On May 30, 2026, during Premiere Orlando, one of the beauty industry’s largest professional events, Booksy welcomed barbers, hairstylists, creators, educators, and industry leaders to its annual brand party, an evening dedicated to celebrating the people shaping the future of beauty and barbering.
Booksy’s Big Top Event hosted guests in a vibrant, circus-inspired venue with thoughtfully curated activations including custom fragrance experiences, a caviar bar, and photo booths. More than a party, the event brought together professionals from across the country for a night of connection, conversation, and community, while highlighting a growing industry shift. Today’s beauty and barber professionals are increasingly operating as entrepreneurs, educators, content creators, and personal brands, in addition to providing services behind the chair. While technology continues to transform business operations, beauty services and barbering remain fundamentally a human profession built on trust, creativity, confidence, and connection.
The event served as a platform to showcase how technology can support—not replace—the professionals driving the industry forward. In 2025 alone, Booksy powered more than 215 million appointments and helped providers save an estimated 7.7 million hours annually through automated scheduling, payments, marketing, and business management tools.
“At a time when AI and automation dominate conversations across industries, beauty and barbering continue to prove that human relationships remain at the center of exceptional experiences,” says Gus Murillo, Director, Global Creative & Community at Booksy. “Technology can simplify operations, but it can never replace the creativity, culture, and personal connections that professionals create with their clients every day.”
Beyond efficiency, attendees discussed how those time savings translate into opportunities for growth, education, creativity, and personal well-being.
The evening also highlighted the stories of several Booksy ambassadors whose careers reflect the changing landscape of modern beauty and barbering:
- Joel Torres, an internationally recognized hairstylist and educator, shared how simplifying business operations has allowed him to focus on traveling, teaching, and inspiring professionals around the world.
- Timmel Horne discussed his journey from managing appointments through direct messages and phone calls to building a business that extends beyond barbering into podcasting, education, and personal brand development.
- Lonnie Horne spoke about leveraging technology to create operational consistency, enabling him to pursue additional entrepreneurial ventures while continuing to grow his influence within the industry.
- Mr. Official, a respected figure in barber culture, reflected on the evolution of barbering from traditional shop management to modern entrepreneurship, while maintaining the strong sense of identity and community that has always defined the profession.
As the industry continues to evolve, Booksy remains focused on helping professionals spend less time managing administrative tasks and more time building businesses, careers, and communities.
“Behind every appointment is a real person, a real relationship, and a real story,” added Murillo. “The conversations throughout the evening reinforced that the future of beauty isn’t less human—it’s more intentional, more connected, and more empowering for the professionals who make this industry what it is.”
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