Piercing Wizard Podcast: Recent Episodes
Ryan Ouellette
Join host Ryan Ouellette as he discusses the professional body piercing industry with friends and colleagues. Ryan Ouellette is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers with 20 years of experience in the field. He is an international safety and technique instructor and is always up for a good industry talk.
Ryan and Lola are back with another Ask-Us-Anything episode where we answer your burning questions.00:45: How do you grow your online presence?12:15: How to go about guest spotting.23:15: Using a Statim with reprocessed tools / clean item bulk storage.31:25: Efficient jewelry ordering methods and systems.43:20: Advice for piercers that went through a "bad" apprenticeship.52:20: What made you realize you wanted to teach?1:05:50: If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be and why?
Are you going to be at the 2024 APP conference in las Vegas? Come stop by the Piercing Wizard booth in the expo and say hello to Ryan and Lola. There will be all kinds of fun stickers, pins, and shirts. If you are a subscriber at www.patreon.com/ryanpba you can come snag an exclusive t-shirt!
Hola! Ryan and Lola sat down with frequent guest Jef Saunders while they were all in Zaragoza Spain to instruct at the 2024 APPE conference. They talk about teaching through a translator and how the conference was going after day 1. They also discuss forward helix piercings, how they perform them, and some educational content they have made about forward helixes. The show wraps up with a discussion about opening new studios. Jef is currently working on a new Gamma Piercing shop in Milwaukee and Lola recently opened her new Forest Piercing studio in Glasgow. Enjoy.
If you'd like to get more info about forward helix piercings you can find Jef's presentation at www.patreon.com/piercingnerd. You can find Ryan's upcoming video on double forward helix and triple forward helix piercing at www.patreon.com/ryanpba, while you're there you can also find Lola's video showing a single forward helix piercing with a fully disposable method, as well as how she "reverses direction".
You also still have time to sign up for Ryan's may 20th 2024 webinar about bevel theory, get more info or sign up at www.ryanpba.com.
Please be aware this episode ends with a memorial to Canadian piercer Deacon Matheson who recently passed. Starting at 46:00 will be some thoughts from Ryan and Lola about mental health. Starting at 57:30 there will be some highlights from episode 232 featuring Deacon's voice.
The majority of this episode will be Ryan and Lola talking about their regular piercer bullsh*t. Walk ins are starting to creep back in to both of our studios. We talk about what lead us to give walk ins another chance after settling in to an appointment-only comfort zone. We also talk about how to give and receive constructive critiques. Its not as easy (or as common) as you might hope.
You're probably going to hear us being a bit more open about mental health issues throughout future episodes. Like any health and safety issue in piercing industry, mental health is easier to manage with more information.
Ryan also has another webinar coming up in may, which feels weird to plug in this description, but hey everybody has to pay bills I guess. You can get more info about the May 19 2024 Bevel Theory online webinar & workshop with this google form (https://forms.gle/58x6YnJhuiVL1HjKA) or by visiting www.ryanpba.com.
In this episode Lola and Ryan talk about how to manage jewelry repairs in the studio. It may seem like a simple thing to get broken jewelry fixed, but like many other aspects of the studio we pick apart all the little complications. We also talk about Lola's experience of having scarification performed by Ryan, and we have some exciting news about BME activity!!
Ryan also has a new video breaking down his method for piercing earlobes with a back-to-front technique. The 25 minute long narrated video includes seven examples of piercing an earlobe, along with two helpful exercises you can practice with. Available now on the arch-mage tier at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Who knows what secrets lurk in the heart of piercers? The Shadow knows. On this episode Ryan and Lola talk about setting healthy boundaries and expectations for shadowing (typically, observation outside of your home studio). We discuss some of our experiences with shadowing and how they can helpful for others, either as the host or as the shadowing piercer. We give our opinions on chamomile tea bags for aftercare. We also chat about labret piercings, reverse Prince Albert piercings, and our roles at the 2024 APP conference.
Ryan has a new video covering and demonstrating a labret piercing (done with clamps) available now at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.com. Enjoy.
During Lola & Ryan's holiday Lord of the Rings marathon, somewhere between the battle of Helm's Deep and the battle for Minas Tirath, we recorded this episode for you. We talk about fair compensation in the body piercing industry as well as a few other subjects. We chat about pubic piercings, labret piercings, if clamps still have a place in the modern piercing studio, apprenticeship progress, a short recap of piercing in 2023, and a funny story about Ryan nearly getting a strip search because of his bawbag piercings. See you in 2024!
Join Lola and Ryan for another q&a episode where we discuss some questions submitted by our listeners. Is this everything you have for jewelry? Do you really need two needles for an industrial? Can you pierce around creases and wrinkles? How do you maintain good physical and mental health as a piercer? Should you pierce immunocompromised clients? How do you report bad shops?
Join Ryan for a live seminar in Dallas, Texas on Sunday January 28th 2024. Get more info or sign up at www.ryanpba.com. You can also check out Ryan's new video demonstrating three different outside-in nostril piercings with a variety of methods at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.com.
Eden Thomson from Absolution Piercing in Christchurch, New Zealand comes on the show this week. Eden and Ryan sat down in Sydney during the AUPP conference and talked about piercing, access to suspension, and the BME vibe. Eden is fantastic piercer from the other side of the world and I'm glad I could finally get him on the show.
I have a new seminar coming up in Dallas, Texas on Sunday January 28th 2024. For more info visit www.ryanpba.com.
For this episode Lola and Ryan do a deep dive into surface piercings (about 3/32" in most cases). We talk about surface piercing methods in 2023 and all the various methods we tried out going back into the late 90's. Surface bars, body placements, and a range of techniques from clamps and plastic jewelry up to punch & taper and wound shaping. We also discuss a common issue related to surface work, rejection, and how to talk to clients about their risks.
If you enjoy this topic there is a new video demonstrating a chamfer and blade needle surface piercing narrated by Ryan now available at www.patreon.com/ryanpba on the $15 arch-mage tier.
I was really happy to have been invited to teach at the first Australasian United Professional Piercers (AUPP) conference in Sydney, Australia. While I was there I sat down with Suzanne Hallett, from the AUPP's board of directors, and one of the event's key organizers. We talk about how a local organization can push standards higher in ways that might not be feasible on a global scale. The AUPP's first conference was an impressive event that brough piercers together with excellent classes, a vendor showcase area, and fun social moments. I also talk to Suzanne about her career success and how she went from being a staff member at a well known and respected studio, to becoming its owner.
While I was in Sydney I was finishing up a video featuring Lola Slider narrating her bridge piercing methods and showing an example of both clamp, and no-clamp bridge piercing. Watch it at www.patreon.com/ryanpba along with dozens of other videos for just $15 on the arch-mage tier.
Lola and Ryan went to all the conferences and all you got was this lousy podcast. We recap some of our favorite parts of the BMXNET conference in Berlin, the Professional Piercers Poland conference in Gdansk, and the UKAPP conference in Manchester. Every conference has its own personality, community, and benefits. We share our experiences to help you decide which conference might be right for you. Stick around for some honest advice for prospective business owners.
We will also be offering out next webinar on Sunday November 12 2023. Join us for two classes in one webinar: Navel Piercing Variations, written by Ryan for the BMXNET conference, and Size Matters (jewelry sizing theory) written by Lola for the UKAPP conference. Webinar is open to professional piercers of all experience levels. Sign up at www.ryanpba.com.
This PWP was recorded in front of a live studio audience. Lola and Ryan went to BMXNET 2023 in Berlin, while we were planning this episode we got a suggestion from a US piercer named Kookie to invite Kale Roberts as our guest. Kale (ig: fleshpiece) recently transplanted from the US to Germany, and this was also their first full conference experience. it felt like the perfect fit. We talk about safe experimentation and a few other issues. BMXNET is a unique conference because there are so many disciplines represented; piercing, body mod, scarification, suspension, tattooing, bondage, and more. How can you take your new information home and explore it safely and responsibly. No one is born into experience, you grow into it. Join in on our conversation and grow with us.
Lola Slider recently released a video presentation titled "Predicting and Preventing Predatory Behaviour". On this episode she discusses the importance of the topic with Ryan. You can watch the full video presentation for free at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Ryan and Lola also discuss the upcoming piercing conferences they will be instructing at. BMXNET in Germany, Pro. Piercers Poland, UKAPP, and AuPP in Australia!
Ryan will also be offering an advanced seminar in Sydney after the AuPP conference, for more info visit this form: https://forms.gle/LzY6vFHA6q1V6uxEA
Tongues and Cheeks and Dermal Punches, oh my. Ryan made a new video about tongue piercings and it sparked off a whole thing. Lola joins in for a conversation about common practices that have become less common, why, and what we're going to do about it. We approach tongues as a staple piercing that is making a comeback post-facemask-life. We approach cheek piercings as something we really wanted to like, but just don't. And Dermal Punches are talked about in more of a nostalgic hypothetical. A big recurring theme is informed consent. Openly and honestly talking about the risks and consequences for all of these piercings and how they should be approached as both the piercer and the piercee.
Want to see Ryan's new video about tongue piercings? Its available now at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Get more info or register for Ryan's August 20th 2023 webinar on bevel theory at www.ryanpba.com.
The final interview in my APP 2023 series will be with a piercer who goes by Wikilea on ig. Wikilea was a POC (piercer of color) scholar for this year's conference, she is a piercer who might describe herself as an American piercer and as a Chinese piercer. Lola and I sat down with Wikilea to talk about the current state of the Chinese piercing scene. This is another fascinating conversation that helps to shed a light on international body piercing.
Lots of new content in the works for you at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. You can find hours of on-demand piercing educational content on the arch-mage tier. Active subscribers also get a discount on my upcoming August 20th 2023 webinar on bevel theory. Find more info or sign up at www.ryanpba.com.
Its pretty obvious when you need to leave a bad workplace, but what about when the workplace is mostly fine? Sometimes a piercer may plateau in a studio for various reasons, and it can be time to think about finding growth elsewhere. Canadian piercer Deacon Matheson sat down with Ryan and Lola during the 2023 APP conference to talk about what lead him to move on from a comfortable situation. Lola shares her thoughts from the perspective of another piercer leaving to start their own business, and Ryan approaches the topic from that of a studio owner looking to nourish growth within the studio and within it's staff.
Ryan will be teaching his Bevel Theory webinar + workshop on August 20th 2023. Join him live online by registering at: https://forms.gle/JSWRHyoRqXDAfcmH7. This webinar is open to piercers of all experience levels, professional verification required. Special discount available for active patreon subscribers.
J'son D'souza is a piercer and studio owner from Mumbai, India. I met J'son at a conference in Germany and was happy to see him apply for, and receive, a legacy scholarship from the APP to attend their 2023 conference. Lola and I sat down with J'son to talk about some of the cultural history of jewelry and piercing in India. You'll find some fascinating details about how similar, and how different, the Indian piercing community is to those in Europe and North America.
Thank you to all of the supporters from www.patreon.com/ryanpba that we got to meet in Las Vegas. We were happy to connect with you, welcome to the new sign ups as well, I hope you are enjoying the mountain of video content available. More on the way soon.
Ryan and Lola are getting ready for the 2023 APP conference! We talk about our classes and what we'll be doing in the expo. After our conference chat we talk a little about industrial piercings and our opinion(s) on if they should be healed with one piece of jewelry or two. We wrap up by talking about some of the progress Lola has made with her apprentice recently.
If you are an active subscriber to my $15 arch mage tier at www.patreon.com/ryanpba and you'll be at the 2023 APP conference make sure to stop by my expo booth and you can get yourself a limited edition shirt. Also, now available, you can watch my watch new video narrating an industrial piercing.
Surface anchors (aka microdermals, dermal anchors, single point piercings) were the coolest thing ever at one point... but many piercers, Ryan and Lola included, have either scaled them back or eliminated them altogether at this point. We discuss their inception, the innovations for jewelry and techniques, and also their limitations and common problems.
If you'd like to know more about surface anchors I just published 20+ minute narrated and subtitled video at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. I show two examples of piercing, along with some helpful tips and exercises to practice fundamentals.
Lola and Ryan discuss one of the most common issues facing today's piercing studios, and its not even about using a needle! Downsizing backings, changing out jewelry for retainers, and handling referrals from other studios is a daily occurrence for many of us. Sometimes this can be a quick service to fit in, but sometimes it becomes a speed bump to studios with limited time and resources. If you don't take the time to develop your own policies it can easily become a roadblock. This is a more complex issue than you may think, so lets talk about it.
I have a few new videos available for you at www.patreon.com/ryanpba and several more on the way. You can watch my new video about Eyebrow piercings, and also a new tips and tricks video for working with ring opening pliers, niobium rings, and more.
