We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Hannah Stevens. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Hannah below.

Hannah, appreciate you joining us today. Is there a heartwarming story from your career that you look back on?

There are many heartwarming moments I’ve experienced in my career, but I’d say our Give Back Program we have at Deleted Scene Tattoo Removal, is a large reason I enjoy what I do.

Deleted Scene’s Give Back program provides free, safe, and effective laser removal of radiation marks for cancer survivors.
Medical or radiation marks/tattoos are used on cancer patients to mark areas that require radiation therapy. However, for many cancer survivors, radiation tattoos serve as unpleasant visual reminders of their negative experiences with cancer. Patients who wish to take advantage of this free service must provide an official letter from their physician or oncologist approving the removal of any radiation tattoos prior to starting treatment.

We also work with local nonprofits to provide removal of tattoos associated with human trafficking.

The Give Back Program at Deleted Scene gives individuals a new beginning, separate from their past, and a fresh start on life.

Hannah, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Deleted Scene is the leading laser tattoo removal provider in the greater-Philadelphia area. We are experts in removing unwanted tattoos fully and/or fading old ink to make room for new art. As lovers and wearers of body art, we understand better than anyone that not all tattoos turn out the way you envision or that some tattoos no longer express who you are today. We provide a safe, non-judgemental environment, backed by the latest technology. Our Staff are science-driven yet still extremely passionate, and caring. We pride ourselves in being very open and sharing all the information our clients need to have the best results possible.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

At Deleted Scene, we believe knowledge is absolutely crucial to our business, but something that we have found lacks in our industry overall is the compassion for the client. It’s very important to have good people skills as well as empathy for our clients. Getting a tattoo is a very personal thing, and in more cases than not, the reason a client is seeking out our services, is because they had a horrible experience either getting the tattoo or living with the tattoo they are looking to remove or fade. The least we can do as providers is give a client a space to feel comfortable, sharing their tattoo history to a nonjudgemental person, who may relate to what they have gone through, without feeling ridiculed.
Furthermore, the procedure is not the most comfortable experience, though we do try to make it hurt the least amount we can during the treatment. In my professional experience, I have found that a lot of emotions can manifest outward when physical discomfort is applied. Making sure a client does not feel embarrassed or down on themselves (more than they already might internally) is a very important part of our job. You can teach anyone the logistics and science behind our craft, but Empathy is not so easily learned.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your firm or practice?

I think the scariest part of starting your own business is that first year. There are so many moments when you second guess yourself and think – “Did I just make a huge mistake?” Especially when looking at everything financially. This business in particular was a huge financial undertaking. Not only building a space I was proud of, in an economy that doesn’t always help the “small business owner”, but also acquiring the funds for such expensive equipment. I knew that I didn’t want to cut corners when it came to investing in my main equipment. I wanted to provide this service to all skin types safely, as well as treat all colors of pigment. I was very lucky to have a great support system in my personal life, that took on a lot during the begininng stages, and gave me the opportunity to take a huge chance on myself and my future career. I worked with multiple companies to receive small business loans and set out a 1year/5year/10year plan for myself, that I’m happy to say worked out better than I could have imagined. I worked multiple jobs while learning and during the first two years of running my business. When I think back to those first few months, or even that first year, I remember how scary it was taking a chance on myself at such a huge risk. Owning your own business is a constant hustle and, honestly, a terrifying experience. But If I can give any advice to someone looking to break out and start their own business, it’s that you really never know until you try. Maybe it won’t work out, BUT what if it does! Move with purpose and passion, and you’ll never regret a thing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.DeletedSceneTattooRemoval.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deletedscenetattooremoval
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deletedscenetattooremoval

Image Credits

Provided by Deleted Scene Tattoo Removal LLC (clients have given consent to be photographed for marketing and educational purposes)