Buyers And Execs From Sephora, Whole Foods, Dermstore And The Detox Market Lead BeautyX Retail Summit Lineup

Executives and buyers from such major beauty retail outlets as Sephora, Whole Foods and Dermstore, to name a few, will appear in force at the second annual BeautyX Retail Summit on May 13 and 14 in Dallas. The momentum on the recruitment front has also carried over to the shape and style of the program, which will debut interactive components to facilitate networking. A significant new element is Buyer Time, the name for designated opportunities for small groups of attendees to learn directly from influential buyers.

The Summit will close out the day two schedule with a one-on-one interview with Artemis Patrick, the powerful chief merchandising officer of Sephora. Patrick exemplifies the show’s theme, Retail Reimagined: Beauty on the Rise, and will speak about how she’s helped create a massive retail phenomenon by consistently adapting to—and redefining—consumer needs. Under her lead, Sephora introduced K-Beauty nationwide, incorporated indie fragrances on its shelves, built a clean section and provided inclusive beauty to the mass market.

Holly Thaggard, founder of super-indie brand Supergoop, represents the other half of the revamped retail equation. During her deep dive with Beauty Independent editor in chief Rachel Brown on day one, she’ll reveal details of her brand’s close relationship with Sephora, which was particularly impactful when it came to developing Supergoop’s new product, Shimmer Shades. “[Artemis] was pretty intimately involved in Shimmer Shades,” says Thaggard. “She takes time to get to know the vision behind the founders of the brands at Sephora. I think that’s why Sephora has such a unique retail experience. It’s not just about putting a product on the shelf, it’s about the full story of the brand that they embrace and bring in and help amplify.”

RELATED: FULL DISCLOSURE WITH HOLLY THAGGARD

“We’re proud to have built BeautyX Summits into a forum and educational platform where beauty entrepreneurs and innovators can hold dialogue with leading players in the beauty market,” says Nader Naeymi-Rad, co-founder of Indie Beauty Media Group. “Change is happening throughout the industry, from ingredients to production, distribution, online and retail. One thing successful leaders share, whether at the head of small brands or multinationals, is a passionate dedication to innovation and willingness to learn.”

As with all BeautyX Summits and their 360-degree curricula, the Retail Summit will establish a common understanding among attendees through foundational classes on the retail landscape and its channels and, then, delve into contemporary issues within each channel with expert panels. Best practices and theory will get put to the test in case studies featuring successful partnerships between retailers and independent brands.

“BeautyX understands the entrepreneur,” says Code of Harmony founder Jane Schriever, a past attendee. “I learn something new every time. I meet tons of great people. These are things that you can’t really learn anywhere else.”

High-profile buyers appearing on the online, green and national retail outlet panels include Annie Jackson, co-founder of Credo; Amy Jargo, category manager at Whole Foods; Elena Severin, beauty buyer at The Detox Market; Nigel Lawmon, commercial director of FeelUnique; Dr. Kristian Henderson, founder of BLK & GRN; Dawn Serpa, vice president of marketing at Dermstore; Kim D’Angelo, beauty buyer at Neiman Marcus; and many more.

Jackson, Jargo and D’Angelo will also each host their own Buyer Time Q&As away from the main stage. Buyer Time breakout sessions, a new BeautyX Summit feature, opens the door for greater interaction between leading buyers and a small group of entrepreneurs. Attendees must register for these sessions after purchasing their BX tickets. Registration for current ticket holders will open this week.

“It’s such a direct educational learning time,” says Elate Cosmetics founder Melodie Reynolds of her experience at BeautyX. “But the networking you’re doing is so wonderful because you could possibly meet your next business partner or even your new best friend.”

The welcoming atmosphere certainly sets the stage for every summit’s grand finale, a live learning event where three courageous brand founders present their pitches to experts on the main stage in front of the full audience. This year’s Race for Shelf Space will feature brands chosen from the still-growing exhibitor lineup at the Indie Beauty Expo Dallas 2019, which takes place during the two days following the summit.

“Our live learning sessions consistently rank at the top of our post-show surveys in terms of customer satisfaction,” says Naeymi-Rad. “That’s because all that education and all the theory everyone has digested for two days is then put into practice in a live, unscripted environment. It’s unpredictable, entertaining and, as it turns out, incredibly instructive—a great, communal bonding for a hall full of people who have learned to speak the same language.”