Knowing Your Limits

There are certain things I simply don't feel comfortable doing for one reason or another. Experience plays a huge part in this. An important question to ask is "How do I communicate effectively that I don't feel comfortable performing this piercing without seeming under qualified in other areas?" In my mind, the simple answer is stay humble and stay honest. The thrill of landing a big sale can turn honest piercers crooked sometimes. When you are honest with your clients it builds trust and with trust comes repeat business.

A simple phrase that works wonderfully is "I would rather lose the money than have you be unhappy with something." I use that exact wording for anatomical issues preventing a certain piercing as well. Most are taken aback with the fact that you wont just do something that isn't in their best interest just to make money. Its this little tidbit that makes you a true professional. You don't have to do it all, you don't have to be comfortable with everything, but you DO have to be honest.

Experimentation/ learning on casual clients falls into this same category. I've had plenty of clients that were regulars of other shops but after one poor experience sought out a new place of business. Usually the things that walk into my shop were meant to be "Projects" or experiments. When working with a client that you have pierced a few times before its important to remember that just because you have built that trust up doesn't mean you should exploit it. By botching one job, you potentially lose thousands of dollars, where by doing it correctly you stand to gain potentially hundreds. Bad news travels fast in this industry...taking chances on things you aren't comfortable with simply isn't worth it.

The pressure today to do bigger and better things is everywhere, there is a new craze every week thanks to Pinterest /Instagram / the like. Not living up to the hype does not make you a bad piercer.  I am personally a very meat and potatoes kind of guy, I'm content with noses and navels because I feel without a doubt that I am able to execute the procedure well. I probably wont be on the front page of whatever social media circle, but I will be taking money home to my family for years to come.

I love my job, and my clients kick ass. You probably feel this way also if you're even reading this. Every now and then its a nice reminder to keep your head on straight and remember that your clients well being is better then any payday you could ever have.