Beauty and wellness leaders gathered for a full day of inspiration, education, business development and networking at the Day of Empowerment International Wellness and Beauty Conference hosted by Lydia Sarfati, CEO and Founder of Repêchage and President of CIDESCO, Section USA. Held on December 5, 2022 at the EnVue Hotel in Weehawken, NJ, the day was jam-packed with presentations by international business leaders, media, spa and salon owners and managers, estheticians and medical esthetics professionals to provide key tools for advanced leadership, innovation, education and business growth.
“Right now, there is the potential for unprecedented growth in the beauty and wellness industry,” said Lydia Sarfati, Founder and CEO, Repêchage. “The purpose of this one day event was to provide the esthetics community with the very leading experts from the most prestigious outlets in media, spa and wellness to provide mentorship, inspiration, and real actionable tools to empower them to make life-changing choices to actualize fulfillment and success.”
The Day of Empowerment began with a greeting and welcome from Shiri Sarfati Executive Vice President and Partner, Repéchage®. This was followed by a presentation by Lydia Sarfati, Founder and CEO, Repêchage and President, CIDESCO, Section USA, on Empowering Excellence. Audience members were inspired to both empower themselves and their staff to transform their lives to one of growth, giving and success.
After Sarfati, Louise O’Loughlin, Owner, Iguazu Beauty and Oncology Training International Educator, Ireland presented on the importance of customizing your approach when performing Oncology Esthetics. Attendees were further inspired by the lunchtime Keynote Presentation by Dzigbordi K. Dosoo, founder & CEO of Dzigbordi Consulting Group, a personal and professional development brand and Allure Africa, a premier lifestyle business. Ms. Dosoo, a renowned speaker and international business leader, shared her story on overcoming adversity to create a life of fulfilment and success. Special guest, Adrian Kubicki, Consul General of the Republic of Poland in New York welcomed guests and thanked Lydia, Polish Woman of the Year Award winner, for her continued inspiration.
Education continued with a presentation by Dr.Natalya Fazylova on ”New Trends in Microneedling Utilizing Chemical Peels,” followed by a demonstration of the Repechage Hydra4® Red-Out® Facial.
The afternoon program concluded with a panel of business leaders moderated by Shiri Sarfati who inspired and mentored attendees with their insightful presentations culled from their collective decades of experience. These included:
- Brian David Douglas, Director of Spa, PGA National Resort, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, in his presentation “From the Day Spa to the PGA: How to Create Luxury Experiences with Enhanced Interpersonal Skills” explained how incentivizing bookings and team training can impact spa success.
- Liz Ritter, Executive Editor at NewBeauty Magazine presented “Skin Care Industry Insights From Aesthetically Inclined Consumers,” sharing exclusive data from NewBeauty’s latest research initiative, The State of Aesthetics, a comprehensive data-driven guide to how consumers navigate beauty trends.
- Amanda Strunk Miller, Publisher of Dermascope Magazine presented on “How to Increase Media Exposure for Your Spa Team and Treatments,” providing insights on how to create a name in the industry to grow your teams and your spas influence.
- Vanessa de Mello- Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Beauty Depot and The Esthetic Institute Training Center, and President of CIDESCO CanadaCalgary, Alberta presented on “The Missing Link: Advanced Education in Spa Management What Every Beauty Professional Should Know,” discussing the importance of advanced management training through the CIDESCO Beauty & Spa Management Diploma Program.
- Lester Crowell, Managing Partner at Three-13 Salon, Spa & Boutique, Marietta, GA spoke on “The Golden Rules for Management” sharing his decades of business knowledge for true spa success.
The program concluded with a champagne reception and toasts from the Sarfatis, who noted that this was the first major in-person event the company has hosted since the advent of the pandemic, wishing everyone a healthy, prosperous and successful holiday and New Year. Sarfati and the Repêchage team look forward to a full year of national and international travel and events to further share their strategies and inspiration.
The full day event was followed by two advanced education courses at the Lydia Sarfati Post Graduate Skin Care Academy in Secaucus, NJ: Essential Facial Massage Techniques for Total Rejuvenation with Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massage Science and Theory on December 6, 2022 and a Post-Conference Medi-Esthetics Workshop on Dermaplaning with Dr. Natalya Fazylova on December 7.
“As a professional, you always have to mentor, and you always have to be a student,” said Lois Christie, President and CEO, Christie & Co Salon and Spa, Bayside, NY. “Repêchage events are always motivational. I always learn something new, just from the quality of the people who attend this event. Business is always changing, and we have to learn to change with it.”
