The REALtalk Business Forum will be back in 2023, once again returning to Hair Festival over the June long weekend to inspire on stage and leave you thinking and changing after the fact.
The REALtalk series was launched in 2019, over a full day that put leadership, growth and salon business topics right at the forefront, with a sophomore outing then presented at the inaugural Hair Festival 2022 event. 2023 promises to elevate on this discourse with panels and keynote speakers to motivate you as a leader, business owner and hairdresser in every sense.
In 2023, the four-hour morning program – from 9:30am to 1:30pm on Sunday June 11 – will be back at Carriageworks, the home of Hair Festival. Like the years before it, these sessions promise hours of engagement, connection and vital salon-specific lessons, with authentic conversations that help you gain ideas and evolve in your salon business. The event will include morning tea and conclude with a buffet lunch. An overarching theme of a new horizon for business owners will tie in topics pertaining to all areas of the salon.
The sessions will tackle key topics that centre on valuing your work, the power of education, harnessing and maximising in salon technology, addressing mental health and why this is vital in the salon, as well as lessons in facing and engaging with the global community. Hearing from industry leaders with a wealth of experience across salon leadership, hair and business education and brand management will showcase these significant topics from various angles.
Within these topics, you can get up close and personal with inspiring industry leaders who can encourage and lead you to taking your business to the next level. In 2023, these experts will include celebrated salon owner of PALOMA Salon and industry pioneer Paloma Garcia, educator, business director and owner of the famed WILLOMINA salon, Chris Hunter, world-renowned education institute Pivot Point’s General Manager, Jane Barrett, Founder and Director of business coaching phenomenon The ZING Project, Lisa Conway, and Stephanie Mason, Director and Founder of thriving global brand Showpony Hair Extensions. More panel representatives and keynote speakers are soon to be announced, as well.
At REALtalk 2022, five panel presentations alongside keynote speaker presentations from MC Terry Hawkins, Phill Nosworthy and Australian Hairdressing Council CEO Sandy Chong discussed the state of the industry, leadership, customer service, technology and a continuous thread and focus on sustainability. Attendees learnt about how they can contribute to sustainable practices and why they should, how to attract staff, creating your salon branding and culture and communicating with clients, alongside broader goal building insights and so much more.
REALtalk will take place alongside all the other festivities to come over Sunday and Monday of the June long weekend at Hair Festival. Look out for the unmissable Education Sessions, which will fill the halls with an array of leading educators and brands evolving business know-how and delving into creative mastery. Next, the Hair Festival MarketPlace will put installations on the festival floor, so you can discover the latest must-have gadgets, products, business aids, salon staples and beyond. The MarketPlace maze of hair innovations is entirely free to enter.
Hair Festival extends from these learning opportunities and MarketPlace focuses to the Hair Festival competitions, which test the skills of hairdressers in categories ranging from editorial to colour, men’s hair and teamwork. The Hair Festival Wonderland will also return, hosted again at the Australian Maritime Museum, with a myriad of live installations and entertainment highlights, not to mention food, treats and an open bar to bring the party to the weekend.
“We’re so excited to bring you the second edition of Hair Festival and this year is going to be even bigger and better than the last, with more brands, more trends and more fun,” said Craig Hawtin-Butcher, Managing Director of INSTYLE and Styleicons.com.au. “If you had a great time at Hair Festival, just wait until you see what our team is creating for 2023. Ultimately, if you’re in the hair industry and want to grow your skills, be at the forefront of the latest trends or simply connect and network with your peers, then you can’t miss Hair Festival 2023.”
Tickets for Hair Festival 2023 are already available. You can purchase each individual component, such as gaining access to REALtalk, Wonderland or the Festival Education – in individual Sessions or with a more all-encompassing pass. Otherwise, invest in the All Access Pass, which gives you free reign over the entire event. Remember, the MarketPlace is free to enter, so register now!
Plan your Hair Festival weekend with REALtalk at the start as the ideal diving off point for the insights, fun, networking opportunities and growth possibilities that exude from every corner of Hair Festival. We’ll see you in the room for a morning that’s not to be missed.
For more information visit www.hairfestival.com.au
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