Category Issues

Point 78: Financial Sustainability for Your Business – Christina Shull

1 Comment read Business Practices, Issue 78, Technology

Business sustainability in the piercing industry generally requires financial planning, unless you plan on living with your parents for the rest of your life or you have landed a sugar daddy or mama. Knowing and doing what it takes to keep your finances in order is important. Regardless of whether you are a staff member or the owner of a studio, both positions require a healthy cash flow and good money management skills. I am going to lightly touch on a variety of financial planning topics that apply to everybody in the piercing industry and I encourage you to use this article as a jumping point to explore these topics and start working towards better financial success.

Understanding your cash flow is as important for staff members as it is for business owners, although hourly or salaried employees do have an advantage in this due to having an income that can be more steady and predictable. It is crucial that you truly know how much money is coming in and how much money is going out. The understanding of your income to output is necessary to start budgeting and improving your financial situation. Take the time to estimate what you might spend on various purchasing categories and then compare that to what you ended up spending. You will probably be very surprised to find out how much you really do spend on certain things.

Some examples of different expenses as an individual or business owner can include:

Business:

  • Inventory
  • Piercing supplies
  • Janitorial items
  • Payroll
  • Office supplies
  • Advertising, printing  

Personal

  • Groceries
  • Gas
  • Medical bills
  • Pet care/child care
  • Clothing
  • Entertainment and dining out

Both Personal and Business:

  • Rent
  • Insurance
  • Utilities
  • Loans
  • Telephone
  • Internet

Tracking your current spending habits can be done in a variety of ways. I can tell you from personal experience that the various apps available are easier for tracking personal spending. They are just so much simpler to use than trying to keep track of your spending habits on paper. I have tried a handful of different apps and discuss my two favorites below. There is no excuse for not trying out one or both of these apps, because both are available as free downloads.

Mint: Personal Finance, Budget, Bills & Money – This application is offered by the makers of Intuit and TurboTax, and if you have ever used programs from either company, you know that many of their products are straightforward and easy to use. This program provides a more complete picture of your finances by bringing together your bank accounts, credit cards, bills and investments so you can get an overview of where you are at. There are also some great features such as staying up to date on your credit score (and getting pointers for how to improve it), bill payment reminders (to decrease the likelihood of being late on a payment), and the ability to create budgets. My favorite thing about this program is that you can sync your various financial accounts with Mint, so your financial transactions are automatically updated and you only need to manually enter cash transactions.

Every Dollar: Budget, Manage Money, Track Spending – This application is offered by money management professional, Dave Ramsey, who is one of the leading experts on financial planning for retirement and eliminating debt. This is a great program for budgeting, and I love the ease in which you can view how your monthly spending was planned, compared to how much has been spent and how much is remaining. However, you cannot sync this with your financial accounts unless you pay a $9.99 monthly subscription to EveryDollar Plus. I like the formatting and ease of entering and editing transactions a little more in this program.

Overall, I personally favor the Mint program more due to the free financial account syncing and additional features offered.

Once you have a sense of how much money you are making versus how much you are spending, you can start budgeting. I know budgeting sounds boring, but trust me: it is going to make a world of difference in your financial future. It is easy to casually spend money as things come up. Planning your spending for the month makes it is much harder to randomly spend money, allowing you to strategically cut from one or more categories as necessary. For example: you will be more likely to think twice about blowing a hundred dollars on things you don’t need when you start deducting that amount from your grocery money. When you have the basic budgeting down it is time to start adding in some new expenses that might not be in your current budget. Putting money into a savings account monthly or even bi-weekly is one of the easiest things you can do to start creating short-term financial stability. Having an emergency fund can be vital to staying on track financially if you experience a setback. These emergency savings can keep you from going into debt if you end up with unexpected medical bills, home or auto repairs, sudden unemployment, or any of the other stressful surprises that life can throw your way. When I first started my business, I was hardly paying myself because I invested most of my business income back into my studio. Even then, I started by setting aside $50 a month. Later on,  I bumped it up to $100 a month, which wasn’t missed much from each paycheck even though I was only paying myself a small salary.

