Mr McLeod has opened up Straight Lines in the Winners’ Walkway Arcade off Brisbane St, after driving trucks for 12 years.

Prior to life as a truck driver, Mr McLeod completed his hairdressing apprenticeship at the same salon from 1992 to 1997.

He then moved to Sydney and worked as a hairdresser, returned to Tamworth and worked at Colour By Numbers.

His father-in-law then told him of the money that could be made in truck driving, so he did a career u-turn and started driving for Carey’s Freightlines. “I didn’t tell many people I was a hairdresser,” he said.

“I kept it to myself, although my friends knew. Gavin Sutton used to call me ‘Benny the Barber’ and I kept cutting hair on weekends.” 

While driving trucks he also worked as a labourer in Queensland and a landscape gardener, before returning to Tamworth and getting back into hairdressing after his cousin told him of a salon for sale.

“My wife kept saying I should consider it,” Mr McLeod said.

“Then this salon came up for lease and I thought it was ironic that it was where I did my apprenticeship and so I opened Straight Lines.” 

Straight Lines is somewhat of a reference to the many kilometres that Mr McLeod 

travelled as a truckie, but also because he didn’t want to make the salon too “girlie”.

“I wanted to be a bit more me,” he said.

“I love hairdressing for the beauty of being able to open my own business. 

“It’s just the freedom and creativity and working with people. I spent too long sitting in a white box talking to myself.”