Ryan & Lola will be offering a techniques webinar on May 7th 2023 about Nipple Piercings & Bridge Piercings. Get more info or register at www.ryanpba.com or use this form: https://forms.gle/Ezffo29xiaHJmQWu5
Back at the grind in 2023 but Ryan and Lola want to start off with a quick vibe check. We talk about the balance between the energy we give to our clients and the energy we keep for ourselves. Lola will be performing a Talk APP session about self care at this year's conference so its at the front of her mind lately. We touch on bedside manner, silent appointments, transparency in relation to pricing, and more.
We also talk about our upcoming class about jewelry sales on Sunday Feb 5 2023, what we'll be covering, and how to sign up. For more info use this google doc: https://forms.gle/VxuStEWdPwGFKDzz7. Registration closes February 1st so don't delay.
New content is being posted multiple times a month at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. Sign up on the $15 arch-mage tier for instant on-demand access to dozens of hours of video content about piercing.
My final episode of 2022 is all about Scarification. Kevin Jump came on for episode 146 and we did a show called "keep piercing sacred". Kevin is a skilled scarification artist and while we were in Germany teaching a scar class together I thought we should record "keep scarification special". Scarification has changed a lot for me over the 20 years I have offered it. We share our thoughts on what keeps us motivated, and what does not. Enjoy.
Check out the content available at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. Aside from my narrated videos about piercing methods I also have some webinars and lectures, including two lectures about scarification.
You can also find info about all of my upcoming classes at www.ryanpba.com. See you in 2023.
2022 will go down in history as a year that definitely happened. Ryan and Lola talk about some of the year's occurrences and highlights. We say a few thank-yous and dive into submitted questions and subjects. How do you avoid toxic communities while you are searching for teachable conversations? How do you avoid being the toxic element in a learning environment? Does regulation create a better piercing industry?
Ryan and Lola will be offering a two part webinar about positive jewelry sales, open to verifiable professional piercers and studio staff members. Find more info on registration at: https://forms.gle/FjuKrqhi4pVXFF6j7 or email at: ryanpba@gmail.com.
Find new video content about piercer first aid, septum piercings, and more at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Evan Quinno is the piercer at Precision Body Arts (my shop) and I am really happy to have him on the show. Evan worked his way up from the front desk to an apprenticeship to being a very experienced and skilled piercer. We talk about how the shop has changed recently and what working at our shop is like these days.
Check out the new video content available at www.patreon.com/ryanpba and submit ideas for new 2023 content using this anonymous google form: https://forms.gle/FwCHTCRriohqTcLD9.
Matias Tafel (formerly known in the industry as Rata) is a heavyweight piercer and educator from Argentina. Matias has been a leading educator to the Latin piercer communities in Central America, South America, and Europe for decades. I've wanted to get him on the show for a long time. This interview was recorded in August 2022 at the GEP conference in Brazil.
Check out my new first aid video about what happens when a client faints during a piercing, and I have a gem of an example to show you with it. I'm also finishing up a new video showing different septum techniques. Get access to these, and loads of other educational videos, at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
If you are a professional piercer looking for financial assistance to attend the 2023 Association of Professional Piercers conference listen to this episode. If you know someone who might benefit from applying, share this episode with them. APP administrator Caitlin McDiarmid comes on the show this week to talk about the Legacy Scholarship, the minimum requirements involved, and how to apply. I have seen this scholarship changes careers and lives for the better. Give it a listen.
New video content available at www.patreon.com/ryanpba on philtrum and vertical labret piercings. I'm also working on new videos about what to do when a client faints, and different ways you can pierce a septum.
In the early days of the professional piercing industry there were big shop names and even bigger personalities. NOMAD was a studio pushing boundaries in a time when body piercing couldn't be defined by one name anymore. Blake Perlingieri, founder of NOMAD, was exploring and sharing a new aesthetic to the piercing community and helping to create a new branch on our piercer family tree.
Like the podcast? Ryan also makes educational videos for piercers online at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. Get on-demand access to hours of video content by signing up on the $15 arch mage tier.
Enjoy this haunted episode where Ryan and Lola talk about scary stories for piercers: fainting clients, bleeding, creeps, and more (content warning; brief mention of stalkers and inappropriate client behavior). We threw this together for you early Halloween morning.
Check out my new video on vertical labret piercings at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Regular guest Jef Saunders comes on to talk about troubleshooting and how troublesome it can be. As piercers we all have our preferences for aftercare, but problems can and will still come up. How do we handle troubleshooting? Reinforce our aftercare? Try to figure out what is the root cause of the issue and adapt to resolve it? What things can be helpful or harmful in these scenarios. Tune in to this very episode to hear more!!
I have a new subtitled and narrated video about nipple piercings available for you at www.patreon.com/ryanpba, and I have a new video about vertical labrets coming soon too! Exclamation point!! I'm also doing a preorder for Gentian Violence hoodies through November 1st 2022, go to www.precisionbodyarts.com/shop for info.
I needed to take a few weeks off because I was way over-extended, partly because of what I was doing when I recorded this episode. I went to Essen for the BMXNET conference, and Manchester for the UKAPP conference. Lola and I instructed a combined 11 classes over two weekends and it really wiped me out. I'll get back to editing and publishing all the great content I got at the GEP conference in Brazil back in August, and some additional content soon. For now enjoy this recap episode where Lola and I discuss our conference experiences.
Don't forget about the new content available at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. I have new narrated videos about Philtrum piercings and Nipple piercings on the arch-mage tier for you. More coming soon!
Becky Crossan is a piercer from the northeast of England and is currently serving on the board of directors for the UKAPP as their public outreach liaison. Becky talks to us about growing a business through planning and dedication. Getting involved in the local business community, curating a jewelry inventory, and making upgrades to your studio layout.
We also talk about the UKAPP's upcoming conference from 25-27 September 2022. Get more info or get registered at www.ukapp.org.uk.
I have a new video about Philtrum piercings publishing for August 2022 at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. Check it out on the $15 tier and get access to hours of additional content.
Watch the video version on any tier at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Lola gives Ryan a makeover and they discuss: -central eyebrow and bridge piercing safety -how long does it take to write a class -navel rejection and re-piercing -anodizer safety -comparing staple items from different vendors -how often do you disinfect -industrial piercing viability -safe ways to cut costs
After you watch on patreon check out my new videos about VCH piercings, needle bending, and more. Stay tuned for a new video about philtrum piercings, coming soon.
Do you have a complete understanding of what a mill certificate is, how to read and verify one, and how it relates to quality body jewelry? Don't worry, I don't either. Fortunately, we have some very smart and engaged people in our industry who can help explain it to us. Brian Skellie is a current board member for the Association of Professional Piercers, a member of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), and is a leading subject matter expert on safe body jewelry materials.
We put a lot of trust in our jewelry manufacturers, but it is still important to perform our due diligence to ensure that the jewelry we buy is actually made from the materials we want. Brian talks about what a mill certificate is and why piercers should care about them. We also discuss the complicated nature of verifying documents, and how the APP's new jewelry certification program looks to simplify the process.
Check out my new narrated video all about VCH piercings at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. You can also get information about my upcoming webinars and seminars at www.ryanpba.com.
One last conference episode for you, legacy scholar Royce Green comes on the show this week. We talk about Royce's week in Vegas and the connections he made. Royce is a great follow on social media. ig: rollsroyce09 tiktok: HeyItsRoyce_.
I have a new narrated video about Vertical Clitoral Hood (VCH) piercings available at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. And don't forget that I have a Aug 14 2022 webinar on Bevel Theory, and a live day of classes and workshops outside Chicago on Sept 5 2022. Get more info or sign up via www.ryanpba.com.
APP board of directors member Pablo Perelmuter comes the show to talk about how much of a nerd he is (in the best way possible). Pablo grew up in Argentina and had quite the journey to be where he is today. If you're looking for your daily dose of inspiration here it is. We also talk about the APP's new jewelry certification program and how it will benefit our industry.
I have lots of news and information for you at www.ryanpba.com. Get updates on all of my new video content, seminars, a newsletter, and more. You can also check out my new needle bending video and the upcoming VCH video at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Rivka Chavi has pierced for thirty years. It takes a lot of thought and self care to make it that far in a career, especially one that can be so taxing on the body and the mind. We talk about longevity, ergonomics, boundaries, more. We also talk honestly about imposter syndrome and how even after decades in an industry you can still feel like an outsider.
I have two classes open for registration now. Sunday August 14 2022 will be my online bevel theory webinar & workshop. Monday September 5 2022 will be a live day of in-person classes and workshops in the Chicago area. Get more info or sign up at www.ryanpba.com.
I have a new video about needle bending available now at www.patreon.com/ryanpba, and I have a new video about VCH piercings coming soon.
My next 2022 APP conference episode is with legacy scholar Fatma Tarek. Fatma grew up and started piercing in Egypt, now she is living and working in Dubai. Fatma received a scholarship to conference this year and we talk about her journey to get there and her experience as a volunteer.
I have two classes open for registration. Sunday August 14 2022 will be an online webinar on Bevel Theory. Get more info or sign up at: https://forms.gle/LwEAj52Bef4dBz2f9.
Monday September 5 2022 I will be doing a live day of classes and workshops near Chicago. Get more info or sign up at: https://forms.gle/DZzWseNDxyEfqMPS9.
Both registration links and the sign up for my e-newsletter are also available at www.ryanpba.com. Also available is my new 25 minute video all about Needle Bending at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
The first of my 2022 APP conference interviews is with Jasper Valke. We talk about piercing younger children and how to make it a positive experience for the child, the parent, and ourselves as the piercer. We walk through our processes step by step and share some of the valuable experiences and insight we have picked up along the way. Whether you pierce younger kids or not this is a great episode to expand your perspective.
Check out my new website at www.ryanpba.com and sign up for my new monthly newsletter. You can get an early opportunity to sign up for my summer 2022 Bevel Theory webinar as soon as registration opens. I also have new content coming for you at www.patreon.com/ryanpba soon. I'm putting the finishing touches on a new video all about needle bending.
The Association of Professional Piercers conference 2022 has came and went, and I thought it was a great success. I took some classes, I instructed some classes, I saw old friends and made new ones. Thank you so much to everyone who made it possible. This week I recap some of my conference experience and give you a preview of the upcoming episodes I recorded while I was there. Now lets all go catch up on our sleep and get back to work. More coming soon!
Check out my new website at www.ryanpba.com for several educational resources, and as always you can sign up at www.patreon.com/ryanpba to support the show and get on-demand access to loads of video content.
Ryan and Lola are going on an adventure! Join us at the 2022 Association of Professional Piercers conference in Las Vegas for a week of classes, fellowship, jewelry, and fun! If you can't be there in person we will capture some of the conference magic for you. If you are in Vegas stop by the Piercing Wizard Podcast booth at expo and say hello! If you are a new or existing arch-mage supporter at www.patreon.com/ryanpba you can also get yourself a FREE Defend Piercing shirt. First come first serve, one shirt per arch-mage subscriber, must be present and must show your patreon dashboard log in. Stay hydrated and stay sharp!
The Association of Professional Piercer's annual conference is back after a three year gap! The APP conference will have loads of changes this year due to covid, no on-site registration, scheduled expo sessions, and more. Ryan is joined by Cale from the APP's board of directors to go over some helpful info. Topics include: checking in and getting your badge, orientation and the mentor program, expo tips, the silent auction, and different resources you can use get the most out of your week in Las Vegas June 13-17 2022.
Visit the APP's conference website: https://safepiercing.org/appconference/ Visit the Facebook conference attendee forum: https://www.facebook.com/groups/222118217964898
I'll have a booth on the expo floor at conference this year to promote the podcast and patreon content. Stop by and grab an exclusive Defend Piercing shirt, free to any current patreon supporter on the arch-mage tier. New content available at www.patreon.com/ryanpba, April's video about piercing a Nostril from the inside-out, and May's video all about Rook piercings.
Ryan went all the way to Glasgow to see Lola and all you got was this lousy (quality audio) podcast. Ryan and Lola talk all about aftercare while they have mimosas and work on a puzzle. Piercing aftercare evolves year by year and we talk about how our understanding of aftercare and wound healing has evolved with it. Why don't we suggest cleaning a piercing with soap? Why don't we suggest mixing your own sea salt solution? Why do we suggest saline? Bust out a puzzle and listen along as we discuss. Side note: I didn't have my nice microphone so the quality is not so great, sorry.
If you are a supporter at www.patreon.com/ryanpba you can watch the video version of this podcast and enjoy how cute we are. While you are there you can check out my new narrated video about inside-out nostril piercings.
Ryan and Lola talk about anatomical variations this week, and more importantly how to discuss them with a client respectfully. Ryan got a suggestion for this topic from a patreon supporter after he posted some new videos on the subject (floating navel, inverted nipples). Sometimes it can feel awkward or difficult to talk to a client about their body or the viability of a particular anatomical feature. Lola shares some insight as they discuss their approach to informing clients about viability, while supporting body positivity.