Setting aside money for your taxes is another crucial part of your budgeting and planning. Whether we are talking about individual or business taxes, it is a wise decision to set the money aside for when they are due. If temptation to spend the money is too great, there are a handful of ways to minimize the temptation. Increasing the amount of taxes that are deducted from your paycheck is the easiest way to have your taxes paid in full at the end of the year or at least get close. Maybe you’ll even get a return! If the money is taken off your check before you even cash it, you won’t have to worry about the money burning a hole in your pocket. This works well for hourly employees and salaried workers alike, and is very easy to setup and update as needed. Since direct deposit can usually be setup to transfer money into multiple accounts, I personally have my salary automatically deposited into two separate accounts. Every two weeks, one account gets half of my mortgage payment and the other account gets the rest of the money. This allows me to always have money set aside for when my mortgage is due. If you’re doing the math, you’ll realize that I am also able to make one additional full mortgage payment a year on this system, which has a very positive impact on my loan principal, especially early in the agreement. Having money automatically transferred into savings, or into an account for taxes, is a great way to avoid the temptation of spending the money. Talk with your accountant about paying quarterly or even monthly if you are not currently required to do so. This is especially helpful for independent contractors and certain business entities that only need to pay their taxes after the end of the calendar year. These smaller and more frequent payments can feel more manageable and attainable to many people.

Eliminating debt is a big aspect of financial success and happiness. Budgeting and planning is the most effective way to start chipping away at debt. You can find a lot of wonderful and manageable tips on eliminating debt through a wide variety of books and programs. On a very minimal salary, I paid off tens of thousands of dollars of debt that I had acquired before I became a business owner. I was also able to use these techniques to improve my financial situation enough to purchase a home less than two years after I opened my business. There are many different approaches and theories for the best way to pay off debt and these techniques alone could be an entire series of articles.

Want quick suggestions? Create projections and plan accordingly. Don’t let your tax burden at the end of the year be a total surprise that results in scrambling to come up with the money. If you are a business owner, you are most likely required to pay taxes quarterly or monthly, as mentioned above. If you are an independent contractor, you should be planning for when you need to pay your taxes. Talk with an accountant, SCORE mentor, tax advisor, or other professional who can help you figure out how to project your estimated taxes and how to measure the projections throughout the year.

The big finale to this article is a very long and daunting subject that would need much more time to cover extensively. Thankfully, you can attend a course at the 22nd annual APP Conference this year on the subject: “Do Piercers get to Retire? Financial Planning 101 for our Industry.” Retirement planning is crucial in an industry that does not have retirement plans offered commonly as a benefit. I hope to see that change in the future and personally have retirement plans for my studio staff written into my ten year business plan. However, until the industry starts offering retirement plans, it is up to each of us individually to plan for our retirement. I encourage you to sit down with a financial advisor and talk with them about how you can get started investing in your future.

There are plenty of resources available to help you come up with a financially successful plan, including a plethora of information on the internet, investing and financial planning classes, countless books and programs, and various business professionals. Talk with friends and colleagues as well, maybe they have some great ideas and insight that you can adapt. It is never too early to start working towards a brighter financial future!


 

Point 78: Sustainability – Learning to Cultivate – Jared Karnes

1 Comment read Issue 78, Lifestyle

The idea of being a more environmentally conscientious business is not new, although it is not necessarily the first thing you think of in reference to tattoo and piercing shops. At home maybe you are already living a greener life; upcycling, sorting your curbside recyclables, and buying your food locally. Meanwhile at work, the computer stays on all night, you use only one side of printer paper and the climate controls keep it a constant 68 degrees all year long. It’s easy to let the green routine slide at work, since it’s not technically your space. However, you may fall on the other end of the spectrum, being the shop’s outspoken green warrior. The nicest thing about working towards more sustainable business practices is that these changes can be eco-friendly while potentially reducing overhead costs. So even if the benefits to the planet are hard to see, those benefits to your bottom line may be more visible.

It is hard to know where you can improve if you don’t take a measure of where you are currently. Some areas of your shop may be very green, while you may have room for improvement in other areas.  Rather than just going into this with guesswork, I would encourage you to keep measurable data on how well you are doing in the sustainability realm. The simplest way is to use any one of many online carbon footprint calculators. Once you have done the calculations you will have a great baseline to work from. Although some of the ideas listed are small and easily implemented, others are larger and much more in depth undertakings. This means that it is important to remember this is not an all or nothing scenario and in fact each small thing you do to create a more sustainable shop environment will add up over time.

Let’s start with the physical environment and structure of the studios we work in and own. This can be as easy or in-depth as you want it to be. On the simple and easily accomplished end of the list you can start with switching to LED and other energy-saving light bulbs; even a small change like this can create a measurable difference in your building’s energy usage. The shop can purchase energy-saving models of office equipment, such as Energy Star-approved computers, LCD monitors, printers, and photocopiers. When your electronics have reached the end of their life, make sure to recycle them through e-recycling companies or manufacturer take-back programs. Make sure the option you choose has some sound data-wiping procedures in place to keep your data secure.

