Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Paulina Mar. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Paulina, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

Initially when I first started my jewelry journey, I wasn’t planning on adding piercings as a service. However, I noticed a significant gap in the piercing industry, particularly in our hometown. In the past, if you wanted to be spontaneous or had a specific picture inspiration in mind for your ears, you only had two options: visit Claires and get pierced with a gun or go to a grungy tattoo shop that showed little interest in your wants and desires.
I personally experienced this challenge, which led me to take matters into my own hands. I pursued specialized training to provide a solution to this problem. Our studio now offers a friendly and comforting space where customers can get their ears pierced using single-use needles. Additionally, we offer a curated selection of cute ear piercing jewelry that you won’t want to switch out immediately. By addressing this gap in the market, we aim to create an exceptional and personalized experience for our customers, setting us apart from the industry standard.

Paulina, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

The first question I always get is about our brand name. How we came up with it, what it means, and why I would pick such a confusing name. Back in 2018, at the age of 20, I reached a critical juncture in my life. I was grappling with intense sadness, feeling utterly lost and underwhelmed with life. I was confined in a tiny makeshift bedroom that technically was either a small office or a large closet, I’m not sure, at my dad’s apartment at the time.
I was determined to create something meaningful, I wanted something that would truly reflect my vision and aspirations.
Initially, I set out to establish a clothing brand. The apartment number wasn’t 144 but during this time I was seeing that number everywhere! My curiosity got the best of me and I decided to do a deep dive in numerology and angel numbers. Turns out 144 is an angel number for entrepreneurs, symbolizing new beginnings and unlimited potential. Inspired by this, I decided to adopt “apt. 144” as the brand name since that tiny apartment was fostering all my big ideas.
As months went by I would do pop-ups trying to sell up-worked thrifted clothes. At one local pop-up I decided to bring other items with me that were around the apartment we no longer used. Books, Jewelry, and small house decor. I was blown away by how fast the jewelry sold. It became evident that jewelry had unique advantages—it was easy to try on, featured more unisex designs appealing to a broader audience, and entailed fewer complexities in terms of sizes, materials, and colors.
An immediate lightbulb went off and I spent the rest of the week creating a new business strategy. I continued to sell jewelry at pop ups and I was actually seeing some decent returns. I taught myself a bit on CAD programs and found manufactures who could produce custom designs. This strategic shift paid off, and I noticed a substantial increase in customer interest. Recognizing the rising trend of permanent jewelry in other states like California and New York during late 2020, I seized the opportunity to bring this experience to our hometown.
Now, five years into this incredible journey, we have our very own dedicated space, where we continue to weld permanent jewelry, pierce ears, and sell curated jewelry collections.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I have to admit this isn’t a lesson I have to remind myself frequently, as you become better at it with time/experience but I think it would be a good one to share.

As you go along your way building the foundation blocks of your business, you will want to meet and work with other creatives like you. I don’t necessarily mean in the exact same career or “title” as you. But finding inspiration with other like minded individuals and working together can fuel your growth and benefit your community.

Suppose you decide to collaborate with another small business for mutual gain. It’s essential to set clear expectations and it’s crucial to establish boundaries from the start. Lay out a framework that clearly states aspects like – who is doing what, ownership rights, wage or commission, and don’t forget about the exit plan.

I see too many small businesses work together and then leave feeling burned by one another because they didn’t talk about the if or when they decide to go their separate ways. By doing this in the beginning, you avoid ambiguity or hurt feelings because the plan is already written in place. Both parties should foster a supportive atmosphere for each other’s success. A well-structured collaboration has the potential to yield lasting benefits for all involved parties.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I am a huge bookworm so here are a couple of recommendations. If you are a piercing apprentice or want to gain more knowledge over piercing techniques , I suggest the Piercing Bible by Elayne Angel, use it as a study guide along your in person training. If you have concerns over money and how to get it, read The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. If you are letting your ego get to you or need a good read to slow you down, read The Seven Spiritual Habits of Success by Deepak Chopra. You can also find pretty much anything you are looking for on youtube so don’t be afraid to go down a rabbit hole within your own niche to find answers.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.apt144.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apt.144/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/apt.144/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/apt144

Image Credits
Gabe Hernandez