Farrell Hair Replacement is a company on the move. Founder and President Richard Farrell is the man at the helm of the company that has become one of the international household names in the hair loss industry over a span of five years. When I last sat down with Richard, we discussed his views on the hair replacement industry and particulars about his growing company. An acclaimed interview was recently published in the National Hair Journal where the hair replacement artist discussed a wide range of industry topics. In preparing for this interview, I was set on doing it differently and in contrast to the way the National Hair Journal did it; I wanted to approach this interview in such a way as to get into the heart and mind of the individual who is chastised by his own industry yet is deeply praised by his own clients who credit him restoring their hair and their lives. I was determined to get to the core beliefs and attitudes of Richard Farrell and I believe I succeeded. You decide.
— David Tse, Administrator - HairSite
: Richard, it's been a while since you and I have sat down to chat. Since then, Farrell Hair Replacement has continued to make an impression on the hair loss industry with your high quality hair systems that HairSite is proud to name "Best in the World" for the eighth straight year. Congratulations.
Richard Farrell: Thank you, David. The recognition means a lot to us and not just for the sake of defending our title again, but because it helps us to reach out to so many more hair loss sufferers because they trust HairSite. Earning this title isn't something we take lightly.
: Since we last talked it seems like the Farrell marketing machine has been running in high gear. You've developed a new Internet website, produced a new infomercial and had a featured interview in the National Hair Journal. You had a write up in Consumers Digest, made several appearances on NBC's Home Delivery Show, started your own Farrell Hair Loss TV Show and made some news-making appearances at the IMATS shows in Hollywood. What's behind this marketing blitz?
Richard Farrell: Well, from the outside it may seem like there's a "marketing machine" but the fact is that our momentum isn't driven by advertising or marketing as much as it's driven by our message and by the quality of our hair systems. The big chains hire the big ad agencies to market their systems to consumers by calling them "transdermal this" or "Cyber hair that" but at the end of the day these systems are still junk, no matter what pseudo-scientific name they call them. They're still detectable. And the hair loss consumers are realizing this. Quality is the most important thing in the world in any industry, but especially to this industry and quality is the one thing these other companies don't have. So whether we're talking about hair loss sufferers or TV show producers or magazine editors, guess what? They're coming to us because the word is out. Nobody else is doing what we're doing, David. And you wouldn't believe how simple marketing becomes when you're marketing a product as good as Farrell systems. We're focusing on the quality and riding to wherever the inertia takes us.
: If there's no marketing machine, then how do you promote your hair systems?
Richard Farrell: Most of our business comes from the Internet, which is how we like it because people who are on the Internet do their research online and they come to us much more knowledgeable than someone who drives by or answers a magazine ad. I don't even think we're in the Yellow Pages in any of the cities we're in. But we do rely to an extent on TV shows like Home Delivery or the Canadian news program that filmed a segment on Farrell in New York last week. Obviously TV is a huge advertising medium. You mentioned our new infomercial a minute or two ago. We show it on our website but we don't show it on late night cable television shows, but we're certainly going to look into that.
: You just mentioned that your momentum is driven partly by your message. What is your message and why do you think it has resonated with the public?
Richard Farrell: That's a good question and I think "resonated" is a great term for what's happening. We've worked hard to hone our message and our message is basically one of compassion for hair loss sufferers. I mean, that's what lies at the foundation of everything we're building. We recognize the importance of hair. We don't try to minimize how devastating the effects of hair loss are because we know better. When people lose their hair, they don't just lose their hair. They lose their natural appearance, like losing an arm and people notice that. They lose their self esteem, they lose their self confidence. They basically lose their lives. They can't project who they really are. That's a powerful disability, David, and because you run the world's #1 hair loss website, you understand better than most how hair loss affects people. At Farrell, we get it. We understand this. People who are suffering from hair loss are in deep pain. We know this because they collectively spend millions of dollars every year on surgery and grafts and drugs and vitamins and lasers and whatever else … all these methods that don't restore their appearance. They're looking for something they've lost and most are thinking that what they're trying to restore is their hair, but what they're really trying to restore is everything that's lost when they lose their hair, the things that make life good and that's the self esteem and the self confidence. That's a lot to lose. I mean, we don't have the audacity to tell a 20 year old bald kid to "get over it" because he looks 40. And we're not going to victimize this kid further by selling him something that doesn't restore his appearance. That's what the other companies are doing. So yes, we work with clients to restore their hair and when it's done at the level that we do it, everything else gets restored, too, and we're doing it every time. That's why I think our message has "resonated" as you said. And believe me, David, the message has evolved over years of sitting in consultation rooms listening to these people express their frustrations and pain. It didn't come from some suit-wearing advertising executive.
