What does it take to lead a salon in 2026?

The answer, increasingly, extends far beyond technical skill. Today’s salon owners are navigating everything from team culture and financial strategy to AI, marketing and personal brand. In true hairdressing form, the industry’s approach to education is evolving and adapting accordingly.

From August 23–26, Kao Professional Hair brought together 70 of Australia’s leading salon owners and managers in Kuala Lumpur for the Kollective Leadership Retreat 2026 – an immersive experience exploring business growth, personal development, wellness and connection.

Hosted at the W Kuala Lumpur, the experience moved beyond the traditional conference format, combining leadership development with a Business Summit featuring perspectives across AI, marketing, finance and professional beauty. Delegates explored emotional intelligence and leadership through an Enneagram Workshop with Candice Hoz, while Andi Alleman, Scott Pape OAM and celebrity hairstylist Harry Josh brought fresh perspectives on technology, financial confidence, personal brand and building opportunities beyond the chair.

“This isn’t a conference,” said Chris Hudson, General Manager, Kao Professional Hair ANZ. “It’s a deliberately curated experience for Salon Owners who are serious about their next chapter.”

And that next chapter demanded a different kind of leadership – one built around adaptability, confidence and the ability to respond when things inevitably didn’t go to plan.

We were lucky enough to catch up with celebrity hairdresser Harry Josh and Goldwell Ambassador Amanda Magistro at the retreat to catch up on all things memorable backstage moments, perfecting the art of delivering under pressure and making magical memories with Kao.

For Harry Josh, whose career had taken him from the salon floor to working with some of the world’s biggest names, performing under pressure had taught him one fundamental lesson: you still have to deliver.

“No matter what, you have to deliver,” Harry said. “So there’s no room for excuses. Sometimes you’ve got to be quick on your feet. Sometimes it’s not the look you intended to do. But as long as it looks great and they’re out the door, you’re a winner.”

It was a philosophy that extended well beyond a celebrity shoot or high-pressure backstage environment. Harry recalled one particularly stressful moment when a model stepped outside before a shoot, only to be caught in a sudden downpour. With her delicate hair soaked and time running out, there was no opportunity to start again.

“Needless to say, we just turned it into a wet look because time was a thing,” Harry said. “And then it actually looked really amazing, and it actually shifted the whole shoot into a whole other thing.”

For Harry, that ability to turn a problem into an opportunity was essential to navigating a changing industry.

“This business is ever changing,” he said. “Just because it worked for one person one way doesn’t mean that that’s going to be the way for you.”

After three decades in the industry, Harry’s advice to the next generation was simple: “Follow your passion, get excited, and love what you do, and never give up learning. Honestly, it really never ends.”

That idea of continuous evolution was echoed by Australian artist Amanda Magistro, whose own career had been transformed by an extraordinary period of digital growth. Asked about the biggest turning point in her career, Amanda pointed to gaining 320,000 new followers in just six months.

But while the numbers were impressive, Amanda said the real lesson had been the importance of remaining authentic throughout that growth.

“Be you, stay so true,” Amanda said. “If it’s one thing that I’ve learned, it’s that I have done me the whole way through, and it’s given me such amazing success with an amazing team.”

For Amanda, personal identity and professional success weren’t competing ideas – they were intrinsically linked. “Stick to what you do best, and do it your absolute best,” she said.

It was a particularly relevant message for salon owners operating in an era where personal brand could be just as powerful as a shopfront. Social platforms had changed how clients discovered salons, artists and trends, but Amanda’s experience suggested that growth didn’t necessarily come from chasing what everyone else was doing. It came from knowing what made you different – and leaning into it.

The pair also knew that adaptability wasn’t just a business skill; it was fundamental to working creatively under pressure. Amanda recalled one particularly memorable stage moment when she walked off after a performance, convinced she had nailed the look – only to realise her microphone was still live.

“I had just nailed this look. You know when you get that feeling, and you’re just like, ‘I’ve nailed it,’” Amanda laughed. “I’ve got off stage and I’m like, ‘Oh my God! Did you just see that, guys?’ And my mic was still on.”

It was the kind of chaos that couldn’t be planned for – and perhaps that was exactly the point.

For salon leaders, the ability to think quickly, stay calm and make something work was increasingly as valuable as any technical skill. Whether it was a last-minute client change, a team challenge, a business pivot or an unexpected opportunity, leadership rarely unfolded exactly as planned.

Harry put it simply: “You really got to make it happen.”

That mindset sat at the heart of the Kollective Leadership Retreat. From leadership and emotional intelligence to finance, AI, marketing, personal brand and wellbeing, the program recognised that the modern salon leader was no longer defined solely by what happened behind the chair.

The future belonged to leaders willing to keep evolving – to learn, adapt, stay curious and, as Harry and Amanda demonstrated, remain unmistakably themselves along the way.