A recap from Data-Driven 2024

And we were there, right in the mix! Our SI team had the pleasure of debuting a little special something we are pretty proud of: our SI Product Rec app

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And dare we say, all the industry people we met were excited! 

Okay, so what’s this app all about:

First and foremost - this app was designed specifically for licensed beauty professionals who are on the go, go, go, and genuinely, all they want is for  their clients to look as beautiful at home as they do in the chair. Recommending the right products as part of the service is an essential part of this goal.

• That’s why sending a Product Rec right from our app is literally as easy as 1,2,3 - okay, okay yes that phrase is a tad tired, but hear us out: it truly is three quick steps. 
  • Choose a client, select a product, text your rec.

And our Data Driven peeps were pumped. Here’s what a few of them had to say:

“So user friendly!”

“Such a game changer for busy beauty professionals”

We did find time to get to some pretty incredible sessions, too, between all of our Product Rec app convos. We love to learn - it keeps us sharp. It keeps us humble. It keeps us connected. And dang - there are so many smart, creative people in this industry. 

Here’s a few highlights:

• One of the most interesting sessions we attended dealt with AI driven salon marketing. They talked about how to create strategies and increase discoverability by considering tools like chatbots and using ChatGPT for content creation and ideation. Tim Fisk was a great speaker. This was a broader idea we heard in many sessions: don’t be afraid of trying the new tech! Advancements like AI can make life a heck of a lot easier for beauty pros who frankly, are incredibly busy
• The digital marketing session reinforced how amazing beauty pros are but offered an important reminder that cosmetology school does not teach about running a business. They had some great marketing reminders e.g. don’t try to offer every brand imaginable in-store and online, there’s no need to compete with each other, learn from each other! It may not seem like marketing, but educating about the products clients should use to maintain their look is essential to services and essential to establishing your beauty business as a leader in clients’ beauty journeys. Change content up in store and online! It can go stale fast.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, right? Don’t worry - we kicked back a bit, too. So fun to end the first day with a relaxing cocktail hour before the honoree dinner. Have you scoped out Salon Today’s Top 200? We snuck in delicious coffee breaks both days at our neighbor Phorest’s coffee bar - ummm woah surprisingly amazing coffee!

Why does attending events matter?

Let’s end with a few thoughts on why attending professional events like Data-Driven is an absolute game-changer for beauty professionals and salon owners. Sure, you can learn a lot from online tutorials and webinars; yes you can connect with people in the industry on social media; okay, you are super busy (we get it). But there's something special about being surrounded by like-minded professionals, soaking up knowledge, and bouncing ideas off each other. From networking opportunities to hands-on workshops, these events provide a unique space to connect and level up your skills, gain fresh perspectives, and reignite your passion for your craft. There are so many incredible events each year - consider finding one close to you - we promise you won’t regret it.

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