Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Victoria Geraci. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Victoria, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?
Fashion trends are ever changing, adapting and occasionally repeating themselves. The piercing industry is surely no exception to that! One trend I’ve noticed increase drastically in popularity is the act of specifically customizing a setup to an individuals style, anatomy and ultimate jewelry end goals. This service is often referred to as curating. It’s become such a high demand service that we’ve added several varieties of it to our booking options! Personally, I’m thrilled with the opportunity to style my clients based off who they are, what they wear, hear about what they want to look like to feel their best and what’s brought them to this point. Normally it’s along the line of “I’ve had all this work done for years but it’s never had a cohesive flow..is that possible? Can we add this, that and another?” And the answer is absolutely, yes! Opportunities are endless and the chance to let our creativity flow is such an incredible opportunity to be a part of!
Victoria, 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?
My name is Victoria (Vicki) Geraci and I am a 29 year old professional piercer from Cincinnati, Ohio. In my adulthood all I know is motherhood and piercing as that’s all I’ve done for 11 years now, and I couldn’t be more grateful! When I had my daughter I was planning on being a stay at home mom. Yet, I’m so extroverted that staying at home permanently didn’t last very long. Being a parent is incredible but interacting with others is essential to fuel my mental health. I started working as a counter kid at my first shop in 2012 for a year before starting my apprenticeship. Over the years I’ve worked and guest spotted at a variety of studios, growing my skill set and clientele along the way. I’ve been at my current studios, Luminous Piercing and Immortal Canvas, for 2.5 years and I believe to have found my forever home here. I love piercing and am very lucky to look forward to going into work every day. Each day comes with challenges and opportunities to grow, as you never know what that day will bring, but truthfully that’s part of the fun. I spend my days styling, troubleshooting, helping clients pick the *perfect* piece(s) for them, calmly guiding them through the process and thoroughly informing them of proper care of their new adornment. No healing process is linear to another so if someone has questions I’m open to answering messages on my professional Instagram to assist clients who have questions/concerns/inquiries/etc. Over the last several years I’ve gotten better at setting my phone down for “me” or family time but if someone needs help, I’m more than happy to do so on days off! Making my clients comfortable and providing a healthy and safe environment for them has always been at the top of my priority list and I’m thrilled to do that whilst always looking for continued ways to grow in that category by continuing my education and delving into those categories with my peers! I’m very proud of my overall work and work ethic and am very blessed by the trust my clients put in me to work on them!
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
In 2019 I was going through some big changes in my personal life. I knew at that time Cincinnati didn’t exactly feel like home and I needed to make a change to ensure the life I was providing for myself and my children was fruitful. Throughout that year I had guest spotted at a beautiful studio outside of Chicago and ultimately was offered a permanent position. After some deep consideration, I took the plunge. I agreed to start in January 2020. My oldest child was half way through her school year at that point and I didn’t want to pull her out of a school she was familiar with just to move her away from the city and friends she had always known, so I had a decision to make. So, starting in January I drove 4.5 hours every Saturday afternoon from Cincinnati to Chicago, working Saturday-Tuesday and then drove home to Cinci after my Tuesday shifts to ensure I was keeping a work/home life balance for me and my littles. It was exhausting but worth it to be able to provide for them, grow as a piercer and learn so much about myself in the process. It was short lived as the pandemic in March shut down our industry as a whole for several months, ultimately being a deciding factor in me staying in Cincinnati after everything opened back up but overall was an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world. I will forever be grateful for my coworkers/friends in Chicago who welcomed me with open arms and taught me more than I could’ve ever asked for during my time there!
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Being genuine has been thee biggest factor in gaining, maintaining and growing my clientele. The amount of times I’ve had someone in my chair and I’ve asked them about a detail pertaining to them that they had previously shared with me (maybe weeks/months prior), and they’ve responded with their jaw dropped is unmeasurable. Taking a true interest in my clients and what they have to say, appreciating their time and making intentional conversation has blessed me with a very solid client base. And honestly? I do care. I care about how the school year is going during the hardest semester yet, how the new job is going, how your dogs been. Like, it’s so neat. Thank you for sharing that. And honestly it’s not a strategy, it’s just who I am and I’m so stoked to be let into those moments.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @vickigeracipiercings (soon to be @victoriaxfrances)
- Facebook: Vicki Geraci Piercings
Image Credits
Professional Photography by Lauren Ellis