What happens when a dental hygienist, a welder, and a college town collide? A booming permanent jewelry business, of course! Meet Tara from Iris Alcoves in Florida, who went from sneaking in jewelry appointments during her lunch breaks to running a full-fledged studio. We first met at the Permanent Jewelry Exp in 2024 when she was deep in the middle of rebranding, and now she’s here to spill all the details on how she built her business, why she pivoted, and what’s next!
Tara’s story started like so many of ours, she wanted a permanent bracelet, couldn’t find anyone nearby, and thought, why not do it myself? Her husband set up the welder, and eventually, she jumped in, adding permanent jewelry to her services while still working in the dental world. She originally ran her business from a dentist’s office, litterlally welding on her lunch breaks! But as her client base grew and the requests for groups & parties took off, she knew it was time for a glow-up! With the help of her hairstylist, she found the perfect space with over 1,000 sq. ft. of pure business magic, complete with a waiting room, a jewelry showroom, and even space for other beauty professionals.
In this episode, we dive into all the things, how she built her business, why she ditched permanent makeup (spoiler: stress + overthinking = no fun), and how her charm bar became an unexpected bestseller (seriously, she sold out at at her first event!). Plus, we talk about pricing strategies, hiring the right help, self growth and what it really takes to open a space without losing your mind!
If you’re thinking about expanding, rebranding, or just figuring out your next big move, this episode is for you. Get ready for laughs, real talk, and some seriously good advice on building a business that actually feels good. Tune in now!