New content available for you at www.patreon.com/ryanpba where Ryan shows his methods for piercing Inverted Nipples with multiple examples and narration. Sign up on the arch mage tier for just $15 and you also get on demand access to hours of other content including the vertical navel and floating navel videos. You can also watch the video version of this podcast!
Interested in live seminars with Ryan? Visit www.precisionbodyarts.com/seminars to sign up for the May 10th 2022 seminar in Chattanooga, TN or get on the waiting list for Monday September 5th in Chicago!
Frequent co-host Lola Slider takes over the show this week to talk with longtime UK piercer Quentin of Kalima Emporium. Quentin made a connection with ritual during his travels through India, Nepal and beyond, and now he works to share that connection in his body art career. Quentin and Lola also discuss how priorities and perspective can change over a nearly 30 year career. After the interview Lola checks in with Ryan to get his thoughts on the chat, updates on Ryan's projects, and other cuteness.
Visit www.patreon.com/ryanpba for on-demand educational piercing content including the new narrated video all about inverted nipple piercing. You can also watch the video version of this podcast to see how cute Lola is.
You can also go to www.precisionbodyarts.com/shop to pre-order Lola's new DAITHRA merch and the new Synthwave Wizard shirt.
In late 2019 I had my friend Zakk Boyer come on the show (ep. 139) to tell us about his piercing journey. He was just starting out in a major shop and he had a mix of excitement and anxiety, but it didn't work out for Zakk at that shop unfortunately. Life goes on, and that is exactly what we talk about on this episode. It would have been easy to give up or slip back into a comfort zone, but Zakk kept pushing. Over 2020 and 2021 Zakk got into the travelling piercer lifestyle and guest spotted at some of the country's best and busiest shops. We talk about what Zakk found along the way and what comes next.
I have a new live seminar Monday March 7th 2022 in Orlando, Florida with registration open now! Find more info at: www.facebook.com/staysharpryanpba and www.precisionbodyarts.com/seminars or email me at: ryanpba@gmail.com to register.
Lots of new video content for you at www.patreon.com/ryanpba including a new narrated video about piercing septums with a clamp. You can also watch the video version of this podcast!
Check out my new merch at www.precisionbodyarts.com/ryanpba.
On the 27th of December 2021 Alicia Cardenas; a mother, a tattooer, a piercer, a mentor, and a former President of the Association of Professional Piercers was shot and killed in her studio in Denver, Colorado. Alicia was my friend and I thought the best way to grieve and heal would be to ask some of Alicia's friends and colleagues to share their thoughts with us. It might be difficult for you listen to, but it is a powerful episode with some laughs, some gossip from the days of piercing past, and just a little bit of crying. I've also included the conversations I recorded with Alicia back in 2016, so be prepared to hear her voice from time to time. This episode is only one small window of a shared grief in our piercer community, and this tragedy in Denver. Alicia was not the only death, not the only casualty. Alyssa Gunn Maldonado was shot and killed in the same attack at Sol Tribe. Alyssa's husband James Maldonado was also shot, and fortunately survived. Three other people were killed by the same attacker that night. Sometimes thoughts and feelings are left unsaid. Cherish the friends and the loved ones in your life, tell them how you feel every chance you get.
This episode was made with contributions from: Bethra Szumski, Eduardo Chavarria, Amanda Waters, Miro Hernandez, Ismael Vargas Guerrero, Vivi Madero, Jef Saunders, Gigi Gits, Jason King, Luis Garcia, Caitlin McDiarmid, Dr. Matt Lodder, Kendra Jane, Paul King, and Casey Dilla Hosch. Rest in Power Alicia.
Well, we made it through another year. Lola and Ryan recap 2021, for better or worse. We were settled into the new normal of appointment-only life, months long wait times for jewelry, frustrated clientele, and ever changing rules. In a year full of stress and anxiety many of us were busier than ever. We talk about what we went through this past year and what we hope will come to us in 2022. Thank you for your continued support of the show. I'll be taking a short hiatus, but I'll be back in early 2022 with new episodes for you.
Don't forget about the steady influx of new content over at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. I have new narrated piercing videos, on-demand webinars on a variety of subjects, and much more on the $15 arch-mage tier. Lots more coming in 2022.
I've gone through opening a new studio a few times over my career, Jef Saunders of Gamma Piercing just opened shop #4. We have learned a lot along the way. Things to do, and things to definitely not do. We share a bit of everything; what goes into selecting a location, managing your funds, curating and stocking inventory, and how we try to build a sustainable business. Its not a "how to" but it can help shed some light on what worked for us.
Thank you for all of your continued support at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. I just added a new video all about Daith piercings, with more on the way soon including a video about Needle Modification (crushing). Join me live Sunday December 19 2021 for a patreon-exclusive Ask Me Anything session from my studio.
For a special 200th (!!) episode of the show we PIVOT to Lola Slider guest hosting to interview long time host Ryan Ouellette. Lola tells us some podcast stats and mentions her favorite episodes. They also discuss the covid era of the show, Ryan's scarification career, and the question "is body mod an endangered species". Here's to another 200 episodes (but please no).
On a personal note, thank you so much for keeping me going with this little project. I appreciate every listen, share, follow, criticism, and of course all of the guests who have shared their stories over the last few years. -Ryan.
Want to support the show? Give it a 5 star rating and review, especially on Apple. You can also support Ryan by signing up at www.patreon.com/ryanpba for on-demand access to educational content and piercing videos. New in November 2021 are the narrated videos about floating navels and daith piercings.
Have you ever seen a mandible piercing in person? How about a stretched Achilles heel piercing or a uvula piercing? What about seeing them all (and more) on one individual? Well I would like to introduce you to Daniel Rutt, a truly one of a kind person. TW: this episode includes discussion of substance use and sobriety.
Thank you to all my new supporters at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. I recently published a new video on floating navels, and I am hard at work finishing up a daith piercing video for you that will publish shortly. As a special thank you to my supporters I will be doing an exclusive Ask ME Anything session Sunday December 19 2021. Get all the info on patreon and submit your questions in advance.
One last episode from BMXNET 2021, this time with Andrea Kummer. Andrea is a commanding presence, both inside and outside of her body art career. We talk the history of Berlin piercing and body mod culture through the 90's and 2000's with piercing, scarification, and suspension.
If you are an APP it is is time to vote for your next board of directors members. Log in and vote before December 1st and make your voices heard.
I have a new video all about floating navels available for you at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. Sign up and you'll get instant access to that and over a dozen other educational videos.
Lets head back to BMXNET for this conversation with Matt (@dotbydottattoo). We discuss growth, education, and access. Its more than that, and a lot more, but thats a good way to set it up. Matt talks about his journey between the UK, New Zealand, Germany, and beyond. Growing as a suspension practitioner and handpoke tattoo artist, but his story translates well regardless of what your body art discipline may be. Enjoy.
As I worked on this episode I was also finalizing a new narrated video about floating navels, check it out online at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. Also visit the APP online at www.safepiercing.org to apply for a financial aid scholarship to next year's conference, and also to access the APP's 2021 core essentials online education, both opportunities close around the end of 2021 so don't delay.
Mexican piercer living in Germany, Beto Rea, comes on the show this week. Beto is a long time piercer, suspension facilitator, and scarification artist. We talk about his history of learning to pierce in late 1990's Mexico, his travels across Central America, and his current life in Germany. You can find more of Beto's work online at kukulcanrituals.com.
After my talk with Beto stay tuned for news about a disturbing CNN investigation into the importation of tens of millions of used nitrile gloves from Thailand. Read the article here: https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/24/health/medical-gloves-us-thailand-investigation-cmd-intl/index.html.
New narrated and subtitled videos on surface piercings and bridge piercings available on-demand at www.patreon.com/ryanpba along with hours of other educational content.
Helen Houghton of Holier Than Thou in Manchester UK is my guest this week. We discuss Helen's UKAPP conference class on Lumps and Bumps as well as the issue of troubleshooting in general. Part of the discussion revolves around the importance of downsizing and how to help make clients understand it. We also discuss how building a business around respect and community can be more effective than gatekeeping. Enjoy.
There is a new narrated and subtitled video about Bridge Piercings available for on-demand viewing at www.patreon.com/ryanpba on the $15 arch-mage tier. Check it out, you'll also get instant access to hours of other educational content when you sign up.
This week is another interview recorded at BMXNET 2021, this time with German piercer Sven Seipold. I was impressed to learn that Sven is a member of not one, but 3 piercing organizations (VPP, APP, UKAPP). What I am even more impressed with, are the septum clamps that Sven made for me. Some of you may have been hearing about them online. I talk to Sven about the logic behind his modified and customized tools. Stay tuned until the end for a message I think we all need to hear.
New content for you at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. A new narrated and subtitled piercing video about surface piercings, and my new video about bridge piercings will be up before the end of October 2021 as well. Check it out on the $15 arch-mage tier.
I was flying home from my teaching trip, stopping over in Iceland, when I turned around got a surprise. A wild John Balk appears! We sat down and caught up while we waited on our flight. We talk about what success in business and happiness in life has looked like this last year and a half. We also getting around to talking about work and we discuss our preference of word of mouth over advertising to reach new clients. Enjoy this random encounter.
I have new content for you at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. A brand new video showing me perform a horizontal eyebrow surface piercing with a chamfer & blade needle method. This videos features a full overlay narration and is fully subtitled for accessibility. This video joins hours of other on demand content available on the $15 tier.
If you weren't able to attend the UKAPP 2021 conference live and in person this episode gives you a good insight to the event from the perspectives of Ryan and Lola. We start out in Glasgow at Lola's flat with her previewing the conference as the outgoing president. We continue with instructor Edu Fernandez, a collage of attendees before one of Ryan's classes, incoming UKAPP president Sean Powell, another collage of attendees featuring additional board members Rhianna Jones, David Angeles, and Becky Crossan, then we wrap up with Lola back home after conference for some reflection. I really loved this conference and I hope you can feel some of that special energy. I recorded a handful of other episodes while I was in Manchester too, so between that and what I captured at BMXNET I should be able to give you weekly episodes through the end of this year.
Now that I've made it through a massive teaching trip I will be redirecting my energies towards content for www.patreon.com/ryanpba. Sign up on the $15 tier for instant access to hours of on-demand educational content, with lots of new material coming throughout the fall of 2021. You can now sign up annually and save an additional 10% off.
Another episode recorded for you at BMXNET 2021. This time I sit down with Marcus Strohner from Trust Wholesale. Trust are the makers of the snaptile disposable forceps, the mosquito self releasing canula needle, the squidster sterile disposable skin markers, and much much more. A German based manufacturer and wholesaler, Trust has been supporting the body art community with their innovations and products for years. Marcus gives me some behind the scenes sneak peaks at upcoming items and talks about the work that goes into producing them.
New content coming soon at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. I'll be making a new presentation about SKIN PREPARATION for release in October 2021. That will join over a dozen other hour+ long videos on a variety of subjects including; TAPERS, STATIMs, NEEDLES, and more!
Well, heck. Here I am in Germany instructing at the BMXNET conference again, this time in Berlin. BMXNET 2021 has been fantastic, everyone involved should be proud to make such a wonderful experience for our community. I instructed three classes: BLOOD, Scarification workshop, and Piercing marking workshop. In between preparing and performing my classes I sat down with LOTS of different guests and recorded a bunch of content to release over the next few weeks. This episode will be "the sampler plate". Short interviews with numerous attendees, something that I could edit and publish quickly. I hope you enjoy, more coming soon.
Check out www.patreon.com/ryanpba on the $15 tier for instant access to on-demand educational content. Over a dozen webinars, exclusive video podcasts, and more!
Ryan went all the way to Glasgow to see Lola and all you got was this lousy podcast. We talk about international travel restrictions related to the upcoming piercing conferences in Germany and the UK. We also discuss our evolving needs on how we schedule specialty services. For Ryan that means piercing kids' lobes, for Lola that means managing genital piercing clientele. We talk about a need to distinguish between services that can be self-booked by clients, and services that require a bit more management.
If you'd like to register for Ryan's upcoming Bevel Theory webinar on August 8 2021 the deadline will be Friday August 6. Use this registration from to sign up, but don't delay: https://forms.gle/x2c4edcH7nDbTX5m6.
There is new content monthly for you at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. Not only can you watch the video version of this podcast but you can also get instant access to a library of on-demand education content.
Ryan and Lola are back with another Ask Us Anything episode! This time we discuss: self promotion strategies, the question "is APP membership worth it?", how to help clients understand pricing, setting jewelry stock levels, the role of music in the studio and how we set a calming tone, and managing our anxiety at work. We also touch on the giant asteroid hurtling towards our industry, big corporations copying the "piercing studio aesthetic" to attract customers.
