SPEAKERS
-
ALLYSON HURLEY KING
CEO & Partner
Beauty 360° Consulting -
AMEET KALLARACKAL
CEO & Co-Founder
Glammatic -
AMY PAL
Owner
Whip Salon -
BILLY DAVISON
CEO & Founder
Occipital Salon Marketing -
BRIGETTE SOBUS
Master NLP Coach
The Power and Joy Coaching Academy -
CELENE DUPUIS
CEO
Revamp Salon -
CHELLE NEFF
Founder
Urban Betty -
CHRISTINA KIRLEY
Owner
Pinup Studio -
DANIELLE ANDERSON
Head of Marketing with
Customer Success
Expertise
mya -
DANIELLE CHEREWYK
Owner
The Headroom -
DESIRRE ESCOBEDO
Owner
Lavish Hair Lounge -
ERIN KUHN BHANSALI
President & Partner
Qnity -
HEATH SMITH
VP of Global Education
Vish -
JACK PANICO
CEO & Owner
Panico Lifestyle Building -
JENNIFER ALVAREZ
CEO & Founder
Refined Beauty + Elevate Coaching -
KRISTI VALENZUELA
Co-Owner
Summit Salon Business Center -
LIA HAKIM
CEO & Founder
Hott Salons Inc -
LUCY RANDALL
COO
Spark Pro Global -
RACHEL LEWIS
Trainer
Millennium Systems International -
SHANALIE WIJESINGHE
Content Strategy Director
Boulevard -
STACEY SOBLE
Director of Brand Content Strategy
SALON TODAY &
BARBERING TODAY -
TINA ARZAVAND, ESQ, LL.M.
Managing Partner
Azarvand Tax Law -
TERRA HARVELL
CEO & Founder
Harper Ellis Hair Co. -
TOM KUHN
CEO & Founder
Qnity -
TRACEY HUGHES
Global General Manager
DermapenWorld -
WAYNE LIU
Chief Growth Officer & President of Americas
Perfect Corp.
ALLYSON HURLEY KING
Allyson Hurley King is a business builder at heart and a salon lifer by experience. She’s known for growing profitable businesses, expanding market share, and turning talented teams into confident leaders. With a reputation for seeing opportunity where others see obstacles, Allyson blends smart strategy with practical execution and creates cultures where people actually want to grow.
She is the Founder and CEO of Beauty 360° Consulting, where she partners with salons that are ready to raise the bar on performance, education, and leadership. Her philosophy is simple and proven: sales through education. Allyson believes thinking big matters, but results only happen when ideas are backed by real-world systems that teach not just the what, but the how. Her work focuses on making execution clear, repeatable, and human.
“Long-term success comes down to one a-ha moment,” Allyson says. “Everything I do is geared toward that moment when someone finally nails something they’ve struggled with. Create enough of those moments, and the sales will follow.”
With more than 30 years in the salon industry, Allyson brings rare perspective as both an operator and an executive. Her career includes Founder and CEO of Beauty 360° Consulting, Co-Owner of Hair & Co BKLYN, former President and CEO of Dessange Group North America, Vice President of Education for Clarins, and head of the salon division for ULTA Beauty and ColorWorks Salon, a division of Ratner Companies. She started as a stylist straight out of high school and later earned her American Board Certified Haircolorist designation, grounding her leadership in real chair-side experience.
Allyson is a Salon Today 200 Winner, a monthly contributor to Salon Today, and has been featured in Beauty Fashion Magazine’s Counter Culture, Salon Today’s Enterprising Women and Women of Vision, and Scholar Magazine’s Making It Personal. She’s passionate about growing people, simplifying the complex, and proving that when education clicks, everything else follows.
CEO & Partner | Beauty 360° Consulting
Ameet Kallarackal is the co-founder and CEO of Glammatic, the AI powered salon growth platform used by thousands of small business owners to streamline their work and grow their businesses. Before Glammatic, Ameet co-founded a UX research firm that advised companies such as Airbnb, Venmo, and Google and was later acquired by Harvard University. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, he was recognized for pioneering the use of AI to help thousands of restaurants survive and thrive during COVID-19—innovation he is now bringing to the beauty industry at scale.
