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Attending Summit

Important things to know

A Printable Copy Will Be Available Closer To The Time

Please complete the survey here.

Main Events and Accommodation

Ramada by Wyndham
287 Victoria Street, Hamilton Central, Hamilton 3204

Welcome Event

Zone Bar at Sky City
346 Victoria Street, Hamilton Central, Hamilton 3204

Parking spaces are very limited at Ramada. They recommend utilising nearby public parking buildings for ease and security.
Click here for latest parking pricing

Please come to Summit with NAKED NAILS - They must be naked for Day One comps.

Socials

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/nznailtechsummit

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nznailtechsummit/

In our Pre-Summit Survey, we have asked all attendees in shared rooms if they would prefer a social room that others can come and visit, a social room but where you go OUT to socialise and can come back to quiet OR a quiet room.

Unless you chose the first option, please do NOT invite others back to your room. Room numbers for the 'extras welcome' rooms will be provided once we have them. All other rooms should respect the request of their roommates to have a more private space to escape to.

Room allocations will be confirmed closer to the time. We will NOT be taking roommate requests, for many many logistical reasons. The one exception is some people have managed their budgets by requesting to share a bed so technically that's a room request but I think we all understand why it makes sense that the two halves of their bed be in the same room 😅

Monday

  • Breakfast - Not provided
  • Lunch - Not provided
  • Dinner At Welcome Event - Nibbles provided, food and drink available for purchase

Tuesday

  • Breakfast - Not provided
  • Lunch - Catered
  • Dinner - Pasta Night

Wednesday

  • Breakfast - Not provided
  • Lunch - Catered
  • Dinner - Pizza Night

Thursday

  • Breakfast - Not provided
  • Lunch - Catered
  • Dinner At Prizegiving - Catered

Friday

Breakfast - Optional meet up for those who want to have breakfast together before Expo (Not included)

Have you heard about the Product Library?!

Note that this is NOT a definitive list. Unless you're flying, overpack! Or plan with a friend to bring a mix of things to share. You never know when you're going to wish you'd brought that specific shade of jelly or that slightly different cat eye.

Below are some suggestions and reminders – 

Day One

9am - Penny Lawler 
No kit required

10.30am - Parveen Kaur Thakur

  • A minimum of 5 tips or swatch sticks, pre-prepared with white gel polish and a matte finish (use either matte top coat or buff your glossy one).
  • A watercolour brush such as this one, this one or this one. In a pinch, any short (10mm) liner brush will work (eg this orange one) but you really want one a bit fatter, designed to hold a bit of liquid.
  • A small dish for water - this could be a dappen dish, ramekin or  just a tupperware but you don't need a lot.
  • A few paper towels to wipe your brush on.
  • Lint Free Wipes
  • Isopropyl Alcohol/Cleanser, if safe to do so - a small amount will be available for those who flew
  • White Gel Polish
  • Gel Top Coat
  • UV/LED Lamp
  • OPTIONAL - Tip Stands
  • OPTIONAL - Watercolour Paints - We will have some in the Product Library but if you want your own, these are incredible and these work for learning but aren't as pigmented.
  • OPTIONAL - Spare Tips/Swatch Sticks
  • OPTIONAL - Matte Top Coat if you have it - We will aim to have some in the Product Library
  • OPTIONAL - Dotting Tool for small details
  • OPTIONAL - Striping/Lining Brush for small details

1pm - Melody Hatch and Emma Fraser

  • Hand Sanitiser
  • Isopropyl Alcohol/Cleanser, if safe to do so - a small amount will be available for those who flew
  • Lint Free Wipes
  • Manicure/Dusting Brush
  • Files for shaping the natural nail
  • Cuticle Pusher/Orange Wood Stick
  • E-File with Cuticle Prep Bits if your are E-File qualified
  • Buffers or Sanding Bands for nail plate prep
  • Prep Products for your brand Eg pH Prep, AirBond etc
  • Gel Base Coat
  • Red Gel Polish with no shimmer or pearlescence
  • White Gel Polish with no shimmer or pearlescence
  • Any tools you choose to use for French application Eg Striper Brush (No stickers)
  • Gel Top Coat
  • UV/LED Lamp
  • Cuticle Oil