Visit www.patreon.com/ryanpba for on-demand access to over a dozen hour+ long videos on a variety of subjects such as NEEDLES, TAPERS, and the new DRAPING presentation. Sign up for Ryan's August 8 2021 webinar on BEVEL THEORY at: https://forms.gle/Fh9HweRp2WyMNGZT7.
Ryan and Lola are back with another Ask Us Anything episode, this time we discuss septums and spectators. With covid restrictions easing some piercers are doing their first septum piercings in over a year. That can make a tricky piercing even more stressful. We discuss how we are getting our groove back with septums, and some tips and tricks for piercers using septum clamps. We also answer the question "do you allow spectators in the piercing room" and the reasoning behind our answers. Stay tuned for the continuation of this chat in mid July 2021 where we discuss even more subjects!
This episode is also available in video format at www.patreon.com/ryanpba along with the new TAPERS webinar now! In mid July 2021 I will also be publishing a new presentation all about DRAPING for supporters at patreon. And don't forget you can sign up for my August 8th 2021 BEVEL THEORY webinar + workshop at: https://forms.gle/1rRRVv7fKqQw795k7.
For over a year piercers have been terrified to openly discuss safety issues related to under-mask services. Lack of data and misunderstanding of transmission was a major issue in the early stages of COVID19, but even as we started to learn more there was a fear of being attacked in online learning spaces if you brought the subject up. As cities, countries, and shops begin to reopen and loosen restrictions we need to allow the free flow of information so piercers can make informed decisions. What factors go into determining what you will or won't be offering? Legal restrictions, proper risk assessment with factors like ventilation and PPE, and discussing your personal comfort levels. Whether you are offering under-mask services or not, let's talk about it.
Now available for on-demand viewing at www.patreon.com/ryanpba is my new 1.5 hour TAPERS presentation. I discuss the differences between concave, pin coupling, and threaded coupling tapers along with their functionality. Length, graduation, sterilization, as well as several tips and tricks will also be discussed. Stay till the end for discussion on how to use TAPERS to "reverse direction" for when you want to pierce from the outside-in, but install jewelry from the inside-out.
When I was at a 2019 seminar in Atlanta I met a piercer named Taki Edwards. She had so many questions and a hunger for information. Flash forward to present day and Taki has stepped up her jewelry and sterilization game and is making great strides in body piercing, we talk about how she got there. Taki shares her story and answers the question "what is scarier, being a nurse during covid or being a piercer trying to learn on the internet?".
I'll be offering a patreon-exclusive webinar about TAPERS on Sunday June 6 2021. Sign up at www.patreon.com/ryanpba for access to the live session or get on-demand access to the recording on the $15/month tier. I'll be covering different styles of taper pins and their functionality. Coupling pins and threads, piercing with one size and stretching up to reduce bleeding, reopening partially closed piercings, reversing direction for jewelry transfers, and more!
APP board of directors member Cale DiFrancesco comes on the show to talk about how piercing demand has changed in recent years. After a year of isolation clients are coming back in force, and they want pretty ears goddammit! Ear curation is something we are all having to learn or refine in today's industry, but with it comes increased demand for jewelry. How do we manage it all? Cale gives her thoughts while Ryan just smiles and nods.
I'll be offering a webinar all about TAPERS on Sunday June 6th 2021 exclusively for my supporters at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. Learn more about tapers with pins and threads to connect to jewelry, what their different lengths and graduations can be used for, and more. Sign up to the $15/month tier for instant access to over a dozen on-demand videos on various subjects including the new NEEDLES class.
European piercer Aiko Hosten comes on the show this week to discuss a free webinar from the APP Benelux about Disposable Piercing. Some piercers might not understand the concept of working fully disposable since our industry has been based around ultrasonics and scrubbing tools for decades. Aiko explains the value of working disposable, from a financial standpoint but also when thinking green. Listen to this episode then visit the APP Benelux social media for info on how to attend the webinar for free on Sunday May 23 2021.
I have gotten a great response to my new NEEDLES webinar available on-demand at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. Sign up to the $15/month tier for access to over a dozen hour+ long educational videos on a variety of subjects. I'll also be doing a live webinar all about TAPERS, their differences and functionality, on Sunday June 6 2021. This will be exclusive to my patreon supporters across all tiers. Sign up today.
As a companion piece to my recent NEEDLES webinar I recorded a chat with Gauntlet founder Jim Ward about his experiences developing piercing-specific needles through the 1970's and 1980's. We talk about how Jim took standard medical needles and cut off the hub to allow an easier jewelry transfer. Flash forward 40+ years and we are using piercing needles based on that same early modification. This is a great view of the history and evolution of piercing as we know it today.
Watch the NEEDLES webinar on-demand at www.patreon.com/ryanpba on the $15/month arch mage tier. Sign up any time, cancel any time. You'll get instant access to over a dozen hour+ long educational videos with new content coming monthly.
Get your copy of Jim's book, Running the Gauntlet, and other Gauntlet merch at www.runningthegauntlet-book.com/.
Watch the video version of this podcast at www.youtube.com/precisionbodyarts or on Ryan's patreon.
California piercer and longtime APP volunteer John Johnson comes on the show to discuss the updated Bloodborne Pathogens course now available from the Association of Professional Piercers. We talk about the need to freshen up the presentation of this important subject. Lots of hard work went into this course, if you've never taken the APP's Bloodborne Pathogens course this is a fantastic resource for piercers of all experience levels. Visit https://safepiercing.org/online-courses/ to take it today!
Like and follow the show at https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/.
Check out Ryan's on-demand educational content at www.patreon.com/ryanpba on the $15/month tier. You'll get instant access to videos about Statim sterilizers, Progressive Considerations for Nipple Piercing, types and materials of Gloves, the differences between brands of Needles, and much more.
Follow Ryan on instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/ryanpba/
Lola Slider gets to reopen her shop in Glasgow today! Exciting times for the UK piercing industry as they are back to work after a lengthy lockdown. We discuss managing the stress of reopening after 4+ months of closure. Ryan and Lola also talk about a great aftercare class that Jef Saunders offered recently and the issues it raised. Many of us have been participating in online education over the pandemic. Applying that education can be an intimidating task. We talk about how to effectively enact positive change and grow without trying to reinvent your job. Stick around till the end for a special message from Mick Foley!
Ryan will be offering a free class on NEEDLES Sunday May 2, follow: www.facebook.com/staysharpryanpba for more info. You can also catch the recorded version on demand at www.patreon.com/ryanpba along with a dozen other videos on; statim sterilizers, sterile gloves, nipple piercing, surface piercing, bevel theory and more on the $15/month tier, cancel any time.
Follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast and https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/.
Lola Slider found a hidden gem for you. Select Pop Babylon (a music magazine from the UK) published a piece all about body piercing in February of 1993. Lola reads the best bits and discusses with Ryan. This is a great time capsule of what piercing was like in the early 90's. Stories about the Gauntlet Los Angeles studio manager Elayne (Angel), stories from Mr. Lifto, stories from UK piercing legend Mr. Sebastian talking about working with Jim Ward and Doug Malloy. We also discuss how a legal case from the 80's (Operation Spanner) still has reverberations in today's piercing scene.
Join the $15/month tier at www.patreon.com/ryanpba for instant access to a dozen on-demand education videos about gloves, statim sterilizers, nipple piercing, and much more! Cancel any time.
Stuart Hoffmann comes on the show to talk about the APP Benelux, a new piercing organization in Europe. We discuss how a group of piercers in lockdown started with talks about reopening protocols and eventually decided to start a new local association together. Visit www.appbenelux.org for more information.
Visit www.patreon.com/ryanpba for on-demand educational content for piercers. The arch-mage tier gives you instant access to a dozen presentations on various subjects including nipple piercings, statim autoclaves, and the newly recorded class all about GLOVES (publishing in mid March 2021).
This week Lola and Ryan talk about how we communicate online, particularly during a pandemic. As we all slowly descend into trauma induced anxiety and exhaustion we can start to lose focus on our communication skills. We can also feel a blur between the internet and reality as so much of our interactions are now online. We have a casual talk about maintaining healthy and professional communication skills. Lola also talks with piercer Kelly Carvara about balancing your personal and professional life as a piercer and adult content creator.
Sunday March 7th 2021 Ryan will be offering his Bevel Theory webinar & online workshop, open to professional piercers of all experience levels. Get more info on the fb event page at: https://www.facebook.com/events/179765807229311 or jump straight to registration with this form: https://forms.gle/C7WUgsgYXhCsy9wr8.
Don't forget about the on-demand educational content available at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. New content available on nipple piercings, statim sterilizers, and much more!
Lola Slider is back as co host this week. We talk about how much work goes into not working. Lola is currently on her third lockdown but still puts in work every day. We discuss the Prince Albert class Lola is planning for January 24th 2021, as well pay models for piercers, setting boundaries for office hours, and a great social media video Lola made to remind clients to take care of their piercings during a lockdown.
You can get more info on Lola's class at: https://www.facebook.com/events/145529093770719 or sign up at: https://forms.gle/YvpgnvHjsyvPbwFH8.
Check out my new Piercing Wizard and STATIM KVLT merch at: www.precisionbodyarts.com/shop.
Sign up for on-demand educational content at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Watch the video version of this podcast on my patreon, or on: www.youtube.com/precisionbodyarts.
Rest in power MF DOOM.
Goodbye 2020. This was a terrible year for most of us. I recap the good, the bad, and the ugly from 2020 and look forward to the next year. Thank you for all of your support whether it was attending my online classes, buying a t-shirt, or listening to the show. You kept me going.
www.patreon.com/ryanpba for on demand classes and exclusive content. www.facebook.com/staysharpryanpba for Body Art Education by Ryan Ouellette updates. www.precisionbodyarts.com/shop for the merch.
Ryan and Lola return for another episode answering your questions. Acupuncture and piercing, is there a therapeutic benefit? Time management in the studio. The role of piercing organizations in the industry. Accountability. Music in the studio. The environmental impact of going disposable. And more!
Lola and I are offering a day of education on Sunday the 24th of January 2021. Visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/145529093770719/ or email: lolabodypiercer@gmail.com.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast and: https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast.
Enjoy another discussion with Scottish piercer, studio owner, UKAPP President, APP member (and also my girlfriend) Lola Slider. Lola leads a conversation about a transition many shops have had to make recently, being an appointment only studio. We both worked for years in fast-paced multitasking walk in businesses. We talk about Lola's proactive experience with appointment systems helping her in today's piercing landscape, and how I had to play catch up and transition reactively.
Like and follow for updates at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast and: https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. I'm going back under my rock for awhile. Fear not, more shows are on the way, just not every week.
Support the podcast and piercing education at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba or pick up some new STATIM KVLT merch at: www.precisionbodyarts.com/shop.
Monica Sabin, current President of the Association of Professional Piercers, comes on the show this week. The APP has gotten so much work done in 2020. Some by choice, and some by necessity. Monica gives some updates on how work behind the scenes has transitioned into progress for the industry. Also get information on resources the APP can provide for your growth as a piercer, many of which are free!
Well, I'm back. I won't be doing weekly episodes, but I will post new content as I make it. For now enjoy a conversation with Scottish piercer Lola Slider. We talk about bleeding and how we both manage it post-piercing, how to approach aftercare support from a place of preparation and confidence, Statim sterilizers and how crucial we think they are to our studios, and the toxic atmosphere on social media driving mentors away. I have a new 2 hour class called BLOOD available on-demand at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba along with a few others.
Like and follow the show at: www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast and www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Grab the new STATIM KVLT merch at: www.precisionbodyarts.com/shop.
Stay safe. Stay kind. Stay sharp.
Part 2 of a 2 part series with Lola Slider. We are back with more questions submitted by you, the listener, on another variety of topics. We cover; our opinions on sterile gloves, the importance of mentoring, body mods vs piercing, where we see the industry going in the near future, predicting and preventing predatory behavior from clients, stretching more than just lobes, and what piercings we find to be the most fun. I'll be taking a short break from new episodes so please enjoy some of my older episodes you may have missed.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast and: https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba for access to prerecorded webinars on a variety of subjects. Follow my education page at: https://www.facebook.com/staysharpryanpba for updates on future classes.
Thanks for listening :)
Part 1 of a 2 part series with Lola Slider. We answer your questions on a variety of subjects including; How does the APP work, How to be a leader in your studio, How we pierce deviated septums, Advice for piercers needing to move studios, Are nostril piercings safe during COVID, Conch Piercings, and Stretching Lobes. Come back next week for part 2 where we cover even more topics.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast and: https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba for access to multiple webinars and my video AMA session on Sunday July 26 2020, live from my shop.