: Would you say that your own understanding of hair loss and its effects has evolved with your message?
Richard Farrell: Yes. Absolutely. There's a lessening stigma about wearing hair, so clients are way more able to express how their hair loss affects their lives and I'm right there taking it all in. So my understanding and appreciation has increased, but I've always innately understood the damage because I've also been there when we transform the client back to what he looked like before he lost his hair. For twenty years, I've been there to see the reaction of these people getting their lives back. So even though I'm not a hair loss sufferer myself, I've been able to understand it by being on the other side of that; by being there when they get it back. At this point, I feel like I completely and totally understand what I need to in order to connect with my clients. So it's an artistic endeavor for me, no doubt, but it's also incredibly rewarding work because of what we give back to the client and that's always been rewarding for me. This has been particularly true when we've worked with hair loss sufferers who are women.
: Particularly true in that it's more rewarding to work with the women?
Richard Farrell: I should probably say no, but the truth is that it is more rewarding because these women have it tough, David. I know you know that. Men can shave their heads and the whole male pattern baldness look is much more accepted than the female pattern baldness look. We can't try any harder than we do with the men, but I think the women suffering from hair loss appreciate that they can come to a salon and be treated respectfully and compassionately from the start, before we even draw the design. Women's hair systems are much more challenging to do right and I'm always up for that challenge. We've increased the number of female models on our website and we've increased the number of testimonials for women and they're powerful. They make us feel very good about our work. Our ratio of women clients to male clients has changed from 20 percent, 80 percent to 45 percent, 55 percent in the last two years. Almost half of our clients are now women. That's a pretty good indication that they are responding to our message.
: Aside from your message, can you explain in layman's terms what else sets Farrell apart from the other hair replacement companies?
Richard Farrell: Well, without getting into the technical aspects about what sets us apart, let's just say that the main difference is the way the client looks at the end of the process. That's all that matters. And it isn't only what sets us apart from other hair replacement companies, but also what sets us apart from the drug and chemical companies, hair transplant doctors … all of them. Farrell clients get all of their hair back exactly how it used to grow on their heads, David. We don't just restore hair. We restore the client's own hair. That's an important difference. It's the difference. That's what makes it look totally natural because we're not just trying to cover something up. You know, Astro-turf from Home Depot can cover up a bald scalp so the name of the game, then, is who can put the hair on the scalp the way it was before the hair loss occurred and that is where Farrell stands alone. With our systems, the client can expose their front hair lines. Everyone knows that. The hair behaves and moves just like their real hair. And because we're hair system-makers, we can fine tune the systems at our salons to further customize them to the individual needs of our clients. And to do this requires some artistry. Farrell has an entire staff of artisans which is an incredible resource. We're proud to have that. And, of course, we don't bind our clients to maintenance programs or contracts. Instead, we try to free them and empower them to maintain and control their systems. There are many, many differences between us and them. There are definitely more differences than there are similarities.
: You just mentioned "covering up" a bald scalp which made me think about a post and thread in one of HairSite's message boards. Someone suggested that non-surgical hair replacement is essentially a "cover up" industry and that a man who wears hair and goes to a dance club to meet a woman is really being dishonest in some way by hiding, by "covering up" his bald head. Do you have any thoughts on that?
Richard Farrell: I do. I think what's interesting first is that the man gets singled out for criticism for wearing hair and we're trying to turn that double standard around, because what about the woman who goes to the same club wearing nails, hair extensions, makeup and high heels to attract the man? Everyone accepts this as okay, and it is okay. So why shouldn't it work in reverse? I understand why men do it and I understand the thinking behind it and at the core of it is a man - or a woman for that matter - who just wants a fair chance to meet someone who is going to value who he is. So if I make hair for a guy who wants to go out and meet a woman at a dance club and he succeeds because she's attracted to him because he looks great and two days later she finds out he's wearing hair, but she really likes the guy and finds it doesn't matter to her, then to me, it all works. That's how attraction should work. And I know this happens a lot. But what's really happening is that what made the guy so attractive when they met was that he felt good about himself. He wasn't worrying about his bald head. He was able to relax and focus on just being who he is and having a great time being social. The same is true with the guy who goes into a high stakes job interview and lands the job while wearing hair. Because he looks great? No! It's because he feels great. There's deeper things going on there, David. What I do is much too complicated to write off as an art of covering something up. There's more happening than that. The other companies in this industry are limited to just covering up the scalp because that's the best solution they can deliver. Again, doing what we do at the level that we do it delivers much more than hair on the head. That's the reason why people come to Farrell.