Ameet has spoken on the main stage at Intercoiffure and at leading manufacturer and distributor events across the country. Today, he coaches salons on the practical use of AI, marketing, and operational systems—and his team is building technology that automates these work flows so salon owners can focus on growth, creativity, and meaning in their craft.
CEO & Co-Founder | Glammatic
AMEET KALLARACKAL
AMY PAL
Amy Pal is the founder of Whip Salon, a thriving beauty enterprise with six locations spanning two states and a dedicated team of over 80 employees. A driven entrepreneur, Amy was drawn to the beauty industry's potential to cultivate a powerful brand that deeply connects with clients and empowers talented stylists. Despite not being a cosmetologist herself, Amy has successfully built a platform where stylists can flourish and reach their full potential. Following the successful sale of her indoor cycling business, she launched the first Whip Salon in 2016. Under her leadership, Whip Salon has consistently achieved top ratings across its markets, a testament to its commitment to passion, continuous education, and a positive, supportive work environment.
Owner | Whip Salon
Billy Davison is the founder and CEO of Occipital Marketing, a results-driven marketing agency that helps salons and spas grow through smarter systems, intentional client journeys, and modern technology. With over a decade of experience in digital marketing, automation, SEO, and web development, Billy specializes in helping beauty businesses increase average ticket, boost retail sales, and improve client retention, without adding more pressure behind the chair.
Through Occipital Marketing, Billy and his team work with salon owners across the country to design client-focused websites, AI-driven tools, and automated touchpoints that guide guests toward the right services, products, and rebooking decisions. His approach removes the discomfort of “selling” and replaces it with education, personalization, and seamless experiences that feel natural to both the client and the service provider.
Known for his energetic and practical teaching style, Billy delivers clear, actionable strategies that can be implemented immediately, even by teams that don’t consider themselves tech-savvy. His passion lies in helping salons work smarter, create unforgettable experiences, and build loyal clients who spend more, stay longer, and keep coming back.
CEO & Founder | Occipital Salon Marketing
BILLY DAVISON
Master NLP Coach | The Power and Joy Coaching Academy
BRIGETTE SOBUS
Brigette is no stranger to owning and running a 7 figure business, her passion is to help others create a solid foundation to build their financial dreams. Only 1.7% of small businesses hit the 7 figure mark in their business. She is passionate about looking at what is stopping you from attending your dreams and building a life you love.
She is an award winning business owner of the prestigious Top 200 businesses in North America! Winning that award 13 years in a row. Acknowledged for her leadership and business growth.
She has supported business owners and leaders that were burnt out and broke, almost bankrupt, to growing their business from 30% to over 50% creating profits and taking a paycheck again. Brigette is committed to supporting others to create a rich and empowered life they love. She coaches people who are stuck and not moving to show up as a leader with confidence and maturity. Her clients go from unfulfilled, unhappy to super happy and successful, living a life they love!!
Brigette has been a business consultant with a top consulting firm for over 9 years, and holds her accreditation as a Professional Certified Coach. She is a certified executive coach with Dr. Marshall Goldsmith.
Brigette helps people see their potential and create the life they always wanted through her Power and Joy Mentorship Program. Coaching, Consulting and Mentoring is her passion.
Chelle Neff is the founder and CEO of Urban Betty, a multi-location salon brand in Austin and Round Rock, Texas. Built entirely from the ground up, Urban Betty has grown into a nationally recognized company with nearly 100 team members and a reputation for exceptional culture, creativity, and community impact.
A 4-time Inc. 5000 honoree, 5-time Austin Chronicle Best Salon winner, and Salon Today Top 200salon since 2011, Chelle is known for building a brand people genuinely connect with. Through storytelling, marketing, and intentional leadership, she has created a business that attracts loyal guests, top talent, and long-term growth without outside investors.
