Check in, take photos at the step-and-repeat, and grab your seat for the VIP Session led by Dana Fountain, Beauty Platform Creator/She-E-O, Pin Me Up Chicago/Your Beauty Blueprint.

This is your opportunity to take control of your life and turn your business and revenue dreams into reality. You’ll gain the clarity and confidence needed to launch, run, and manage your beauty business by the numbers.

A hands-on approach to defining your individual beauty career goals, creating a step-by-step plan to grow your business, and build YOUR ideal beauty career. You will handcraft your unique service offerings, charge appropriately for your experience and expertise, and generate (and manage) the revenue you desire. In the next 50 minutes and with your copy of Your Beauty Blue Print you will start to draft your plan, understand your break-even point, project your revenue goals, use real metrics to make calculated decisions, optimize your systems for bookkeeping and taxes, and truly learn and understand how to run your business by the numbers.

After this workshop, my goal is to equip you with some basic business-building exercises, tools, and resources to help you draft and create YOUR BEAUTY BLUEPRINT. Every single professional's beauty blueprint is unique and has different core values, goals, and experiences.

Check in, take photos at the step-and-repeat, and grab your seat before the day gets started!

Robert & Sammi from Hairdresser Strong kick things off with a warm welcome, a preview of the day, and a look at the exciting new ways we’re supporting stylists, shop owners, and students across the DMV.

Join Herson Bautista, CEO of the DC Barber Expo and Owner of Heritage Barber & Co., and Robert Hughes, Founder of HairdresserStrong, for a Fireside Chat about what it takes to grow a thriving local industry. We’re talking connection, collaboration, and how showing up for each other moves us all forward.

Fuel up, mingle, and make real connections. Whether you’re reconnecting with friends or meeting your next business bestie, this is your chance to relax, take some pictures, sip something bubbly, and talk shop with fellow pros.

Building a business starts with grounding yourself. Wafaya Abdallah, Owner of Oasis Curl Salon, will share a short talk on mindfulness, then guide you through a calming, clarity-boosting meditation.

Fluctuating income? Big financial goals? Not sure where to start?
In this interactive session, our financial experts—Cindy Sentelle, CPA MST, President of Sentelle Corporate Solutions, LLC, and Nicole C. Carson, CFP®, MBA, Owner & Financial Planner at 2nd Story Wealth Planners—are here to answer your most pressing money questions!

We’re talking:
🔹 How to budget and build an emergency fund with variable income
🔹 How to prep financially for slower seasons or a potential recession
🔹 What to do before taking financial risks or making big investments
🔹 Business budgeting strategies that fuel growth and stability
🔹 Money habits of high-net-worth individuals—and how to adopt them

Whether you're building your foundation or leveling up, this is your chance to get real answers and take control of your financial future.

Nicole C. Carson, CFP®, MBA, Owner & Financial Planner at 2nd Story Wealth Planners will lead this workshop. During her workshop, you will:
✅ Learn the basics of investing (minus the jargon)
✅ Take a risk tolerance quiz and get support understanding your results
✅ Interactive case study where you’ll build a sample portfolio
✅ Walk away with tangible tips to start investing with purpose

Meet our incredible sponsors and partners, get your hands on exclusive offers + resources, and take part in surprise activities designed to spark ideas and connection. You never know what you’ll walk away with—but trust us, it’s good.

What does it take to grow a business in a world that keeps changing? In this unfiltered conversation, we’re digging into what’s shifting in the industry—from consumer behavior to business models to economic pressure—and how to stay ready for what’s next.

We’ll explore what exceptional customer experience looks like in 2025, how to build a resilient business even when things feel unpredictable, and how to make smart financial and strategic decisions that support long-term growth. Whether you’re leading a team, working solo, or just starting out, this session will help you cut through the noise, navigate uncertainty with confidence, and future-proof the business you’re building.

Before we wrap, we’re giving away some big-ticket goodies from our amazing sponsors—and don’t worry, everyone leaves with an epic swag bag. It’s our way of saying thank you (and sending you home with some gems).