SMARTER GROWTH in 2026

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SMARTER GROWTH in 2026

The Salon Growth Summit delivered practical insight and meaningful networking, with professional brands on hand to reveal the latest products and trends that will take your business to the next level

With leading brands including GLOWWA, Luxury Extensions, REF Stockholm, Timely, Treatwell, Wella Professionals, Zen Luxury Extensions, and more in attendance, Salon Growth Summit focused on building strong business connections, networking with like-minded individuals, and gaining new skills to help achieve success in 2026 and beyond.

Profit, positioning and partnership Pricing, retail, tech and trends were under the spotlight at the Salon Growth Summit, with panelists urging owners to lead with confidence. On pricing, Andrea Dorata, owner of Dorata Marlow, noted that because many hairdressers see themselves as artists, conversations around pricing can feel uncomfortable. However, he stressed that when setting your salon prices, you must look at the numbers first and the emotions second.

Meanwhile, when it came to the challenges of retailing, particularly when competing with online discounts, Patrick Gildea, owner of Patrick Gildea Hairdressing & Beauty, emphasised that knowledge builds trust. “Consumers aren’t silly – they know when you’re trying to pull the wool over their eyes,” he shared. “It becomes obvious if you or your team are forcing a sale and can’t clearly explain how a product works or how it benefits them personally.”

When conversations turned to KPIs, award-winning salon owner Michael Van Clarke warned against drowning in data and instead highlighted the four metrics he chooses to pay close attention to: revenue, rebooking rate, retail sales and new client requests.

Fergal Doyle, owner of Fergal Doyle Hair highlighted how AI can enhance, not replace, personal service. From logging client preferences to prompting reminders ahead of appointments, it can help stylists to stay fully present.

Other key topics included future-proofing your business and the services that pay in 2026. However, perhaps the most popular panel of the weekend centred on social media. When asked about the biggest mistakes businesses make on social media, Rob Wood, founder and creative director of Novo Cabelo, replied: “Following trends (whether that's the latest dance or meme) even if it doesn’t align with your business identity.”

Francesca Otote, co-founder of Catus Laser Clinic, agreed, adding: “Sometimes people think that trends will equate to bookings. Trends can be great for exposure and awareness, but they don’t necessarily lead to sales, so that’s something to watch out for.”

Meanwhile, Josh Lamonaca, co-founder of Menspire, suggested that another key mistake businesses make when it comes to social media is feeling unworthy of posting in the first place, urging attendees to trust in their abilities.

“IT’S NICE TO CONNECT AND CHAT NOT JUST WITH FELLOW PROFESSIONALS, BUT TO GET FACE-TO-FACE TIME WITH BRANDS, TOO.”

ZOË REES, OWNER OF BLISS HAIR THERAPY

“WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO GET MORE INTIMATE WITH CLIENTS AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THEIR NEEDS AS BUSINESSES, SO THAT’S BEEN REALLY POSITIVE. WE’VE SPOKEN TO SO MANY PEOPLE, SOME BEYOND OUR NORMAL TARGET AUDIENCE, SO IT’S BEEN GREAT TO BUILD NEW CONNECTIONS”

SAMANTHA FOO, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT ZEN LUXURY EXTENSIONS

“THE OPENNESS IN THE ROOM, THE HONESTY AROUND THE REALITIES OF GROWTH, AND THE FOCUS ON OPERATIONAL LEADERSHIP RATHER THAN SURFACE-LEVEL MOTIVATION FELT REFRESHING AND ALIGNED WITH THE DIRECTION OUR INDUSTRY NEEDS TO MOVE IN.”

AMI COUTTS, OWNER OF HALO HAIR DESIGN IN BASINGSTOKE