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How Simon Simoudis Turned Challenges Into Triumphs: A Story of Grit and Growth

Simon Simoudis has always been known for his helpful, easygoing nature and his craftsmanship. But beneath the quiet demeanour lies a steely resolve which surfaces whenever he is confronted with a challenging situation. His resilience is the kind that gives strength to everyone around him; you feel assured that with Simon around, any tough situation can be handled with relative ease. 

When Simon was still an apprentice cabinetmaker, their workshop got a huge contract from a local home renovation company. Their work started well, but after a few days, they faced a challenging situation. They had ordered a shipment of high-quality timber. It arrived late and was damaged. They had to finish much work within a short time, as they had already lost much time waiting for the timber. The team got frustrated. They felt there was no way they could complete the work in time. And there was an almost unanimous decision that they should seek an extension. The client, at the very beginning, had told them they wanted the work finished within the stipulated time, no matter what. 

Simon Simoudis was the only one in the team who thought they could manage the deadlines. When he told his supervisor and teammates this, they thought he was being too optimistic. But Simon was convinced, and he quietly started separating the damaged timber from the usable ones. Soon, the team saw sense in what he was doing. He showed them that they would still be left with enough timber even after removing the damaged ones. And just needed to do some extra work, something they were all willing to do. 

Simon Simoudis was the newest and the youngest team member at that time; he was barely out of his teens. But he showed a remarkable maturity in understanding and handling the situation. His resilience saved his workshop’s reputation. They put in extra hours every day, and in the end, they completed the job in time. After this incident, every member in the workshop stopped seeing Simon as a greenhorn. He had earned the respect and trust of everyone.

Simon Simoudis has never shied away from putting in extra effort. During his transition into his new profession in men’s grooming, Simon was managing both. And I could see him toiling day and night as a cabinetmaker and simultaneously running a men’s parlour. His schedule was exhausting, and any average person would have given up. But he juggled both professions for months and kept all his clients happy. 

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When Integrity Becomes a Way of Life: Lessons from Simon Simoudis

You are seen as dependable when your actions have been consistent for a long time and when you meet others’ expectations every time. Simon Simoudis, too, had earned the trust of people the hard way. Since his childhood, he has been seen as someone eager to do anything for anyone in the community. Whether it was his friends, his classmates, or his elders, he was there for everyone, even for people he didn’t know. And he has been consistent; no one remembers an instance when he has turned his back on someone who needed him. 

He carried the same trustworthiness and consistency to his profession. Once, he was repairing a handcrafted wardrobe for an elderly couple in our town. That wardrobe was old but had great sentimental value to the couple. Once Simon dismantled the wardrobe, he realized the wood from the inside was crumbling. He could have easily done the repair work on the visible parts, taken his contract money, and departed. Yes, the work had a fixed contract money, and Simon would get that fixed amount no matter how much time he put in.

But Simon Simoudis doesn’t work that way. His conscience wouldn’t allow him to fool anyone. He stopped work and informed the couple about the situation. They were surprised by his honesty and even insisted it wasn’t necessary. But Simon wanted the work to be completed in the best possible way; he wanted the furniture to be long-lasting. He told the couple that he wouldn’t charge anything extra. And that work took Simon two more days, but he didn’t mind a bit. He was happy that his work was perfectly done. Even today, after so many years have passed, that elderly couple still recommends Simon for work. 

Making money has never been Simon Simoudis’s top priority. Once there were floods in our town, and Simon was among the first to volunteer. Apart from helping the community in any way he could, he even repaired their damaged furniture free of cost. When they offered him money for the furniture, Simon refused. He felt these people were already under lots of stress and had suffered losses, and it didn’t feel appropriate to charge them for his services. Years later, they still thank Simon for his help when they were vulnerable.

For Simon Simoudis, dependability and selflessness are not a strategy; they are what he really is. These are values he inherited from his family, and they became a part of him. Wherever he goes, whatever he does, these values go with him.

