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22 October 2015 | beautystorebusiness.com What is the PBA working on these days in the area of continuing education? As far as education, we have online offerings and live education. Most are familiar with our live educa- tion, including the PBA Executive Summit, which we started last year and will be coming up again for 2015 [Dec. 3-4, at the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Mon- telucia in Scottsdale, Arizona, probeauty. org/execs/]. The live education targets manufacturers, distributors and salons; our education at ISSE is designed to serve a broader base. Online you'll continue to see refinement of what we offer centered around the things that the PBA is in the best position to educate and inform on. We're continuing to narrow the focus, instead of offering things that are competitive with other providers in the industry or even our own members. We're in a unique position to educate on what we have the most knowledge of and expertise in that other groups don't—the public policy side, information that comes from our research and data, or regulatory and compliance topics. We'll continue to move in that direction, especially online. For instance, some still aren't clear on health- care compliance, and you might not find education on that in the professional-beauty industry. We want to offer unique, special- ized information and education that better informs our members. What does the PBA do in terms of charitable outreach? As a trade group and nonprofit, there are certain things only we can do, and charitable outreach is one of them. We have three effective and highly impactful charitable programs we man- age and run, and we want to do more with them and make them more visible. For example, industry members can apply for our Disaster Relief Fund in the event of a natural disaster at their salons. We also have Cut It Out, a fantastic program that combats domestic violence. We want more people to know they have access to information that they can use in their salons so licensed professionals can effectively refer clients to get help. Then we offer the Look Good...Feel Better program, which is designed to help cancer patients with the visible effects of treatment such as hair loss and skin dam- age. It helps women look and feel better about themselves—which has a direct correlation on their ability to heal. A final component of our charities is providing scholarship money for folks to continue education or offset costs for those in cosmetology school. Most people don't know about these efforts or, if they do, don't know enough about them, so it's our focus to be more proactive in advocating the programs, create more avenues for funding and take steps so people can donate money. We have boxes to place on counters for donations, plus our Boutique Bar, where we sell products [at ISSE and Cosmoprof North America] for charity donations— which has been very effective. Some key donors have provided money as well. Ultimately, our efforts are about sup- porting the people in our industry, putting them in the position to have an impact and help give back to those who need it. Please tell us more about this year's PBA Executive Summit. We're excited to be producing the second version this year. Last year, our first, we were very happy with the overall results, so we'll build on that to make this year's even more successful. We won't change the format much; we want to remain consistent because people enjoyed what we produced. We want more folks there who can really benefit from it, and word of mouth is really important. It's part networking, part high-level education that challenges the thinking of our members. We want to bring speakers that you won't hear anywhere else—producing something that every- one feels pushed by. It's designed to be provoking. This year there will be a panel discussion moderated by Reuben Carranza, group president of R+CO and V76 Luxury Brand Partners. The speakers will be Terry Jones, founder, former president and CEO of travelocity.com; Lauren DeLisa Coleman, a mobile strategy specialist and analyst; and Scott McKain, founder and CEO of The Distinction Institute. We've already had people signing up even though our push has just begun, and I think we'll exceed last year's numbers without difficulty. People want to come to something where they can network in a smaller, more intimate environment. It's a place where thought leaders and influencers come together on their own to network, get education and understand what the PBA is up to as well. It's for anyone in the industry: manufacturers, distributors, large salons and large supply stores. It applies to everyone, but I think it's most relevant to those who have achieved a certain scale since small businesses have slightly different needs. Finally, have you noted any business trends recently? And do you have any advice on how beauty stores can become more successful? I think on the service side we continue to see specialization—I don't think the whole bar phenomenon, such as brow bars and blowout bars, will go away. It's tough to compete with everything, so people are looking for that niche. From the retailers' perspective, they have to constantly be aware of pur- poseful moves from mass retailers that continue to blur the lines between what's professional, high-end and masstige. These stores want to look more like us—the product experts, people who can make recommendations on style and looks. They take consumer dollars away from our space, so they're something to be aware of. Mass retailers have moved into adding dedicated beauty spaces, and that's not going to go away anytime soon. Personal recommendations can be a differentiator. The small business can be nimble, trying things out faster—and, if they don't work, you move on. Smaller retailers can be more experimental, and they shouldn't be afraid to try something different and see how it resonates. Peo- ple are looking for solutions and want direction and recommendations. They're looking for someone they can trust. Small businesses are in a great spot— they're close to their customers and their needs. Don't be afraid to step up your game—because your competitors are! ■ Tracy Morin is a freelance writer and editor based in Oxford, MS. "The PBA Executive Summit is part networking, part high-level education that challenges the thinking of our members." The fi rst-ever PBA Executive Summit last year—which was moderated by former CNN anchor and NBC correspondent Gene Randall— was also a great success. This year's theme is "The Changing Consumer Experience." Sleeper notes, "It's a key topic for the beauty industry as we learn how to communicate with our customers in the evolving digital and social mediums." The event is open to PBA members and nonmembers. Image courtesy of The Professional Beauty Association