You aren’t working all hours of the night (at least I hope not), so why does your computer need to be on? Turn off everything you possibly can before you leave the office each day. Make sure to keep lights off in unused rooms throughout the day and turn off all lights when leaving. This can be simplified by installing motion sensor light switches where applicable, or consolidating electronic plugs so you are able to turn off minimal power strips or switches at the end of the day. Make use of power management options on electronics, such as programming the computer to turn off automatically at a certain time each night, just in case it is forgotten. You can also set your monitor to turn off after a few minutes of inactivity. And never leave things like cell phone chargers plugged in when you’re not using them. They still draw energy, regardless of whether there’s anything plugged into them.

One of the easiest things an office can do to reduce waste is to keep an eye on paper. Paper makes up about 35% of the waste stream – even though it’s one of the easiest materials to re-use and recycle. You don’t need to print every e-mail. Just organize your inbox to make e-mails easier to find and reference. You can encourage others not to print unnecessary paperwork as well. Make back-up copies of important files and keep them on an external drive or cloud storage, instead of storing boxes of paper files. When you do need to print important documents, make sure you use a sustainable paper, and set your printer or copier to print on both sides of the page.

The idea of going paperless is still a future reality for many places. That being said, many shops throughout the world have successfully gone to paperless options for waivers and aftercare. There are well known programs which will allow you to sign PDF files digitally, as well as create PDF documents with signature fields for clients to sign. There are also different digital programs made specifically for tattoo and piercing shops. In fact we even offered a class taught by Alicia Cardenas at our 2015 APP Conference about going paperless.

Second to the paperwork we create in our shops is the paper that just shows up. Junk mail may be one of the most wasteful things known to man. There are free services that will remove you from mailing lists, in hopes of eliminating waste before it starts. If recycling bins are not already easily accessible, this can be another quick, easy office upgrade. Put them near water coolers and next to the photocopier.

Another super easy addition to your sustainable shop arsenal is a digital thermostat with program functionality to lower the temperature when no one is in the shop. Take your heat conservation the extra step if your shop is located in a climate that would benefit from some winterizing; seal windows and doors so heat or cold air is not escaping and seal gaps in floorboards.

If studio structure improvements are possible, there are many things that can be done to increase the building’s energy efficiency. Install insulated windows for better temperature regulation. Look into a tune up for the heating/cooling systems to make sure they are operating at peak efficiency. Buy energy-saving appliances that are Energy Star-rated or look into upgrading old equipment like inefficient boilers or furnaces. If you’re lucky enough to be able to afford a shop remodel, go green from the floor to the skylights. Use eco-friendly flooring options made from renewable or recycled materials. Use sustainable fabrics made from hemp or bamboo for window coverings, or get them second hand. Lengths of bamboo make great curtain rods, too. The sustainable options are only as limited as your imagination.

Now that we have looked at a few simple things (and a couple more involved as well)
let’s step outside of our own shop and look at what our neighbourhoods and cities offer. Working with other like minded businesses to support and cross promote one another is a great way to not only decrease your carbon footprint, but to increase your business. As an added bonus, you’ll be building great relationships. Chances are, there are businesses in your area that are also trying to improve their sustainability. Network with them and use their services when you can. Part of being a green business is ensuring that your supply chain is green too. Seek out green vendors for your business needs, whether it is printing business cards, hosting your website, or manufacturing the products you sell.

Of course there are always additional steps you can take to make any shop more sustainable, and the only way to make progress is to know where you’re headed. It is important to keep up with environmental news and green business trends to identify areas you can improve on. Making checklists of green business practices to implement and setting deadlines can ensure that things get completed in a timely manner. As you make changes, small or large, it is important to keep measuring this progress. As you make a major change, review energy consumption reports of the building and re-evaluate using carbon footprint calculators. It’s easy to get gung-ho about being greener, only to have the efforts fall by the wayside when a busy time hits. Create a positive environment where positive change and growth towards sustainability is embraced even in an industry where being disposable is encouraged! Revel in the many ways we can work to reduce our carbon footprint.

 

Point 78: President’s Corner – Jef Saunders

1 Comment read Issue 78, President's Corner

As you may know, I currently serve as both President and Membership Liaison. I feel that this is a very exciting time to be involved in all aspects of APP Membership; there are more tools at our disposal than ever before.

Technological advances have made shooting videos and photographing documents easier than ever. In years past, a new applicant would have to shoot a VHS or DVD, along with photocopies of all of their compliance documentation. They would then ship it in the mail to our office, where it was forwarded to a person on our Membership Committee, who would review it. Then it would be shipped to a second person on our Membership Committee for review.