: So we return to the core message of Farrell Hair Replacement again?
Richard Farrell: Right. We return to it again and again and again, because our message is a true one. That's why it "resonates". A true message should be consistent.
: How are you trying to "turn around the double standard" of wearing hair that exists between men and women?
Richard Farrell: I think the first and most obvious way we're trying to combat that is by making hair systems that actually do what they're supposed to do which is to restore the natural appearance of someone who's lost his hair. You know, I keep saying "him" and "he" and "his" but I want to stress again for the record that almost half or our clients are women. Anyway, I think with our infomercial, our website and our collaborations with NBC on Home Delivery and other shows like that, we're showing everyone - not just men - that it's okay to want to look natural, to want to look the way you're supposed to look. I mean, what's wrong with that? And society is really moving away from all the macho stuff that once dictated that real men don't wear hair or that real men just accept their losses and go on with their lives. It's incredibly silly to think in those terms today. Nobody would tell someone who doesn't have an eye that he should "be a man" and wear a patch instead of an eye prosthesis. Why is hair any different? I'll tell you, though; we've really got our work cut out for us in London. Man, they do not talk about the pain of hair loss there. They don't express that stuff at all. They've got that whole "stiff upper lip" thing going on over there. We're producing a new infomercial for the UK which is going to challenge all of that without being too "cheeky".
: Would it be fair to say that your concern for those you call "hair loss sufferers" is what drives you?
Richard Farrell: That's fair to say. I mean, it's that concern that translates into our determination to answer the esthetic needs of people who lose their hair. We do whatever it takes and we don't take short cuts. Because of our approach, our clients feel good about themselves. It's all about them. We've always believed that if we just concentrate and focus on being the best, the money will come. If we were only interested in our company's bottom line, we would operate like the rest of the industry. We would close our production facility and put cheap hairpieces on our clients. And I could tell you, man, life would certainly be a lot easier than producing our own systems but then we would be like every other company and I'm sure I wouldn't be able to look myself in the eye each morning. Our business model allows growth through being the best at what we do. We do whatever we can to keep our clients looking perfect. The average hair system wearer on the street can be spotted a mile away. We just won't do things that way and neither should the rest of the industry.
: What more can be done to help those you call "hair loss sufferers"?
Richard Farrell: Well, I wasn't going to mention this tonight but I might as well, since we're covering all this ground. We're in the beginning stages of forming a Political Action Committee on behalf of hair loss sufferers. This is totally new territory for us so we're moving forward slowly but surely, but not too slowly. The basic idea is that we believe that the big health insurance providers should cover or reimburse hair loss sufferers in most hair loss situations, not just medical-related situations like hair loss due to chemo or radiation. Again, what's a hair system anyway but a prosthetic like a prosthetic leg or eye? Looking whole is incredibly important to people's physical and emotional health which are basically the same thing. So through this PAC, we'll write and recruit state and federal representatives to sponsor legislation that guarantees insurance coverage to those who are handicapped by their hair loss situation. We're writing the bills ourselves. It's such a worthy and monumental task that we're going to try to not go this one alone. I don't see how we can. We'll be asking individual people and companies to join us in the hope that we can make this change that would benefit everyone we've been talking about tonight. I can't imagine that the industry won't rally behind us. Of course, I'm hoping that you'll realize that this is a no-so-subtle hint to you to support us in this effort, David.
: HairSite would stand behind any worthy effort to assist these people, of course, and that sounds worthy. So why do you feel more companies aren't producing hair systems in the same manner that you do?
Richard Farrell: Approaching hair systems the way we do requires investing a lot of money into each system and making them yourself is very complicated. It's way easier for companies to buy $29 systems from China and marking them up 500% and selling it to the client. Making systems by hand like Max Factor did - like we do - is a very difficult process that no one wants to tackle. It takes too much work and requires too much skill. Yet at one time, most of the companies in California used to make their hair systems on the premises.