Vivi Madero of Fox Labyrinth in El Paso, Texas comes on the show this week to give me a lesson about online logistics. I've had to relearn several aspects of my own business in the last few weeks. Efficient utilization of online booking systems and digital waivers have been right at the top of that list. Vivi shares some great insight on digital resources as well as discussing the importance of maintaining a strong internet presence through your shop website and social media.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and: https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba for access to my live video session on Sunday July 26th 2020 where I answer your questions from my studio.
John Robberson comes back to the show to talk about how reopening is going in west Florida. We talk about the challenges face masks pose to both new and old piercings, and our thought process on when we start offering nostril piercings again.
Submit your questions on any piercing related subject for an upcoming episode via this anonymous form: https://forms.gle/Ti9gMHhhdU6KZwUf7 deadline is July 14. Techniques, apprenticeships, jewellery, whatever. Get your question answered on the show.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and:https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/.
Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba for access to webinars and additional content. My two hour Ask Me Anything session from May is available now.
Ontario piercer Lee Horton comes on the show to discuss reopening limitations and PPE requirements many of us are dealing with. While restrictions against nose or mouth piercings are becoming commonplace, some Canadian piercers are also dealing with restrictions against ear piercing as well. Its a challenging time to be a safe and successful body piercer. Knowing how to effectively communicate with your local health authorities can be the difference between sensible rules and ones crafted for different industries.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and: https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba for access to additional educational material.
Christina Blossey of Atlanta's Piercing Experience returns to the show, this time as a newly elected APP Board member. Georgia was one of the earliest States to reopen for close contact services and Christina talks about adjusting to the new normal. Risks, personal protective equipment, new protocols, and how to manage the flow of an appointment only business. We also talk about the upcoming APP online educational event.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and: https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba for access to the new Bevel Theory workshop 30 minute video.
After three months of uncertainty I am back to work offering piercing by appointment. I talk about some of the protocols and changes I am operating under. This has been a challenging year. Not just at work, but at home. If you have not already listened to the Piercing Wizard Podcast episode 163: BLACK LIVES MATTER (Piercer of Color roundtable) I would urge you to do so. This virus isn't the only toxic threat we are dealing with right now.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and: https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
In support of Black Lives Matter this week will be a Piercers of Color panel discussion featuring Cameron Solo, Trevor Thomas, Shwayze, Victoria Rothman, Tenn, Cozmo, and moderated by Michelle Katzelnick. I encourage you to get involved in the discussion and show your support wherever you can. Follow: https://www.instagram.com/_piercersofcolor/ and join the forum at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1965578407075835/.
Honestly, I kind of forgot what it felt like to just be a normal piercer and not have to spend my days focusing on a global pandemic. I am so glad I had this interview from February 2020 with piercer Rogan Eric Watral to share. Rogan talked about all kinds of piercer gold; how to mark for paired nostrils, teamwork dynamics to manage a busy day in the shop, and practical aftercare advice for traveling clients. Enjoy the show, and enjoy some normalcy.
If you are a professional piercer you can sign up for the June 14 2020 seminar I mention on the show with this form: https://forms.gle/HRTbosKQXvRYzqph6. Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and: https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba for access to webinars including part 2 of my scarification lecture, just added!
This week I chat with Deron (@piercingsbyTenn), one of this year's Piercers of Color scholarship recipients. We discuss his start in the industry, the tough choices to abandon his comfort zone and invest in quality for his future, and the steps he has made to access and share new information. I also talk about some surprise news for me, I'm heading back to work (very) soon.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and: https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Nahuel Burgos is a Spanish piercer working in London. He was also selected as one of the Al D. Scholars before the 2020 APP conference was cancelled. We talk about his passion for history and documentation in our industry, his Spanish translation work for Sacred Debris, and his Spanish language piercing podcast Needle Vision.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba for webinars and other exclusive content. Check out Needle Vision at: https://open.spotify.com/show/2hxYKds9Ws11DREoONEHEL.
Zoom and other video conferencing tools have been an important part of social interaction for piercers during the closures. Piercer and jeweler Stray Johnson comes on the show to talk about the Piercer Hangs group and how they've been spending time together online. We also talk about how challenging it can be to stay connected while still trying to unplug.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and: https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba for access to webinars and other content.
Well, most of us expected this announcement. The Association of Professional Piercers' annual conference in Las Vegas has been cancelled for this year. Its a bummer, but it was necessary. I have APP secretary Aaron Pollack on the show this week to give context to the difficult decision and more difficult process to cancel the world's largest event for professional body piercers.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and: https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba for access to piercing webinar videos.
Jef Saunders comes on the show this week to discuss the Association of Professional Piercers' suggested protocols for COVID-19. We discuss reopening issues, and the constantly evolving nature of our decisions and the information we rely on to make them. You can read the APP's suggested protocols for free at: https://www.safepiercing.org/psa_covid-19.php.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba for exclusive access to webinars and other content.
Current UKAPP President, APP member, studio owner, and professional piercer Lola Slider comes on the show this week to talk about how much the closure sucks. We discuss how shops shouldn't rush to get back to work. The world and businesses we had are forever changed. We need to carefully craft our reopening strategies and adapt to the new normal. We also talk about the classes we have been focusing on to stay productive, Lola is writing a new class that she details during our talk.
Like and follow the show on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba for access to my previous webinars and other exclusive content.
This week I check in with Leo Ziebol, owner of Mint Piercing in Iowa. We talk about what we're doing to support our staff during the closure, how we're settling in to home life, and the financial programs we are focusing on to support our studios.
I've put some of my webinars online at www.patreon.com/ryanpba for anyone interested. Like and follow the how on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/.
No guest this week. I'm just giving some updates on COVID issues and talking about the classes I'm working on. I share some news on benefits for people out of work in the US, and I talk about what I'm doing to keep you and I busy. I'll outline my webinar plans, both free and paid options. I also talk about my Patreon page. You can access my previous webinar sessions on Anatomy for the Piercer and Studio Growth Strategies right now at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. I take a few minutes to thank all of the sweethearts who are supporting me, and give you all a nice musical number to cap it off. Stay home, stay safe, stay sharp.
Follow: https://www.facebook.com/staysharpryanpba/ for all the info on my free and paid webinar sessions.
This week I talk with Kelsi Siefert about mental health focused on the career piercer and their clientele. Kelsi shares her tips and experience on how to maintain self care and switch off from a busy piercing career at the end of the day. We discuss customer care and bedside manner, and taking care of our mental and physical health in a sometimes hectic work environment.
I also detail some of the free and paid educational content I will be putting out over the next few weeks. For more on the show like and follow: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. For more on my webinars like and follow: https://www.facebook.com/staysharpryanpba/. To support the show visit: www.patreon.com/ryanpba for bonus content including webinar videos for the top tier.
I know things are rough for a lot of you right now, so lets just pop back a few weeks and sit in on breakfast with two California piercers named Ciera Baker & Desi Arellano. We met up the morning after one of my seminars and talked about the California piercer community, jewelry selection (and lots of other jewelry stuff), statim maintenance, cold brew coffee, and more. At the end I discuss my plans to offer some free online piercer education over the next few weeks.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Like and follow my education page at: https://www.facebook.com/staysharpryanpba/ for updates on future online classes. Follow industry related COVID-19 news at: https://www.safepiercing.org/psa_covid-19.php.
Welp, I just can't see any argument against it anymore. Its time for us to voluntarily close our shops for the time being. The decision will be taken away from you within days. The best thing you can do is take this as an opportunity to publish a thoughtful statement to your customers. It is in your best interest to be the shop who "closed too early" rather than be the one who stayed open too long. I share some more thoughts in this supplemental episode as well, so please give it a listen.
I will be offering some free online piercer education in the days and weeks to come. Follow: https://www.facebook.com/staysharpryanpba/ for updates.
I'm going to post some supplemental episodes to discuss COVID-19 information and tips to stay productive and healthy during this crisis. First is an episode discussing the difficult decisions that lead me to temporarily closing my shop. For studios remaining open I think it is also important to talk about rapidly evolving information and what steps can be made to lower risk to the health of your staff and the public. This is a difficult moment full of difficult decisions. Listen and speak with compassion.
Regular episodes of the Piercing Wizard Podcast will still post weekly, but I will add in these supplementals from time to time. I also plan to do some live streams of educational content for free in the coming days and weeks. Follow: https://www.facebook.com/staysharpryanpba/ for those.
The COVID-19 Coronavirus has caught many of us off guard. I talk with Cale DiFrancesco of the Association of Professional Piercers Board of Directors about what we can do to keep our clients and coworkers healthy. We discuss proper disinfection practices, maintaining supply levels, and planning for the APP's conference this summer. You can read updates from the APP on COVID-19 and their annual conference online at: https://www.safepiercing.org/covid-19.php.
I WILL CONTINUE TO DO COVID-19 UPDATES WEEKLY ON THE SHOW UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, THIS SITUATION IS RAPIDLY DEVELOPING. I know many of you are dealing with difficult decisions related to closures and financial pressure, we'll get through this together.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
On a recent trip to California I got to spend a day at the Anatometal facilities in Santa Cruz. Founder and CEO Barry Blanchard gave me an extensive tour then sat down to record this interview. We talked about the origin's of not only his company but of the body jewelry designs, materials, and threading our industry uses today. It was an in-depth discussion on their green manufacturing process, the expansion that helped reduce their wait time from months to weeks, and their future plans.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on itunes. Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
APP member-at-large Brooke Bittens comes on the show to talk about travelling guest piercer life. Brooke got her start piercing in Connecticut, but now she has taken her show on the road working in top shops across the US. We talk about that enriching experience for career and soul.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on apple podcasts. Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Get your fix of morning drive time banter with your hosts TJ & The Bear. TJ Kruger & William Barron come on the show to discuss a day of classes we'll be holding in Chicago. We also get talking about surface piercing and our experiences with body piercing at tattoo conventions. For more info on the Sunday March 22 2020 seminar email: piercingbykruger@gmail.com.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on apple podcasts. Like and follow the show at: www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Check out this jawn. James Weber comes on the show to discuss the 25 year history of Infinite Body Piercing in Philadelphia. Many of the industry's top piercers have worked at Infinite over the years. We discuss the early days of Infinite and what piercing was like in the 90's, how to scout talent and staff, and plans for Infinite 2 in Baltimore.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on itunes. Like and follow the show on facebook and instagram. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba for exclusive content.
I went to Atlanta for some National Wrestling Alliance shows and while I was there I sat down with a piercer named Cozmo to chat. We talked about working in a super busy studio and how to manage the flow with minimal staff and fuss. We also talk about APP volunteering, jewelry selection, and lots of other bits of piercer nerd info.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on itunes. Like and follow the show on facebook and instagram. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba for exclusive content and early access to episodes.
I recently held a seminar in Phoenix, Arizona. While I was there I sat down to talk with my host, Kevin Jump. Kevin is one of the people keeping ritual alive in body piercing. Finding a connection to the spirit in today's industry can be a rarity, but his newly opened Wholehearted Piercing is a space created with that magic in mind.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on apple podcasts. Follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ and https://www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba for exclusive content.
NeoMetal body jewelry recently made waves by announcing a new corporate partnership, and the piercing community imploded. I asked NeoMetal's John Kittell to come on the show and tell us about their new business plans and if we should expect any changes in their jewelry going forward. We also discuss their company history and the origin of the threadless jewelry we use today.
For more information on the show visit: www.piercingwizardpodcast.com or follow at: www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ or www.instagram.com/piercingwizardpodcast/.
2019 Association of Professional Piercers conference scholar Ryan Caruana comes on the show this week. He gives insight to the application process, what it was like arriving in Las Vegas and meeting so many other piercers, and what it was like taking all that information home and unpacking it. Reminder the APP's scholarship applications are open until February 6th 2020, so don't delay if you want to apply. Visit: https://www.safepiercing.org for more info.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on apple podcasts, like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/, support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba for exclusive content.
John Balk is a busy guy. In between videography projects he sat down to talk about something most of us deal with annually, the slow season. We talk about how to manage a limited income by carefully planning orders, utilizing technology, and paying attention to your customers. We also talk about running specials, is it a benefit or a risk to discount your products and services? We also chat about the boom of earlobe piercings, especially for kids.
If you like the show give it a 5 star rating and review on itunes. Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Welcome to 2020! My first guest of the year is Canadian piercer Alicia Lowe. On New Year's day we happened to both be in the same city so we sat down at a cafe and recorded a chat about shadowing. We talked about how to take that first step in asking a respected colleague if you can come observe and ask questions, if you plan your day on a structure or if you go with the flow. We also talk about the sticky concept of potentially "training your competition". A nice chat with a nice piercer, enjoy.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review. Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba for access to bonus content.
2019 was a big year for the body piercing industry. I recap some of the year's news, give some updates on future projects, and say some thank you's. I also have a bonus interview with French piercer Lili Cathenod from the BMXNET conference for you. Thank you for listening, I'll be back in 2020 with new wizardry for you.
