Competitive edge
Denise Wright, the award-winning nail tech and director of Professional Beauty’s North Nail Championships, explains how competing can catapult your career to dizzy heights
“Competitions are a great part of a nail tech’s life. They are fun and exciting while encouraging you to stretch and improve your skills along the way. On the competition circuit, you meet like-minded techs with a passion for the industry. You can make essential contacts, so when the time is right for you, your career journey can lead you into areas you perhaps haven’t even thought of yet. Take my journey as an example.
Starting out
“I started as a nail tech in a shop, where I worked until I was ready to open my own salon. I wanted to test my skills, and started competing in nail competitions at the trade shows. My first one was a disaster! The judges weren’t looking for salonstandard nails – they were looking for perfection.
“I learned from their feedback and in my second competition I won. My business boomed and my clients loved hearing about the competitions and seeing the trophies. After my 10th title, I was invited to judge and help out with running the competitions. Soon, I was asked to be the competition director for five shows.
Teaching opportunities
“As I made a name for myself, many doors opened – I was invited to teach in colleges. City and Guilds then asked me to write exam papers and mark them. Habia invited me to write standards for new nail qualifications and to become part of their skills team for roadshows. I then opened my own training academy, offering City and Guilds and then VTCT qualifications.
In the media
“Since then, I’ve written magazine articles, made educational DVDs, had TV experiences and worked on celebrities’ nails. As an NSI ambassador, I now travel all over the world educating with an international team. Three times a year, I travel to the NSI Philadelphia head office and help develop new products. All of this started from competing.
“Along the journey, your name gets noticed and other opportunities arise. You have to take the rough with the smooth and it is a lot of effort. Sometimes you’ll need to give your time for free in order to promote yourself and leapfrog to the next level. But by entering competitions I began an amazing journey.
“No matter what you want from your nails career, why not enter that nail competition and see where it takes you.” PB