: I know Farrell has experimented in the past with the idea of offering a "discount" hair system for less money than you do your "ultra-custom" hair system. Are you still trying to accomplish this?
Richard Farrell: No. We did try to produce a less labor-intensive hair system model, but to accomplish that we had to cut out some of the labor-intensive things we do to achieve a perfect, undetectable look. What was basically reinforced from that experiment is that no one element is less important than the other. Some of these elements had to be cut out of the process to make the hair system cheaper to produce. So I was left thinking to myself: "What do I eliminate? The hair quality? The complex knotting techniques? Not Eurosilking the hair?" It was a decision I couldn't make and one I didn't want to make. All of those elements have to be there to produce a system that's totally undetectable and perfect. I mean, we have to feel good about how our clients look when they walk out the door. Even though these systems looked pretty good to the untrained eye, we didn't feel good about the end result. I didn't like the end result so I made the decision to discontinue them. We don't want to be a discount chain.
: How did these experimental hair systems compare to the hair systems being put out by the industry today?
Richard Farrell: They were better, but that's not saying much. Its really here where my artistic sense trounces my business sense because I just don't want to produce something that isn't as good as I can possibly make it. You know, just because I can produce a discount hair system that isn't as mediocre as the rest of the systems out there doesn't mean I should.
: There's a perception out there that Farrell hair systems are pricey and you maintain they're competitively priced. How do you deal with the issue of cost as far as the perception that the price of your hair systems is somehow exclusive?
Richard Farrell: A couple of ways. First of all, we're not a discount chain and we don't say we are. We're the company that delivers the best hair systems in the world, the most undetectable systems in the world. And as I just explained from a business perspective, anything labor-intensive can only be so inexpensive. We do a pretty good job of explaining that our systems are not cheap because of the labor that goes into producing them and most people seem to understand and appreciate this fact. So I think another approach to overcoming this perception you say is out there is to do a better job of explaining what they're really paying for when it's all done right. I mean, officially, we're producing a designed base with hair tied to it. But when it's us artistically producing the hair system, the client gets back these other things, again, that we've been talking about. Let me tell you something interesting that's very much related to your question. You know that we don't quote prices on our website or on the telephone or by telegram or homing pigeon or anything else and there's a reason for that. Investing in a hair system is just that, an investment. And most people don't believe they can invest very much in their appearance. But when they come in to the consultation and we show them a client up close and personal or better, we put a sample hair system on them, guess what? They all of the sudden realize that they can afford it. Getting your life back for a grand or two per year? It's a steal and they know it. And knowing that this is true of ninety percent of the people who come in saying they can't afford it, we developed a policy not to quote the prices. Honestly, I don't even think it's fair to the hair loss sufferer to quote the prices. Then they stay home, bald and miserable. They never even gave themselves a chance to see what we could do for them. People need to come in and give us a chance to show them what we can do. That's how we're dealing with all of that and I think people are finally beginning to understand what we're saying.
: What is your take on these "inexpensive" mail order companies on the Internet that sell plans of 6 hair systems per year?
Richard Farrell: Okay, now we're talking about what I call the "bottom feeders" of this industry. These operators are the low of the low because, first, by the very nature of how they do business, they destroy the artistry.
: How do they do this?
Richard Farrell: Well, let me answer your question with another question. How much artistry and effort will go into a hairpiece that's going to be in the trash in two months? Zero. How labor intensive could it be? Secondly, these companies claim to do what we do, which is just ridiculous.
: How so?
Richard Farrell: Okay, they send the prospect a template kit in the mail and they let them draw their own hairline, choose their own densities, colors, highlights and base and send it in. 6 weeks later, the hair pieces come back "perfect." I mean, come on, that's a joke. Hair replacement isn't rocket science but trust me, it's more complex than that. These people have been in the business for years and it still takes some training for them to be able to make perfect templates the way Farrell does. But according to these bottom feeder companies, it doesn't require any training whatsoever. According to their view of the industry, Max Factor didn't know anything about hair systems that the average bald guy surfing the Internet doesn't know. Can you imagine companies that make leg prosthetics sending someone a kit to design the prosthetic himself? Like every other body part, hair is complex. There's more to a hairline than a straight line across the scalp. It's disgusting because these guys, like the rest of the so-called "industry pros", understand what we understand about hair loss sufferers: that they're desperate and hurting. Except these guys can only respond by exploiting the client's pain. They don't have the know-how or the talent to actually help their customers. The final insult is that these companies consistently claim to be an inexpensive alternative to Farrell when the reality is, when you do the math and add up all the charges and fees, the prices are basically the same for on one hand, their system which will be in the garbage where it belongs in two months or, on the other hand our hair system which is built to last three to five years and is totally and completely undetectable, designed by trained design consultants.