If an applicant made a small mistake, it could take months of letters and phone calls to make an important change and appropriately document it. Now, we can instantly respond with requests for missing documents or quick fixes of minor mistakes in an applicant’s piercing studio. This means far fewer declination letters have to be sent over minimal errors. The Membership Committee sees these mistakes and then gets to engage in one-on-one health and safety education that makes a real difference in our community. The current Membership Committee (Cody Vaughn, Monica Sabin, Coyote Black, Johnny Velez, Aaron Pollack, Darrin Walters and now Sean Phillips) have my thanks for the extreme amount of applications and renewals they have processed during my term as Membership Liaison.

It is impossible to fully understand the impact of internet forums, such as the Body Modification Learning Forum and the APP Non-Member Forum, in popularizing the use of safe jewelry and up-to-date health and safety practices. There was a time when jewelry compliance issues were the chief hurdle for most piercers in joining the APP. With these forums, safe piercing jewelry has become more and more the norm in shops all over the world. This welcome exchange of ideas has illuminated the path to APP membership, but more importantly safer piercing practices worldwide.

The entire APP benefits from the assistance so many of our Members have given to prospective applicants. The volunteers within the APP work so hard to make the organization effective, and they have my sincere gratitude. I also want to say thank you to those of you within our organization and within our community that supply piercers with so much health and safety information and education. The growth our organization has experienced wouldn’t have happened without you.

To maintain this growth and continue to fulfill our mission of health and safety education, the APP is taking steps to streamline the membership application process. We are doing this by developing a digital application which we are hoping to unveil very soon. This digital application should result in fewer missing documents, as well as making each step easier for applicants to understand and committee members and the office staff to process. It is my hope that this simpler, digital application will allow the APP to continue growing the way it has over the past five years.

In addition to a digital application, the APP is in the process of automating certain aspects of membership compliance and recordkeeping. Soon, internal documents will be uploaded directly to Member records, and Members will be granted access to upload external documentation (like First Aid and CPR). These records will be available to the Membership Committee and APP staff for review. This is an ongoing project in the beta phase, but I have very high hopes that it will be a huge success in making membership accessible to more and more piercers, while also making maintaining membership even simpler.

Stay tuned over the next months as we hope to see these great projects revealed to the membership.

Point 78: Letter from the Editor – Kendra Jane B.

1 Comment read From the Editor, Issue 78

When you hear the word “sustainability,”  your first thoughts might be of recycling soda cans or composting your vegetable scraps. However, the idea of sustainability is one that can be applied in a much broader sense to every aspect of life. Things such as maintaining a sustainable work life balance; which in our industry seems very difficult for many. Creating a healthy balance of piercing and non-piercing related activities is something I struggle with myself almost daily. However, I believe it is important to realize that we all need downtime and we all need to foster the passions we have in life outside of our piercing room. In the long run it makes us better piercers.

We can embrace the idea of sustainability in our piercing room by ensuring an ergonomic work environment to take as much stress off of our bodies as possible. We see many very industry specific issues that seem to arise due to the repetitive nature of our tasks. Making sure that you take care of your body will go a long way to ensuring a long and happy career.

We also need to build sustainable businesses by creating business plans and practices which ensure constant and continual growth at a calculated pace. Unchecked growth in a business is neither realistic nor sustainable, and therefore should be avoided.

We can also strive to lessen our overall carbon footprint within our shops. By making small changes in our environment and routines, we can lessen our impact on the planet. It can be as easy as not printing unnecessary receipts, switching to LED lightbulbs, or installing a lower flow toilet.

This issue will explore the idea of sustainability in its many forms and how it can impact our careers and the body modification industry in more ways than you may have thought possible. We would love to hear how you have made changes for a more sustainable career! Email us at editor@safepiercing.org

Point 78: Letter from the Editor – Marina Pecorino

1 Comment read From the Editor, Issue 78

Sustainability touches many aspects of our daily personal and professional lives. In this issue, Kendra Jane provides tips for reducing our carbon footprint through structural improvements and office upgrades. Also, Jared Karnes of Onetribe discusses sustainability and his discovery of permaculture from a manufacturing perspective. Christina Shull shares some wisdom about how to establish a solid business and personal budget, with a focus on financial planning and retirement.

For the safety of our clients and ourselves, it is an unfortunate consequence that our industry is a heavy producer of waste. I’ve often been morbidly curious to know how much weight in garbage an average piercing room generates in a day, but that newfound knowledge would more than likely make me sad.

As we look toward the future of our profession and our planet, I think it’s important to bring sustainability to the forefront of our minds. Some studios are taking on this challenge by reducing the use of supplies and tools, and thus reducing the need for additional processing and disposable products. For some piercers, this is a perfect solution, but for others, this may not be a change they’re prepared to undertake.

