I saw it in my News Feed: Permanent Jewelry Training. Permanent jewelry? WTF is that?! I used to be a permanent makeup artist, so my mind immediately went to some painful, piercing-like procedure. How wrong I was, after I did a quick Google search.
Permanent Jewelry is not painful, nor is it as permanent as say, a tattoo. It does, however, have the option to be permanent. Anyway, if you're reading this, you've likely already heard about PMJ (coined by the community as many of us were/are permanent makeup - or PMU - artists) one way or another.
So, why are you here, and how can I help? You want to start a PMJ business, right? Wicked! Now where do you start? Keep reading and I'll give you alllll the tea on this newest and hottest trend!
For starters, you can tell your mom, "friends", co-worker, or any other naysayers in your life that yes, it's a trend. But it's a trend that is here to stay. The best part about these trends that are here to stay, is getting in at the beginning (forgive me if I sound like a MLM company...I can assure you this is not)!
Now that we got that out of the way, you're probably wondering if you need training for this, and if so, what training do you need? You might be surprised to find out, you technically don't need training! This isn't to say that you shouldn't make the investment, though. There are a tons of resources out there if you look for them. Our business BFF's over at Sunstone Welders have several videos and literature for free, not only on how to operate their Orion mPulse welder (purchase here). We also offer a course that won't break the bank, but it provides you with extra tips and tricks as well as resources and video tutorials that you may not find online for free (purchase here). You can also bundle them to save $$.
So what is it all going to cost? Well, I am a bit biased when it comes to what welder to use, but in my mind (and every other PMJ business owner out there who has one), the Orion mPulse is the only way to go. Why? It's the only welder that was made for Permanent Jewelry. It's the most popular and widely used in the industry. They are made in the USA by Sunstone who has decades experience in the industry. Their customer service is second to none and you get a 2 year warranty (with option to upgrade for life), plus all the support you need.
The . . . competition (a term I use very loosely), is unbranded, made overseas, offers no warranty, no customer support, and in the multiple PMJ groups I belong to, I have seen so many posts about issues (some which are somewhat concerning - do NOT skip business insurance if you do decide to go this route) and errors. Anyone who has owned this one and has purchased the mPulse immediately says they wish they had just put out the money for this in the first place.
Which brings me to my next point. It does have ONE thing going for it, and that is cost. I will be completely transparent; in the beginning I searched for a cheaper way to 'test the waters' so to speak. I thought if I could find an inexpensive one to play around with, if I found it wasn't for me, then I wouldn't be out so much money. In my opinion, that's not the right way of thinking. If you're not entirely sure you're ready to take the leap into business ownership, this may not be the business venture for you. If you decide to invest and then realize it isn't for you, or if life happens (because let's face it, life DOES happen)...there are places and groups online that you can re-sell your mPulse and because of the warranty and it's performance and reputation, you will not have any trouble selling it!
So you still want to get started...read on!
Depending on how many options you want to introduce in the beginning (some people start with as little as 6-8 chain options and a few or even no charms), will dictate your cost. If you went the route of no training and stuck to a minimum supply at first, you might be able to get away with an initial investment of around $5,000 CAD. That's bare minimum. $8,500-10,000 is likely what you will be looking at if you're going to be hitting the ground running and need to stock up on a lot of supplies to support your ambition!
Costs not considered
It's not just the machine, chain and charms you need to invest in, if you want to run a professional and profitable business. You will need a website, business cards, a table, chairs, table dressings, displays, a banner with your business name and logo, a booking system (if you are taking appointments). And you will need to replenish your consumables (chain, charm and jump rings). So the money you make at your first few big events will go directly back into the business . . . and if you borrowed money to start up, which most people do, you will be paying that off as well. So plan your finances accordingly and don't expect to pull money out of the business for the first few months (as with any business, this is very subjective to the amount you work, how often you do shows, advertise, your personal network, etc.).
Now that you know the biggest factors of starting a PMJ business, we can't wait to help you along in your journey to success! Let us know how we can support you, what items & styles you would like to see offered in Canada. Welcome to the family, and happy welding!
<3 Marci
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