Education Excursion

Jan 19th, 2017

There’s something to be said about an intimate educational experience. For three days, an elite group of salon owners soaked up top-notch business education at the Luxury Brand Partners (LBP) Education Excursion in Half Moon Bay, California. Held at the swank Ritz-Carlton, salon pros gleaned insight from top LBP executives on topics ranging from growing pains to future technologies. Highlights included a taped interview of Moss Kadey, chairman of LBP, who detailed the company’s origin story as a lesson on entrepreneurship. Other top execs, including co-president Daniel Kaner, group president Reuben Carranza and SVP of brand development Elizabeth Maul, further enlightened guests on ways to avoid business pitfalls and achieve even greater salon success. Additionally, Lyndsey Bardnell, VP of strategic projects and industry development, announced the beginning of the EmpowHERment Project, a series of gatherings, networking opportunities and mentorship programs that help promote the empowerment, equal infl uence and leadership of the hair industry’s top women. “Our industry is made up of 82 percent women and yet the spotlight, recognition and compensation remains focused on a small group of predominantly men,” Bardnell says, explaining that the movement aims to change that. Additionally, president/CEO Tevya Finger gave a moving presentation of the company’s turbulent beginnings—“We were launching a luxury line in the throes of the worst recession in decades!” he exclaimed—and how he and the team navigated the choppy waters thanks to lessons learned from 19th- century explorer and adventurer Ernest Shackleton. The event culminated with a rousing presentation from Kien Hoang, who recreated some of his favorite runway looks. After all, what would a salon event be without a hair presentation? “Thank you to all for such an inspiring event,” says attendee Melissa Beal from Charbon Salon in Seattle. “You all had so much great insight and strengths to share.” —AMY DODDS