There’s also the unfortunate truth that our work takes an emotional and physical toll on us, making burnout a very real possibility. Long hours on our feet and standing in strange positions can lead to muscle fatigue and joint pain for many. Hectic days when breaks are scarce and meals may be a fantasy can leave us without the resources our body needs to maintain our pace. Add to that the emotional strain of taking on an especially challenging client, and you’ll be ready for bed as soon as you get home. Even some of my most enjoyable and meaningful client experiences have left me feeling drained. If we intend to sustain this profession, it’s important to remember our self-care regimen; as the Volunteer ducklings say, “What Would Paul King Do?”

 

The Point – Issue 78

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The Point: Issue 78 - Cover

 

Table of ContentsAlicia Cardenas at the 2016 APP Conference & Exposition

You can also experience this issue in an eReader/phone/tablet-friendly, flip-through format or download the .pdf file to keep.

Point 76: Banquet Dinner – Kendra Jane B

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The Point: Issue 76 - Cover

The banquet dinner is a highlight of the week in Vegas for many people. In fact, it has sold out the last few years in a row. Every year we get to see our colleagues dress up in their fanciest duds, from stunning gowns to costumes that fit the theme for the year. This year we saw some of our favorite science fiction characters, including Barf and Leeloo.

2016 APP Banquet portraitsAs we enjoyed a great dinner we were entertained by the familiarity of a sideshow. From there we moved on to the evening’s formalities: speeches, awards, and the much anticipated grand prize raffle draws.

The evening’s formalities got started when Cody Vaughn and I had the opportunity to say thank you and welcome to our new Members for the year.

“This century has seen the advent of technologies and procedures those before us never thought possible, not to mention an exponential growth in the numbers of body modification enthusiasts, and in turn the number of piercers looking to be their best. Every year we gain new Members and grow as an organization but this last year saw us gain an amazing 86 new Members. Congratulations to all our new Members.”

New Members:
Andie Saunders
Ashley Reeves
William Barron
Matt Bressmer
Kyla Scrivener
Olivia Theriault
Kara Dee
Lara “Barkley” Barkley
Laura Davis
Michael Bernhardt
Megan Feeley
Robert Wilson
Kelli Zeien
Edward (Richie) Bibee
Hannah Phykitt
Mona Lisa A. Escalante
Whitney Chase
Joshua W. Spriggs
Chris “Plaid” Weyer
Emily Woods
Jarred Mantia
Lani Soleil Gillespie
Ricky Andrew Minor
Anthony Merritt
Joey Hayden
Nick Lanehardt
Rivka McCormack
Courtney-Logan Rose Cangelosi
Sebastian Wolfe Pickersgill
Ana Paula Escalante
Lola Slider
Jay Zogg
Tim Gerdes
Janessa McKissack
Leo Ziebol
Melinda Hupy
Dominick Arduino
Giselle Rose Arduino
Inaveronica Ausland Pedersen
Amy Willmore
Jacob Spjut
Matthew Buonantuono
Kevin Allison
Crystal Vozzella
Ryan Terrillion
Doug Poisson
John Robberson
Rosemary Willicome
Justin Ellis
Hali Stimis
Amanda Thompson
Chris A Taylor
John Osborne
Hall Boyer
Paul Rainer
Jason “Jay” Zukas
Dustin Schoelier
Phoebe Dowling
Ryan Tantay
Britt Riggs
Samantha Minh (Robles)
Brittney Lola Lebbano
Thomas Gottschalk
Scott Self
Derek Ian
Robert Chambers
Kolby Cain
Kaylyn Suellentrop
John Alonzo
Dustin Jackson
Michael Kabbeko-Johnson
Chelsie Ross
Bernard P. Ellis II
Eric Schuh
Michael Kaspa
Amy McNichol
Dorian McCarron
Nicolas Fox
Thomas Mocek
Westin M. Fryar
Rich Hartwick
Maddie Akers
Matt Ronin
Charles Charlie Wheeler
Deidra Saville Evans
Bilal “Cozmo” Whitest

Miro Hernadez then had the distinguished pleasure of announcing this year’s birth announcements:
– Shortly after conference last year, Brian and Sandrine Skellie’s daughter Serena was brought into this world
– Ahri Elise Wilson was born on April 11th to Robert and Carissa Wilson
– Hazel Grey Hemmingsen was born on May 6h to Tyler and Laura Hemmingsen
– Patience J. Hope McInnes was born on July 9th to Mike and Michelle McInnes
– Tamarah and Wednesday Henryson brought a female “puppy” into this world on September 24th. When Tamarah was pregnant, the baby’s gender couldn’t be identified, so after people kept asking and asking, they finally just said, “a puppy” and that has stuck since.
– Julie Green of Westcoast Piercing and Ink first grandchild, Daya, was born on June 21
– Simon Patrick Saunders was born on September 8, 2015 to 2 of our APP members, Jef Saunders and Laura Leonard
– Troubador Rocco Grosvenor was born on September 29, 2015 to Nathan and Chelsea Grosvenor
– Mark and Nikole Montgomery are now grandparents with the birth of their beautiful grandson Lach- lan (Lock Ian)
– Lyric Mason Dinsmore was born on November 22, 2015 to Desiree ́ Dinsmore and Dustin Merryman