Founder | Urban Betty
CHELLE NEFF
Born and raised here in Raleigh, I was your typical girly girl. I loved creating my own salon and spa at home, making my mom and dad sit as I painted their nails, applied their makeup and played with their hair. As I got older, I turned to my friends as my guinea pigs. The closer to graduation I knew the path I was going to take would not be your average teenagers. Graduating high school early to attend cosmetology school jump started my life. While in cosmetology school I had a dream to open up my own salon with my dad. Although I lost my dad halfway through school I still had the mission of fulfilling our dream. After getting my feet wet and working in multiple salons, I opened my own one chair studio in 2015. For three years, I learned, grew, failed and grew some more so that I could figure out exactly the type of salon and culture I wanted to create. In December 2018,
I expanded from a one chair studio to a 10 chair salon, which was previously a male owned barbershop. After meeting with the owner, Randy, and explaining to him my love for pink, he agreed to sell it to me. Randy is still a stylist at Pinup Studio and he also now loves pink. From there we have again, learned, grew, failed and grew some more. Since our expansion we have become fully staffed, not only in salon but also adding on a freelance team to help with our bridal department. We have a staff I could only dream of with genuine people here to create magic and a safe place for everyone. A badass girl gang keeping their arms wide open to any trial that comes our way and ready to embrace everyone in our circle.
Owner | Pinup Studio
CHRISTINA KIRKEY
Danielle Anderson is a recognized industry speaker and salon leader with extensive experience guiding salon owners to growth and success. She was a 2025 L’Oréal Partnership Advantage Event presenter, appeared as a guest expert on the Beyond The Technique podcast, and participated in over 13 industry events in 2025 alone.
Formerly, Danielle was the Salon Manager of Be Inspired Salon, a multi-location, seven-figure salon brand, where she successfully doubled the brand’s locations and team size in just three years. For the past five years, she has worked alongside Kati Whitledge, Founder & CEO of mya, helping salon owners optimize their businesses, improve client retention, and implement strategies that drive profitability. Danielle combines hands-on operational expertise with actionable insights on marketing, leadership, and emerging trends like Gen Alpha clients, helping salon owners and teams thrive while staying ahead of the curve.
Head of Marketing with Customer Success Expertise | mya
DANIELLE ANDERSON
Owner | The Headroom
DANIELLE CHEREWYK
As an 11 year stylist Desirre’s experience comes from all areas of the industry. She has spent her time traveling internationally to work with celebrity stylists, teach those new to the industry & work on editorial sets. Her work has graced the cover of Modern Salon and has been seen in People Magazine after styling hair for personal friends, JD Scott & Annalee Belle.
While Desirre is grateful for the opportunities that have come her way, her favorite way to spend her time in the industry is intimately behind the chair & with her staff in class. Her goal with each person she meets is to not only provide good hair, but bring value to your life.
It is no shock that Desirre’s preferred clientele are those who are open-minded. She loves to share feedback on what she feels is suitable for your lifestyle while also encouraging you to go beyond your comfort zone. Her skill set in the salon is strictly dedicated to coloring & cutting but has no limits on the colors or shapes you enjoy.
When Desirre is not enjoying her Craft she is spending time with her husband & two young children. They enjoy traveling, snuggling their three dogs, a sunny day on a patio with a craft beer or any other outdoor activities. The simple life.
Owner | Lavish Hair Lounge
DESIRRE ESCOBEDO
Erin serves as the President/Partner of Qnity, overseeing three unique divisions: Qnity for Schools, Qnity for Businesses, and Qnity Institute. With Erin's leadership, Qnity delivers transformational education, services, and research aimed at enhancing economic empowerment within the beauty and wellness sector. Erin has spearheaded initiatives that have provided over 50,000 students across 200+ schools access to Qnity's innovative financial literacy program, MONEY EDU. Additionally, through Qnity for Business, Erin has helped hundreds of salons, spas, and medspas experience remarkable transformations in profit, growth, execution, and beyond.
Through Qnity's newest division, The Qnity Institute, Erin serves as the primary spokesperson for the Institute. Erin garners support from industry brands and presents groundbreaking findings to educate and advocate for the economic potential and reality of a career in beauty.
Beyond her responsibilities at Qnity, Erin is deeply committed to helping businesses and individuals experience greater financial empowerment. As a seasoned speaker and the host of the MONEYO2 Podcast, she features voices of financial transformation from experts and novices, from the beauty industry and beyond.
