Dean Salakas to Speak at Retail Show Australia 2026 | Retail doctor Group

April 7, 2026

Share this article

Dean Salakas to Speak at Retail Show Australia 2026 on From Clown to Retail Consultant: The Journey and Lessons for Retail

Retail Show Australia 2026 is pleased to welcome Dean Salakas, Partner at Retail doctor Group, as a featured speaker at this year’s event.

Dean brings practical, experience-led insight to the retail industry, with a professional background shaped by entrepreneurship, business growth and retail consulting. His journey offers a distinctive perspective on what it takes to build, grow and evolve a retail business in a changing market.

From Clown to Retail Consultant: The Journey and Lessons for Retail

At Retail Show Australia 2026, Dean will present:

From Clown to Retail Consultant: The Journey and Lessons for Retail

In this session, Dean will share his unconventional journey from working as a clown to building Australia’s largest party store, achieving a successful exit, and moving into retail consulting. Drawing on that experience, he will reflect on the lessons learned along the way and what they can mean for retailers navigating growth, change and long-term business development.

Attendees will gain insights into:

  • The lessons that come from an unconventional retail journey 
  • Real-world perspectives on building and growing a retail business 
  • What retailers can learn from entrepreneurship, transition and reinvention 
  • How lived business experience can shape stronger retail thinking and decision-making 
  • Practical reflections relevant to retailers operating in an evolving market 

A Real-World Perspective on Retail Growth

Dean’s session brings together entrepreneurial experience and retail consulting insight in a way that is both practical and relatable. His story reflects the resilience, adaptability and commercial understanding required to build a successful business and continue evolving within the retail sector.

By sharing his journey and the lessons behind it, Dean will offer attendees an engaging perspective on retail growth, business transformation and the value of learning through experience.

Join Dean Salakas at Retail Show Australia 2026

Retail Show Australia 2026 brings together leading retailers, innovators and industry experts to explore the future of retail across innovation, technology and customer experience. The reference speaker page places the event at Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre on 22–24 September 2026, and closes with a registration call to action. 


Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre

22–24 September 2026

Recent Posts

Kmart Digital sales jump 19.7% as omnichannel ecosystem expands, with four red-on-white stats tiles.
September 6, 2026
Kmart FY26 highlights a more connected retail model as digital growth, AI, RFID, stores, fulfilment and supply-chain technology increasingly work together.
Bunnings revenue hits A$20.4B as digital sales share grows, with four KPI boxes on a pink-orange gradient.
September 5, 2026
Bunnings FY26 revenue reached A$20.4 billion as digital sales grew to 7.6% of total sales, highlighting the closer connection between stores and digital retail.
Smiling woman in black dress beside event poster on a purple-orange gradient background
September 5, 2026
SaCSA leaders Natalie Turmine and Nicole Venter join Retail Show Australia 2026 to explore retail skills, workforce gaps, AI, automation, and future capability.
Woolworths e-commerce business reaches $10.6 billion, with shoppers in a supermarket aisle.
September 4, 2026
Woolworths eCommerce sales reached A$10.6 billion in FY26, rising 15.9% as online grocery becomes increasingly integrated with stores and fulfilment.
Coles store interior with headline announcing another A$300m investment in next growth phase
September 4, 2026
Coles is investing another A$300 million in new stores, renewals, online fulfilment, automation and technology as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
Storepro logo in black text with a green circular “o” on a white background
September 3, 2026
Storepro joins Retail Show Australia 2026 to showcase retail construction and fitout expertise across new stores, refurbishments, rollouts, and ongoing works.
Retail Show Fireside Chat banner with two speakers and text: “From Data to Action: The Retail Advantage Hidden in Sustainability Data”
September 3, 2026
David Jones and Schneider Electric join RSA2026 to explore how sustainability data can guide store performance, capital planning, and smarter retail investment.
Smiling man in black shirt on a purple-orange Prezi-branded background with logo and text.
September 2, 2026
Preezie CEO Michael Tutek joins Retail Show Australia 2026 to explore how agentic AI can improve eCommerce conversion, service, and customer journeys.
Avesta LABS logo in dark teal text on a white background
September 2, 2026
Avesta Labs showcases its AI co-worker at Retail Show Australia 2026, helping retailers automate replenishment workflows while keeping human approval in control.
Retail Show Australia promo banner with three speakers and text, orange-to-purple gradient background
August 30, 2026
Retail leaders from Codex, Reece Group and AWS join RSA2026 to explore how data, governance, trust and human judgement can make AI work in retail operations.
Show More