6pm - Millie Craike and Caitlin Hoet

  • A minimum of 5-10 full cover tips, with a variety of sizes to fit a hand (eg, a pinkie-sized one through to a thumb-sized one).
  • 180-Grit (or similar) Buffer
  • Manicure/Dusting Brush
  • Small Scissors
  • Tweezers
  • Lint Free Wipes
  • A nude or neutral coloured Gel Polish
  • White Gel Polish 
  • Black Gel Polish
  • Foil Gel
  • Gel Top Coat
  • UV/LED Lamp
  • A small dish for water - this could be a dappen dish, ramekin or  just a tupperware but you don't need a lot.
  • Acetone, if safe to do so - a small amount will be available for those who flew
  • A clean-up brush - usually a flat brush you don't mind dipping in acetone, but whatever you prefer is fine
  • A Striping/Lining Brush for small details
  • OPTIONAL - Tip Stands
  • OPTIONAL - A small sponge to put in your water dish
  • OPTIONAL - Matte Top Coat if you have it - We will aim to have some in the Product Library
  • OPTIONAL - A neutral Chrome Powder 
  • OPTIONAL - Your preferred Chrome Application tool (brush, sponge etc) if bringing

 

Day Two

9am - Steph Greville
No kit required

10.30am - Abigail Frickleton
Coming Soon!

1pm - Chantelle Parsons
Coming Soon!

Additional recommended items - 
  • Full cover tips
  • BluTack
  • A towel for your table
  • A light for seeing - lots of people forgot this last year, lights are off during demos so if you want to work at the same time, you need light!
  • Tripod for filming
  • Monomer, If applicable and safe to do - a small amount will be available for those flying
  • Disinfectant
  • Multi-boxes and extension cords (there are never enough)
  • Glad bags for your rubbish
  • Removal Foils
  • Files
  • Buffers
  • A variety of other gel colours
  • BIAB
  • Portable Extraction fan if you NEED to but pause and imagine the sound of 70 Extractor Fans in one room haha
  • E-File
  • Tips
  • Forms
  • Pigments and chromes
  • Blooming and other specialty gels
  • Other Nail Art brushes
  • Acrylic Brush if applicable
  • Dappen Dish if applicable
  • Powders if applicable
  • Hard Gel or PolyGel if applicable
  • Undies
  • Bras
  • PJs for the PJ Party
  • Clothes for 4 days
  • Charger cables AND a wall plug
  • Highlighters
  • Something you feel fancy in for Prizegiving - Summit brand colours are encouraged
  • Comfy Shoes
  • Prizegiving Shoes
  • Slippers
  • Meds
  • Vape pens (we were asked to add this!)
  • Something to keep you warm - some spots in the room will be directly under aircon
  • Toiletries
  • Snacks
  • Gloves
  • Notebooks
  • Pens
  • Your favourite tea and coffee to bring down from your room
  • Energy Drinks
  • Lollies
  • Your pillow if you’re Hannah
  • Your carpool buddy if you are picking up an anxious bean
  • Lots of people last year said ‘more money’ for products and/or drinks

EVERYONE is nervous!

Previous years we've had a few new people each year. In 2027 there will be just as many first timers as returnees.

The returnees will be nervous that everything they love about Summit will change - what if the new people aren't as nice?!

The newbies will be nervous because, well, they're new!

Everyone will be a wreck together 😜

But everyone had their first Summit once and EVERYONE found their tribe

Growth gives us the budget to do some pretty awesome things (like hire a venue and an entertainer for the welcome event and supply platters) because the cost of the venue doesn't increase so that portion of additional tickets goes straight into upgrades.

It's going to be SO GOOD!

