For 74 years, the leaders in the hair, beauty, and fashion industry have gathered at the Bronner Bros. International Beauty Show in Atlanta.
The founders describe it as a family reunion for the most talented beauty artists in the world, but they're facing an incredible challenge this year because of COVID-19.
They are trying to turn their physical event into a virtual experience. This isn't going to be like a Zoom call.
The Bronner Bros. wanted to create a totally immersive experience where people can feel like they're in the Georgia World Congress Center at the event.
"It's just electric, there's so much creativity in the air because it's the place that hair and fashion trends are set. It stirs your creativity and inspires you," said James Bronner.
This type of energy will be hard to recreate online, but he said they're ready to try.
"We innovated just like we have always done. You won't have that in-person energy, but we have done the best that we could to replicate that physical show," he said.
His father started the show 74 years ago in Atlanta and they've never missed it. Bronner trained as an engineer at Georgia Tech and hopes his background will help this year's show go off virtually without a hitch.
"I didn't know when I was going through all that engineering training that I would have to re-engineer the show to virtual, but it came in handy and we were able to train the team and the instructors and vendors," he said.
"It was quite a challenge, but challenge is not unusual to anyone during these trying times," he added.
The show typically brings in $30 million to Atlanta according to the organizers, the highest-earning event outside of sports in the city.
While the city will be missing out on that revenue, Bronner said stylists in Atlanta have not been able to earn money either as salons and barbershops were shut down due to the pandemic.
He helped start the Black Beauty and Barber Relief Fund to keep those small businesses going.
"The whole business model had to change, but it doesn't allow you to see the same number of clients in a day," he said.
He's hoping this show can help inspire small business owners in the beauty world to keep going despite all of the challenges COVID-19 presents.
"Take inventory of whatever skills and knowledge that you have and look at how you can shift. And you never know how it will bless your lives and bless the lives of others," Bronner said.
A portion of the proceeds from the event will go back in to the Black Beauty and Barber Relief Fund. They said it's vital that small business owners are supported through the pandemic.