Stephanie Spear 
Sometimes the best ideas are those hatched over the kitchen table, and Piercings by Nurse Natalie is proof. Natalie Tosi-Bakule, an Arlington mom and nurse, was musing over her next career move when her daughter and her friends wanted their ears pierced. Natalie had the idea to look into at-home ear piercing, and the rest is history. Read on for more about Piercings by Nurse Natalie, a mobile ear-piercing business in Northern Virginia.
About Nurse Natalie
Natalie Tosi-Bakule was a family therapist before becoming a nurse. She earned her nursing degree from Marymount University when she moved to Northern Virginia from her native St. Louis. Before taking time off to be with her three children, Natalie worked for nearly 15 years in a pediatrician’s office. One of her responsibilities there was piercing the ears of babies, toddlers, and children.
Fast forward a few years, and the girls in her daughter’s peer group started to get their ears pierced. Natalie heard the parents’ comments about the experience, saying that there were limited choices. “It was basically a jewelry store, a piercing parlor, or a medical office,” she said. “Parents had to make appointments, which could get tricky with schedules.”
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Natalie pierced a few of her daughter’s friends’ ears at their home and remarked to her husband how manageable it was. “He suggested I look into it as a business,” she said. Natalie started researching mobile piercing businesses and connecting with other nurses who had started similar businesses.
Nurse Natalie helps a patient pick out her earrings.
“I found a mentor who was based in New Jersey, and learned a lot from her,” Natalie said. “Everything from training, to pricing, to what kind of equipment to get.” Natalie brushed up on her training and tested out which equipment would be best. Natalie’s husband helped out with some of the behind-the-scenes elements of the business, and before long, Piercing by Nurse Natalie was born in fall 2024.
What to Expect
Piercings by Nurse Natalie is based in Arlington but Natalie travels throughout Northern Virginia. “Initially, I was focusing on piercing babies’ ears,” she said. “I still work with babies but I’ve pierced all ages up to grandmothers. It’s been fun working with all different ages, especially when it’s a family or a group getting piercings.”
Natalie says that her clients like the flexibility of scheduling and the fact that she can come to their homes. “Especially with the little ones, the moms love that they don’t have to pack everyone up,” Natalie said.
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Natalie uses single-use piercing tools for each piercing and travels with everything she needs. Each appointment starts with a healthy skin inspection. Clients can choose their piercing earrings, and they get a certificate of bravery once the piercing is complete. Perhaps her most important piece of equipment is an oversized stuffed bear that clients can squeeze for an extra boost of bravery. Natalie says, “What I love most is making people happy, and I always make people happy. I mean, it’s something that people want, and then they’re just excited when it’s over.”
Piercings by Nurse Natalie works with clients aged two months old and up. Natalie can travel throughout Northern Virginia and can work with clients to set up a group piercing event. For more information, contact Natalie through her website.
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