Getting the Most Out of Your Conference Experience

By Lisa Ferestad, Cura Hair Solutions, Atlanta, Georgia and Nicole Maples, Elan Hair Studio, Houston, Texas

The AHLC's HairNow Conference is a very special place for us and one of our favorite industry events of the year. It provides so many incredible opportunities like having many of your favorite vendors in one place, learning new techniques, seeing the latest innovations and networking with industry colleagues. As former new members ourselves, we know that preparing for a jam-packed educational event can be overwhelming. So, we put together a few tips to follow to ensure you get the most from your time and your investment!

Find Your Next Business Bestie

One of our favorite things about being an AHLC member is making a new connection. We met at the AHLC conference as new members in 2018. While we were both long time hair wearers, we were both new to hair replacement as business owners. We ended up sharing a table at lunch on the first day of the conference and quickly bonded over shared dreams (and shared fears). Seven years later we continue to share our dreams and our fears, almost on a daily basis! We support, challenge, and cheer for each other through the ups and downs of business ownership, and in life.

This conference is the perfect opportunity to find your next business bestie just like we did. The shared experience in both business ownership and in hair replacement is invaluable. Connecting with your fellow AHLC members allows for ongoing support in so many ways, including business and client challenges, strategies for growth, marketing ideas, employee management and retention. It also gives you so many new cheerleaders to celebrate business successes!

Join Us for a New Member Lunch!

Is this your first time attending the conference? Has it been years since you have attended? Are you hoping to connect with other new members this year? We will be hosting lunch for new members on Saturday. Lunch Saturday is ‘grab and go’ but be on the lookout for where new members will be gathering! We will share more about how we met, how we support each other, and answer any questions you might have. It will be the perfect opportunity to connect with other new members.

We look forward to meeting you soon!

Our Top 5 Tips for Making the Most of Your Conference:

1. Check the website often for updates leading up to the conference. You will find information about pre-conference special vendor sessions that take place Friday and how to register. In addition, there are regular updates about conference sessions for Sunday and Monday.

2. Read the description for every session and map out your schedule ahead of time. Each session will be offered twice, once on Sunday and once on Monday. Think ahead about which sessions you plan to attend on which day so you don’t miss any of your preferred sessions.

3. Spend as much time on the vendor floor as you can. This is an incredible opportunity to meet with your preferred vendors face-to-face and to learn about new vendors. Make it a goal to introduce yourself to every vendor on the vendor floor – you never know what your business may need in the year ahead.

4. Don’t forget to have a way to share your contact information. Bring your business cards or make sure your digital contact information is up to date.

5. Network! Network! Network! The connections you can build with likeminded industry colleagues are priceless.