wellness. Anything is possible when your mind, body & soul are prepared for it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We’d definitely hit up a few of my favorite coffee shops to start the day. I’ve been stuck on Millcross Coffee and Kitchen in Culver City. I’m a huge fan of the beach. My favorite beach is Hermosa in LA or Laguna in Orange County. Me being Vegan, we’d have to hit up some of My favorite spots like Crossroads in West Hollywood, or Simply Wholesome in Inglewood. Or If they can’t decide then hit up Smorgasborg in DTLA on Sunday with all the cool food trucks. Then it’s time to burn off all those calories by hitting some of the dope hikes around the city. I’m a fan of Griffith park observatory, There are quite a few ways to go up. Other than that I usually don’t hang out much anymore. Being a dad, i usually spend my extra time with the kids.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is what got me started on this journey. I used to just go with the flow of life, letting other people determine my success & failures. This book inspired me to go after my dream and never settle. I highly recommend checking this book out if you haven’t already.

Website: BARBERSTYLIST.COM

Instagram: @byDavidThomas

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyISFQ99bIs1lFjlJ8IvQPQ

Image Credits
Photos by Eric Chan. IG : E_chanphoto

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.