: I seem to have touched a nerve here …
Richard Farrell: You have because the nerve of these people to buy a $29 hair piece and slap it on a person's head and expect them to be happy with it. It is a perfect example of what's wrong with the non-surgical hair replacement industry today. They're worst than the Good Ol' Boys that run this industry. They lack vision, they lack artistry and they lack education and professionalism. They don't have to have styling skills or designing skills. Doing what they do doesn't require any skills or talent whatsoever. All they need is a high ranking website that's linked to a bunch of websites selling Viagra and they make contact with one or two of the huge overseas factories to order from. That's all they do; send in the orders that the hair loss sufferer sends to them and they collect their huge broker fee for doing nothing. Talk about worthless! To me, they are a group of scam artists who prey and profit from the suffering of nice people. And of course, because they're hidden behind a faceless website, they never have to look into the eyes of the people they scam. You know, the Good Ol' Boys at least do that. Now it's all done through email and forms and how effective could that process be if you really need undetectibility? I've actually considered compiling a list of all of the overseas factories and publishing their contact information and prices on my own website so that people who want the cheapo hair systems can contact the factories directly and eliminate the mail-order middlemen altogether.
: Let's talk briefly about the International Makeup Artists Trade Show, the IMATS in Hollywood, California. What is that all about?
Richard Farrell: I'm really glad you asked because I just finished doing my second performance there this past weekend except that the show takes place in Pasadena even though it's all about Hollywood. It's the largest tradeshow in the world for the movie makeup industry. I've performed demonstrations there for each of the last two years, the last one, like I said, was this past weekend. It's a fantastic event and each time I've been there as a guest of Premiere Products who formulate our "Farrell Formula" products. Anyway, up close and personal - and this is in front of the most recognized experts in the illusion industry - I perform these cut-ins and show them the state of the art of non-surgical hair replacement. Last year Dick Smith who did the Exorcist and The Godfather and Amadeus, sat on the stage and watched as I cut-in a full cap hair system on a chap who was wearing a bald cap wig. He was totally amazed. And last weekend we had a friendly conversation about the demo from the year before and he was amazed that what I was showing the movie industry is what I put on my clients for every day use. I basically told him that, to me, there's nothing more high definition than real life so why shouldn't my clients wear the very best if Sean Connery can for a movie? I'm already invited back next year and I would encourage anyone to go to see how these makeup artists work in these movies. It's very cool and if anything you'll walk away with a greater appreciation of the magic of movies.
: So this illusion artist who did the makeup for Amadeus, the old man makeup, was amazed at your hair system?
Richard Farrell: David, he was completely blown away. This guy is known as the "Godfather of Makeup" in Hollywood. There are photos published with him on stage with a dropped jaw. He couldn't see the hair system from 6 inches away and this was a buzz cut system with short hairs and the scalp showing! At these shows, people are allowed to come up and look close. When I'm done, the model typically gets off the stage and the people all go and touch the hair and see the illusion up close. The hair system can't be detected by touch or sight and even more amazing, the model doesn't feel a thing on top of his head anymore than anyone with a real head of hair feels. Our hair systems are that lightweight, yet still completely durable to withstand the daily use.
: You have been very active within your own industry trade shows and conferences. Do you still desire to help the rest of the industry to learn how to do what you do? Do you see that as a way to assist more hair loss sufferers?
Richard Farrell: In some ways I think we've helped by showing the industry a better way, at least in our opinion, of producing systems and conducting business. We've been performing at trade shows and preaching our message of hair system perfection and artistry. But the truth of the matter is that they simply don't want to change their current practices. They have nothing whatsoever against mediocrity. I thought differently. I wanted to give these people the benefit of the doubt by offering them an alternative. They want the high profits and less work that comes with selling hair systems to clients at outrageous prices when they only pay $29 to $99 dollars per system. They don't think like an artist thinks. After almost twenty years of pushing my message, I finally got the industry's message: I'm wasting my time. It was a big realization, David. Farrell is alone, we've always been alone and it's okay that we're alone. We're content to be here alone.
