Education and Events

AICI Australia Chapter Retreat

Upgrade Your Skills and Business Potential

Come and join us for a weekend in the beautiful Blue Mountains just outside of Sydney for a weekend of networking and learning with practical skills that you can apply immediately inside your image business. Our presenters are world class with so much to share to help you connect more with potential clients as well as the opportunity to get inspired and find new ideas to implement in your business.

Location: The Grand Hotel, Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains NSW (just west of Sydney)

Dates: Friday 7 February – Sunday 9 February 2025

Friday 7 February 2025

Network and Shop

Noon Meet for lunch at the Grand View Hotel and get to know your fellow retreat attendees. Then spend the afternoon exploring the excellent boutiques of the township of Leura as you get to use your personal styling skills and networking with your fellow attendees as you shop and share.

4.30pm Afternoon Tea at Evelyn’s House – Share a Tip

Come with a tip to share with your fellow attendees, it could be an Instragram or other social media hack, a fantastic resource you’ve discovered, a business building tip, your favourite podcast or book that has helped you grow.

Saturday 8 February

Taking Your Skills into the Corporate Market with Evelyn Lundstrom AICI CIP

9.30am – 12.30pm

Join us for a transformative half-day workshop hosted by Evelyn Lundstrom of First Impressions. Evelyn will guide you through essential strategies for taking your image consulting skills into the corporate market.

• How to put together a compelling corporate proposal
• When you know you’re ready to do corporate training  – what skills you need to be a success
• How to design a program to cover the client’s wants while giving what they need.
• Following up with the client after the delivery of a program, being open to receive feedback, make adjustments to future programs and above all – keep the client because ongoing work makes for a successful Image Business. 

About Evelyn Lundstrom

Evelyn Lundström is the founder of First Impressions Institute of Colour and Style (FIICS) and First Impressions Image Consultancy Pty Ltd.

Evelyn launched the First Impressions brand in 1990 when image was an exciting idea rather than the flourishing industry it has become. Since then, she has personally trained and mentored hundreds of consultants to career and business success. In her consulting practice, she has transformed the image, and expanded the prospects, of clients in all stages of life and career.

As one of the image industry’s most established consultants and entrepreneurs, Evelyn is passionate about sharing her knowledge and insights to contribute to the success of every consultant she trains.

Through her business success and contribution to the image industry, Evelyn has achieved the designation of Certified Image Professional (CIP) with the Association of Image Consultants International® (AICI). She has frequently served on the board of the Sydney chapter, including as its President and on the international board as VP, Membership.

Evelyn has delivered outstanding results for corporate clients. They include organisations from nearly all areas of private enterprise and government, many of which are household names.

Evelyn is frequently interviewed by the media and is a contributing author to two books, Socially Smart and Savvy and Business Millionaire.

12.30 – 2pm – your choice of lunch from the hotel menu (own cost)

Discover Your Signature Message for 2025 with Casey Squires

2-4pm

Are you ready to step into the spotlight and share the message the world needs to hear? No more second-guessing your expertise. No more missed opportunities. It’s time to create a message that connects, captivates, and converts.

What if you could be known as the go-to expert in your industry, just like Brené Brown is for vulnerability? Imagine being seen as the authority in your field, delivering a message so powerful it leaves your audience hanging on your every word.

It goes without saying that to have a real and lasting impact your voice needs to be heard, and this is where having a clear message to share with your audience is EVERYTHING

Because the reality is, if you don’t have a clear and unique signature message you can’t become known for it, full stop!

This live masterclass will help you uncover that awe-inspiring message you’ve been searching for. Whether you dream of speaking on stage, appear on podcasts or you just want to gain more visibility and clients, this session will show you how to craft a message that can inspire millions, leave a lasting legacy and silence that little voice inside your head that wonders ‘what’s unique and different about me?’

In this live masterclass , Casey will be sharing:

• The One Big Idea That Builds Authority: Discover why authority building starts with a clear message and how you can be seen as an industry leader with one stunning idea

• The Top 4 Time-Wasters to Avoid: Save time and energy by focusing on what truly matters in crafting your message so you can get to the heart of what you have to say

• The Art of Instant Connection: Learn how to create a message that resonates deeply with your audience and inspires them to act

• The Must-Have Message Matrix: Use this proven framework to find your wow-factor idea so that people will be hanging on your every word and on the edge of their seats with anticipation.

About Casey Squires

Casey is a speaking coach and Signature Talk specialist dedicated to helping women in business stand out as impactful, visionary leaders in their industries through confident communication and captivating stage presence—without ever feeling like a fraud.

Over the past 15 years, Casey has delivered more than 300 presentations to over 25,000 people. With a master’s degree in coaching psychology, and a stint at one of New York’s top acting schools, she knows what it takes to craft and deliver an unforgettable presentation, to have stage presence, tell a compelling story and bring psychological truthfulness to the stage. Her Signature Program ‘Your Unforgettable Signature Talk’ has seen students get on their dream stages, host their own speaking tours and sell out their workshops.

Casey believes that women’s ideas and stories should have an equal place in society, and she is on a mission to create a movement of women who are fearlessly sharing their voice and expertise from the stage.

Saturday Night Dinner

2 course meal at the hotel with fellow attendees

Sunday 9th February 2025

Getting Real – an Open Discussion – Get Advice from the Brains Trust Plus Small Group Hot Seat Workshops – AICI Members Only

9.30am – midday

Spend some time picking the brains of our more experienced members who can share their advice and experiences with you.

No matter how new to the industry you are or how experienced, everyone has something to offer. Learn from experienced professionals and workshop your own business challenges.

We’ll be getting into small groups and workshopping whatever will help you move your business forward: from finding your niche to ideas on how to market your business, use social media, work with clients, set up business processes to make working with your clients frictionless.

Get Your Ticket Now – EARLY BIRD SPECIAL OFFER ONLY UNTIL 10 JANUARY 2025

After 11 January prices rise – AICI Members $200 per ticket and Non-Members $250 per ticket

Accommodation at the Grand View Hotel

Your accommodation is a separate cost:

• All rooms $220 per night
• Queen Bed room
• Family Room (2 x beds) (cost can be split between attendees who share)

Please email us after you have booked your ticket and let us know your accommodation requirements so we can book your room (single or shared, and if sharing who you will share with , or if you’d like for us to find you a room mate).

Flying into Sydney and Need a lift to the Blue Mountains? Let us know and we will arrange one! There is also a train from Sydney to Wentworth Falls.

Become an AICI Member we’d love to have you as a member – find out more and join now here.

We Want to Know What YOU Want

Take our quick survey here

What topics are you most interested in hearing about? Do you know of any great speakers who could present on relevant (Core competencies) that would appeal to our membership? Please let us know in the survey!

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