President & Partner | Qnity
ERIN KUHN BHANSALI
JACK PANICO
Jack Panico is the Owner and CEO of Panico Lifestyle Community Building, a growing ecosystem of Beauty-Medi, Health, and Wellness Enterprises. With over 40 years of experience—as a second-generation leader within a family legacy more than 65 years & 3 generations strong. Jack and family continue to adapt and evolve to the ever changing needs of the industry. The company remains dedicated to its long-standing commitment to excellence and on-going education in the beauty industry.
He is appreciated by many in the industry for his grounded leadership style. His corevalues are integrity, trust, commitment and love. Jack has earned the trust of top manufacturers, private salon owners, and industry innovators nationwide. His expertise spans business development, operational systems, brand elevation, and client experience within the professional beauty sector.
A visionary by nature and a practitioner at heart, Jack approaches growth with humility, collaboration, and a relentless focus on continuous improvement. His career reflects a blend of creative insight, strategic thinking, and a deep respect for the professionals who make the industry thrive.
Jack is also the founder of Heirs to Beauty, a salon-exclusive luxury haircare line designed to elevate the retail experience. By keeping distribution within the professional community and intentionally out of mainstream e-commerce, the line provides stylists and salon owners with products that belong uniquely to them.
CEO & Owner | Panico Lifestyle Building
JENNIFER ALVAREZ
I've been a licensed cosmetologist since 2002, a salon owner since 2016, and an educator since 2006. The Redken Exchange in NYC and Vidal Sassoon Academy in London were two incredible educational pieces of training I had the privilege to attend. In addition, I have been honored to study with several celebrity artists and business coaches and continue to be a student for life. As the Leo Passage Award's first recipient, I've won multiple photoshoot hair competitions and scholarships. From traveling the US teaching with haircare companies to being a guest artist at beauty schools and salons, my experience and mentors have inspired my multiple award-winning bridal companies and salons. My mission is to impact the beauty industry by empowering, inspiring, and educating others through my salon, podcast, Beauty Business Game-Changer, and educational workshops.
CEO & Founder | Refined Beauty + Elevate Coaching
LIA HAKIM
Lia Hakim is the founder and CEO of Hott Salons and Hott Blowdry & Beauty Lounge, a multi-location luxury beauty brand based in New York, and the visionary behind a fast-growing national franchise empowering women through business ownership. A nationally recognized salon leader, franchise founder, and leadership coach, Lia is known for building high-performing teams, elevated guest experiences, and purpose-driven beauty businesses.
Lia is a three-time Salon Today 200 Top Salon winner, and her leadership and industry impact have been featured in major outlets including Forbes, CNN, Authority Magazine, and other national beauty and business publications. She also serves as an official judge for the Marie Claire Beauty Awards, reflecting her expertise and influence within the professional beauty space.
As a breast cancer survivor, Lia’s mission has expanded to include a deeper commitment to wellness, clean beauty, and reducing toxic exposure in the products and environments experienced by both salon guests and professional teams. She is especially passionate about supporting women through life’s transitions—including perimenopause and menopause—by fostering confidence, education, and community. Lia believes the salon can be a safe, trusted space to talk openly about the changes women experience in their hair, skin, and self-confidence during this stage of life, and to offer meaningful solutions that help them feel like themselves again.
Lia also serves as a senior coach with the High Performance Salon Academy, mentoring salon owners across North America in leadership, profitability, and culture. Her work is guided by her signature philosophy: “Be Happy. Be Healthy. Be Hott.”—a belief that true beauty is rooted in well-being, empowerment, and living with purpose.
CEO & Founder | Hott Salons Inc
Lucy Randall is the COO of Spark Pro Global and the Marketing Manager for Tantrum Hair Salon, bringing over 22 years of marketing experience and six years of hands-on leadership within the beauty industry. With a background in full-service agency work, Lucy specializes in digital marketing, media strategy, and compelling copywriting that helps brands communicate with clarity and impact.
Lucy is passionate about partnering with small business owners who are driven by purpose and dedicated to their craft. She thrives on transforming their messaging into stories that resonate with the people they are meant to serve. Blending systems, automation, and AI with creativity, Lucy helps salons and beauty brands streamline their marketing, elevate their online presence, and build communities rooted in loyalty and connection.
Her approach is simple: strategic, heartfelt marketing that grows businesses and creates lasting relationships.
