[Edaily Reporter Lee So-Hyun ] Kakao(035720)is supporting small business owners in the beauty industry by strengthening their digital marketing capabilities. It provides training, hands-on practice, and networking opportunities with peers in the same industry so that they can directly apply Kakao Business services to their store operations.

Kakao announced on the 12th that it is recruiting participants for the 5th cohort of the “Kakao Business Owner Community” targeting business owners in the beauty industry.

The Business Owner Community is a growth support program that helps small business owners learn about Kakao Business services and apply them to their own stores. It also provides opportunities to exchange business operation experiences with fellow industry peers.

This fifth cohort is open to business owners operating local, appointment-based beauty salons, including hair, nail, eyelash, and skin/aesthetic salons. Applications are accepted until September 6.

Kakao will select and announce participants on September 10, and the six-week program will run from September 29 to November 3. Further details can be found in the announcements section of the Kakao Business Seminar website.

A key feature of this session is that it reduces the training burden and increases hands-on practice opportunities, taking into account the needs of beauty industry business owners who must balance running their salons with participating in the program.

Participants can learn the basic features at their convenience via on-demand video (VOD). During live online training sessions, they will learn about case studies and best practices for the beauty industry from Kakao experts, followed by hands-on exercises and Q&A sessions.

The training is structured around hands-on practice with Kakao Business services, aligned with the customer journey—from store discovery to consultation, booking, and repeat visits. Participants can apply what they learn each week to their own stores.

A new elective program has also been introduced for participants seeking more in-depth learning. Participants can choose between a “participatory study group,” where they collaborate on KakaoTalk Channel management, friend acquisition, and promotional strategies based on real-world store cases, and a “hands-on special lecture” that teaches how to plan, film, and utilize short-form content.

Each program is conducted in small groups to ensure a strong focus on hands-on practice and feedback. Participants are also provided with networking opportunities to share store management experiences and know-how with fellow business owners in the same industry. Free Kakao Business credits are provided so that participants can apply the advertising features they learn during the training to their actual stores.

After the program concludes, outstanding case studies will be selected, shared, and recognized with awards.

Previously, from May to June, Kakao ran the fourth session of the “Business Owners’ Community” for business owners in the wellness and sports sectors. The satisfaction rating for the fourth session was 4.67 out of 5. 96.3% of participants rated the program positively. 95.1% reported that their ability to use Kakao Business had improved, and 97.5% said they would recommend the program to other business owners.

Hwang Jun-yeon, Domain Leader at Kakao Business, stated, “For the fifth session, we strengthened hands-on training and networking opportunities to help participants find operational methods tailored to their individual stores using Kakao Business.” He added, “We will continue to actively incorporate feedback from the field to create programs that provide practical assistance to business owners across various industries.”