SAIAN operations manager Dasha Saian (left) and DAYSPA assistant editor Angela Melero (right)SAIAN operations manager Dasha Saian (left) and DAYSPA assistant editor Angela Melero (right)
DAYSPA editors’ heads are still reeling from their visit to the International Spa and Salon Expo (ISSE) in Long Beach, California, January 26-28. With more than 40,000 beauty professionals in attendance, a sold-out expo floor of some 400 beauty brands, nearly 200 educational classes, live stage performances and hair and nail competitions, the event proved to be the ultimate beauty bash. The editors sound off on their ISSE experience:
“I keep thinking about the presentation I attended by STX’s Jon Maple and Jeff Mason about inventory management for spas and salons, and how much I realized I didn’t know before! Jon and Jeff had some fantastic strategies to share for helping owners create a healthy inventory turnover rate and rev up sales. Key pieces of advice: Know what’s selling and what isn’t; set minimum quantities properly; order more frequently to reduce amount of cash outlay at any one time; and don’t let sales consultants do your ordering for you. I can’t wait to develop this new-found knowledge into a useful DAYSPA article for readers!” – Linda Kossoff, executive editor
“The open-air bazaar feel of ISSE always makes it one of the most colorful stops on my trade show circuit! From edible massage candles to crushed-diamond nail polish, the event serves as a stimulating reminder that the world of beauty and wellness is ever-expanding, and never ever dull. A personal highlight was attending ‘Survival Tactics for the Social Age,’ presented by MindBody’s Stephanie Jennings. There’s no denying the social media revolution for any small business owners, and this seminar took a lot of what can be overwhelming information and broke it down into simple, accessible pointers. Key among them: As every business is unique, pay attention to what engages your specific clientele before shelling out the big bucks to hire a social media guru; focus on making your website and channels as tablet-friendly as possible, in keeping with consumer purchasing trending away from desktop use; pay close attention to review sites, as they play an increasingly key role in SEO; and get to know tools that will help you streamline all of your social media channels, and put each to work in a complementary fashion. Our readers are the perfect audience for these kinds of insights!” —Katie O’Reilly, managing editor
“As a first-time attendee of ISSE, I was blown away by the numerous options available to beauty professionals. The show’s offerings really ran the gamut: the latest beauty trends, business and marketing seminars and good old-fashioned networking. The energy was incredible! I loved the live demonstrations provided by skincare pros such as SAIAN. The company’s founder Margarita Saian offered audiences a step-by-step lesson on the brand’s treatments for acne and anti-aging. It’s always helpful to gain knowledge about specific brands from the people who know best! It appears I’m not the only one who shares this sentiment—SAIAN’s tutorial space was jam-packed with eager attendees—I couldn’t even find a seat!” —Angela Melero, assistant editor.