I was invited to speak at an event called SCARRED by MAE-Africa.org recently. The event focused on cultural body art practices in Africa, mainly body painting and scarification. While I was there I sat down with the event's organizer MAE Africa founder Temi Fet'era. We discussed scarification from both a cultural perspective and from that of a contemporary practitioner, as well as MAE Africa's efforts to document and preserve these practices.
For more information on MAE Africa visit their website at www.mae-africa.org or follow them @maeafricaorg (www.instagram.com/maeafricaorg) on instagram. Follow film maker Nadine Ibrahim @nadineibrahimfilms (www.instagram.com/nadineibrahimfilms) and artist Yusuff Aina @yusuff_ aina (www.instagram.com/yusuff_ aina) on instagram.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/
In need of some inspiration? I met a piercer named Zakk Boyer at the first private seminar I did, back in 2017. He told me he was sleeping in the train station that night because he spent his money to come to the class. Fast forward one year and he was a stand out scholar at the APP conference. Fast forward two years and he is working at Piercing Experience in Atlanta, one of the oldest and best shops in the country. Hard work pays off.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on itunes. Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Piercing down under is looking up! Australia and New Zealand piercers now have an organization to call their own, the Australasian United Professional Piercers (AuPP) organization just had their first public meeting. Kyla Scrivener comes on the show to discuss the AuPP's progress and future goals. We also talk about how you grow a high end market from scratch and the work that goes into running a safe piercing business when your body jewelry has to be imported.
Get more info on the AuPP at: www.safepiercing.org.au or follow safepiercing_au on instagram. Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
In the few short years that I've known William Barron I have seen him rise through the ranks of APP volunteering and committee work, become a public speaker and international instructor, and accept a nomination to run for a spot on the APP board of directors. Most of you know him simply as Barron. We talk about Barron's work on the membership committee, his first time teaching at the UKAPP conference, and his growth from being a Chicagoland piercer to accepting a position in one of the country's top piercing shops in Tennessee. One team, one dream.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on itunes. Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Former APP conference scholar Erica Martin joined me for a podcast while I was in Florida recently. We talked about the scholarship application process and conference experience, but also Erica's growth as a piercer. We talked about making the difficult decision to step out of a comfort zone and offer higher quality piercing even if it means a higher price tag. Growing pains are something many piercers have to endure, and I can definitely see how that hard work paid off for Erica.
If you're interested in APP conference scholarships get more info at: https://www.safepiercing.org/al_d_scholarships.php or https://www.safepiercing.org/other_scholarship_opportunitie.php.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Follow @piercingwizardpodcast on instagram.
Lynn Loheide; professional piercer, writer for Sacred Debris, and previous guest is hosting this week. She’s interviewing Margo Dellaquila, a new face in the industry. Together, they discuss a fresh take on piercing room ethics, from a new, younger perspective.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba. Follow Lynn @lynnloheide or on www.lynnloheide.com. Follow Margo @piercingsbymargo.
Mikele is an interesting guy. An Italian piercer living in Japan. He works with Anatometal both in the US and Japan. He distributes Kiwami piercing needles, is involved with the Japanese piercing association and community, and has a career based on his passion and love for body piercing.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on itunes. Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Follow on instagram @piercingwizardpodcast. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
There's a new Wizard in town. Cale DiFrancesco (Belford) takes over this week to show Ryan who's the boss. First the board position and now this! Hear answers to all the burning questions you never wanted to ask.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on itunes. Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba. Follow: miss_cale on instagram or visit: www.oleanderpiercing.com/ for more info about your host this week.
Multiple award winning jewellery designer and Vice Chairman of the Institute of Professional Goldsmiths, Danila Tarcinale, comes on the show this week. We discuss the body piercing industry from the perspective of a jeweller, our preferences for prong vs bezel settings for healing, and how to present fine jewellery as a sales approach. Visit her website at: http://www.danilatarcinalejewellery.com
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on itunes. Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Elayne Angel is one of the most tenured and experienced piercers in the industry, she is also one of the most generous with her information. Her book The Piercing Bible: The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing has informed thousands of readers. She maintains www.piercingbible.com with various resources for clients and piercers, and instructs at body piercing educational events around the world. I sat down with Elayne to discuss not only her specialties of nipple and genital piercings, but also gendered terminology, cheek piercings, and more.
Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Give the show a 5 star rating and review on itunes. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
A body modification practitioner performs work on a consenting adult, that work heals without complication, and the client never makes a complaint. Then that practitioner is arrested and charged for causing "grievous bodily harm". Due to legal precedent the consent of the client is irrelevant and can not be used as a defense. The practitioner is convicted, is refused appeal, and is sentenced to a prison term. This is the case against Brendan "Dr. Evil" McCarthy of the UK. I have Dr. Matt Lodder and piercer Nicholas Pinch on to discuss the issue from both an academic perspective, and a personal one.
Visit www.piercingwizardpodcast.com or https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/ for more.
Vice President of the United Kingdom's Association of Professional Piercers, Kim Hutchinson, comes on the show. We sat down to talk about their 2019 UKAPP conference. New vendors, new instructors, and more classes. This will be the UK's biggest conference yet! We also talk about how you shouldn't wait until your shop is perfect to submit an application to join a piercing organization. Meeting minimum standards is all you need to do to join, contribute, and benefit from membership.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on apple podcasts. Like and follow the show at:https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
After my seminar in Dubuque, Iowa I sat down for burgers and chats with Rob Hill and Woodstock Bader. We talked about piercer motivation and how routines and roles can help a shop stay on track. We also discuss shadowing and mentoring and doing it in a way to encourage growth and usable skills. Of course body jewelry comes up, we talk about return on investment and how too many options can be a bad thing.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on itunes. Like and follow the show on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Florida man comes on piercing podcast. Shorty joins us this week to discuss studio layout ideas, sterile gloves as a minimum standard, and why he chooses to not offer septum piercings. We also also have Kookie Knox on to talk about the new Piercers of Color scholarship and how you can donate.
You can donate to the PoC scholarship at: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8fZyu8xjfm, deadline for contributions is Sept 30 2019. You can also follow piercersofcolor on instagram.
Thank you to Caitlin Williams and Lynn Loheide for your support at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
For some reason I thought it would be a good idea to do 4 seminars in 8 days. It kicked my butt, but I recorded some fun stuff along the way. In between the many hours in the car I captured conversations with the staff of Pleasurable Piercings, my buddy Ed Chavarria, Rob Hill, and Woodstock Bader. I also got choked out by Sgt. Slaughter along the way, bonus.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on itunes. Like and follow the show at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: https://www.patreon.com/ryanpba and get bonus content.
This week is a special episode with guest host Nici Holmes (UKAPP President) interviewing Jim Ward. Jim is the founder of the world's first body piercing studio, The Gauntlet, as well as the founder of the Association of Professional Piercers. They are joined by Badur Ramji of Punk Medics to discuss our industry's beginning as well as the evolution of the piercing needles and body jewelry we still use today. Enjoy this special piece of our history.
If you would like to learn more I would urge any body piercer or piercing fan to pick up a copy of Jim's book "Running the Gauntlet" on Amazon or at: http://www.runningthegauntlet-book.com/. You can also find out more about the United Kingdom's Association of Professional Piercers and their annual conference at: https://www.ukapp.org.uk/. And you can check out some fantastic aftercare products for tattooing and piercing at: https://www.punkmedics.com/.
Travelling piercer Lynn Loheide comes on the show this week. We discuss what it is like transitioning from one full time shop to going on the road and working in different shops across the country. We also discuss piercer education and growth. While forums, videos, and podcasts might be a great supplement to your education it should not be a replacement. Hands on learning with a mentor and structure is still an important part of making strong piercers.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on itunes. Like and follow the show on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba and get exclusive content.
I was contacted by a Malaysian piercer named Huaii on instagram (ig: bodymodsbyhuaii), and he asked if he could come shadow at my shop after attending the APP conference this past May. We recorded this podcast and talked about what its like piercing in southeast Asia. Educating clients who have no base knowledge of body jewelry, local piercers who are aren't interested in and sharing information, and a lack of access to the supplies you want. These are just some of the challenges a safe piercer has to overcome, not just in Malaysia but in many regions.
Subscribe and give the show a 5 star rating on itunes. Like and follow the show on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Kristina Outland comes on the show to discuss an often overlooked part of our jobs, customer service. How do you help calm nervous clients, or give your best to clients waiting in line? How do we develop lasting business relationships and connect with our clients, even on our busiest days? Lets talk it over.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on itunes. Like and follow the show on at: https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at: www.patreon.com/ryanpba
If you want to listen to the playlist we reference in the show get it at: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4cBxMvOHC6Ct7gL0CfuZDn?si=nAk8V8sOSmek9jJeoYV-8A
I can't fit all the nice things I could say about these two into a podcast description. John and Kaitlin are fantastic piercers and fantastic people. We talk about life outside the APP bubble and why you should stay focused on your life rather than the internet. We talk about the BME generation and how it fostered piercers who could problem solve and grow without hand holding. We also discuss John mentoring Kaitlin through a piercing career and how their experience shapes their new apprentice's path. This is a good one, listen carefully.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review on itunes. Like and follow the show at https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Is your attention span tiny and small? Then why don't you come to a Lil' Bits where the segments are tiny it looks like regular podcasts but really tiny you put in your ear and nothing gets stuck in your brain it's just tiny and tiny and it fits right in.
We've got tiny interviews, tiny questions, little tiny podcast. You bored? Come on down to Lil' Bits. Featuring interviews with Zak Dubi DuBois, Kari Johansen, Sebastian Uribe, Mick Stocko, and Kat Swanton.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review if you listen on itunes. Like and follow the show at https://www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
This week features an interview with Slovakian piercer and 2019 Al D. conference scholar Branislav "Branko" Isteze. We talk about Branko's conference experience and what the piercing trends are in Slovakia.
This show also has a segment discussing a rumor that unfortunately started in one of my seminars, the possibility that alcohol makes certain skin preps ineffective. I share the information I have found through talking with manufacturers and other piercers to dispel some inaccuracies.
Like and follow the show on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. If you listen on itunes give the show a 5 star rating and review.
Darrin Walters of Blue Star Tattoos comes on the show to discuss a career that started in the 1980's, watching the APP grow from inception, conference volunteering, and more. I also talk about a study gaining attention lately that links Gentian Violet to cancer, and why we should probably wait for more research before we freak out.
Give the show a 5 star rating and review, like and follow the show at www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Lola Slider returns to the show for the third time! 2019 was Lola's first year at the APP conference. We talk about her experience in Las Vegas, her preparation as an instructor, anodizing techniques, and a little wrestling.
Rate and review the show. Like and follow at www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast/. Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. Thank you to our new Arch-Mage patron, Zadamer Jewelry.
Shop owner, mother, student, piercer, and rock star. Laura Jane of Gamma Piercing in Ann Arbor, Michigan comes on the show this week. We sat down at the APP conference and talked about the Septum and Helix classes Laura instructed. We also talk about how her career has taken her to both coasts of the U.S., and how she ended up opening a shop in the city she grew up in.
If you listen on itunes give the show a 5 star rating and a review. Like and follow the show on facebook at www.facebook.com/piercingwizardpodcast and support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
I was invited to instruct in Russia for the 2019 RuAPP conference, come along with me. I recap some of my classes and have a chat with Vlad Bodmodov and Mikhail Shilov, two of the event organizers. It was a fantastic event. I met so many new friends and got to see some sights in St. Petersburg.
Support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba. Thank you to our newest Patron Jacob Creps. Like and follow the show on Facebook for updates. If you listen on itunes gives us a 5 star rating and review.
Jacob Spjut from Prysm body piercing in Iowa comes on the show to talk about the difference between "elite" piercers, and "elitist" piercers. Jacob also lays out a simple concept. Piercers can move from safe to safer with their work practices, but they should have a realistic concept of how minimum standards are the line between safe and unsafe.
Like and follow the show on facebook, give me a 5 star rating if you listen on itunes, and support the show at www.patreon.com/ryanpba.
Would you think that one of the busiest studios in the US would be in Oklahoma City? 23rd Street Body Piercing routinely performs more piercings in one day than some shops do in a week or a month. I got a chance to talk with Jason King of 23rd Street and hear what logistics and concepts go into a shop capable of performing 150 safe piercings in a day. PLUS a bonus chat with Australian piercer Jess Rose.
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Chicago area piercer TJ Kruger comes on the show to talk shop. We discuss the "how" aspect of developing your confidence and competence as a piercer. Is it appropriate to practice on clients, informed or uninformed? We also discuss TJ's work with an aftercare brand called Steriwash.