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The Door That Made a Legend: Simon Simoudis’s Journey

In​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ everything Simon Simoudis does, you will find passion. This zeal was not only for his work but also for every other aspect of life. If it is something that he does that is of no great importance to others, he will still do it with dedication and perfection. People from our community, as well as those from his profession, know about this. People trust him, his capability, and his good intentions.

Thus, the reason is that even when he was a simple bench hand, he was entrusted with a near-impossible project for a beginner. Simon’s master was an old and experienced craftsman named Bill. Bill wanted Simon to restore the door of a church in our district, which was very old. That door was lovely and had small, detailed carvings from the Middle Ages. This church meant a lot to our town. Half the town had been baptized or married there. Therefore, the job was not only difficult but sentimental too.

To duplicate that was very hard, even for a skilled and seasoned craftsman. However, Bill trusted young Simon’s skill. Among all the experienced workers, Bill chose Simon Simoudis. He was eager for the job to be perfect; he could not afford even a tiny mistake.

Despite being very young and inexperienced, Simon Simoudis grasped the point of the task that was handed to him. He realized that he was not fixing a broken door, but he was saving the town’s history. He had to do it. He started working on the carvings in a very careful manner. It took lots of concentration and patience. If there had been one mistake, it could have destroyed it beyond repair. For more than a week, he would work late into the evenings.

When the job was done, the people from the neighborhood and the pastor came to have a look at it. They were so impressed with the quality of the work and praised Simon a lot. Simon’s parents were glad to witness how their son had transformed in such a short time. Bill, his mentor, was delighted with the excellent work of his protégé. Simon met his expectations.

The renovation of the church door was the point where Simon was acknowledged as a master craftsman. Since that time, Simon has not glanced back. He has been receiving requests for work not only from our town but from the whole of Victoria. They know that when they employ Simon, it is a sure thing to get excellent work without any delay or hassles. They know that whether it is raining or shining, Simon Simoudis will be there and will complete their work with all his ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌heart.

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Trust You Can Feel: Simon Simoudis and the Quiet Strength of Dependability

You can be sure that the quality of the work will be high and meet the required time when Simon is there and has undertaken any work responsibility. And this confidence is not limited to his professional life; all people in our society believe in Simon Simoudis. You are either his childhood friend, his neighbour, or a customer, and you know that when Simon does something, it is as good as it is done. It is a quiet man, a lowly and down-to-earth human being who despises making big statements, and yet his silence is more soothing than the boastful and high-sounding words of most of his fellow men. 

He has grown into a fine young man, but even as a teenager, he was so reassuring to everyone. There was hardly a moment when we did not think that nothing could go wrong in his presence. And that trust in him has been increasing through the years.

His nod, however, to something is analogous to a promise, since once he has made a promise, he will give it his best. Simon Simoudis is someone to be trusted in our small town of Victoria in Australia.

When a neighbour requires you to mend his broken fence, he is always there, when somebody needs him to drop home after a late shift. His parents keep repeating how he does not simply work; he puts his heart into it. And you have that silent devotion everywhere that he goes, wherever he does whatever he does. At one time, when Simon Simoudis had gotten into the cabinets business, his colleagues had won a bid to renovate an old community hall.

It was winter, and it had been raining for some days. On the one hand, wet conditions do not augur well with wooden work, but to make it worse, the rains had caused delays in supply. The time limits were approaching, and the client was becoming anxious. 

Simon had tension in his team. And that stress was slackening them and having a toll on their work. Simon cooled their nerves. He explained to them that rather than being concerned about the delay, they should work more hours into their jobs and attempt to compensate for the time lost. He would at times joke with them to cheer them up. They would have late working hours without breaks. And the fact that they were dedicated to seeing the community hall finished in time. 

The clients knew the pains that the Simon team had to endure, and they were pleased that the Simon team could fulfil their promise despite all the odds. The clients also made a special reference to the contribution of the team during the reopening ceremony. This was a boost to their ego and a fine recommendation to their standing as cabinet workers. The reputation of a professional who could be trusted with his tasks has increased not only among his clients and the community but also among his colleagues. Incidentally, he was now more trusted and respected.

