Wella RED Business Network Live 2025 delivers the most advanced business boosting advice yet
Wella RED Business Network Live may be in its 27th year and a firm favourite for the Wella community, but this year the format was more dynamic than ever and completely tailored to address the current business climate. Wella’s Senior Sales & Education Director UK & Ireland, Tatiana Suvorova, welcomed the 260 strong audience who had travelled to Manchester’s Kimpton Clocktower Hotel from all over the UK & Ireland for the two day event. “2025 is a year of change and we’re all finding new ways of engaging.
We’re here together for this event to not only focus on the here and now, but the future too. We’ve changed the event this year and Wella RED Business Network Live is going to be packed with even more business content that addresses the changing reality. We want to give you the tools you need to make it a successful year ahead,” she said.
It was straight down to business on night one with an intriguing session on employment law and guidance on how salons can prepare for the changes that are on the horizon. Lawyers Sally Hulston & Ciara Fulton from Lewis Silkin shared their expertise in what proved to be a highly informative session.
A business panel discussion followed, with a panel of industry leaders discussing the challenges that matter most in today’s environment. Anya Dellicompagni, Natasha Grossman, Hellen Ward, Alan Simpson and Patrick Gildea embarked in a frank and open discussion which saw the Wella community join together to discuss shared challenges.
The two day RED community event is one of the greatest motivational events in the hairdressing calendar and this year was no exception. Not only did it deliver useful, practical business advice, but was an opportunity to network with fellow salon owners and managers to share experiences, business challenges and build connections.
Industry influencer and podcast host, Dom Lehane, hosted the event, which kick started with a session on strengths based leadership, with Mark Edwards. “People who are using their strengths are six times more engaged. We achieve far more in developing strengths than we do in overcoming weaknesses,” he said.
For those in the audience who needed retail guidance, expert Clare Bailey spoke about the 10 steps to retail success, whilst customer service expert and author, Adrian Webster, delivered a truly engaging session on how the tiniest of differences make a big difference, offering practical relevant examples and advice for salons.
Formula One team owner and Chairman of McLaren Applied, Nick Fry, delivered a thrilling presentation on buying a business, making tough decisions, navigating through challenging times and fighting for survival. “The difference between those who are successful and those who aren’t, is hard work. The successful people actually get on and do it. You need the best people you can find in every position and if you have a diverse workforce that you can engage to each deliver a different point of view, you will end up with better results,” said Nick.
The two day event delivered an impressive line-up of entrepreneurs and business experts who generously shared their insights and experiences through their engaging storytelling and encounters.
Day two highlights included an interactive session from communication expert, Lee Warren. Using practical examples, Lee spoke about ways to be more influential and more persuasive, all through the power of language. “If you’re talking about a weakness and strength, put the weakness first in the conversation, then the strength last. The response will be very different,” he said.
Founder of healthy snack company, Proper Snacks, Cassandra Stavrou MBE, gripped the audience with her advice for driving resilience in business and building a company culture. Delivering her seven steps that allowed her to beat the competition, Cassandra shared her business journey and the key lessons that she learned along the way. “An impatient business is a progressive business. Comfort zones become graveyards for ideas. Embrace ambiguity and embrace contradiction.”
Closing Wella RED Business Network Live 2025, an empowering session from banking entrepreneur Dave Fishwick proved the perfect closure to an incredible event. He shared his journey of how The Bank of Dave went from a simple idea to a business that changed communities and the global banking sector forever, before Hollywood filmmakers turned his life into Hollywood blockbuster movies. “It is the service you deliver that matters most, but communication is the most important skill in life. If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not trying hard enough. Take the risk and 99% of them will pay off.”
In true Wella style, it was a case of work hard and play hard, and the evening entertainment gave delegates a chance to relax, network and party into the early hours. A pub quiz, pub games and an epic night of ‘bandeokey’ proved the perfect party combination. With singing and dancing into the early hours; Wella style!
Wella RED Business Network Live 2025 delivered an abundance of ideas and business ammunition for the year ahead. With a long list of key takeaway messages, delegates left feeling refreshed and energised, in what was without doubt, the essential networking event to prepare salon owners for the year ahead.
