Today we’d like to introduce you to Jillian Katz and Alaina Rothstein.
Hi Jillian and Alaina, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We are best friends who wanted to get new ear piercings together, and after some google searching, ended up going to a tattoo shop in LA. We felt that the place was dark and intimidating, and our piercer did not respect us or our voice when it came to the choice to modify our bodies. We knew that we could partner together with our business and nursing backgrounds to create a better experience for the customer. With years of hard work and the help of many experts in the field, we developed our business plan and created the environment for ear piercing that we wanted for ourselves and our children.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As co-founders, we have had to learn how to utilize our strengths instead of trying to adjust our weaknesses. We struggle with self-doubt, fear of monetary loss, the idea of perfection and finding enough hours in the day to do it all. It’s a whole lot of sacrifice and a daily struggle; luckily we have each other to constantly remind ourselves why. We might squabble, but at the end of the day we care about each other deeply and encourage one another to feel powerful.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At LeoWest, we want people, especially women, to feel empowered by their experiences. Their body, their choice. We have no egos and love collaborating with clients to achieve the look they are imagining. We create a warm and inviting studio, so an ear-piercing feels like an act of self-care, similar to getting a facial, micro-blading or fillers! We also specialize in working with kids and babies so moms and families feel at ease on their daughter’s big day. Ear piercing has been a cross-cultural act of adornment for thousands of years and we really want to channel those roots of beautification while putting a bit of a modern spin on it. Our whole aesthetic and feel of both the studio and the jewelry offerings is a mix of timeless class and modern trends.
We build relationships. From the moment of inquiry to beautifully healed earrings, we want our clients to feel important and cared for. We create an environment conducive to collaboration so that each person can make informed decisions in creating an aesthetic that best suits them and is fully confident in their ability to take care of their piercing.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
We have developed the style of not only forming connections but nourishing relationships. The more knowledge absorbed and advice taken, the clearer your vision becomes. We are an accumulation of everyone around us and believe in encouraging the clients and businesses that we have met along the way.
Pricing:
- $150 for one, $100 for each additional piercing in the session
- Includes 14k gold or implant grade titanium jewelry
- Includes aftercare kit
- Options for dual piercing (two piercers at the same time)
- $35 in-person consultation fee for all and any needs outside of piercing
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: leowest.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leowestco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leowestco
- Other: https://vimeo.com/537042477
Image Credits:
Destination LA
