It's hard to believe that Premiere Orlando 2026 was only a month ago, but the experience is still buzzing within the beauty industry. The biggest takeaways were the connections made, the conversations, and the expanding community that resulted from the events.
Booksy kicked off the weekend with its Big Top Event, welcoming barbers, hairstylists, creators, educators, and industry leaders to its annual brand party. The lively evening was dedicated to celebrating the people shaping the future of beauty and barbering while showcasing a growing industry shift.
Booksy’s Big Top Event hosted guests in a vibrant, circus-inspired venue with thoughtfully curated activations including custom fragrance experiences, a caviar bar, and photo booths.
It's no secret that beauty and barber professionals are increasingly operating as entrepreneurs, educators, content creators, and personal brands, in addition to providing services behind the chair. While technology continues to transform business operations, beauty services and barbering remain fundamentally a human profession built on trust, creativity, confidence, and connection.
The event served as a platform to highlight how this technology can support—not replace—the professionals driving the industry forward.
"Technology can simplify operations, but it can never replace the creativity, culture, and personal connections that professionals create with their clients every day," says Gus Murillo, Director, Global Creative & Community at Booksy
Beyond efficiency, attendees discussed how those time savings translate into opportunities for growth, education, creativity, and personal well-being. The evening also featured stories of Booksy ambassadors whose careers reflect the changing landscape of modern beauty and barbering:
Who You Missed
- Joel Torres, an internationally recognized hairstylist and educator, shared how simplifying business operations has allowed him to focus on traveling, teaching, and inspiring professionals around the world.
- Timmel Horne shares the story of his journey from managing appointments through direct messages and phone calls to building a business that extends beyond barbering into podcasting, education, and personal brand development.
- Lonnie Horne broke down how to leverage technology to create operational consistency, enabling him to pursue additional entrepreneurial ventures while continuing to grow his influence within the industry.
- Mr. Official, a respected figure in barber culture, reflected on the evolution of barbering from traditional shop management to modern entrepreneurship, while maintaining the strong sense of identity and community that has always defined the profession.
As the industry continues to evolve, Booksy remains focused on helping professionals spend less time managing administrative tasks and more time building businesses, careers, and communities.
