We were lucky to catch up with John Nonemaker recently and have shared our conversation below.
John, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Taking care of customers isn’t just good business – it is often one of the main reasons folks went into business in the first place. So, we’d love to get a conversation going around how to best help clients feel appreciated – maybe you can share something you’ve done or seen someone do that’s been really effective at helping a customer feel valued?
There is a lot of competition for laser tattoo removal in Houston, with much larger marketing budgets. We knew we had to differentiate ourselves in order to stand out. After analyzing the competition we realized that we could provide a better customer experience.
Therefore, we lean heavily into educating our clients on the tattoo removal process, and the potential risks, so they can make an informed decision that’s best for them, without the aggressive sales tactics of our competitors. We understand it can be an intimidating process so we provide a welcoming judgement-free environment that makes each client feel valued. Even small gestures, like offering welcome drinks, playing their favorite music during the sessions, and checking in on them a few days after their first laser session have had a positive impact on our clients’ experience.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I own a laser tattoo removal clinic in Houston called Rethink Laser Tattoo Removal. My business partner started the company in his hometown of Rochester, NY. After growing the business there, he was looking to expand the brand so I decided to open up a Houston location. There are now 8 clinics in total in our group.
We use the best equipment on the market for tattoo removal, a PicoWay laser, and strive to provide the best customer service in our industry. I know that tattoo removal is a big commitment, that stirs up a lot of emotion. Therefore, I provide a judgment-free and welcoming environment so that we can help all of our clients on their journey to clear skin. I also offer pro-bono services to victims of sex trafficking who have been branded with tattoos, which unfortunately is a major problem in Houston. It makes me extremely proud when new clients come to my business who have been referred to me local tattoo artists, permanent makeup artists, or other business owners, sometimes from people who I don’t even know personally,
I was initially drawn to the idea of owning a business because I was looking to build something of my own, in my local community. I have an engineering background and have been involved in technical sales for most of my career. I love working with cutting-edge technology and meeting new people. So this industry suited me perfectly.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
We lean heavily into word of mouth recommendations and online reviews. We don’t currently have the marketing budget to compete with some of our larger competitors. Therefore, we provide referral discounts and ask our satisfied clients to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, etc. so that others can read their first-hand experience at Rethink.
How’d you meet your business partner?
My business partner started the company in Rochester, New York. I actually met him through an online personal finance community. I was researching business opportunities and one of the questions he had posed in this finance group piqued my interest.
At the time the company had only 2 locations. I emailed him out of the blue and asked if he was interested in expansion into other markets. I was shocked when he immediately called me back. We had a great conversation, he invited me up to Rochester to see their operations, and at the end of that trip we agreed that I would open up the Houston location as it’s sole owner. I opened it in March 2025 and it’s been incredibly successful ever since. I already have plans to open up other locations in Texas in the near future.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rethinklasertattooremoval.com
- Instagram: @rethinktattooremovalHTX
Image Credits
Bogdan Mihai