Beaty Industry Gathers for Phorest Salon Owners Summit 2025

The Phorest 2025 Salon Owner Summit, held at the Royal Convention Center in Dublin, Ireland, was an overwhelming success, setting new records and exceeding expectations. With over 650 attendees, the Summit marked its largest turnout to date, cementing its place as the premier event for salon owners and industry professionals across the globe. 

The Summit featured an exceptional lineup of speakers, all leaders both in and outside of the salon and beauty and medspa industry, who shared invaluable insights and actionable strategies. From innovative trends and marketing tactics to personal development and business growth, the sessions offered something for everyone in attendance.

Here’s what Phorest’s clients and the CEO had to say about this year’s event:

The Salon Owners Summit was an incredible experience—insightful, inspiring, and a brilliant opportunity to grow both personally and as a team. Having my team there made it even more meaningful, and the sessions on motivation and mindset were truly invaluable. Phorest’s ethos aligns so well with our values at The Farmhouse Sanctuary, and I’m already looking forward to 2026! Naomi Cartwright, Founder and Owner of The Farmhouse Sanctuary

“We’re thrilled with the success of this year’s Summit,” said Ronan Perceval, CEO, Phorest Salon Software. “The energy in the room was palpable, and it’s clear that the community we’ve built over the years is stronger than ever. Our attendees were engaged, motivated, and ready to take their businesses to the next level. Our theme this year was ELEVATE; from our keynote speakers, to our workshops, and Phorest teams future features shared exclusively with our guests, this weekend ensured we are supporting our customers with the tools they require to elevate their business in 2025.”

This year's Summit saw an incredible display of community spirit, bringing together a diverse group of salon owners, industry leaders, and innovators. The event was an extraordinary opportunity for attendees to connect, learn, and grow together in an atmosphere charged with inspiration and excitement. The lineup of speakers inspired and excited the audience with take-home business advice, including: 

Ronan Harrington, a resilience expert, discussed cultivating high-performance salons while preventing burnout. He emphasised balancing stress and recovery for sustained energy and success. Ronan stressed that resilience is rooted in self-compassion and purpose, not endurance. His takeaway: create emotional connections with clients to build trust and ensure lasting impressions.

Breaking Barriers: Panelists Winnie Awa, Dija Ayodele, Keya Neal, and Tendai Moyo addressed the need for diversity and inclusion in beauty. They highlighted the UK's lag in textured hair education and stressed the importance of integrating diversity into training, investing in Black beauty, and making inclusivity a core business strategy.

Ken Hughes, a consumer behaviour expert, discussed how customer experience (CX) drives brand success. He emphasised creating emotional connections and fostering loyalty by focusing on authenticity, intimacy, and belonging. Ken urged businesses to invest in staff experience to build a loyal community, focusing on meaningful, delightful customer interactions.

Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, a social entrepreneur and computer scientist, explored AI's role in shaping the future of work, stressing curiosity and diversity as key drivers of innovation. She discussed how underrepresentation in tech leads to biased, unsafe outcomes, emphasising the importance of inclusive perspectives. Dr Imafidon encouraged embracing AI for empowerment, wellbeing and inclusivity.

Peigin Crowley, founder of GROUND Wellbeing, shared strategies for managing burnout. Drawing from her massage therapy background, she discussed balancing stress and emotional well-being. Peigin highlighted the importance of intuition, using grounding techniques, and fostering resilience. She stressed that maintaining a healthy work-life balance is key for sustainable growth.

Daniel Mason-Jones, celebrity stylist and mental health advocate, discussed building healthy salon teams. He focused on the importance of addressing mental health, especially for leaders, and fostering open communication. Daniel stressed empathy, setting boundaries, and supporting Gen Z, outlining how compassionate leadership contributes to a thriving salon culture.

Kati Whitledge, founder of mya, highlighted how marketing is key to attracting and retaining clients. She compared marketing to a romantic relationship, focusing on communication, connection, and understanding. Kati stressed the importance of strong SEO, lead generation, and nurturing client relationships through consistent engagement to build trust and long-term loyalty.

The two-day programme also consisted of workshops with Michael Yost, President of Strategies, to help you lock your business potential.  Ryan Power, co-founder of Salonology, shared insights into breakthrough formulas for personal and professional success.  Alongside Phorest Senior Talent Acquisition Partner, Áine Solon, sharing her thoughts on mastering recruitment for salon success. Whilst the Phorest team also hosted a workshop focusing on Medi-Aesthetics Software Developments that will help understand salon owner challenges and build tailored solutions.

Salon owners also had exclusive insights from the Phorest team about forthcoming Phorest features that will be rolled out in 2025 to help elevate their business. Guests also had a good craic at the networking events, including the energetic and entertaining Bingo Lingo game and dance event, a VIP dinner, walking tour of Dublin, and closing Summit drinks night. 

“We’re also grateful to our amazing partners, including Vish, Dermalogica, and Mya, who helped make this event a truly special experience for all involved,” said Ronan. “Their support helped create a fantastic environment that encouraged collaboration and growth. We can’t wait to welcome more salon owners and professionals to Dublin for another incredible experience in 2026,” concluded Ronan. 

Looking ahead, the Salon Owners Summit is already preparing for its next edition. Tickets are now on sale and already selling fast. The 2026 event is confirmed for 25th-26th January 2026, returning to the Royal Convention Centre in Dublin. With limited capacity, we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment: www.salonownersummit.com/tickets