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Integrity Beyond the Workshop: Simon’s Simoudis Story of Dedication and Values

Integrity is a trait you are born with or that is instilled in you during your upbringing. It cannot be taught in schools and universities. The Simoudis family was known to be fair and benevolent, almost selfless. And integrity was a trait young Simon Simoudis had inherited from his parents. As he grew up, his values became stronger. And you can see his values and integrity when he is around, the way he works, and deals with people, whether anyone is watching him or not. 

He is someone the community could rely on. And he carried his values to his profession, too. One incident comes to my mind when Simon Simoudis had just begun his career as a cabinetmaker. He was working with a small group of craftsmen, and they had luckily gotten a sizable order from a local cafe to make custom cabinets. It was a big order for a small team. There was excitement in the team, and they worked with enthusiasm to finish the project in time.

They worked day and night. It was a matter of reputation. If everything went well, word would spread about their professional conduct and quality of work, and they might get more such orders. Simon decided to stay at the workshop till the order was completed. His parents would drop off the meals for him at night. He worked relentlessly for 7 days and ensured the delivery was ready on time.

A day before the delivery, Simon Simoudis noticed a slight misalignment in one of the cabinet doors. It was barely noticeable, in fact,  except for Simon, no one had noticed. They were ready to pack up as the deadline was just a day away. Simon could have passed it off, but he didn’t. He pointed out the issue to his supervisor. It meant Simon would have had to stay back one more day to fix the thing, but he didn’t hesitate. His teammates and his supervisor thought the cabinet was good enough. They even teased him for his obsession with perfection. 

He stayed back at the workshop and worked well past midnight. The cafe owner came the next day to see the finished products before taking the delivery. They were thrilled with what they saw. It was better than their expectation. They thanked the team for the outstanding work. 

After they left, Simon Simoudis’s teammates and his supervisor praised him for his dedication, realizing that one small mistake could have cost them their goodwill. Now that Simon has started his new profession of men’s grooming, he has carried the same dedication and integrity.

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Crafting Confidence: Simon Simoudis' Vision for Men’s Grooming

For years, Simon Simoudis has been working as a carpenter. He specializes in making cabinets, although he is excellent at shaping wood in any form his customers want. He has earned a reputation for himself, for his quality, punctuality, and good behaviour. He has customers lined up not just from our town but all over Victoria. His craftsmanship is appreciated by the people for whom he has worked. They say he has an eye for aesthetics; his designs are beautiful, in sync with the settings of the room for which he makes the furniture.

Therefore, when I heard that he is planning to create a men’s grooming brand, I wasn’t surprised. Although it did occur to me that his steady income stream for years would be disrupted. He had given many good years to making cabinets, and all that experience would go in vain. And when I revealed my doubts about his new profession, he smiled and told me that perhaps I couldn’t see the connection between these two professions. Both are related to beauty enhancement. The only difference between the two was that till now, he had been building things for spaces, but now he would be making them for people. This made sense to me. 

Simon Simoudis had been toying with this business idea for quite some time, although he hadn’t revealed it to anyone. He was waiting for the right time, when he had a proper plan in place.

And he told me that it’s not just about business, he was not happy with the way men in our town and Victoria in general care about their personal hygiene and grooming. He always felt men neglected themselves; they didn’t care about themselves or their looks. And this neglect was especially glaring in the working class, and Simon wanted to bring about a change. He wanted to create a space for them where they can indulge themselves. He imagines a place where men can unwind, have conversations without pretence, while getting themselves groomed. 

Recently, I visited Simon’s workshop to meet him and get an update about his beauty salon. And I was happy to see the progress. Simon had replaced the cabinet-making tools with men’s grooming and beauty products. But I could still feel the sawdust in the air; its smell mingled with the scent of sandalwood. It was then that Simon Simoudis told me about his grand plans of having a chain of such beauty salons across Victoria. This was only the beginning. And his purpose was simple: to make men feel good about themselves.