This past year was also filled with loss and sorrow and we mourn the passing of several members of our community:
– Hugh Mattay from Australia passed on Jan 28 at the age of 37.
– Leah Lovell from New York passed at the age of 28
– Peter Pina, 33, of Electric Chair Tattoo and Body Piercing in Houston.
– Jerome “JJ” Moiso passed away on February 26th after a long battle with cancer. He was one of Al D.’s last apprentices and had worked for a handful of Seattle studios as well as owning his own studio for a couple years. He was also involved with the original body art regulations in Washington State.
– Charles Gatewood and his iconic photography that brought the weird and macabre to pop culture and his larger than life personality.
– In 2014, Mark Siekierski joked about having this quote read as a memorial if he should ever pass, and sadly this year that wish will be made a reality.

Earth from the far reaches of space“Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every “superstar,” every “supreme leader,” every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.”

With the completion of that paragraph there was not a dry eye in the place and we all knew that we had honored a great man and all those that we had lost last year.

Last year’s banquet gave me the opportunity to thank someone very special to me, Caitlin McDiarmid. This year the tables were turned and she awarded me the Josh Prentice Volunteer award. This definitely brought me to tears. I was stunned and left speechless to say the least. I am so honored to have been recognized for something that brings me joy and fills my bucket until it runs over.

Brian Skellie also had the privilege of presenting this year’s President’s award to Ana Paula. This woman is a powerhouse in our industry and has brought safe piercing education to Latin America. When she is not teaching worldwide or starving to build LBP and the education seminars available to Latin American piercers, she creates stunning jewelry. A mother, wife, educator, and creator she is the most deserved recipient of this award.

From there the evening progressed to the presentation of the Expo awards. This year, there was a tie for the Creative Innovator’s Award, being presented to both Tether and Onetribe. We also saw Tether win the Single Booth Award. It is so wonderful to see a first time exhibitor and new company hit the ground running. At the other end of the spectrum, two long standing pillars of the industry took home the evening’s other awards. Tawapa won the Multiple Booth Award and Diablo Organic won the Technical Innovator’s Award.

Now that the formalities had been taken care of it was time to get onto the top raffle prize drawings (we all know this is what everyone was really waiting for).

As the evening drew to a close, lives had been changed forever, and we knew the week was drawing to a close. This is always a bittersweet moment for many of us. So until next year I leave you with this. . .

Alvin Toffler said, “The illiterate 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write. But those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” It is in this vein that we gather in the desert; to learn with the best; to unlearn some of our preconceived notions; and relearn things we thought we already knew. From our classrooms and workshops to our exposition floor it has been evident that the APP, our Members, Sponsors, and conference Attendees ensure that they take every opportunity to learn and grow both personally and professionally. We are so very excited to see what the future holds, when we boldly go where no piercer has gone before.

point-76-banquet-2016-app-conference

Point 76: Interview with David Vidra – Matte Erickson

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The Point: Issue 76 - Cover

Matte Erickson
Body Piercing Archives

In a continuing effort to bring a little insight to some of the interesting people within our history, we bring you our next casual interview with, David “Mama” Vidra. The contributions that David has been responsible for are too numerous to list. A piercer, registered nurse and educator, David has been an integral figure in pushing the piercing industry towards legitimacy in the eyes of Federal and medical agencies. Not only was he an early Board Member, instructor, and liaison between the APP and OSHA, he also created Health Educators (www.hlthedu.com), one of the only industry training programs in the world.

Matte Erickson: How did you get the nickname “Mama”?

David Vidra: Mama came from Kevin Tarbell at Splash of Color in East Lansing, Michigan. It also came from all the years I worked with the handicapped. That started when I was 13. I started High Hopes for the handicapped and in the early ‘80s started an organization that cared for AIDS patients until death. North Coast AIDS Home Care, an agency taking care of the patients, closed in early 1990. I also did theater with the deaf/blind and assisted with a deaf choir.

Matte Erickson: How long have you been around piercing? What is your history?