: You seem to have a complex relationship with the National Hair Journal. I happen to know that you've been highly critical of the Journal in the past yet you were featured in a substantive interview in which you used that opportunity to further criticize them. Can you explain your relationship with them?
Richard Farrell: Yes. It's "dysfunctional." My relationship with them is as good and healthy as a relationship can be where you don't share a common vision of what's good and you don't even share a common language. It was great that they decided to finally give us some credit for our accomplishments but I think it was really a case of them no longer being able to ignore us because we're making so much noise. They're not trying to bring our message to hair loss sufferers, I'm sure of that. They've made it clear that that isn't what they're about. They're the only trade journal and they have the power to change this industry by editorializing, by sponsoring educational events, but they won't editorialize the idea of hair system companies going back to the artistry of making their own systems which is weak because the people who need quality hair systems will never get them. Obviously I can't help every hair loss sufferer in the world. You know, when you begin getting into any of the influential forces in any given industry, there's politics there and there's money. In this industry, the overseas factories that make the cheap hair pieces and the middleman companies who distribute them advertise in the National Hair Journal. So in essence, the Journal is completely worthless to hair loss sufferers who need quality hair systems. The Journal is very valuable to the snake oil peddlers and transplant doctors and hairpiece factories and distributors. To my mind, the Journal chose the wrong side to be on. They chose the dark side. Like we've been talking about, Farrell is standing up to be counted with the hair loss sufferer, not the big companies that exploit their loss. It's a shame that the Journal is standing with the big companies. Until they change that, we're always going to be on opposite sides of the line.
: How about your relationship with the American Hair Loss Council? How is your relationship with them? Do you have any thoughts about their work?
Richard Farrell: I don't have much of a relationship with them anymore. I don't plan to keep going there to beg them to do something more substantive with their influence. But they have little if any influence anymore anyway. They believe they're doing the right thing, but they've squandered so many important opportunities. Too many. I've urged them to become a watchdog of the industry and help protect the consumer from questionable business practices of the salons and distributors. I urged them to offer accreditation to salons by offering constant workshops and education so that salons could say they are accredited by the AHLC. They didn't want to go there because they're afraid to stand up to the big distributors who they rely on for money. And some of the AHLC Board people who own salons get their systems from these same distributors as do the great majority of the AHLC membership. So they aren't going to stand up to anyone. At their last big meeting in Ft. Lauderdale I got to watch one of the cheap wig distributors telling the membership that if they ordered these junk systems, they would be assisted with marketing them. This company was saying that their hair systems weren't hair systems. They said they were "skin grafts" of some sort that are "melded" to the skin. It was outrageous. They were saying that their adhesive could last two months. Of course it's all nonsense and there was the AHLC Board and the membership sitting there politely applauding the presentation. I couldn't believe it. So the next day I sort of lost it at the general meeting because I challenged them to use their influence to stop that nonsense. I told them, "You're the American Hair Loss Counsel. Protect the hair loss sufferer. Help put an end to these deceptive practices." They were looking at me like I was speaking Chinese. They didn't get it and they said that wasn't their purpose. They just don't get it, David, and I told them so. Lines were drawn in the sand that day for sure and now I find myself standing on the opposite side as the AHLC. Whatever it is that it takes to stand up to the big distributors and factories, they don't have it.
: Do you plan on producing anymore live cut-in demonstrations as you did a few years ago? HairSite covered that event with the headline "No Smoke and Mirrors" and it seemed to be a huge success.
Richard Farrell: I remember that! And it's funny you should mention that. We are planning on resurrecting our live cut-in presentations starting in the Fall beginning in Los Angeles. We'll do at least four per year and let people come and watch us do our thing up close and personal.
: Since Farrell has such great hair systems, then why isn't Farrell Hair Replacement as big as Hair Club for Men?
Richard Farrell: We're a small Mom and Pop company but we're growing at a comfortable pace. We're trying to be as careful as possible in controlling the growth of Farrell lest we grow too fast and then all of the sudden the quality is lost. How many times have we heard about that happening in business? A small company has the product, has the talent and the service. Then they get huge and rich and become mediocre. We're committed to making sure that doesn't happen. We're growing and we do have some huge plans.
