.jpg)
The Glasgow Regional Growth Summit took place at The Briggait in Glasgow on Monday 27 April.
Designed for salon and clinic founders, owners and managers, the event focused on building strong business connections with leading brands, networking with like-minded professionals, and gaining new skills to support success in 2026 and beyond.
Commenting on the event, Jayne Austin, business manager UK, Matis Paris, said, “The footfall was great and the venue was beautiful. We met some really lovely salon owners from hairdressing, beauty and aesthetics. It’s always nice chatting to people about what we're doing and how Matis is evolving with businesses. When events are a little bit smaller, you get a more intimate experience, so you’re able to spend time with everybody and answer their questions.”
Bronwyn Miscia, for Zemits, added, “This first Regional Growth Summit has been amazing. We've had great engagement, insightful questions and valuable conversations. There’s been lots of interest from both new and existing businesses looking at different machines and exploring their options.”
Frank McGraw, product manager Scotland, North East & NI, Dermapenworld, noted, “Having regional events makes it easier for people. We have to remember it’s real life – people have children, their own businesses, and time and money are tight, so not everyone can travel to London. Glasgow is an amazing place to hold an event like this.”
Jade Hayter, owner, The 145 Collective and founder of Jade Hayter, said, “The Regional Growth Summit in Glasgow was great. The panels were really informative, featuring a good mix of speakers covering different aspects and opinions. Having information like this in a laid-back setting is imperative for business growth, as you can take small things away from each speaker.”
Sammy MacDonald, multi-business owner, coach and session nail tech, reflected, “There’s not a lot in Scotland for business owners and industry professionals to come together, so this has been a great opportunity. It’s also a much more intimate setting than some events, which makes it great for networking and having meaningful conversations you can really take value from.”
If you didn’t get the chance to attend, here’s a rundown of what you missed on the main stage…
Glasgow Regional Growth Summit – Monday 27 April
Stop chasing busy: The KPIs that make salons truly profitable
Gillian McGraffin, director of spa Cameron House; Lilac Miller, salon growth coach and director of Sleeping Beauty Salons; and Brian “Leo” McCallum, creative director of ROAR Hair & Beauty, discussed which numbers matter most and how to use data to make confident decisions on pricing, staffing and growth.
Chairing the panel, Professional Beauty editor Eve Oxberry highlighted the number of KPIs available to track, asking panellists which single metric they monitor most closely.
Miller said, “We’ve got quite a few locations and a large team, so for me the crucial one is utilisation. If we’ve got too much white space, every hour is costing us. We equate an hour to about £55, so if you're looking at hundreds of empty hours across the week, that’s a massive cost.”
McCallum added, “For me, it’s the rebooking rate. If that drops, it can signal issues with the client experience or follow-up. As rebooking helps future-proof your business, it’s really important.”
McGraffin explained, “The KPI I monitor most closely is growth rate, which also ties into space utilisation. If we have an empty treatment room, we can consider introducing touchless wellness therapies that generate revenue without requiring a therapist.”
Empower your team to deliver: Building structure, progression and loyalty
Jenny Storey, owner of Urban Retreat and The Academy; Fiona Jackson, founder of the RISE programme and owner of DIVA Salon; Alex Thaddeus, stylist and owner of Alex Thaddeus Hairdressing; and Wil Fleeson, founder of Trichology Scotland and co-founder of Root Cause Clinical, discussed how to set expectations, create career pathways and build team loyalty.
Fleeson said, “Inclusiveness and autonomy are key, and that ethos has worked well for us. Our team feel involved in decision-making, both as a salon and as a group, and we also give them more control over their working hours, goals and development plans.”
Jackson added, “Empowering your team also means giving them the training and tools they need to deliver the services you're asking for. It’s about giving them permission to grow, step outside their comfort zone, make decisions and also make mistakes – none of us are perfect, and that’s okay.”
Sheryl Findlay: Accelerating Your Ambition
In the first of our keynote sessions for the day, Sheryl Findlay, an international life and business coach, speaker, and entrepreneur with 18 years’ global experience in marketing and branding, explored skills to help sharpen focus, build a winning mindset and challenge limiting beliefs.
Jo Simpson: Profit Is Not a Dirty Word - Profit Gives You Freedom
In the second of our keynote sessions, Jo Simpson, a profit strategist, accountant, and business owner, explored why profit matters more than you think – and what taking action today really looks like.
From posts to profit: social media and marketing that works for salons
Gemma Donaldson, owner of All Things Beauty salon; Sammy MacDonald, business coach, multi-business owner and Scottish educator for OPI; and Jade Hayter, hairdresser, educator & founder of The 145 Collective, explored how to create high impact content that converts followers into clients.
Discussing her approach to social media, Hayter explained, “I think it’s great to keep your private life private, but still show who you are, show your face on your socials – because people buy into people.”
Discussing social media trends – particularly comedy skits and dances – MacDonald shared, “It might be funny, it might get the views, it might get the engagement, but that client isn’t looking at it thinking, ‘I want to visit that salon’.”
Charge smarter, sell better: Service pricing & retail strategies
Kerri-Ann Bruce, skills mentor and owner of Waxed Aesthetics; Sheona Will, owner of Bloom Group Salons; and Ross Miller, director of Renella Salon Falkirk and MTA Hair Education, explored how salon owners can price services with confidence and position retail more effectively in their businesses.
Will said, “One of the biggest mistakes I made was comparing my pricing to nearby salons. That’s the wrong way to judge it because everyone’s costs are different. You need to base your pricing on your own numbers. I work with a service price per minute to ensure costs are covered. There has to be a balance with the marketplace, which we manage through pricing levels. The lower levels might not always meet that target, but the higher levels do – and that balance is something I’ve learned over the years.”
