L’Oréal Professionnel’s Summit Salon Business Center works on enhancing the guest experience and creating thriving, happy teams. And Heather Bagby is at the helm and share her goals with Estetica.
Heather Bagby, Vice President of Summit Salon Business Center, focuses on foundational business aspects, including finance, leadership development, team dynamics, social digital footprints, wellness, compensation systems, and career paths. Estetica asked her more about her past accomplishments and future goals.
Tell us what Summit is all about.
As the Vice President of Summit Salon Business Center, I’ve had the privilege of helping salons grow not just financially but culturally, with a focus on creating environments where leaders and teams can thrive. I am the daughter of a salon owner and had the unique opportunity to grow up in the industry, work outside of the professional beauty industry for over a decade, and ultimately return as a partner in multiple salons and a cosmetology school. At Summit, we equip people and companies with the tools and strategies to succeed through education, structure, and accountability. It’s more than a program—it’s about helping businesses and individuals embrace their unique work-life harmony and happiness.
How does this program complement Salon Emotion?
Both programs are transformative but in different ways. Salon Emotion aims to enrich the client experience. Instead, Summit enriches the employee experience by empowering businesses to operate more effectively through leadership and healthy structure.
“Summit’s mission aligns with my passion for organizational effectiveness and leadership.”
What inspired the changes you want to bring to the program?
We focus more on leadership tools that foster both professional growth and personal happiness, which ties into our Happiness Project. Leaders who take the time to understand their team members’ dreams and aspirations create an atmosphere of trust and joy. This directly impacts performance. Our inspiration comes from the thousands of diverse salon companies we have coached. In each one, culture was the differentiating factor for long-term success. I’ve also drawn from my own journey as a leader and mother — balancing goals, empathy, and personal development.
With digital and post-Covid, how did the program evolve?
Post-covid, we reimagined the Summit Immersive and combined virtual personal interviews with the in-person experience to reduce the number of days attendees are away from their businesses to attend.
Summit continues to embrace digital transformation by offering virtual coaching and online learning platforms to support its clients remotely.
What’s coming down the pipeline?
Summit Online is a cutting-edge App and online portal that seamlessly brings together all of Summit Salon Business Center’s digital offerings. From comprehensive online certification courses and workshops, to specialized training and a vibrant community platform, Summit Online is designed to be the ultimate digital hub for beauty professionals.
Whether you’re an owner, manager, or team member, you can engage with interactive virtual coaching sessions, track your progress with customizable dashboards, and connect with a dynamic community of learners.This platform makes our education and tools more accessible than ever, empowering companies of all sizes to implement best practices at their own pace. Summit Online ensures that even those who can’t attend in-person events benefit from our programs, fostering growth, learning, and collaboration across the industry in a new way.