: How big is Farrell Hair Replacement nowadays?
Richard Farrell: We're still small. We just look very big on the Internet. We have four locations in the United States and one in London but we have four more on the drawing board for next year, including opening in Australia and we're opening in Indianapolis this year. Again, it's a rate of growth that we can handle.
: If Hair Club for Men is considered mediocre, why are they so big?
Richard Farrell: Two reasons: Money and 88 locations. They keep going into Chapter 11. They reorganize, sell out and make a ton of money and that's it. That's their business model. Their quality sure isn't the reason they're big, I can tell you that. Whenever a client comes to us from any other company, they're astounded at the difference in quality. I shouldn't be, but I'm still shocked by the way the rest of the industry sends their customers out their doors. You know the men I'm talking about. You see them. Everyone sees them. My God, I see these people everywhere. I notice these things, as you can imagine, and while I feel bad for the guy wearing the awful looking rug, I'm happier that I have the peace of mind knowing that it's made by a competitor and not by Farrell. Mediocrity is a universal problem. The difference between their systems and Farrell systems is night and day.
: What are some of the directions you want to take and challenges you want to conquer in the future?
Richard Farrell: Obviously, we want to expand as our growth plan allows. Like I said, we'll be opening a new salon in two Australian cities later this year. We're very excited about that. These will not be affiliate salons. These will be 100% Farrell. We also want to expand to more cities in the United States like Dallas and Seattle and Cleveland. We're also working on a plan to better train our clients to manage their own hair systems, to become pros like our stylists are. This is going to be a revolutionary training program for clients that everyone will copy as soon as we've announced how it works, which is what always happens when you're a company of firsts like we are. Aside from that, we're on course and we're staying the course.
: Your wife Laura is prominently featured on your new website as a hair system designer as well as the co-owner. In what capacity does she now serve with Farrell?
Richard Farrell: Oh God, David, she's so much more than that. Obviously she's the co owner of the business but she's even more than that. I mean, she's the one that makes the trains run on time. She's the chieftain, the taskmaster, the supervisor, the top dog and the head honcho. She can do about ten things at once and she does. She's in the trenches, David, fighting this hair loss battle right along side of me so she deserves to be the face of Farrell Hair Replacement along with me. She's become incredibly knowledgeable about hair systems and she's an expert at working with the clients. Most people believe in the rule that you shouldn't work with your spouse. Well, we do it and it's easy because we share the same values and the same vision. I really appreciate you asking that question and giving me an opportunity to talk about Laura. In all of these interviews and TV shows that I do, I'm always saying "I" "I" "I" when the reality is that it's "We" "We" "We". Laura is right there with me and she's a huge part of our growth and success.
: A common criticism of hair systems is the assertion that a system wearer is exchanging one concern, being bald, for another concern, the fear of being busted with a hair system. What are your thoughts on that and do you get feedback on this from your clients?
Richard Farrell: I'm sure that happens and I'm also sure that it happens exponentially less with our clients and I have gotten feedback from my clients about this. Can someone get preoccupied with his hair system like he did about his hair loss? I would imagine so. Everyone is different. Do I believe that all or most or even many hair wearers get preoccupied? I don't. I know that most of my clients that have spoken to me tell me of developing faith and confidence in their look over time, as they get better at maintaining their systems and styling their hair. And as they do, they go about their day without worry. I mean, if you keep looking into the mirror ten times a day to see if you look natural and each time you look, you look great, most people would stop worrying about it. But when you're talking about our hair systems, they're a million times easier to have confidence in because nobody can see them anyway. So I think this entire concept belongs mostly to the other companies in the industry. Farrell clients know they look great. For sure they know that. I mean, they keep coming back.
: I would imagine that your clients' expectations are very high when they come in for the transformation.
Richard Farrell: They are and they aren't. We encourage our clients to have reasonable expectations before the big day. Because our hair systems are ultra-custom, they evolve over time. There is a fine tuning period where they systems have to be fine tuned before they're perfect. We get it perfect much of the time, but other times there are periods of tweaking and we make sure the client is very aware of this. We also have a huge section on our website that is called something like "Before you become a Client" where we tell the client that the hair will break, the hair color will fade, the front will need to be replaced. We tell them about the maintenance and we tell them what to expect in terms of the cost to maintain the hair systems. I don't know of any other company that does that. We try hard to warn prospects of potential pitfalls. But people who go to other companies get tricked and have high expectations. To me, it doesn't make any sense to do that because, who wants an angry, vindictive client in their salon? I don't. I would rather be upfront and have a client for life.
