Aesthetics attended Phorest’s Salon Owners Summit 2026, held on January 25-26 at the Royal Convention Centre in Dublin.
Marking its 10th annual summit, Phorest welcomed 750 attendees and spotlighted the unveiling of its new digital feature, the Phorest AI suite, designed to support and enhance the capabilities of clinic teams.
The conference opened with a welcome address from Phorest founder and CEO Ronan Perceval. This was followed by a keynote talk from beauty specialist and aesthetics ambassador for the British Beauty Council, Caroline Hirons, who explored the theme of online overload versus real conversations in clinic.
Hirons was followed by Heather Bagby, vice president of the Summit Salon Business Centre, who delivered a keynote on mindset, happiness and high performance. She noted how mental shifts shape workplace culture, how leadership energy is contagious and how small, intentional moments of care can have a powerful impact on both teams and patients.
Concluding the first day of the summit, anthropologist Lollie Mancey demystified AI ethics, explaining how transparent and responsible AI can enhance personalisation, efficiency and trust, while keeping human connection at the heart of the patient experience.
The first day of the conference concluded with a networking event, where delegates gathered for the Jukebox Jam, featuring a music-themed Bingo Loco experience.
Erin Kuhn Bashani, president and partner of Qnity, a financial educational programme, opened the second day of the summit. Using real salon data and case studies, Kuhn Bashani aimed to demonstrate that sustainable profitability is not achieved through cost-cutting, but by empowering teams, tracking the right metrics and growing revenue with intention.
Alongside several keynote sessions, day two also featured a programme of masterclasses and hands-on learning, with delegates exploring the salon management app PhorestGo and learning how to maximise the impact of the Phorest marketing suite – a built-in set of tools designed to help businesses plan, create, send and measure marketing campaigns.
This was followed by a talk from international keynote speaker Calvin Stovall, director of executive programs at the Advanced Leadership Institute, who emphasised the importance of purpose, authenticity, passion and consistency in building standout cultures and keeping teams engaged. The final keynote of the weekend was delivered by TV personality and activist Katie Piper, whose session focused on cultivating personal and professional resilience, overcoming challenges and maintaining a clear, focused business vision.
As the weekend concluded, Phorest announced that to accommodate the event’s rapid growth and provide a fresh, immersive experience, the Phorest Summit 2027 will move to Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland.
Perceval commented, “Our goal has always been to return the gift of time to salon, spa and clinic owners, allowing them to focus on the human connection and the artistry of the patient experience. Phorest AI isn’t just a tool; it’s an evolution in partnership. By automating admin, we empower our community to move from surviving the daily grind to truly thriving as creative entrepreneurs. The energy in the room this year was electric. Seeing our community grow this year proves that as our numbers increase, so does our ambition.”