REACHING THE SUMMIT

More than 600 delegates from Ireland, the UK and the US attended the eighth Phorest Salon Owners Summit in Dublin in Janaury

Irish-founded salon management software company Phorest welcomed more than 600 delegates from Ireland, the UK, the US and even further afield to its annual conference in Dublin on 7-8 January 2024.

Under the theme Elevate, the event featured two days of networking, education and more, as it hosted a diverse speaker line-up to help business owners set goals for the year ahead.

Following a welcome speech from Phorest founder and CEO Ronan Perceval, and an update on the brand’s ESG Phorest Forest initiatives, researcher David Meade took the floor. Focusing on ‘growth mindset’, Meade shared techniques for influencing your customers’ or team’s decision-making – for example, did you know you’re 300% more likely to get a ‘yes’ if you list the option you want someone to choose as number three in a series of options?

Sharmadean Reid, founder of Wah Nails and women’s empowerment platform The Stack World, spoke about how to create client personas that genuinely help build your business. Focus on real people as a template so you can see how they grow and adapt, she advised, suggesting salons should write a mini essay in the client notes, covering their passions, aspirations and heroes.

“You can do this by researching them,” she explained. “I always used to say to my team at Wah, if you had the same intention stalking your clients the way you stalk that guy you want to date, you could be selling way more.” She added that most customers are driven by one of three things – achievement, belonging or power.

Other speakers included US-based hairdresser Geno Stampora and salon mentor Nina Tulio, as well as a broad selection of the Phorest team, who shared updates to the platform, including a referrals function, an automated wait list and an improved appointment booking screen.

Founded in Dublin in 2004, Phorest is celebrting its 20th anniversary this year. “The Salon Owners Summit represents everything we are truly passionate about at Phorest, and reinforces why I fell in love with this industry 20 years ago,” said Perceval. “ It was electric to have our customers, partners and industry speakers in one room, celebrating, sharing and networking together.

“We also invited over 100 members of our own Phorest team to be at the event, immersing themselves in the experience, spending quality time with our customers, and soaking up valuable customer insights, needs and ambitions for 2024.

“This event celebrated the courage and camaraderie of this industry. I am so proud of what we have achieved collectively to date, and excited for what’s still to come.”