A note on start and finish times -

Workshops start strictly on time and late entry will not be permitted. The room will be open from 8am to allow you to arrive and set up for the day before the first workshop.

You can leave your kit out overnight but please note that this is at your own risk. NZ Nail Tech Summit takes no responsibility for lost items.

Evening events are intended to be open-ended, wrapping up roughly around 9pm.

Please remember that all workshops are optional - manage your energy levels, social battery and sensory overwhelm like the well-adjusted adult you pretend to be in polite company. Take breaks, have a lie down, set a reminder to stand up and stretch, pop outside for fresh air, use noise cancelling headphones and head home or upstairs to bed when YOU know you need to.

Here is your blanket permission to make Summit fit YOUR needs and not the other way around. A full battery that has priorities and boundaries is a happy battery and a better Summit for everyone!

All things are optional so if you are low on battery, don't come! But there are NO later entries to any session.

Please come to Summit with NAKED NAILS - They must be naked for Day One comps.

2pm-5pm - Registration

Full details to be confirmed, but plan to arrive at Ramada by Wyndham between 2-5pm to register. This is compulsory for all attendees, even if you're not staying at Ramada.

6pm - Welcome Event

THE SUMMIT WELCOME EVENT IS LEAVING THE HOTEL 👀🎶

For the first time ever, we’re heading off-site to The Zone Bar at SkyCity Hamilton for a proper night out before Summit begins.

PLUS, MC Dan from Beats by Bingo will be taking over with music bingo, prizes and five rounds chosen especially for our crowd - 
🎵 Guilty Pleasure Songs
💍 All the Bingo Ladies
🌈 True Colours, because obviously
💕 Love Songs Till Bingo
📺 Theme Tunes

Your bingo card has songs and artists instead of numbers. Dan plays the tracks, you cross them off, sing far too loudly and shout BINGO when you win.

We’ll also have platters waiting, which means dinner is on us this year. Drinks will be available from the cash bar.

Check into your room, get ready and then meet us at SkyCity for music, food, prizes and an entire room of nail techs discovering how competitive they really are.

This is going to be LOUD!

PLUS - Got a Nail Tech friend who can't make it to Summit? Bring them to Bingo!
Individual tickets are available at www.nailtechsummit.co.nz/product/bingo

Do I need transport?

Zone bar at Sky City is 180m from Ramada by Wyndham so most of us will walk.

When does it finish?

There are always questions about finish times and there will be a mix of people who want to do tequila shots on Day 0 vs people who want to be well rested for Day 1 - SO - The official Beats by Bingo part of the event runs from 6-8pm. We elected not to book additional DJ time so that quieter folk don't feel like they're missing out by going home.

For those who need sleep, you can be in bed by 8.30pm, and the Party Room will be open for everyone else.

 

8am - Room  Open for Set Up

You'll see on the schedule that the room is open 8am-9am for set up each morning - we start at 9am ON THE DOT because our wonderful presenters have limited time slots, sooo we've always started at 9 but consider it starting at 8.45!

9am - Penny Lawler - 10 Lessons from 18 Years in the Industry

Click here for the reveal video!

This isn't a lecture on cancellation policies, heck no! This is the TEA on television work, lying-on-the-carpet-crying breakdowns and what happens when a staff member skips the country leaving you with a LOT of debt.

Kit required - None.

10.30am - Parveen Kaur Thakur - Watercolour Nail Art

Click here for the reveal video!

Parveen Kaur Thakur is the owner of Goddess Nail Studio located in Albany, with 8 years of experience in the nail industry and 5 years of experience representing BrillBird as an educator, mentoring nail technicians and helping students develop their skills, confidence, and creativity.
 
At the NZ Nail Tech Summit in 2027, Parveen takes slot two, taking you through watercolour nail art techniques.
 
Summit isn't a course, it's a tasting platter, so the goal is to try a little bit of everything. With that in mind, Parveen will demo two options in the first 15 min, with 30 min to play, followed by a couple more techniques in a second 15 min demo and a further 30 min to play.
 
