SD: You are well known throughout the
industry as the expert on many things, but
I know you as the guy to ask any questions
about Statim Sterilizers. What was it that got
you into the equipment side of the industry
with Statims, Anodizers, et cetera?
with a more public determination and
accountability. My current board is a dream
team to work with, along with their committee volunteers. Sometimes it feels like we
are a part of guiding the trade towards a
safe harbor.
BS: The search for improving methods led
to learning more about effective products
and equipment. After expressing my curiosity to a few biomedical equipment technicians, I found myself in contact with a few
companies and negotiating to get affordable
access to the technology that I want ed
to use personally. I was able to do so on
behalf of several other colleagues, and
after a few years, I made an independent
infection prevention products dealership of
it, with a collection of items that I use and
have added a few others related to cleaning
and jewelry finishing, such as anodization
kits and training.
Sharing ideas to make the piercing experience safe, simple, and gentle has been
my platform to interact with the APP. Over
the years, my efforts furthering concepts
important to me have steadily persuaded
more people to seek safe piercers, and
many colleagues to employ the diligence
due to uphold safety standards that I have
been helping to propose and develop.
SD: How has being involved with the APP
changed you, and what do you think it has
meant to the industry?
BS: Working with the organization has
impressed upon me the patience to
appreciate greater change over time,
and to encourage my colleagues through
publication of evidence and well founded
theoretical rationale so that they can make
educated decisions. When I started, there
were very few piercers working with a similar concern for safety standards to whom I
could refer clients. I found that unless I was
approached by another piercer, that even
friendly outreach for constructive criticism
was often unwelcome. I've learned to focus
on sharing the details and offering them as
references for those who want to learn and
excel. As disquieting as it is to me when I
can see how a fellow tradesperson could
make many immediate improvements, I'm
pleased to know that they can find evidence
based solutions for most of the different
safety aspects through the APP, and build
their competencies progressively. I still
hope that the very next piercing each of
my colleagues performs is the safest, most
attractive, and fun ever.
SD: Describe what being the President of
the APP has done for your career and what
do you think you have given back to the
industry through your service?
SD: What do you think are (if any) problems
within the piercing industry?
BS: Complacency with what seems good
enough, presumption about safety and
quality, lack of desire to learn more, and
occasionally, we’ll find willful negligence.
Working with minimum standards should
only be the first step towards best practices,
not a plateau.
SD: Where would you like to be in five years
(pertaining to life and business)?
BS: For certain satisfaction, I'd prefer to
be healthy and happy with my family, able
to continue helping my colleagues and
clients everywhere in the world. Visiting
more piercers, and having more workshops,
virtual and in person.
SD: What is your favorite piercing to perform
and why?
BS: Earlobes are still special to me, since
they are often the very first piercing experience one might have. I adore to facilitate
that awakening of body and mind for an
individual, and delight them with a safe,
graceful, and fun process along with lovely
jewelry.
SD: Are there any procedures that still make
you nervous to perform and why?
BS: I am confident that there are no procedures that I know of themselves that make
me uncomfortable. However, I still get to
participate in the excitement a client has for
a new piercing, and in some cases that can
be trying.
BS: I seem to do the same work as President as before as a board member, perhaps
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