Hj business live - an inspirational event

• Sahar Hashemi on entrepreneurship
• Peter Lunn on self motivation
• Will Carling on leadership

However experienced you are as a manager, it's always beneficial to step away from the business and look for inspiration both from inside and outside the industry.

This is what makes HJ Business Live such an invaluable event for salon owners and managers.

The most recent event took place in the salubrious surroundings of the Kensington Roof Gardens, London, where they were treated to presentations from a leading entrepreneur, a top hairdressing business coach and a former England rugby captain.

Proving equally as inspiring and informative as the presentations was a forum, featuring a panel of leading hairdressers and suppliers - including representatives from each of the day's sponsors, Racoon, TIGI and Goldwell.

Topics discussed were based on questions from delegates, and included branding; the importance of investment in marketing; how the industry can unite to improve the public perception of hairdressing as an industry and a career; the pros and cons of compulsory registration for hairdressers and various management issues.

Talking about branding, Eva Proudman, managing director of Racoon summed up her brand as a professional product sold by professionals, but with the drive for demand coming from consumers. "We use different imagery and messages for trade and consumers," said Eva.

One delegate asked the panel how much they thought a salon business should spend on marketing. Hairdresser Simon Shaw, answered: "How much you spend on marketing depends on how big your business is and how big you want it to grow. Marketing is about finding out what the market want and then delivering it."

Nick Wood, managing director of Goldwell, pointed out that not every salon owner has a huge amount of money to spend on marketing and suggested focussing on existing customers and investing in staff training to ensure clients keep coming back on a regular basis.

On the subject of compulsory registration, TIGI's managing director or European operations, Simon Ostler said that it wouldn't necessarily lead to an increase in standards within the industry, until education standards were improved. "I've seen such diverse levels of quality of education I think we should concentrate on ensuring we are a professional body that can offer a high standard of education."

Darren Ambrose of D&J Ambrose, London said it was important for hairdressers to get into schools and "get across our lives as creative people."

One delegate asked the panel members if they thought delegation was a skill, to which Louise Wood, owner of The Hair Advice Centre in Engleford Green, Surrey, admitted she found delegation difficult but said she thought it was vital for a business to run properly.

Eva said she thought people had to earn the right to be delegated to. "You have to invest in people and make sure they have the same values as you."

All the question led to fascinating debates involving both the panel and delegates and the session proved an invaluable part of the day.

Also proving popular was the wonderful venue, with delegates making the most of the beautiful gardens during coffee breaks and the barbecue lunch.