Our team will walk the floor the entire time helping you give it a go and see if watercolour is something you want to bring into your salon.

Required kit is listed under 'Packing List'

12pm - Lunch (Catered)

1pm - Melody Hatch and Emma Fraser - Open Book Gel Manicure Competitions

Click here for Mel's reveal video!

Click here for Emma's reveal video!

With about fibbityjillion trophies on her shelf, we are SO lucky to have the one and only Melody Hatch presenting essentially 'How to win flibbityjillion trophies' at Summit 2027! Not only that, but Mel will be joined by NZ Nail Comps JUDGE, Emma Fraser, to back her up and maximise your learning.

So how's it going to work?

Just before lunch finishes, Melody will start COMPETING, on camera, on the big screen (no pressure Mel!) for everyone to watch as they filter back in. As Melody competes, the inCREDible Emma will be commentating her work - explaining to you why she's making the choices she's making and how she could do better.

At 2pm, we judge her, on the big screen.

Then YOU will pair up with another Summit attendee and at 2.30pm, half of you start competing, using your buddy as a model (so yes, you need naked nails for Day 1 of Summit 2027!). At 3.30pm, you swap and the competitor becomes the model and vice versa.

HowEVER, the ENTIRE time you are competing, Melody and Emma will be walking around the room (along with our floorwalking team!) Telling you HOW TO WIN. They're 'open book' competitions for a reason team - cause outside of the timeframe and the need to do 3 French and 2 Red nails - 'cheating' is the name of the game.

Not interested in comps? Don't see it as one. Use Mel and Emma's advice to improve what you offer in salon and elevate your client services... but you DO have a chance at a Summit trophy 😉

At 430pm, all of you can come up to the team to have your work judged just as it would be in real life at the NZ Nail Competitions - except we won't be hiding behind a curtain - we encourage you to be all up in our personal space, seeing what we see as we tell you how to get even higher marks if you do ever officially compete (or how to elevate your salon services).

We are SO excited to have Melody and Emma at Summit 2027 - watch out comps, we're coming for ya!
 
Required kit is listed under 'Packing List'
Click here for the Gel Polish Manicure Competition Guidelines and Judging Sheets
5pm - Break
 
Feel free to get into your PJs!
 
6pm - Millie Craike and Caitlin Hoet - PJs, Pasta and Press Ons
(The Ultimate Press-On Nails Masterclass - INCLUDES DINNER)
 
PLUS Open Book Salon Art Competition
 
Night One of Summit 2027, Millie from @geminiclawsnz and Caiti from @primimpropernails take charge with the Ultimate Press On Nails Masterclass!
 
Our evening sessions are chill, carb heavy and dressing-gowns-encouraged but that doesn't affect the sheer INTEL. This isn't 'How to paint full-cover tips' - this is one of NZ's most successful press-on artists, the ONE and ONLY Millie Craike, giving you ALL HER SECRETS. There aren't enough caps lock buttons for this!
 
At 6pm, the dream team are starting with a live demo, showing you how to take a set from an idea in your head all the way through to something beautifully finished, packaged and ready to sell.
 
Caiti will be on the mic while Millie walks you through the process, including sizing, designing, presenting and packaging your press-ons, what to include for your customer, and how to make the whole thing actually work as a service or product in the real world.
 
At 7pm, our catering team will bring in massive bowls of pasta for you to dig into, taking it back to your desk as YOU work on your own press-on sets. You'll have Millie and Caiti at your beck and call till 9pm, but if you have 5 finished nails submitted to the judges by 8am Tuesday morning, you're in the running for our Open Book Salon Art competition.
 
At 9pm, our evening session ends (although you can leave earlier if your battery tells you to!). At this point you can head back to your room and continue working on your Salon Art submission, or head to the Party Room for a wind-down wine. 
 