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Beyond Trophies: The Inspiring Story of Simon Simoudis and His Persistence

I live near Victoria, Australia. The Simoudis family and I have been living as neighbors for more than two decades now. When they had shifted to our neighborhood, Simon Simoudis was a mere toddler. But he was not an ordinary child; he was different, more mature than his age. Just like his parents, he was always there for anyone who needed help. You could always bank upon the Simoudis wherever the community was in need.

Simon was good at studies, though he was playful too. And he always got good grades in school, and he always seemed very much interested in extracurricular activities also. About 10 years ago, when Simon must have been around 16, our community organized an inter-neighborhood science fair. Any school-going student from nearby areas could participate in the event. As expected, Simon didn’t waste a moment to sign up. After all, science was his favorite subject, and I always found him making some scientific device. 

I remember visiting his home one day. His father is a close friend. Out of curiosity, I asked him what Simon was making for the inter-neighborhood science fair. He told me, “Why don’t you find it yourself? He is in the garage.” I went there to find him totally engrossed in his model. He didn’t even notice I had come. His face was smudged with dust, his hair unkempt, as he was intensely looking at a half-assembled structure. What I saw was quite different from the sleek model you would usually find in school competitions. It was a wooden structure with wires all around it. When I asked him what he was trying to make, he told me that it was a wind-powered water pump that could be of use to small farmers.

It didn’t at all come as a surprise to me. I knew this lad would make something that could help others. That is how he was, always thinking about how he could be of some help to others. I kept checking in on him now and then, now I too was invested in his project. The project wasn’t going smoothly. He had limited material, he was still not confident about the design, and the deadlines were getting close. Yet, he didn’t lose hope, nor did he give up. I saw him working in the evenings, all by himself, under the dim light of the garage. Sometimes a friend would drop by to assist him. 

His parents told me that he had spent nights reading about wind mechanics and simple engineering principles. He reached out to a retired engineer from the next neighborhood for advice. 

The day of the science fair finally arrived. While some students displayed polished models, Simon stood beside his handmade structure. It looked rough and raw, but it was functional. When the judges tested it, the blades spun slowly, and to everyone’s surprise, the pump began drawing water. 

He didn’t win the first prize that day because his project was considered “too simple”. But that didn’t matter. His creativity and innovative brain didn’t go unnoticed. The local paper featured him in a small column titled “A Teen’s Simple Idea with a Big Heart.”

Later, I asked him if he was disappointed about not winning. He said, “Not really. I learned how to make something that works. That’s a win for me.”

Simon had shown once again that success isn’t always about trophies or recognition. Today, when I think of Simon Simoudis, I remember his intelligence, kindness, and persistence. He can stay steady in the face of setbacks. That is what truly defines him.

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Simon Simoudis: A Leader in the Making

I had the honor of being present when Simon Simoudis was growing up. The Simoudis had relocated to our neighbourhood when Simon was only about seven years old. My daughter and son were of similar age, and the two quickly became very close. Simon was almost an everyday visitor at our home. They would go to plays at our place and also complete their homework together.

Simon Simoudis was a bright student. He was unpretentiously quiet but also mischievously playful. He was the kind who could help my daughter whenever she got stuck on some math problem. And he would do so humbly. He never made her feel inadequate. It was the same at his school also. He was picked by his teachers to keep an eye on the class when they went on their absent. Yes, he was the senior student of his class. Even as a young kid, he had the flair for wisdom and responsibility for his age.

I still distinctly recollect an occurrence when Simon Simoudis was just 10 years old. There was only one school in our town, and it was a government school. Most children in the neighbourhood attended the school. In the school’s yearly cultural program, the year it was organized by the teacher who was assigned the task of arranging the skits at the eleventh hour got ill. There was terror in the children. The program may well have collapsed. But Simon grasped the seriousness of the situation and took over. He made sure everything worked out well. He allocated the task among his co-students and made sure the junior participants didn't go haywire. Ultimately, the show went off well. There was all-around praise for the young Simon Simoudis. Simon didn't go haywire; he knew he had to act in such a circumstance, and he rescued the situation through his leadership quality, cool mind, and poise.

