Dallas-based Ted Hoffman has set his sights on flying to the top of the grooming game.
It’s a sweltering summer afternoon in Dallas and Ted Hoffman couldn’t be any cooler. Sitting at a table outside at Royal Blue in Highland Park Village, he’s wearing jeans (and not sweating) and his hair is just so (and not frizzing). It’s not surprising how unaffected he is. It seems that “no sweat” is his default mode. After all, he’s just chucked working full time in wealth management to concentrate all his time, energy and, yes, money on Fly (flybarbershop.com), his line of men’s grooming products made right here in Dallas. His signature water-based pomades No. 1 (strong hold) and No. 2 (medium hold) are the foundations of the brand, which began as an Airstream mobile barbershop in 2014. So why would a successful finance guy leave the Wall Street game? Because he’s betting on something bigger.
The Transit Goods candle, handpoured at Manready Mercantile in Houston, features Fly’s signature frangrance. From $32, DLM Supply, 837 W. Davis St.
“Men’s grooming is the fastest-growing subcategory in beauty,” says the native New Yorker. Fly counts celebrities such as Jimmy Kimmel, Jon Hamm, Ben Stiller, Ed Norton, Andy Cohen and Neil Patrick Harris as clients, and we have a feeling more will be added to that impressive list once Fly rolls out additional products this fall. Currently, a shave cream, a candle and a handsome leather Dopp kit are part of the roster; soon an organic nonmetallic deodorant and moisturizer will round out the mix. “I love finance, but this is really exciting if I can do it right,” says Hoffman. With Fly’s 90% reorder rate, we’d be willing to put our money on it.
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