Submissions must be handed to the judges by 8am on the morning of Day Two (Wednesday 28th) and this deadline is strict and final.
Click here for the Salon Art Competition Guidelines and Judging Sheets
Note that in some competitions, 'Salon Art' is called 'Salon Trends' or may be known by other names. Essentially, it is a category of submitted art (meaning you do it in your own time, not supervised or timed) where the art should be achievable in a normal salon environment (as opposed to a fantasy category with a working Ferris wheel standing 15cm off the finger!)

8am - Room  Open for Set Up

You'll see on the schedule that the room is open 8am-9am for set up each morning - we start at 9am ON THE DOT because our wonderful presenters have limited time slots, sooo we've always started at 9 but consider it starting at 8.45!

9am - Steph Greville - Pricing for Profit

Click here for the reveal video!

You told us you wanted more business and marketing at Summit 2027 and who are we to deny you!

We can't just have ANYONE though can we - what if we got someone who successfully increased their prices 40% in ONE YEAR?!

Steph is kicking off Day Two with a session all about one of the biggest things we hear you struggle with - pricing your services properly and actually making money from them.

And yes, we deliberately put her FIRST to avoid the dreaded afternoon brain fog - take note during PJs and Pasta night the evening before and maybe don't make it PJs, Pasta and Prosecco 😅 At least, not tooo many 😜

Steph is a BOSS in every sense of the word and she’s going to help you look properly at how to make pricing decisions that actually support a profitable business.

Coffee first, Steph second, Profit coming right atcha.

Kit required - None.

10.30am - Abigail Frickleton - Mixed Media Nail Art

Click here for the reveal video!

The heir to the Orly Boutique throne but the outright QUEEN of 3D - Abigail Frickleton is going to blow your socks off on Day 2 of Summit 2027!

As the daughter of Day 1 presenter Melody Hatch, I KID that Abigail is a nepo baby but you know what? That means on top of her years of training (including some in the US!) and her many MANY awards, YOU get the benefit of her growing up inside a nail salon and nearly eclipsing all of our other presenters with her years-in-salon experience!

I think we're pretty bloody lucky and no one is as obsessed with mixed media and 3D art than this gal.

Required kit is listed under 'Packing List'

12pm - Lunch (Catered)

1pm - Chantelle Parsons - Advanced Chrome and Cats Eye

PLUS Open Book Mystery Tips Competition

Click here for the reveal video!

As our Featured Opening Act, @blushnailartist has a full afternoon with you on Day 2, spending 4 hours taking you through the chrome and cats eye techniques that take you from play time to the big time as a high end nail artist.
 
Still a newbie? Never fear! We will be able to adapt everything to all skill levels, as ALL of our presenters this year have been asked to include adaptations that take into account skill levels from just-enrolled to decades-at-the-desk.
 
PLUS Chantelle's session includes our MYSTERY TIPS Comp - again, all of our competitions are OPEN BOOK meaning that while following international comps criteria, we also floor walk and tell you how to win, priming you for entering official competitions OR just elevating your game if that's not your thing.
 
Mystery Tips competitions generally mean that the competition organisers give you inspo images and you submit 3 tips that fit that inspo. They're 'submitted' art meaning you do them in your own time and send them in, they're not usually live.
 
SO - When Chantelle finishes demoing, 3 images will go up on the big screen. You have until 8am the next morning (Day Three - Thursday) to hand in three tips for judging and potentially take home a trophy.
 
Required kit is listed under 'Packing List'
 
5pm - Break
 
Feel free to get into your PJs!

6pm onwards - TBC

 

 

At 9pm, our evening session ends (although you can leave earlier if your battery tells you to!). At this point you can head back to your room and continue working on your Mystery Tips submission, or head to the Party Room for a wind-down wine. 
 
Submissions must be handed to the judges by 8am on the morning of Day Three (Thursday 29th) and this deadline is strict and final.
Click here for the Mystery Tips Competition Guidelines and Judging Sheets
 

New presenters announced every Monday at 7pm!

 

To be confirmed...

Optional - Meet us for breakfast at 8am before we head off to the NZ Nail Competitions or home

A printable copy will be available closer to the time...