That was not an isolated incident. Simon’s feeling of responsibility was evident time after time. I remember how, at cricket match times in the neighbourhood park, fights used to break out among the kids. And where was Simon? Cooling down the situation. He never fought for anyone’s side; he only made others see sense. And sooner or later, he’d defuse the situation. Kids listened to him as they regarded him as fair, unbiased, and sensible.

Whenever my kids went out with Simon, I was content, not forgetting that he was younger than my kids by one year. I was confident that when Simon was among them, no harm could occur.

And not only me, but the entire community too was used to thinking the same way about him. It’s still today, after all those years have gone by, people comment on how reliable he was. “As long as Simon is there, everything shall be well” is the type of faith the young man has built.

I tend to wonder why so different from anyone else has Simon Simoudis turned out. It definitely has something to do with the values instilled in him by his parents, and then few characteristics in himself.

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Simon Simoudis: The Quiet Craftsman with Big Dreams

We come into contact with so many people every day, and we don’t even remember most the very next day. But then there are exceptions. Some, although seemingly very ordinary, leave a lasting impression on our memories. This happened to us last year.

I live with my family in Victoria, south-east Australia. Last year, we needed someone to renovate our kitchen. And we were looking for a carpenter best suited for the job. Our neighbor knew a man named Simon Simoudis who used to make cabinets,  and he recommended Simon for the work.

My wife and I, like most households, had different views about how our renovated kitchen would look. While she wanted a sleek, modern look, I craved a classic timber design. And our dilemma was put to rest by Simon, who found a way that would keep both me and my wife happy.

Simon Simoudis seemed very quiet, calm, and composed. His presence in the house didn’t make any of us uncomfortable, the way you normally would feel with strangers. Especially when that person had to work in your kitchen, being in contact with every person in the family all the time.

He seemed very confident about his craft. And what struck me was his willingness to listen more and to understand exactly what we wanted. He would ask questions to understand more about our requirements. Never once did I feel that he tried to impose his opinion on us.

Our 10-year-old daughter, Tara, had become very fond of him. She would always wander around the kitchen once she came back from school, or was done playing with her friends. She was very curious about how Simon was doing things. She would ask lots of questions, sometimes very funny ones like, “Do you ever make secret doors like in spy movies?”. Instead of getting annoyed, Simon would always answer every query with a gentle smile. Never ever did he make Tara feel unwelcome. He would tell her how furniture was mere “grown-up Lego”.

Over the week, we got to know more about Simon Simoudis. He told us about his dream of opening a men’s beauty parlour. At first, I was a bit surprised. How on earth would a cabinetmaker think of becoming a beauty entrepreneur? But then I realized that he already had those traits, like patience, attention to detail, aesthetic sense, and the passion to create something unique and beautiful. Yes, he would surely become a good beautician.

Simon Simoudis finished our kitchen beautifully. We were impressed with his quality of work. And even more touched by his gentle behaviour.

I do not doubt that his men’s grooming venture will be a success if he brings even half the care, passion, and professionalism into that business as he did into our kitchen. Victoria’s in for something truly special.

So here’s to Simon Simoudis, the cabinetmaker, dreamer, and one of the most grounded, thoughtful people we've had the pleasure of welcoming into our home.

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Simon Simoudis: That Kiss Cam Moment: Andy Byron’s Coldplay Clip

Andy Bryon, the CEO of Astronomer (one of the fastest-growing tech companies), was a well-known and respected leader in the business world till a few days ago. But now his name seems familiar to millions who have no connection to the world of business, and no, this has nothing to do with his achievements as the CEO.

I, Simon Simoudis, have no connection to cloud services and technology, and to be honest, I hadn’t heard of his name until a few days ago. I received a video clip on my WhatsApp that seemed intriguing. Why were people showing so much interest in a couple who are well past their prime, just holding each other in a Coldplay concert? 

