ABOUT US
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ABOUT US
The idea began in 2007 to bring affordable nail education to our overlooked area of the South & the resort town of Gatlinburg, TN was chosen since its within driving distance of 22 surrounding states.
Gatlinburg is a fun family vacation destination within a day’s drive for over 50% of the entire USA population living east of the Mississippi.
12 to 14+ MILLION people a year visit Gatlinburg & the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which unlike other large National Parks is still FREE to explore!
Our humble beginnings started in 2008 as a small nail tech networking event held in a hotel ballroom.
We met our goal of 50 nail techs attending & 6 educators demoing on tables with nail icon Vicki Peters as the guest speaker.
Within 3 years we grew to be the largest nail tech networking event in the USA!
In 2010 we developed the concept of holding Monday Workshops the day after the show, with Saturday Workshops added the following year due to high demand.
After outgrowing 2 hotel venues in 4 years, we moved into the Gatlinburg Convention Center as a licensed LLC trade show in 2012.
We are the only USA Nail Show that's solely open to licensed nail techs & is NOT open to the general public, "influencers" nor other non-licensed nail lovers.
Thanks to the great word of mouth referrals from nail techs, educators & company owners alike, we have grown to 700+ attending nail techs & 200+ educators in 69 nail booths all demoing & selling wholesale hand, foot & boutique salon products.
There's a lot happening on the 3 show floors, with the main one being the gorgeous "Mills Auditorium", "The Gallery" (where everyone 1st enters) & the "Mills Rooms 1 & 2", along with the Sponsors Hall that connects all 3 show floors, plus the "Mills Rooms 3 & 4" for the Swag Swap Center!
For 2019 we created the Friday "Extended Workshops" to provide techs the opportunity to EXTEND their show weekend for an extra day of hands-on education.
ALL Extended Workshops are held onsite at the GCC (no offsite classes).
"THE EVENT TEAM" is comprised of friends & family using their own vacation time volunteering to help run this grassroots show on a shoestring budget while operating with NO DEBT.
Learning as we went, each year I cash-flowed expenses by rolling over profits saved from prior years to insure show stability. After 36yrs, I only do nails part time in my private studio while I work online daily to grow the Smokies Nail Show.
For 2022 the GCC built the Ballroom space known as the "Mills Rooms 1 & 2" (parallel to the Mills Auditorium main show floor) which allowed 12 more Booths for new companies, PLUS the "Sponsors Hall" for our distinguished Sponsors that connects all 3 show floors.
NEW for 2023 was the "Swag Swap Center" inside the Mills Rooms 3 & 4 created for techs to trade swag, network with each other, exchange nail education tips & tricks, plus sit to eat lunch & rest their tired feet. It was a BIG hit!
Behind the scenes there's a TON of work that you don't see & I thank you for all your support.
We are proof that anything's possible when the nail world pulls together for the good of us all & you're welcome to join us as we create "nail tech pride".... one tech at a time!
XOXOXO
Jill Wright, Event Coordinator & Nail Tech