SALON SMART 2016 – DAY ONE
Salon Smart 2016 marks the tenth anniversary of the UK’s most inspirational, insightful and enjoyable hair business event. Day one of this milestone weekend got off to an electrifying start yesterday, with astounding hair presentations and supremely engaging talks from the first batch of industry speakers.
Following a rousing, celebratory introduction from Creative HEAD publisher, Catherine Handcock, Jayne Prigent from Most Wanted Best Local Salon winner Jas Hair Group kicked off the afternoon’s proceedings. Jayne went into great detail about how she went from working in the business to working on the salon business and really making an impact within the local retail landscape.
“Take action if you want to see change,” she explained. “Always remember, people don’t buy what you do as a hairdresser, they buy why you do it in your salon. You business story is the combination of your why, how and then what you do, and the strength of that story is why clients choose you.”
A Salon Smart favourite, Marcus Allen of Urban Retreat at Harrods, was second on the bill, and had the audience in the palm of his hand from the get go. He shared his recruitment and business story in a “Pulp Fiction”-style non-chronological presentation filled with eye-catching slides, relatable stories and plenty of laughs. Importantly, Marcus highlighted commonality across the hair industry – the fact that salon issue are salon issues, no matter what the size of your business. “To keep moving forward you have to always innovate,” he added. “A company that didn’t make phones shook up that industry (Apple). You have to think differently.”
After a short break and quick outfit change, the legendary Meet and Mix session began, and was abuzz with conversation (helped along by the free-flowing fizz). The new location – just outside the focal point of the weekend, the Ballroom – was flooded with delegates, eager to mingle and pick up some invaluable first-hand advice. The branding king turned hair education pioneer Lee Stafford held court at one table, dispensing tips on everything from training to product line development, while expert business coach Ken West from 365 Hair talked boosting takings with another captive group.
Abby and Carly Whittaker were on hand to provide insight into the world of brand diversification, as well as the ever-increasing demand for both budget and luxury services. Marcus Allen completed the speaker line-up and fielded questions about how to effectively market your salon, how to recruit the right people for your business and just what it means to balance budget restrictions and the drive to increase revenue.
Guests soon headed back to the Ballroom for dinner, but were first treated to an astounding, bristling show by Shane Bennett for Goldwell, packed full of drama, spiky punk textures and dark, punchy, technically accomplished styles. Models served pure attitude as they paraded along the front of the stage, giving attendees the chance to admire the sharply detailed and beautifully accessorised creations up close.
After three delectable courses, it was time for the final session of the day: an intimate and honest look back at the epic styling career of Percy and Reed’s Adam Reed. The reigning Most Wanted Hair Icon chatted openly with Creative HEAD publisher Catherine Handcock, doling out anecdotal advice as he walked the audience through his journey from Charles Worthington salon junior to the very forefront of the industry. Throughout, guests also witnessed his astounding skill (and wit!), as he showed off a series of personal snaps and key model looks that covered past inspirations as well as his current portfolio.
As talk turned to the future, delegates were offered an exclusive peek at the new collection from Percy & Reed – Ultra. With one final on-stage flourish, the entire model line up stood alongside the man himself for a passionate and genuinely appreciative standing ovation.