MEET the speakers

Salon & Spa Owners’ Convention

The first Salon & Spa Owners’ Convention North will take place as part of the Professional Beauty North show in October. With the theme: The salon of the future, the two-day programme will arm you with the tools you need to futureproof your business by staying ahead of the trends in customer spending, technology, product development, marketing and retail. The conference will host a huge range of panel discussions and individual speakers.

Hellen Ward is managing director of Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa in London and has also been a regular Professional Beauty columnist for several years, sharing her industry knowledge and no-nonsense advice on every aspect of running a salon business in today’s competitive market.

With a client list including London socialites, celebs and even royalty, Ward is well versed in both the hottest trends shaping the market and the highest levels of customer service needed to make an impression. Hear her industry keynote on The trends set to shape your salon or spa in 2018 and beyond at 10.40am on Sunday, October 22.

Tamsin Koslowski is owner of NAF Salon in Glasgow, the go-to nail destination for switched-on bloggers, influencers and celebs. She’s also the founder of cult nail decal brand DIY Nails.

NAF has racked up extensive press coverage on its standout design and bang-on-trend nail art, which has been due in no small part to the enviable social media skills of Koslowski, who has also spearheaded marketing initiatives such as a pop-up in the Glasgow branch of Debenhams. Learn her top tips during the panel: The new wave of social media: measuring success and understanding every platform at 3.15pm on Monday, October 23.

Victoria Rickett is spa manager at the renowned Darlington spa Rockliffe Hall. Along with the spa operations manager, Rickett oversees a team of 50 staff, from therapists, to receptionists and the gym team. Having previously run her own salon, Rickett understands the pressures of managing teams of all sizes, comprising staff from all backgrounds, age groups and personality types. She will be speaking as part of the panel: The changing face of your salon team: engaging millennials, developing leaders at 3pm on Sunday, October 22.

Lisa Shepherd is a celebrity hair colourist and owner of Lisa Shepherd salon. You may recognise Shepherd from her role on Channel 4 show 10 Years Younger.

She now runs a destination salon in Kidderminster and welcomes numerous high-profile clients through the doors. Having recently relaunched with huge success, her knowledge of branding is second to none. Put your questions to her during the panel: How to stand out in an increasingly crowded market: the growing importance of branding at 11.20am on Sunday, October 22.

These are just a few of the speakers you can learn from and exchange ideas with during the Salon & Spa Owners’ Convention at Manchester Central on October 22–23. For the full programme and to secure your ticket, see professionalbeauty.co.uk/convention