David Vidra: Since I was 21. I got my first piercing at Body Language in Cleveland, Ohio by Linus Herell. So, 38 years total I have been around piercing and involved. As far as my history, I apprenticed and did piercing all while focusing on other parts of my life. I directed outdoor education program for a CYO Camp in Ohio, worked with mentally and physically challenged people for care as well as directing theater with the deaf/blind and what we call normal people, but the whole time I was piercing, getting pierced and doing all the above.

Matte Erickson: Who most influenced you in your early body piercing career?

David Vidra: Influences outside of local people, which was Linus and John Brittian, came mainly from the Gauntlet’s PFIQ. Fakir’s Body Play magazine also was a great influence in regards to the spiritual aspect of piercing, which was also very important to me.

Matte Erickson: Who have been your role models during your involvement in the piercing industry?

David Vidra: Michaela Grey, Jim Ward, the Gauntlet classes (basic and advanced). During my classes there I met both Al D. and Eric Dakota. These were the first people that really affected me personally and professionally. Also, I got the opportunity to speak with Elayne Angel (this was before her involvement with APP) at a FDA conference in New Orleans, which had both been invited to speak at. I always had great respect for her and was fortunate to have gotten to watch her pierce at her studio. All of these people helped shape my career and so many more I haven’t mentioned as well. Shops like Infinite Piercing, Blake’s shop, Note Nomad, but they were the more extreme of our time and would share information freely.

Matte Erickson: What are a few of your favorite Conference memories?

David Vidra: Favorite memories, there are so many this is very hard to keep short. When conferences began, if there were 200 people there, OMG that was huge! We would debate different things from aftercare, things such as preps; betadine is what almost everyone used at the time, and BZK wipes to remove it (ETOH (alcohol) would deactivate it), salt solutions etc. Memories of good debates and agreeing afterward what directions we wanted to see the industry head.

Being around people who love everything you do, sharing information with each other about why we would do what we do. There were schools of thought, Jim Ward’s, Fakir’s, other owners and those who had minimal to no medical education and could not get it. Being a new nurse at the time, about six years or so, I took what we did in medical, but not to the extent we did in hospital. This included documentation, adapting tools (no locking forceps etc.). It was an exciting time!

Doing the opening session with Derek and Shawn on the classes, who the Board was, was such fun. Teaching with Dr. Jack on anatomy and working with him on legislative issues in early ‘90s. Attending the first APHA convention. Michaela getting us that membership expense both to be there, and to get our membership paid for, not from dues, but from our own incomes. Such a success! Talking to all these people who did not really receive us too well at first, but that was the minority.

My fondest memory was teaching bloodborne and studio documentation. Teaching wound care with Dr. Betsy and teaching anatomy with her and Dr. Jack. Discussions at the splash bar with those people who would say can I talk with you, and spending hours answering questions and trying to help every person no matter how long it took.

There are goofy things, but my fondest of all, was teaching and giving everyone the information they needed (no trade secrets), being accepted by others at times (though some never did). When Bruno (Pat Tidwell) gave me a towel with my initials on it, I had made it into the towel club. It felt great and came with respect from some more extreme people which, God, I wanted to be, but could not. So I could live through them keeping their asses safe, and we could come up with new ways to do what they needed to.

Research, God, back when I was on the Board for five years and a consultant (until three years ago). Research costs money. Not just going on the web. Back then, you paid for medical and nursing journals, and for opinions from government and other big agencies. All that money was raised, or paid for, by my shop so we could prove points from minimum standard to higher standards, where appropriate. Sterilization, oh my God, what we did then to now, but no one bitched about money they spent because it was for the greater good of the community.

One last one is the first legislation in Washington; helping to write it get the proof of what we were asking for and it being passed with a ban on ear piercing guns what a rush.

Matte Erickson: What keeps you busy now that you no longer pierce?

David Vidra: All the work I have done for education, from research to getting different certificates within nursing; such as wound care certificates and certified instructor and facilitator, which both added to what I could give, and getting things certified for health inspectors for their continuing education. Setting the base courses, anything with health and safety. Teaching anatomy and wound care with Dr. Jack and the latest with Dr. Betsy and the organizations. Early on we were members of APHA, and some I just do not remember. Working on the NEHA manual (the first one) and I am glad to hear it will be updated finally. Working with OSHA, CDC ,and NIOSH with different projects, all of which really brought me much joy with the illness affecting me the way it does at times, it makes it a bit hard to continue it all so I limit what I can do.

Matte Erickson: If you could pass on one piece of advice, what would it be?