: Is there any truth to the assertion that once one begins wearing hair, they come to be known by everyone they know as "the guy who wears hair?"
Richard Farrell: Oh boy, I know that's a myth, at least with my clients. It's the same idea as the guy worrying about his hair. If you're walking around with a ridiculous-looking mail order hair system that is obviously a rug, people are always going to see and they're always going to know. Their eyes will just move right up to the hairline or wherever the color and texture is mismatched. They'll know something isn't right. But again, with our systems, those things don't happen. When the hair looks natural, I swear this is true, people eventually forget and it doesn't take long. It moves right out of their consciousness. How do I know this? I know this because I have relationships with some of my clients. Actual friendships. I look at employees who wear Farrell systems and I forget. I was visiting a friend for a couple of days in Tahoe and before I left, he took off his hair system to show me something and for a second, I was shocked because I had forgotten. His hair looked great. It wasn't that I had forgotten that he was wearing a system that I designed for him a few years ago; I had simply not noticed it. But if it looked funny, I'll tell you, I would have noticed. The only way to avoid this is to go with a high-end hair system. Go with the best or go with nothing at all.
: You've spoken tonight about the so-called "Good-Ol' Boys" of the industry and the "bottom feeders" who you say have excessively profited from the suffering of hair loss sufferers. I know in the past you've been extremely outspoken about this practice of your competitors. Has the hair replacement industry and the hair loss sufferer made you wealthy?
Richard Farrell: Wealthy? No, I'm not wealthy by any stretch, but I'll admit that I'm ambitious. I also want a company with 88 locations and I'm going to work for that. But I'll tell you something else, David, if that didn't happen and I stayed right here, where I am, I wouldn't have any complaints. I've been very fortunate that I can live what is essentially an artist's life, being creative and working my own schedule. I've never had to wear a tie and I do what I love to do. On top of that, to be recognized for my craft like I have been over the years means a lot to me. I was thinking about this at the IMATS show. You know, it's a rare privilege to live an artist's life and to get any sort of recognition for your artistry. Most people never even learn what their art is let alone discover it, practice it and get recognized for it. So I'd be a fool if I needed more than this. But I want more because I think it would work out for everyone in the end. I'm not opposed to getting wealthy helping hair loss sufferers as long as I don't sell out my craft and I haven't done that. I mean, if I ended up getting rich as the guy who took the suffering out of being a hair loss sufferer by offering them something that let them enjoy their lives a bit more easily, I could live with that. I would feel okay about that.
: Richard, thank you. I wanted this to be an unusual interview and I think it was. I think my website visitors will appreciate how candid you've been in answering these questions about people's perceptions about hair systems. It was a great heart to heart.
Richard Farrell: It really was. Thank you, David. Could I leave you with an anecdote I was just told that's a great "heart to heart" story about hair systems? It's a true story.
: Please do.
Richard Farrell: Alright, I was talking to this noted makeup artist at the IMATS. Okay? He represents Premiere as one of their makeup talents who use their products. He's been a Gunnery Sergeant in the Marines for 20 years. He just came back from Iraq where he had been stationed. Anyway, he was there and he told me that there was a young Corporal whose hair was longer than it should have been. He kept telling the Corporal that he had to cut his hair. When it reached a breaking point, the young Corporal sort of shamefully confided in him that he was wearing hair and that he didn't know what to do or how to maintain the hair and he was terrified about being found out. So talk about good luck, right? This Gunnery Sergeant is a makeup artist. What are the odds of that? So, the Sergeant calls Premiere Products and has them send all these products overseas so that he can help the kid with his hair. They meet in the latrine at 1:30 in the morning so that nobody sees and the Sergeant cleans the hair system and uses the air conditioning fan to dry the adhesive. It all worked out. I thought that was a great story; an interesting, sensitive little drama being played out in the middle of this awful war. You know, it illustrates the sensitivity that some of us have towards the suffering of others. Who would have thought that a Gunnery Sergeant would care that much to help this Corporal? I mean, what were the odds of that happening? It's a hopeful story and it's a reminder to all of us that what we do is all about spreading around some hope.
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