COO | Spark Pro Global
LUCY RANDALL
Stacey Soble has been involved in the conversation of salon business for nearly three decades—as a reporter, a consultant, and the editor-in-chief of SALON TODAY and BARBERING TODAY. In her role as a director of brand content, she develops the content for the brands’ digital, print, and social media, as well as live events. She has been responsible for growing the brand’s celebrated recognition programs — SALON TODAY 200, SALONS OF THE YEAR, and STAMP (SALON TODAY’s Annual Marketing Program). She also directs the content for Data-Driven Salon Summit, an event that brings together salon, spa, and barbershop owners to understand how data can lead to better business decisions to fuel growth and success.
Director of Brand Content Strategy | SALON TODAY &
BARBERING TODAY
STACEY SOBLE
TERRA HARVELL
CEO & Founder | Harper Ellis Hair Co.
Terra Harvell is the Founder and CEO of Harper Ellis Hair Co., a bootstrapped, multi–eight-figure luxury hair extension and stylist education brand disrupting the beauty industry as we know it. Her success in the beauty industry began in 2017 when she opened her first salon. She has now founded Strata Salon Systems™, a salon model that empowers other salon owners to create profitable, wealth-building empires without being tied to the chair. In 2019, she went on to build Harper Ellis Hair Co., a $12 million, luxury hair extension company. With a 0.2% return rate, Harper Ellis Hair Co. sets the standard for quality, always putting its customers first. In 2020, she launched Harper Ellis Education, which has helped stylists and salon owners generate over $300 million in new revenue by combining high-ticket services with effective business strategies. Her mission is simple: stylists should no longer trade all of their time for money, and salon owners deserve to scale profitable, wealth-building empires.
Tina Azarvand is the founder of Azarvand Tax Law and a recognized leader in tax law services. She has been named to the Super Lawyers: Rising Stars list for three consecutive years (2023–2025) and to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. In 2022, she received the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service Young Volunteer of the Year Award for her commitment to community service.
Prior to founding her firm, Tina worked as a tax attorney and tax manager, advising individuals and businesses on a wide range of IRS and local tax matters. She founded Azarvand Tax Law with a focus on strong client relationships, transparent pricing, and modern tax solutions.
Tina holds a Juris Doctor and an LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Baltimore School of Law, as well as a Bachelor of Science from Weber State University.
Managing Partner | Arzavand Tax Law
TINA ARZAVAND, ESQ, LL.M.
Rachel has been dedicated to education and training within the beauty industry since 2009, building a strong foundation across retail, salon, and academic environments. She began her career as a Senior Educator at Sephora before transitioning into salon leadership, where she managed multiple locations and discovered her passion for supporting and developing others through education. From 2015 to 2025, Rachel held a variety of leadership roles at a Paul Mitchell School, contributing across admissions, marketing, student support, and operations while helping shape the experience of future beauty professionals. Through Paul Mitchell Advanced Education, she also provided nationwide support for Meevo onboarding and training, assisting schools in implementing and optimizing their systems.
Trainer | Millennium Systems International
RACHEL LEWIS
Shanalie Wijesinghe is the Content Strategy Director at Boulevard and host of the Last Client of the Day podcast, where she leads educational conversations with top beauty & wellness operators on building more profitable, client-centered businesses. With more than 15 years of experience in the salon industry—including leadership roles within high-end luxury salons—Shanalie brings a deep understanding of both the operational and revenue challenges facing today’s beauty professionals. Formerly Boulevard’s Director of Education, she specializes in translating platform data and industry insights into practical frameworks that help owners improve retention and scale their businesses. In her current role, she leads content initiatives that showcase how modern technology can help self-care businesses streamline operations, increase revenue, and grow with greater confidence.
Content Strategy Director | Boulevard
SHANALIE WIJESINGHE
KRISTI VALENZUELA
Kristi is an internationally known motivational speaker and success coach specializing in treatment and retail sales, profitability through the front desk, and empowering salon owners to take control of their businesses. She has a unique gift of engaging and empowering audiences with her interactive presentation style. Her high-content programs have earned rave reviews from salon owners, service providers, and front desk team members from around the world. She is the co-owner of Summit Salon Business Center, the world’s largest salon coaching and consulting company in the salon industry.
Co-Owner | Summit Salon Business Center
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