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

Shannon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

The main objective with becoming a paramedical tattooer was to help people be more comfortable in their skin. I have been in the tattoo world to 15+ years, and in all various points of my career in that time, the consistent theme has been allowing my clients to feel seen, understood and to transmute their body insecurities to a new sense of appreciation for who they are.

Shannon, 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?

My name is Shannon, I have been in the art world for most of my life. In 2008 I was in the middle of perusing my second illustration degree from FIT, when I made the switch to tattooing. I was always fascinated with tattooing and at that time graphic design was heavily being pushed on the illustration industry. I was seeing computer skills being rewarded over drawing skill., and it just didn’t sit right with me. At this time I had been secretly dreaming of learning how to tattoo but coming from a very strict family, I could never share this. I was able to secure a job at a tattoo shop being “shop girl” at this time. I secretly pause college and focused on getting an apprenticeship. I hid this from my family for 3 years! …Boy that was fun my mom found out.

4 shops and 2 apprenticeships later, I found my self in Fenwick, De trying to learn under one of my favorite tattoo artist. It was there when I learned about Paramedical Tattooing! By this point I had a really strong following with women for my piercings for judgement free talk about their bodies.
When I first headed about paramedical tattooing I immediately put all my focus on learning that! I felt like it was the perfect blend for my personal demeanor and skills.
All I ever want to provide with my tattoo work was having people leave me feeling a little better about themselves then how they entered.

This is compassion work first and foremost. If I wasn’t so driven to be in art, I would have been some kind of counselor. So I found the best blend of both worlds! Paramedical tattooing is mainly known for tattooing the areola after mastectomy, but it’s not limited to that. I have people from all different walks of life, with scars from different circumstances, trusting me to help them feel good about the see on their body! It’s such a privilege.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I try and keep it unapologetically myself in everything I do. I find in the cosmetic world and paramedical tattoo world can easily want to blend with what’s popular because that’s what’s making money. There’s definitely a demographic thats looking for that, and that is great! I’m not knocking it! Maybe since I tend to be the class clown, I always have a little fun with it. But if you look at the heavy hitters of the industry you can see their personally in what the do, they make it their own, in their unique way. It feels like a more personal experience and less transactional interaction that way.

I get playful with the marketing as well, making reels to songs you wouldn’t expect to see beauty to. Down to what I call brows, FLOOF! I got tired of reading the same caption and terminology for brows and just started calling all my brows “floofies” and it caught on super fast! I love it! I always smile with I get emails saying “I would love to book Shannon for her floofies”

Same with Areola Tattooing. In the beginning I was having a bit of resistance with people following through and booking after talking. I was finding the commonality is that people didn’t wanna go through another “medical procedure” type of appointment. So I try to switch the energy toward it being the final fun stage of their journey. All they need to do is show up, and know they’re going to leaving feeling good. My my environment is with sterile not my personality.;)

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I sincerely enjoy the people I work on. I go to work knowing I’ve been chosen personally by them, to make them feel good. Honestly, that’s pretty cool. So with that in mind I like to learn as much as my clients wants me know about them, and remember the details about their lives during our appointments.

I often hear “wow, you remember that about me?” I want them to know I care for them! And even if our interactions are brief and far between, they’re more than a transaction to me, they’re people that allow to make living doing what I love!

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.SMParamedical
• Instagram: @TheBrowRecluse
• Other: LA studio https://www.memoirtattoo.com/ LBC studio https://www.halolongbeach.com/ NJ/ Philly studio https://www.forevervalentinebeauty.com/

Image Credits
Photos of Shannon are all by Alexandra Kacha