Tyler Kelbert and Dayna Gamba: Depot North America and What a Real Brand Relationship Looks Like
Some brands want your following. This one wants you.
Recorded live at ABS Chicago with co-host Geno Chapman, Corey sits down with barbers Tyler Kelbert and Dayna Gamba, two of the newest additions to the Depot North America team. The conversation covers what drew them to the brand, what the product has been like behind the chair, and why Depot's culture feels different from anything else in the barber space. Tyler tells the story of doing 365 consecutive days of content twice. Dayna talks about using her chair to quietly change lives. Two barbers. Two ways of showing up. Both doing it right.
What Is Depot
Depot is an established European men's grooming brand covering scalp health, hair, skin, body, and scent. The US launch is building deliberately. Products are organized by numbers: pre-wash in the 100s, washing in the 200s, styling in the 300s. Tyler's go-to is the 304, a strong-hold product that holds all day. Dayna's clients are already asking to cocktail products and wanting more. Distribution is still being worked out but the demand is there.
The Culture Is the Product
Depot does not require influencer status. No follower count minimum. They want authentic artists who are good at what they do. Corey and Geno, who spent time with the Depot and Milkshake teams in Ibiza, came away with the same read: family, not a hair brand. Tyler put it plainly... if you're a good barber and you're not a dickhead, there's probably a home for you here.
What Dayna Brought to the Room
Tyler called out Dayna's positivity as one of his biggest takeaways. She'd flip a negative into something constructive without missing a beat. Contagious. Twenty-three years in the industry, time with Orbe and Davines, and a genuine belief that Depot fills gaps the barber space has been missing. She also runs a charity raffle out of her salon. The prize is free haircuts for a full year. Tickets run $20 to $50 and every dollar goes to a family in need. Quiet generosity. No big following required.
Tyler's 365 Days of Content... Twice
First run was great for his career and rough on everything else. The second time he came in with a plan, used AI for content ideas, built variety across tutorials, education, humor, and unboxings, and thought about it from the consumer side first. He also brought a carry-on full of outfit changes to the salon every day. His coworkers thought he was out of his mind. Eventually he figured out nobody's watching that closely. It was always about the content.
Depot is actively building its US team. Real artists. No ego. Throw your hat in.