Loreia Bürgen & Jane Absinth of the Verband Professioneller Piercer (V.P.P.) come on the show to discuss Germany's piercing organization, their goals, and their progress. We also discuss a new sterilization certification program they are developing, as well as the coolest sounding community outreach I have ever heard #pussybling.
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Come along with Smee on a voyage across 24 years at conference! Gus Diamond was literally the first person I talked to at my first APP conference way back in 2002. At APP 2019 I sat down with Gus to record some of the history going back to the very first APP "conference" and each step along the way to now. Set sail for Safe Piercing!
Enjoy this (very rushed) episode from the first few days of the Association of Professional Piercers' conference 2019. I'll be capturing plenty of full interviews for you this week, but for now enjoy some of the little moments I experienced so far.
When I was out in LA for a seminar a few weeks back I met a piercer named Shwayze. I invited him to come on and chat about his thoughts on the West Coast piercing scene and growing as a career piercer. I also talk about getting ready for this year's APP conference!
For the third year in a row I flew to England for the Dream Tag Team Invitational, and for the third year in a row Alex Wilkins met up with me for it. In between wrestling we sat down to record this episode about growing pains, communicating with clients so we stand out in a positive way, and our shared experience of making progress in our careers.
The Association of Professional Piercers' annual conference is almost here! I talk with William Barron about what we are doing to get ready for the week, and some tips on how to make the most of it. Pro-tip: drink lots of water.
This week I condense a few of the questions I've gotten lately into one subject, newer piercers feeling intimidated by the industry. I share my struggles and what I had to do to improve. Expanding jewelry, upgrading equipment, learning from my mistakes. It is a challenge, but you don't have to let it intimidate you. Plus I also recap working at the Boston Tattoo Convention 2019. And here is a picture of me with Sabu for no reason.
Part 3 of a 3 part series on impairments / disabilities in the studio. This week I talk with Pittsburgh area piercer Eleanor Boyd. Eleanor had spinal fusion surgery and talks about how it affects her day as a body piercer. Working from a seated position, ergonomics, fatigue, and other issues are discussed before we start talking about jewelry combos we are liking lately.
Part 2 of a 3 part series on impairments / disabilities in the studio. Scottish piercer Maree Fowler of Reb3l Studios in Aberdeen comes on the show to talk about working as a partially deaf piercer. We also discuss working with a hearing device, and how it affects work when your battery runs out. Then we chat a bit on other industry issues because Maree is a lovely person and fun to talk to.
This week starts a three part series on disabilities / impairments in the studio. Brandon Downs comes on the show to discuss his visual impairment, the injury that lead to it, and the steps he took to overcome it and get back to piercing. Stay tuned for part 2 (hearing impairment) and part 3 (physical / mobility impairment) in the coming weeks.
Aaron Solomon of Velvet Elvis in Oregon comes on the show to talk about piercer meet up groups. How to nurture a community and keep the conversations focused and interesting in a group setting. We also talk about why some piercers are choosing to disable their personal facebook pages, and these pesky bumps we encounter on children's earlobe piercings.
Episode 100(!) with Brian Moeller from the Boston Tattoo Company. Like, share, subscribe, validate, consume, obey. Does social media make our lives better? Are we focusing so much on creating content that we forget to create a life? Am I overthinking this? Listen to us via the internet while we talk about how sad the internet makes us.
I spent a few days in Glasgow with APP president Jef Saunders drinking whiskey, being tourists, and talking about piercing. After our seminar we sat down and talked about Jef's opinions on single use supplies for piercing, some misconceptions about what people think "disposable piercing" means, and our thoughts on what goes into good bedside manner.
This week I answer questions on different jewelry topics submitted by listeners. First I talk about artisan accountability in a time when several piercers have decided to start their own jewelry companies. Next I answer the question "how much is too much jewelry to have on display?". After that is a related question about how you brand your jewelry, is it promoting the manufacturer or the studio? And finally I give my opinion on threadless vs threaded jewelry. Which is more secure, and which is more versatile.
Michelle Katzelnick comes on the show to talk about how important communication is to the customer experience. Bedside manner, professional presentation, and other parts of communication that some piercers might take for granted. An EXTREME(!) talk about staying comfortable.
This episode isn't exactly about body piercing. For sensitive listeners this may not be an episode for you, especially if you don't like the phrase "dick cage". This week I travel back to fall 2017 and share a conversation I had over brunch with Chris Myers of Steelwerks Extreme. The world's premier artisan for bespoke chastity devices. Enjoy, and please keep an open mind.
I went down to Tampa to see my favorite band play a show, and my Florida piercing buddy John Robberson came with me! Before the show (and before the pickle backs) we sat down for an interview about community, peer review, and other piercer stuff. I also do a little q&a about online body jewelry retailers.
Piercer (and now studio owner) Matt Buonantuono returns to the show to talk about making the jump from piercing in someone else's tattoo shop to opening a new piercing-only studio. We talk about the behind the scenes work that went into opening Freyja piercing & fine jewelry in Gambrills, Maryland.
Body piercer, arm wrestler, and shop owner Kelly Carvara comes on the show this week. We talk about starting her career with an apprenticeship at Rockstar in Rhode Island and the journey that lead to her owning Monarch Body Piercing in Tennessee.
Every rose has its thorn, unless you're talking about my guest this week. Body piercer Vishal Rose is newer to our industry than some, but has made quite the impact. Always easy to talk to, we chat about how to get over your nervousness and start making some friends and connections in the industry.
Body piercer Tanner Bennett comes on the show to discuss an all-too-familiar negative aspect of our industry, cyber bullying. It is really frustrating when a piercer tries to build themself up by tearing others down. Tanner discusses some of the frustrations that lead to him starting a thoughtful discussion on the body modification learning forum recently.
2018 was quite the year for the body piercing industry. I say some thank yous, recap some highlights from the year, and answers questions submitted by you, the listeners.
John Balk from On Point body piercing in Gillette, Wyoming comes on the show to talk about making connections in the industry. Facebook groups are a huge asset to piercers looking for more information, but don't forget real world connections. Shadowing, mentoring, making friends and building connections with colleagues is a huge part of growth as well.
Tanai Devine comes on the show to discuss how a piercer can make connections, gain access to information, and use it to grow. Tanai came out to shadow at my studio a few weeks ago and this is a continuation of the conversation we had then.
Also stick around after the interview to hear a recap of my Portland area seminar as well as some APP election news that has a big impact on my future.
Victoria Rothman comes on the show to discuss an important topic. Racial and gender equality (and inequality) in the body piercing industry. We speak candidly about a difficult subject that we should all put more thought into. We talk about Victoria's experience at the APP conference, and also some future projects Victoria is working on for the APP.
Piercer Potpourri for you this week. I've got a few shorter interviews I captured at the APP conference this past summer. Jared Karnes from OneTribe jewelry, Joeltron and Coyote Black talking about industry logistics, and conference regular Logan Wright discussing his 2018 volunteer duties.
Daniel Thomas is an Australian piercer working in Canada. Interesting journey and an interesting piercer. After my Ontario seminar was over I met up with Daniel to record a chat. We talked about Daniel's career path and a communication class they are on working on for the APP conference 2019.
While I was in Amsterdam (and before I went to the coffee shops) I sat down with Dutch piercer Sharon Looy at her studio Dare 2 Wear. Sharon owns three gorgeous studios and has a great perspective on the past, present, and future of piercing in The Netherlands and Europe as a whole.
After the interview stick around to learn the inner workings of the Association of Professional Piercers. Ever wondered how you go from being an APP member to working on a committee or being an instructor? Well too bad, I'm going to talk about it anyway.
I got the opportunity to sit down at Camp APP with Mic Rawls. Mic has such a great perspective of the piercing industry from a career that started in the mid 90s, put him through the Gauntlet seminars and studios in California and New York, saw the beginning and rise of the APP, the ups and downs of huge piercers, and landed him in San Francisco at Cold Steel. I got a small glimpse of an amazingly rich career and I'm happy to share that with you.
Howard Dolman of SOLabs comes on the show this week to talk about their product Purklenz. Purklenz is a skin cleanser produced for body art. Lots of piercers and tattooers are using their line of products for prep, procedure, and aftercare. Lets learn about the development, testing, and uses of their line.
I was busy being a real world person at Camp APP 2018 so I didn't get many interviews recorded. I did take a few minutes to record how people were feeling on their way back to Atlanta at the end though. PS - I love playing Jenga with piercers.
While I was in Germany at the BMXNET conference I took some time to sit down with British piercers Nicholas Pinch & Ian Human. We started out chatting about their sales strategy class. Then we went off on a lengthy conversation about business and our opinions on what goes into a succesful one.
The deadline to apply for a 2019 APP conference scholarship is November 11th 2018. So I want to get you all the info you need about how to apply and succeed. I talk to Caitlin McDiarmid (chair of the Al D. scholarship committee) about how to submit a solid application. I also chat with Chrissy Shull (head of the No Excuses private scholarship) about what their program offers and how it compliments the official APP scholarship process. For more info go to www.safepiercing.org.
The UKAPP's new Vice President, Kim Hutchinson, joins the show this week to discuss their organization and conference. We talk about some misconceptions about joining a piercing association. How its about strength as a group and establishing safety standards, and not about elitism.
I just got back from the UKAPP conference in Manchester, England AND the BMXNET conference in Essen, Germany. I chat with Cale Belford & Bethrah Szumski about how to be an effective instructor for different markets and I recap my trip.
Kellan Smith of The Powers That Be in Vancouver, Washington joins the show this week. We talk about DIY projects in the shop, finding your own style and working to your strengths, and if we're living in a bubble or riding a wave.
I got the opportunity to sit down with transdisciplinary artist Lukas Zpira at the APP 2018 conference. We talk about Lukas' perspective on art and the many forms he chooses to express it. Body modification, photography, performance, ritual, travel. A diverse conversation with a diverse artist.
Anna Beall of Cowpok in Buffalo, NY comes on the show to discuss LGBTQ inclusiveness in your studio. How to create and nurture a safe space environment, and how to properly communicate to clients in a less biased way. We also discuss the subject of genital piercing while I check my privilege at the door.
This week's show is all about the United Kingdom's Association of Professional Piercers 2018 conference in Manchester, England September 2nd-4th. First I talk to UKAPP President Nici Holmes about their growth, support, and goals for conference. Next up is Seb Pickersgill talking about some of the classes available this year. We finish with Scottish piercer Lola Slider on preparing a Prince Albert class and the issues involved.
Three interviews for you. Two short interviews from the APP conference with volunteers John Robberson & Danny Greenwood. Then a longer interview with Eduardo Chavarria discussing what we call the three schools of piercing; Fakir, Guantlet, BME and how our industry is affected by the loss of Fakir Musafar.
Episode 69 (nice) with Derek Lowe of Saint Sabrina's in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Derek has 20+ years of experience as a piercer, studio manager, and APP conference attendee. We talk about what goes in to a successful studio, and a successful staff.
Episode 68 with Jim Ward. Founder of Gauntlet, founder of the APP. In this episode we talk about erotic piercings, sexual functionality of piercings, and how some piercers limit their own growth by not pursuing piercings below the belt line. Also a recap of the APP conference 2018.
Episode 67 LIVE (but not really) from the 23rd annual Association of Professional Piercers conference in Las Vegas. For those of you who couldn't make it to conference I'm going to bring some of it to you. I've got chats with some of the volunteers as well as one with the APP administrator Caitlin McDiarmid. Enjoy.
Episode 66 with Anujin Amarjargal (I'll just call her Anji). Anji has a really interesting story. Starting out as an amateur piercer in Mongolia, coming to the US to attend the Fakir Intensives and up her game, and now she'll be at the 2018 APP conference as a scholar. Really inspiring story, give it a listen.
Episode 65 with AJ Goldman of 12 oz Studios in New Jersey. This is a good one, we talk all about one of the biggest challenges in running a high quality piercing business right now, jewelry order wait times. We talk about how we're currently trying to manage it, our frustrations and compliments over how jewelry companies are running their production, and an idea so crazy it just might work. Listen in.
Episode 64 with Ciaron Steer of Old London Road, Kingston upon Thames UK. Ciaron recently attended my London freehand seminar and we got to talking about our ideas on sales techniques. We both feel that pushing a client towards jewelry could lead to some buyer's remorse. We both seem to prefer listening to the client and helping them make their own choices.
Episode 63 with Kendra Jane, vice president of the Association of Professional Piercers. Kendra is in charge of conference registration this year and shares some good insights on how attendees can make the most of their week.
Episode 62 with Barron of Boundless Tattoo Company in Plainfield Illinois. We talk about Barron's motivation to get out and do guest spots, his experience preparing to be a first time instructor at the APP conference, and mostly how to talk to a client when something goes wrong.
Episode 61 with Monica Sabin. Monica is part of the membership committee for the Association of Professional Piercers, so guess what we talk about? Thats right, APP membership issues! How to apply, what are the actual requirements, and what support does the APP offer for applicants.
