Jo Kelton, COO of Removery, shares insights on overcoming the challenge of hiring in the tattoo removal industry. With a shortage of qualified specialists, Removery decided to create its ideal employees through tailored training programs. She discusses innovative recruitment strategies and the importance of fostering a strong company culture among new hires. Additionally, Jo highlights how evolving consumer behaviors are reshaping the tattoo removal landscape, emphasizing the need for adaptability in business.
Removery addresses its staffing challenges by creating a tailored training program to cultivate qualified tattoo removal specialists from diverse backgrounds.
The company's commitment to cultural integration through collaborative practices helps build a unifying identity essential for long-term employee satisfaction and success.
Deep dives
Defining the Tattoo Removal Market
Removerie stands out as a unique player in the tattoo removal industry, being the only global company dedicated solely to this service and operating at scale with 150 locations across multiple countries. The demand for tattoo removal is significant, with about one-third of tattooed Americans considering removal or modification of their ink. While it might seem advantageous to tap into this high demand immediately, a major challenge arose: the lack of available skilled professionals to meet their rapid expansion needs. Rather than simply recruiting from the existing market for tattoo removal specialists, Removerie had to focus on creating a workforce from scratch, leading to an exploration of how to define and recruit the necessary talent.
Innovative Talent Development
Recognizing the lack of qualified candidates, Removerie shifted its approach from traditional recruitment to developing a comprehensive training program to cultivate tattoo removal specialists. They analyzed high-performing employees and created detailed profiles of desirable candidates, often finding that many potential hires had backgrounds in laser hair or aesthetic services. By employing a thoughtful, structured onboarding process and establishing a proprietary training program, Removerie aimed to teach new hires the skills necessary for effective tattoo removal within four weeks of training. This focus on nurturing talent not only filled immediate staffing needs but also established a foundational culture within the company.
Building a Unified Culture Amidst Growth
As Removerie expanded, they faced the challenge of merging different company cultures from acquired businesses into a cohesive identity that all employees could embrace. They engaged in immersive research and collaboration with employees from different locations to create a shared understanding of values and best practices, essential for developing a strong, unified culture. This cultural integration included an emphasis on hands-on training at their headquarters, fostering relationships among employees and building a sense of community. As they continue to grow, Removerie's commitment to maintaining and evolving their culture is seen as key to their long-term success in both employee satisfaction and market leadership.
Removery had a problem: It wanted to rapidly expand and become the world's largest tattoo removal company, but it couldn't find enough tattoo removal specialists to hire. So it built a system to create its ideal employees. Here's a lesson for anyone looking to hire the right people. Removery COO Jo Kelton explains.