Salon Spa Vision Speakers

Michelle Breyer
Co-Founder
NaturallyCurly.com

Michelle Breyer is a co-founder of NaturallyCurly.com, a website for curly hair she started with her business partner and friend, Gretchen Heber.  Growing up in California, Ms. Breyer never dreamed she would help create the leading source of information for specialty beauty products and information in this marketplace.

It was the Texas humidity that inspired both Ms. Breyer and Ms. Heber to search for information to help them manage their curly hair and find appropriate beauty products. They were frustrated by the dearth of information on curly hair, and the lack of products on the market.One of their curly hair rants, at a brunch, was the inspiration behind NaturallyCurly.com. They launched the site in September of that year, 1998.

When Procter & Gamble called three years later to advertise to the NaturallyCurly audience, Ms. Breyer knew they had indeed created a force in the industry, providing helpful information and unparalleled expertise for this specialized sector.  Since then, NaturallyCurly.com has experienced year-over-year double-digit growth, with a community of more than 30,000 members and 120,000 unique visitors to the site per month.  This community includes a global demographic, with a diversity of ages and ethnicities. As a result, it is the premiere place for discussion and product information on curly hair around the world, with 40 manufacturers, 400 brands and more than 70 advertisers.  Breyer and Heber see unlimited potential for their venture, especially given that more than 50 percent of the world's population has curly hair.

Ms. Breyer's personal experience with her curly hair, and as the mother of a curly haired daughter, has helped her recognize the challenges faced each day by those with curls and kinks.  She can relate well to the curly community, and is a role model to inspire others to learn to love their curls. Ms. Breyer is married, has a seven-year-old daughter and continues to reside in Texas.

Participating in:

• May 17, 10:30 AM - 60 min : Waves of Opportunity – How to Capitalize on a Niche Like Curls and Build It

Gina Dial
   

Analytical, inventive, results driven and intuitive aptly describe the talents of Gina Dial. A strategic marketing specialist, Gina has enjoyed working with companies such as Armstrong McCall, Essie Cosmetics, L’Oreal Professionnel, ARTec, JP Pet, Rusk and Sorme Cosmetics to help build their market share and launch successful promotions. Highly recognized for her ability to evaluate company strengths, develop creative, promotional strategies to spotlight those strengths, and turn those concepts into business building reality, Gina has a gift for cutting through day to day business complexities and revealing the key points that set a company apart from the competition. She is strongly committed to charitable outreach and getting involved at the local grassroots level, believing that partnerships to better our communities bring genuine benefits to all involved. Gina’s involvement as co-producer of “My BIO: My Beauty Inside & Out” at Ft. Hood, TX ensured a very successful day of inspiration, beauty and wellness for over 300 spouses of soldiers from the largest military base in the United States. Gina brings to SalonSpa Vision her direct, proven strategies for evaluating your business and how to create marketing programs that generate increased sales and visibility in your community.

Participating in:

• May 16, 11:30 AM - 60 min : What Sets Your Business Apart…Marketing Your Strength

Gary Howse
   

Gary Howse, co-owner of Gary Manuel Salon in Seattle, has long been globally recognized as one of the beauty industry's leading designers and salon owners. He propelled Gary Manuel to become a successful multi-million dollar business. He is now bringing his uncompromising attention to detail, desire for perfection and sense of style to the Gary Manuel Aveda Institute - the first Aveda Institute on the West Coast. Gary's illustrious career has spanned more than 30 years. He is a recipient of the IBS "Editors Choice" Beauty Press Award; the Global Salon Business Awards 2004 Salon Entrepreneur of the Year Award; and he was selected as one of the Salon Today Top 20 Salon Owners for his position as an industry role model. Gary Manuel Salon was chosen one of the country's "Best Salons" by Allure magazine. Known for innovative design and technical perfection, he is frequently featured in national beauty and trade magazines such as InStyle, Allure, Vogue, Town & Country, Harper's Bazaar, Glamour, W, Marie Claire, GARY HOWSE Modern Salon, American Salon and more.

Participating in:

• May 16, 04:00 PM - 60 min : Define Your Signature Style with Salon Internet and website marketing
• May 17, 11:30 AM - 60 min : Fashion Collection Photo Shoots & PR Strategies

Julie Niehoff
Development Director
Constant Contact

Julie Niehoff has more than fifteen years in communications, specializing in technology marketing. In her role as Development Director at Constant Contact, Julie facilitates seminars and workshops for small business and organizations around the state of Texas. Julie was formerly Director of Interactive Marketing for the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau. She later launched her own successful consulting business and co-founded an online resource website for event planners. Her primary focus is on helping small businesses, associations and other organizations incorporate technology into their marketing plans, finding creative, affordable, effective strategies for building strong relationships with their customers and member base.

Julie is a member of Meeting Professionals International, National Speakers Association, Texas Travel Industry Association and serves on the Marketing & Communications Committee for the Association of Fundraising Professionals and on the Board of Directors for Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations.

Participating in:

• May 16, 01:30 PM - 60 min : The Power of Email Marketing

David Stanko
   

Hair color Consutant for Redken 5th Avenue and working salon colorist, David Stanko achieved meteoric rise from Pittsburgh salon assistant to New York City-based haircolor expert by masterfully blending fine artistry with extreme technical expertise. While spearheading the testing and technical execution of Redken haircolor and lightener brands, David developed a chemist-like sense of haircolor's limitations - and possibilities. His work has been styled by such talents as Serge Normant, Oribe and Orlando Pita. He's been personally featured in the pages of top fashion publications including Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, In-Style, Latina and Elle, along withmultiple features in North American trade magazines. After inventing new ways to use color technology to transform individuals and teaching that art to salon professionals, he was twice honored by Haircolor USA as "Best Educator" and "Most Inspirational Educator". Accepted into the prestigious Intercoiffure Association, David sits on the executive committee of the Haircolor Council. David's newest focus in helping every client prepare for their "own red carpet event" through total color customization, which results in a uniquely personal color signature.

Participating in:

• May 16, 10:30 AM - 60 min : Autograph Highlights
• May 16, 01:30 PM - 60 min : Autograph Highlights