First-time events are always a bit of a gamble. Chisholm Frankston's inaugural Chisholm Live day? Not a gamble at all — an absolute win.

A huge congratulations to Suzaan Shine and Vanessa Drummond, who organised the entire day. Pulling off a first-time industry event of this scale takes serious vision and dedication, and these two delivered something truly special for their students and the wider profession.

I was proud to be there in person for the full day as part of this interactive industry event for Chisholm's students and teachers. The morning kicked off with some seriously inspiring talks — Fiona Bemish from the Australian Hairdressing Council (AHC) set the tone with an industry-wide perspective, followed by Stefanie Milla from ABIC – Aesthetic Beauty Industry Council. Then the head of Sacsa joined the conversation — and if you haven't heard of Sacsa yet, take note. It stands for Service and Creative Skills Australia — and they're the body currently overhauling the training package for hairdressing apprentices and full-time students. Big picture stuff.

Then it was my turn, and I got to spend an hour with the students — and what a group. Chisholm students are already enrolled in our exclusive school program, fully mapped to the current training package across the Create Hair Up and Braiding units, with a kit of our professional tools included. That's students graduating with real, hands-on experience using industry-standard products from day one.

Shoutout to the student who had our XL Creaseless Clips in her hair when she walked in. Unplanned. Unscripted. Completely perfect.

I introduced two brand-new looks freshly added to the program — because our school program isn't a set-and-forget situation. We refresh the looks every year so the content stays current, creative, and genuinely useful for students entering the workforce.

After a big morning, the whole group sat down to a proper lunch prepared by Chisholm's own chef students — a genuinely lovely moment in the middle of a full-on day. Beautiful food, great conversation, and a real sense that this campus takes pride in everything it produces, across every course.

Recharged and ready, the afternoon brought the energy right back up with a student styling competition that closed out the day in the best possible way. Watching everyone put our aluminium core Velcro rollers, Timesaver brushes, carbon combs, and extra strong bobby pins to work was brilliant. These students aren't just learning theory. They're doing.

Chisholm Frankston, thank you for creating something so valuable for your students — and for including me in it. A special thank you to Suzaan and Vanessa for having the drive to make this day happen. Here's to many more years of this partnership.