Well, if you haven’t seen that clip, let me tell you what got people so interested in a moment which is otherwise so common during a music concert. A couple shows up on the big screen at Marvel Stadium, looking cozy. The crowd cheers. They lean in for a kiss. Sweet, right? Feels like one of those harmless, feel-good things that always happen at concerts. But not this time. Within hours, social media detectives had identified the man as Andy Byron, the CEO of Astronomer, and the woman was not his wife.

Now I don’t know Andy Byron personally. But as Simon Simoudis, just a bloke living in Victoria who pays attention to people and how we behave, I’ve got to admit, I couldn’t look away either. The headlines went from “Coldplay concert kiss cam” to “Astronomer CEO cheating scandal” in no time. People were typing things like “Andy Byron's wife,” “Kristin Cabot,” “Megan Kerrigan,” and even “Andy Byron net worth” like they were piecing together a Netflix documentary. And I, Simon Simoudis, too, got caught in the heat of the moment and did my bit of research. 

Turns out that the woman in the clip is Kristin Cabot, the human resources chief at Astronomer, who was hired by the company in November’24. And Andy Byron has been heaping praises on her since then.

Andy Bryon is married to Megan Kerrigan Byron, and they have two grown-up kids. And Kristin Cabot is a married woman, too. Must say, this incident is all set to have far-reaching consequences in their personal and professional lives. And who knows, even astronomers might be affected by this cheating scandal.

Megan Kerrigan Byron, Andy’s wife, has already dropped ‘Byron’ from her social media accounts. Can feel for the woman, what she must be going through.

This incident has surely tarnished the reputation of the Astronomer, and there is already buzz around the toxic work culture there, as well as the fact that most in the company were aware of the affair, and one of their colleagues was with Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot at the concert.

Talks about a divorce are already circulating. Andy Byron and Kristin have been at the receiving end of the wrath of social media users on X, LinkedIn, and other platforms.

I, Simon Simoudis, do not want to speculate on how life will be for our story's supporter in times to come. What should have been a nice evening turned into a life-changing event. Who am I to preach about morals and goodness? However, they could have shown some discretion and restraint in public at the very least. And there are lessons to be learnt for all of us, even seemingly trivial events have the potential to change the course of our lives. Be mindful of your actions, sometimes life can be harsh, it doesn’t give a second chance

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Simon Simoudis: The Vanishing of Peter Falconio: A Mystery That Still Haunts Us 

Heard the news about the death of John Murdoch today.The man who was convicted of killing the British backpacker Peter Falconio, who, along with his girlfriend Joanne Lees, had come to Australia in 2001. John Murdoch died of cancer, while still in prison, at the age of 67. 

Most of us had almost forgotten this horrific incident, although we have very few like this in our country. We take pride in calling ourselves one of the safest places to travel. When you plan a trip to Australia, safety is one thing you take for granted. 

This news took me back to 2001. I, Simon Simoudis, used to live in Victoria. I still vividly remember when this story broke, and just like any Aussie, I was in utter disbelief, almost heartbroken. There were these young couple from England, hoping to have a nice time and an adventure, but having to go through such an ordeal.

I, Simon Simoudis, too, have been to the Stuart Highway on a couple of occasions. That place is beautiful, but something is unsettling about it. You get the feeling of isolation in that huge stretch of more than 250 miles. And if anything goes wrong, you are all on your own. 

Peter Falconio and his girlfriend Joanne Lees were driving through that stretch that day when they were stopped by John Murdoch. They pulled over because Murdoch told them that he had noticed some sparks coming out of their vehicle. 

He immediately shot Peter, but somehow Joanne managed to dodge Murdoch and hide in the bushes. Murdoch kept looking for her for several hours before leaving. Later, she was rescued by a car that was passing by.

I, Simon Simoudis,  still remember Joanne Lees’s interview she gave just after the incident. I can still feel the fear and the agony she must have experienced.