Episode 59 with Samppa Von Cyborg and his wife Aneta. 2018 has seen the arrest of body modification practitioners in the UK and Australia. Many regions are moving towards banning body mod and we discuss if this will actually make things safer. We talk about how regulation and education can be better ways to protect clients and the public health.
Episode 58 with Ryan's Mom Cathy. I recorded this interview with my mom on mother's day. We get sappy and tell embarassing stories about me piercing myself in my teenage bedroom. Spoiler alert, I did lots of reckless stuff when I was younger. Please don't try this at home.
Episode 57 with Alex Wilkins of Guru Body Piercing in Brighton, England. We talk about Guru's dramatic growth from an external only shop to using some of the best brands in the industry. We also talk about how to give constructive criticism to colleagues and how open dialog is important for everyone.
Episode 56, Ryan goes to the Boston Tattoo Convention. It was a pretty busy weekend, so its a short episode this week. I talk about some of the planning that goes into piercing a convention, I talk about my seminar, and I take some Q&A at the end.
Episode 55 with Marc Williams, owner of the Piercing Emporium in Worcester, Massachusetts. They are one of New England's highest volume studios. I talked to Marc about how to manage the inventory and staff necessary to keep that kind of shop going, and how he grew the shop from a tiny rented room above a hair salon.
Episode 54 with Georgina Schiavelli of Black Diamond Piercing in Connecticut. Georgina got her start in a typical male dominated tattoo shop and eventually went on to create a piercing-only studio in her own image. We talk about her challenges and her success in creating a top level shop.
Episode 53 with Becky Dill of Cold Steel in San Francisco. We're teaching a class on piercing young minors at the 2018 APP conference, listen to our conversation about how we're planning for it.
Episode 52 with Cody Vaughn of Vaughn Body Arts in Monterey, California. Cody is currently serving on the APP's board of directors as membership liaison. We discuss a common issue in the piercing industry, clients getting light headed. Every piercer should know ways to prevent clients from getting faint, but should also know what to do in the rare situation where a client does pass out. Listen to our discussion of the lessons we've learned for making the client's visit as easy and safe as possible.
Episode 51 with Jim Sens of High Priestess Piercing in Eugene, Oregon.
Jim is a long time piercer working at High Priestess, one of the industry's largest companies of high end piercing studios. Jim talks about what its like to manage a high volume shop, the importance of having a life outside of work, and how he performed over 200 piercings in a single day at work!
Episode 50 with travelling piercer Ed Chavarria. Ed was in New England for another guest spot at Piercing Emporium so we decided to get in another episode, this time talking all about aftercare. We chat about a little of everything from soap to soaks to saline. Stay sharp and stay clean.
Episode 49 with Aaron Pollack of Dandyland Piercing in San Antonio, Texas. Aaron is a piercer, the former head of the APP' social media committee, and the current APP secretary. We talk about using social media effectively, but mostly we talk about what the APP means to us in our careers. We also talk about War Eagle (its some sports thing).
Episode 48 with Lee Horton of Legacy Tattoo & Piercing in London, Ontario.
Lee is a talented piercer and laser tattoo removal technician from Canada. We talk about boh of his professions, preparing a studio walk through video for APP membership, and the frustrations of a piercer trying to do their best in a market full of ...not the best.
Episode 47 with Buonantuono of Black Lotus Tattoo Gallery & Body Piercing in Hanover, Maryland. Matt was kind enough to host one of my seminars at this his shop and I was blown away by how nice it was. We talk trends in body piercing and chat about our jewelry preferences.
Episode 46 with Perry Doig of Rose Gold's in San Francisco, CA. Perry is a talented piercer known more for his work than for his online presence, and its intentional. We talk about piercing in the age of the internet and how focusing on real life experiences can be beneficial to both the piercer and the client.
Episode 45, a second conversation with Brianna Sheehan of Mint Piercing Studio in Iowa. This time we get into the hard work behind the scenes in a successful studio. Team communication and inventory management, and how apps and systems can make it much easier. Training piercers and counter staff. Is it better to start from scratch, or retrain someone with existing experience? And of course, jewelry. We talk a lot about how we learn from our vendors and how to apply those lessons.
Episode 44 with Brianna Sheehan of Mint Piercing Studio, Iowa. Last week we talked to Leo Ziebol, owner of Mint. This week we talk to his secret weapon, Brianna Sheehan, formerly of St. Sabrina's. She talks about her strategy when it comes to designing and ordering jewelry, and how inventory management can equal success. This is part one of our conversation. Stay tuned for our next talk where we discuss how to run multiple studios, and the challenges of finding and training quality counter staff.
Episdoe 43 with Leo Ziebol of Mint Piercing in Iowa. Leo has a great concept of what modern shops can offer. Mint is part of a newer generation of businesses to offer fine jewelry with installation services, rather than marketing itself as a "piercing shop". Its a great conversation about creating a store and a staff that expresses quality values with an emphasis on happiness.
Episode 42 with Miro Hernandez of Dandyland in San Antonio, Texas. We talk about growing your business by paying attention to what clients really want and giving it to them. We also talk apprenticeships, Tribalectic, and chihuahuas.
Episode 41 with Stefan Schomowski, the administrator for the Body Modification Exchange Network (BMXNET) conference in Germany. I have been attending BMXNET since 2008 and I love its unique atmosphere and community. We sat down at Unperfekthaus in Essen, Germany to discuss the history, growth, and philosophy that goes into BMXNET.
Episode 40 with Eduardo Chavarria. Ed is a top notch piercer who has worked in some of the busiest and best studios around. We sat down, on my own couch, and talked about the piercings we don't do anymore and why.
Episode 39 with Efix Roy of Progressive Mentorship and Empire Body Arts in Quebec City.
I sat down with Efix after his Progressive Mentorship class in Montreal to talk about instructing, our growth from BME piercers to where we are today, and more.
Episode 38 with a whole bunch of piercers. I sat down for lunch the day after Camp APP 2017 with Cale Belford, Becky Dill, Mic Rawls, Rivka Chavi, Kelli Zeien, Barron, and Seth Dietz for some burgers and conversation. Join in, burgers optional.
Episode 37 with Ana Laco of Badaku in Rijeka, Croatia. I got to sit down with Ana at the UKAPP conference and talk about life, work, and happiness. This was a great conversation for me and I hope some of you out there enjoy it as much as I did.
Episode 36 with Lola Slider of Forevermore tattoo & piercing in Glasgow, Scotland. We talk wrestling, anodizing, wrestling, instructing, and wrestling. Sorry about all the wrestling.
Episode 35 with Aaron Foster. Aaron was my apprentice for years. We recorded this episode just before he moved to Colorado for his new position at Sol Tribe in Denver. We talk about how I inherited him from another former apprentice and his progression from apprentice to piercer.
Episode 34 with Håvve Fjell, founder of the Norwegian Wings of Desire suspension team and Pain Solution group. Håvve is a pioneer in body suspension and performance art. We sat down at the BMXNET conference in Germany to talk about how they discovered their passion for body play and where it has taken them.
Episode 33 with Jason Heeney & Jess Farrar from the UKAPP seminars in Birmingham, England. We discuss Irish and British piercing, risky piercing trends, and how to grow your quality jewelry selection in a market slow to recognize it.
Episode 32 with Christina Blossey. Christina apprenticed under Brian Skellie and would go on to buy Piercing Experience in Atlanta, Georgia. We talk about how she has made the studio her own, why jewelry materials are such a big deal, and all while I make terrible puns involving the word "experience".
Episode 31 with Brian Skellie. Brian is a former APP President and the driving force behind the Statim sterilizer in the piercing industry. We talk about how Brian got started in body piercing and the logic behind piercing and safety.
Episode 30 with April Thomas and Bryan Thomas, owners of Born This Way body arts in Knoxville Tennessee. We talk about how they developed a killer business model and harnessed the power of social media to create one of the best studios in the U.S.
Episode 29 with Bethrah Szumski. Bethrah has worn many hats within the APP and within the piercing industry. Piercer, shop owner, jewelry distributor, APP secretary, APP president, educator. I tried to catch a little bit of that history. Enjoy.
Episode 28 with Mike Hill of Broad Street Studio in Bath, UK. I sat down with Mike at the UKAPP seminars and talked about his first time instructing a class and how he runs a fully disposable studio.
Episode 27 with Paddy Notts of Industrial Strength UK & Ashley Guntz of Neilmed Piercing Aftercare. We talk about how their companies fit into the body piercing industry and communities.
Episode 26 with Paul King and Dr. Matt Lodder. I sit down with two of our industries historians to discuss the matter of FGM (female genital "mutilation") laws in the United Kingdom and how it has affected the body piercing industry.
Episode 25 with Nicole Holmes, the founding and current president of the United Kingdom Association of Professional Piercers. We discuss how the organization started, and where it has gone since then.
Episode 24 with Jesse Villemaire of Thrive Studios and Progressive Mentorship. We talk about how we've changed in the industry and how to avoid burn out.
Episode 23 with Cale Belford of Piercing Emporium in Worcester, Massachusetts. We talk about the volunteering Cale does for the APP and her jewelry line Uzu Organics.
Episode 22 with Charlie LeBeau of the United Kingdom Association of Professional Piercers. We talk about their preparations for their upcoming seminars and how they manage their impressive growth.
Episode 21 with Luis Garcia. We sat down in Brazil to talk about the GEP conference and his new gold jewelry line called Singularity.
Paul Rainer of Bound for Glory in Staten Island, NY joins the show this week to talk about his Anatometal raffle grand prize win. Also, brunch.
Episode 19 with Brian Moeller from the Boston Tattoo Company.
Brian comes back to the show to chat! We'll talk about how the studio environment you present helps determine what kind of clientele you get, and why Brian has decided to stop offering surface anchors.
Episode 18 with Sala from Pinpoint Piercing in Oslo, Norway. I sit down with my good friend Sala and talk about how Sprite made a commercial about his body piercing to sell soda, the new Association he is working with in Spain, and our views on how to give your clients the best experience possible.
Episode 17 with Jef Saunders.
I sat down with the current president of the Association of Professional Piercers to talk about the Fakir intensives, daith piercings and where that name comes from, and opening a smaller boutique piercing studio after owning larger scale shops.
Episode 16 with Samppa Von Cyborg.
We talk about his new line of biomechanical body jewelry, Rusty Cyborg Creations. Also the new social networking site rustycyb.org that he hopes will become the spiritial successor to BME.
Episode 15 with Elayne Angel. Elayne is a highly influential piercer whose work has inspired generations of body piercers. Her book The Piercing Bible: the definitive guide to safe body piercing is available everywhere from Barnes & Noble to Amazon.
Also a talk with Andre Fernandes, Tatiana Rodrigues, and Emilia Aratanha about their work organizing the GEP conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Episode 14 with Luis Garcia. Talking about international piercer issues and the challenges piercers outside of the US face to offer high quality piercing.
Episode 13 with Terry LeRoi discussing the growth of his company over 20+ years in the industry. Also featung a short conversation with William Spencer and CJ Maxwell about avoiding swear words in the studio.
I had the opportunity to sit down for an interview with Jim Ward recently. Founder of The Gauntlet, the world's first professional piercing studio, facilitator for the launch of the Association of Professional Piercers, and wealth of knowledge related to body piercing's history.
Episode 11 with jesse Villemaire.
Jesse V of Thrive Studios and Progressive Mentorship joins Ryan in Las Vegas for wine and conversation.
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An interview with Paul Rainer of Bound for Glory in Staten Island, NY with special guest host Courtney Jane Maxwell. Also some q&a and talking about the upcoming APP conference with Evan Quinno.
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Welcome to our first show with a new format. Former APP President Alicia Cardenas joins us for a three part interview talking about the challenges of being a female in a male dominated industry, the potentially controversial choice of offering professional earlobe piercing for babies, and where ritual meets professionalism in piercing and scarification.
Episode Notes Charlie joins the show to discuss the UKAPP.
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Episode Notes Jef Saunders joins Ryan to discuss the benefits and pitfalls of online piercer forums.
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Episode Notes Another talk with Kendra Jane about projects and patience
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Episode Notes Chatting about volunteering in and out of the APP with Kendra Jane.
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Episode Notes Talking to Will Von Doome about how frustrating jewelry manufacturer turn around times can be and the challenges it presents.
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Episode Notes Talking with Will Von Doome about professionalism in our industry. Pet peeves, customer service, and a lack of common sense
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This is an old episode format, do yourself a favor and just start with episode 9.
Continuing my discussion with Brian Moeller about industry trends.
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This is an old episode format, do yourself a favor and just start with episode 9.
Discussing industry trends with Brian Moeller. This is the first episode recorded, so be patient as we figure out how to do this stuff.
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