Judges From Around the World that Support Nailympia Competitions
1 Nailympia Judge
Harold (Buddy) Sims
United States
Academy & Distribution| Developer of Industry Standards| Online training| Product Research & Development
Area of judging expertise: Nail Art, Salon Nails & Competition Nails
Years as a judge: 10
Number of Nailympia events judged: 1
Nailympia events judged: Anaheim
Are you an educator?: Yes
Industry accolades: Next Top Nail Artist Cycle 1 Finalist, Politics Beauty & Barber Unsung Hero Award
Favourite nail brands: CND, Wildflowers & Profiles Backstage
Industry figures you admire: Leo Passage, Jan Arnold, Beth Livesay, Sigourney Nunez, Elaine Watson, Vitaly Solomonoff, Alex Fox, Samantha Sweet, Marian Newman BEM, Helena Biggs, Winnie Huang, Lauren Wireman, Ashley Gregory, Kate Owens-Heins, Doug Schoon, Robin Moses & many more... I've met so many inspirational people & am thankful for their knowledge and support.
Career biography: Buddy’s vast knowledge comes from his involvement in nearly every facet of the beauty industry. With over a decade of experience, he began his journey as a Nails Subject Matter Expert, being a finalist & judge of Next Top Nail Artist. Buddy has worked alongside distributors & manufacturers, cosmetology boards in his home state & nationwide, owned a salon & holds an instructor’s license. In his current role as a Learning Experience Specialist at Pivot Point International, Buddy finds joy in sharing those experiences with educator's across the globe to foster the success, growth & longevity of beauty professionals & the industry itself. His expertise is not only limited to nails & he loves supporting educators & students using methodology & technology to enhance their classroom experience.
Personal biography: I have a wide range of interests outside of work & never sit still for long. I'm drawn to anything creative, with history in music growing up. I sang & played multiple instruments for many years. Live entertainment is something I still enjoy. I'm thirsty for knowledge & inspiration, which often leads me to museums, reading & watching most anything related to art & history. I enjoy creating art from a large variety of media & love to travel. I find myself most at home in nature, whether that's the mountains or the beach. Staying active is not only fun, but I learn a lot!
Why you believe in nail competitions?: Nail competitions enrich your life & career beyond your wildest imagination. I'm living proof of that as a finalist in the pilot season of Next Top Nail Artist. I don't think I would be where I am without competing. I was only licensed a short time before competing & that experience changed my life. Not only do competitions elevate your hands-on skills, the benefits can touch other areas of your life. Competitions offer so much more than the finished nails & online competitions require a different set of skills, too. My experiences helped elevate my digital skills, online presence & networking in addition to my finished works & timing. My skills advanced to the degree my business was booming, I began to teach, travel & I have been published many times over. The new friends & supporters I met along the way are the best part. Thanks to many of them, one thing led to another & I've reached what I consider the pinnacle of my career & I know many others who feel the same.
Advice to competitors: Research, network, ask questions, follow the brief, try new things & practice. Follow past competitors & view submissions. Break down the competition into manageable chunks & use what others have done as inspiration. If all else fails, don’t be afraid to ask! Competitors are happy to share their experience. Make sure you have a support group. Not only from an emotional standpoint, but you might need to call on them for help! MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW THE BRIEF. In many competitions this gets lost in translation. If judges are asking for something specific, give them what they want. If you have to explain what you created, you’re doing it wrong. Get creative and add your personality when possible, but follow the brief. Competitions are a great way to try new things and stretch your skills but don’t overextend yourself. You want to present your best work by playing to your strengths. The benefits competitions offer in advancing your skills, networking, creativity & more are waiting!
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