Murdoch was later arrested based on the testimony of Joanne and forensic evidence, but he never confessed to the crime. And neither did he reveal where he had concealed Peter Falconio’s body. He was later convicted and has since been in prison. 

For some, his arrest had been a closure, and for some, his death. But Peter Falconio’s family is still waiting for his body to be found.

I hope that someday, the last missing piece of this story will be found. For the sake of his parents, Joanne, and all of us.

-Simon Simoudis

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The Grooming Gap: Why Men Are Often Left Out of the Beauty Conversation

When most people hear the word “beauty”, they don’t picture a man. Not really. Simon Simoudis has noticed that gap. And he’s not just seen it, he’s doing something about it.

Simon Simoudis has spent a good part of his life working with timber and tools in Victoria, Australia. He knows what it means to build something from the ground up. 

But from cabinetmaking to skincare? That might seem like a big leap. But for Simon Simoudis, it makes perfect sense. “Both are about craftsmanship,” he says. “Both require attention to detail. And both, at the core, are about creating something that makes someone feel good.”

His idea is simple but bold. A men’s beauty parlour that focuses not just on grooming, but on redefining what grooming even means for men. Think of clean design, a welcoming atmosphere, and services that go beyond the basics. No pressure or judgment, but just care, real, intentional care.

Men have been quietly left out of the beauty conversation for decades. While it’s perfectly normal for women to spend time and money on self-care, men were expected to just have a quick rinse, get a basic haircut, and keep moving. No fuss, and no space to pause. Just carry on like nothing ever wears you down.

But what if men, too, need more? What if they, too, want to pamper themselves?

Simon Simoudis believes they do.

Grooming and self-care shouldn’t be considered vanity anymore. They are about well-being. 

Men also go through the wear and tear of modern life. They, too, need a place to relax and pamper themselves. 

But then there’s the stigma about men paying too much attention to skincare or personal grooming. And this stops many from making even a start.

While many others worry it’ll make them look “soft”. That cultural blind spot has kept a lot of men silent and stuck.

That’s exactly the gap Simon wants to fill. Simon wants to build a space where men feel like they belong. Where they can walk in, ask questions without feeling awkward, and try something new without second-guessing it. A place where looking after yourself doesn’t feel weird. Not because it’s the latest thing on social media, but because it’s something men have needed for a long time.

Long term, Simon Simoudis wants to build this idea into something bigger. A recognizable brand across Victoria. A place where men from all walks of life, tradies, teachers, executives, and students can step into a space that treats them with respect. A space that says, “You matter. You deserve this.”

And thanks to people like Simon, that conversation is finally opening up.

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More Than Just a Trim: A Revolution in Men’s Self-Respect

For decades, men’s grooming has lived in a tiny box. A haircut. Maybe a shave. If someone was feeling adventurous, a splash of aftershave and a comb-through. That was it. No one talked about skincare, relaxation, or taking time to unwind. Those things were seen as indulgent, and mostly for women.

But Simon Simoudis thinks it’s time that changed. Actually, not just “thinks”, he’s doing something about it. Based in Victoria, Australia, Simon Simoudis has spent years as a cabinetmaker, working with wood, tools, and the kind of precision that demands both skill and patience. Simon’s next chapter involves launching a men’s beautician parlour, not your average barbershop, but something more thoughtful. A space where grooming isn’t just functional, but meaningful

And he’s not talking about just another barbershop. He’s creating something far more thoughtful, a men’s beautician parlour designed specifically for modern men who are ready to take better care of themselves, inside and out.

“Most men don’t realise how much they need that kind of space until they experience it,” Simon says. “We push through stress, long hours, physical work… and we rarely pause. We don’t give ourselves that care.”

He’s right. For many men, grooming is treated like a chore, not an experience. You sit down, you get clipped, and you leave. No conversation about skin health. No space for relaxation. No moment to breathe. But Simon Simoudis wants to change that by creating a place where men can unwind, get quality care, and