HJ Reports: Phorest Salon Owners Summit – Ignite 2023

Take 500+ salon owners, a programme of inspirational speakers, fun activities and the charm of the city of Dublin and you have the Phorest Salon Owners Summit -Ignite 2023

The Phorest Salon Owners Summit had a great speaker line-up including Image Skincare founder Janna Ronert. As the #1 pro US skincare brand, Janna explained how important a cohesive team is: “Look hard at your team and if they are not with you on the journey then they will take the joy out of the experience.” She concluded: “The biggest opportunity for salon owners is around tech – so use it to drive custom.”

Recruitment was the subject of Dennis van Lierop’s talk. “A third of recruits will make a decision on a role based on your vision for their future,” said the founder of the Halo Academy Salon and Beauty. “You need to show how you will develop their talent.” According to a Gallup 2022 poll, 70% of Gen Z employees will change their employer in the next year. “Branding is your visual identity. Look at your social feed and ask yourself if your last 12 posts say who you are.”

‘Can the planet and profit co-exist?’ was a question posed by Valorie Tate of the Sustainable Beauty Co. “Implementing sustainable measures can reduce costs, create revenue and increase profitability,” she advised. She also shared stats from colour waste management company Vish that showed that 15,000,000 lbs of colour is wasted each year, with the average stylist wasting 170 bowls of colour annually. This equates to £1.19 per service – an average annually of £14,302 per salon. The responsibility on managers to ensure a non-toxic salon environment was a topic tackled by Not Another Salon founder Sophia Hilton. “Toxicity is not binary and, in the workplace, it can be demonstrated in numerous ways,” she said. Sophia explained how her team is cross-generational, with four or five different generations often working together. “From the Silent Generation to the New Alphas, team’s views can vary from ‘keep your head down’ to ‘be seen’, and from ‘work endlessly for the big goal’ to ‘have life/balance on the journey’. To me this demonstrates key differences in generational values.”

Founder of the Lions Barber Collective, Tom Chapman received a standing ovation for his work around mental health. Tom explained that our industry is ideally placed to recognise if a client is acting out of character. He advised: “When you ask ‘how are you feeling today?’, always use the client’s name and then pause. Don’t be afraid of silences - the client will fill them. You need to actively listen and not interrupt.” Tom also stressed that it is important to set boundaries to protect yourself. “Ask if they have spoken to anyone else – friends or family – you don't want to be their only pillar.”

Brand founder Liz Earle MBE explained the secrets to business success. She emphasised, “Sleep is one of your greatest business assets. Set an alarm for when you need to go to sleep, not just for when you need to wake up.” She also explained the importance of trusting your instinct when building a team. “On two key hires I based my decisions on experience and quietened my inner voice and I regret that. I call my best hires ‘vomit’ people – as in I would feel physically sick if they resigned!”

Next, best-selling author, Roxie Nafousi talked about her six-year battle with depression and becoming a manifestation expert. “There are misconceptions about manifestation being just wishful thinking,” says Roxie. “But you can’t get to where you want to be until you understand what your goals are, and how you want to feel when you achieve them.”

Reiterating the importance of soft skills, David Lynch of the Ritz Carlton Leadership Centre closed the Summit with sound advice. “There are three steps to a great service – apersonalised greeting, the anticipation of your guest’s needs and a warm goodbye.” In closing David also shared his view on the difference between satisfaction and engagement, “Engagement is wanting others to share the experience, satisfaction is expected.”