David Vidra: One piece of advice: keep your relationships strong and make time for them over anything else (work, organizations, etc.) When everyone else is gone, only they will be there. The others will not. Just your closest friends and your partner. The rest move on without you and that has been proven. Most do not know my lover, he never wanted to go there with me, but he was always home when I came home and loved me no matter what. So keep them strong. My only regret is not one at all. I did a lot . I know that I was, and still am, a good piercer and educator and do both when feeling well with pride. No matter what others might say, my name still holds weight.

I miss some of what was, and miss it fondly. Remember, we all get replaced, but no one can be who you were to the clients and students you served.

Matte Erickson:Puppies or kittens?

David Vidra: Both right now. We have a boy; his name is Gus. He thinks he is a dog, but he is not. He is the sweetest when he wants to be, and tries to keep my legs calm. He always knows when things are bad and makes it better. I am looking for a small dog to go with Gus and of course, for me.

We hope you enjoyed this little look into the life of David Vidra. To be honest, I am amazed it is as short as it is. David is a great storyteller. If you ever have the chance, please pull him aside and let him tell you some of the stories in a way only he can tell. And, to David, thank you for putting up with all the correspondence in getting this done. You are a gem. If you would like to see anyone in particular interviewed here, feel free to contact us at archive@safepiercing.org.

point-76-david-vidra-interview

Point 76: Member Updates – Aaron Pollack

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The Point: Issue 76 - Cover

Elections
2016 Elections are in full swing at the APP office. We currently have four Board of Directors positions that will end their terms at Conference 2017. Check your email inbox for your ballot. Remember that to participate in voting or running for a position on the Board of Directors the nominee must have completed a membership renewal if necessary, and have all necessary membership documentation including BBP and First Aid/CPR on file with the front office.

Conference Certificates and Photos
Certificates and photos from Conference 2016 are being processed and will be released soon. Keep an eye out for both! The photos will be posted to an official tumblr page for easy access, and will be promoted through email and conference social media pages.

Certificates will be mailed upon completion.

Conference 2016 Recap
Conference 2016 was a resounding success. We had a week jam packed with classes, expo, and our biggest raffle ever!

By the end of the week we had 986 attendees and gave away over $165,000 worth of generously donated prizes.

Thank you to every person who attended, all of our volunteers, our corporate sponsors, vendors, and those who donated.

Conference 2017 will be held June 11–June 16, 2017
at Bally’s Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas

Point 76: Election Time is Upon Us – Derek Lowe

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The Point: Issue 76 - Cover

I’m sure many of you are burned-out on election talk given how divisive and controversial the recent U.S. Presidential election was. I’m optimistic we can get through the upcoming APP election with much less friction and vitriol; not to mention far fewer TV ads and automated phone calls.

As a 20+ year member of the APP, I was around before there were elections for Board positions. I’ve participated in all of the elections (I’m pretty sure) and I’ve seen that process change, for the better, over the years. I believe the current system is the best we have ever had. It is a little ironic that being an outstanding piercer has almost nothing to do with how qualified or effective someone will be to serve on the Board of the Association of Professional Piercers, but it’s the truth.

Being able to execute flawless septum piercings all day long doesn’t mean someone is good at time management. Being the head piercer at a well-known studio doesn’t mean someone is good at working with others to solve problems. Just because someone seems to be nice when you talk to them on Facebook, it doesn’t mean their personal life is in-order and they will be able to dedicate the time and energy necessary to complete their duties as a member of the Board. Enjoying hanging out with someone for a couple of hours at Conference doesn’t mean they handle conflict well and are open to compromise. Just because you like the idea of a candidate who wants to “shake things up”, it doesn’t mean they have any idea about the legal structure and requirements of running a non-profit organization.

Having 1,000,000 Followers on Instagram doesn’t mean someone has an understanding of the APP’s mission statement of education.

It can be difficult to know what skills and experience a candidate has that will be applicable to serving the APP. For the last few years, I have started doing three things to help me make a more-informed decision about my colleagues who are trying to get elected.

I look for a history of successful service to the APP. Members who have worked on subcommittees, volunteered at Conference and/or offered up their time and services to the organization in other ways, consistently prove to be Board members that finish their terms and are effective at helping the APP move forward.

I really read the bios the candidates present during the process. I want to know how they have helped the APP and what skills and experiences they have that will be directly applicable to being an effective Board member.

I reach out to candidates and ask them questions about their experience and their ideas. I try to find out in what ways they think they can be effective and what ideas they have about the current state of the APP as well as the future of the organization.

It is my hope that for the upcoming election, and all future elections, the membership will put thought and time into why we are casting the votes we are. Instead of just voting for names you recognize, or people you like, dig a little deeper. Demand a little more of the people who want to represent our industry and our profession to the rest of the world. Thank you and happy voting!