Today we’d like to introduce you to Sydney Emershaw.
Hi Sydney, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Sydney and I am better known as the Wilkes-Barre Tooth Fairy! My business started completely on a whim not really sure what direction it would take. It started when I got my first tooth gem years prior from my tattoo artist SlinkSkull and I fell in love with that tiny extra bit of sparkle it gave my teeth. Growing up I had a bunch of dental and orthodontic work done to give me perfectly straight teeth so adding something else to my teeth to make them extra bright was a no brainer. A few years later I had multiple people ask me about it and where I got it, I always told them about my tattoo artist and where she was located but mostly I would hear “If she was closer I would get it done”, so this prompted me to think I could learn to do this. Months of planning and learning went into the idea before I ever got around to putting gems on teeth but eventually I was ready. Unsure where to start I finished my tooth gem training, purchased a pop-up table, a chair and took a chance by applying to a local pop-up event at AlleyCrafts in Kingston, PA. Luckily I was accepted to their Friday the 13th pop-up and I did my first day slinging tooth gems as the Wilkes-Barre Tooth Fairy. I am very grateful to AlleyCrafts as this is where I got my start, I did multiple more events here growing my confidence before branching out. From this point I applied to as many pop-up events as I could and started building my name and clientel among the local people of NEPA which really helped me pop off with my business. I did my first tattoo expo last year at the StayTrue Tattoo Expo in Philly hosted by Mike Brown who was kind enough to take a chance on me and include me in his first show with such a niche thing, tooth gems. My tooth gems did incredibly well at the expo and I now regularly attend expos throughout the year, bringing extra sparkle to already beautiful smiles. I am presently taking tooth gem appointments at my home as well as traveling to tattoo expos throughout PA during the year.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting a business doing something as niche as tooth gems was definitely a struggle as so many people did not know what they were, were not interested in them or were unsure about how they were applied/ removed so they were hesitant. I found that advertising and education was absolutely my best friend in this matter. Posting my recent work on all social media platforms drew attention and posting educational material helped people decide if tooth gems were for them. Additionally, I had a hard time finding the right events with the right crowds of people who would want tooth gems. More times than I could count I was disheartened because I did not do a single tooth gem at the pop-up event and just watched people walk by. I found that tattoo expos are where I was meant to be with my tooth gems. The crowds of people, the artists and the overall atmosphere at the expos are everything that I was looking for so now that is primarily what I do.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a tooth gem artist and what I do is I apply food grade safe Swarovski crystals, opal shapes, and gold shapes to my clients teeth using dental grade products purchased from dental distributors. I apply these gems using a primer, dental composite and a UV curing light. My gems last from weeks to years but if you want them taken off early you will need to visit a dentist to have them removed safely. I am best known for my full “grill” style tooth gems where I curate a design based on client requests and build a truly custom “grill” like appearence that covers most of their visable teeth. I am most proud of my well built relationships with my clients where they are comfortable asking me anything, coming to me for more gems or a replacement if necessary. My biggest accomplishment is when my clients refer their friends to me for their gems because they trust me and love their gems!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I feel that the most important thing for my success is being friendly and approachable. I feel this is most important because when I am at a tattoo expo or event being friendly and approachable bring the people to my table. Always being kind and making them feel welcome allows them to ask questions and invites conversation which usually ends up with them gaining education and getting a tooth gem or atleast a new friend!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wilkesbarretoothfairy?igsh=OW8xeW55YzRwOTN2
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1H7jxqN9W6/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@wilkesbarre.toothfairy?_r=1&_t=ZT-97hiyplC2Fp
