2025 Beauty Business Brunch | Recap + What We Learned Together

July 27, 2025 • The Line DC Hotel • 147 Attendees • Sold Out Two Weeks Early

The energy at this year’s Beauty Business Brunch was undeniable. What started as a local networking event has grown into the D.C. region’s annual conference for stylists, barbers, owners, and educators who want to connect, learn, and elevate their business together. More than 140 beauty professionals filled The Line Hotel DC to spend a day focused on what truly drives long-term success: community, education, and shared growth.

Why the Beauty Business Brunch Matters

What makes this event different is its purpose: every session is co-created with our community through surveys, feedback, and live polling. The goal isn’t just to inspire, it’s to address the real challenges beauty professionals face today.

Each year’s programming is built around four pillars that define the Brunch experience:

💼 Business — Strategy, systems, and leadership for sustainable growth
💰 Money — Financial literacy, investing, and wealth-building for beauty professionals
🌿 Professionalism — Etiquette, communication, and client experience that build trust and loyalty
🧘 Well-being — Mindset, balance, and personal growth as the foundation for long-term success

Together, these themes remind us that the beauty industry isn’t just about skill — it’s about stewardship, service, and building the next generation of leaders.

2025 Highlights by the Numbers

• 147 Attendees (planned 120) — Sold out two weeks early

• 20 Sponsors and Partners — From finance to product innovation

• 7 Dynamic Sessions — Business, money, leadership and well-being

• 1 Powerful Community — Stylists, barbers, owners and educators learning together

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Opening Moments & VIP Workshop: Your Beauty Blueprint

Dana Fountain, Beauty Platform Creator & She-E-O, Pin Me Up Chicago / Your Beauty Blueprint

Doors opened early for VIP guests with a workshop led by Dana Fountain, Beauty Platform Creator & She-E-O of Pin Me Up Chicago / Your Beauty Blueprint. In just 50 minutes, attendees rolled up their sleeves to map out how to build the career they actually want.

Through hands-on exercises, Dana guided participants to:

• Define clear personal and professional goals

• Calculate break-even points & revenue targets

• Use real metrics for smart decisions

• Streamline bookkeeping and tax systems

This session set the tone for the day: clarity + confidence = control over your career.

Serving & Building Community Through Entrepreneurship & Education

Fireside Chat with Herson Bautista & Robert Hughes

What does it really take to build a thriving local industry?

In this fireside chat, Herson and Robert opened up about entrepreneurship, risk-taking, and the power of community. From lessons learned launching the DC Barber Expo to the importance of serving your team and showing up for one another, this conversation explored how connection and collaboration move us all forward.

Bottomless Brunch & Networking on the Mezzanine

Over mimosas and good food, attendees connected with new friends and future partners, proof that our industry’s strength is built on connection.

Mindful Moments Meditation Session

Wafaya Abdallah, Owner of Oasis Curl Salon & EEM Certified Practitioner & Educator

Building a business starts with grounding yourself. Wafaya led a guided mindfulness session that helped attendees reset, reflect, and remember the importance of peace in business. She connected mindfulness to leadership, showing how emotional regulation and presence can improve decision-making, client communication, and creativity.

Financial Expert "Ask Me Anything" Q&A Session

Cindy Sentelle, CPA MST — President, Sentelle Corporate Solutions
Nicole C. Carson, CFP®, MBA — Owner & Financial Planner, 2nd Story Wealth Planners

This was one of the most talked-about sessions of the day. Attendees got real answers to real financial questions — no jargon, no judgment.

Cindy and Nicole broke down everything, from planning for slow seasons to paying yourself first, building an emergency fund, and starting to invest with confidence.

Know Your Investment Style: A Hands-On Guide to Building Your Portfolio with Confidence

Nicole C. Carson, CFP®, MBA — Owner & Financial Planner, 2nd Story Wealth Planners

Nicole led a hands-on investing session where attendees took a risk tolerance quiz, learned how to build sample portfolios, and discovered how to match their investments to their goals. Her approachable teaching style helped demystify investing for beauty professionals, connecting wealth-building to long-term career sustainability.

Expo & Sponsor Spotlight

Partners

Virtue Labs • Nick Stenson Beauty • Beauty Blueprint • 2nd Story Wealth • Sentelle Corporate Solutions • DC Barber Expo — all recognized for their year-round commitment to education and entrepreneurship.

Sponsors

Davines • DesignME • Dynasty Mane • Ergo • Green Circle Salons • Inovshop USA • Kérastase • Phorest • SalonCentric • StyleSmart • Summit Salon Business Center • Twinstate Salon Supply • Wella Professionals

Leadership, Branding & Culture: Building Strong Teams + Systems

Ajia Minnis Cruz Lanham — Owner, Founder, & CEO, Thrive Hair Bar
Ashley Gray — Owner, Ash Salon + Spa
Diane Cole Stevens — Owner, CEO, & Creative Director, Cole Stevens Salon

What does it really take to build a thriving salon today?

In this candid panel, these three powerhouse salon owners shared their playbooks for building culture, creating accountability systems, and training teams to deliver consistent, on-brand client experiences.

Their stories showed that leadership isn’t about doing it all yourself — it’s about setting standards, building structure, and lifting others up along the way.

Navigating Uncertainty: Adapting to Economic + Industry Trends

Dana Fountain — Beauty Platform Creator & She-E-O, Pin Me Up Chicago/Your Beauty Blueprint
Nick Stenson — Brand Founder & CEO, Nick Stenson Beauty

What does it take to grow a business in a world that keeps changing?

In a conversation that felt more relevant than ever, Nick and Dana unpacked how they make decisions when markets shift, plans change, and pressure is high. From protecting yourself legally and financially to adapting to changes in consumer behavior, technology, and inflation, they shared the mindsets, systems, and practical planning cycles that keep them grounded and growing.

Through innovation, mentorship, and a deep connection to clients’ evolving needs, they revealed how to stay on mission—without burning out or losing focus in a rapidly changing beauty industry.

Closing & Giveaways

Before wrapping up, raffle winners were announced, sponsors were thanked, and everyone left with sponsor-filled swag bags — a final moment of gratitude, generosity, and growth that celebrated a day of learning, connection, and empowerment.

Ready to Stay Connected?

🎟️ Early Bird Tickets for 2026 are Live!
JUNE 28TH | WASHINGTON, DC
Lock in your spot for under $125 HERE (refundable until April 25, 2026.)

💡 Interested in partnering or sponsoring future events?
Send us an email to start the conversation!

📧 Have speaker or sponsor suggestions?
Send us an email !

Robert & Sammi