2026 APP Conference Recap
Each year, the Association of Professional Piercers (APP) brings hundreds of piercers, jewelry professionals, and studio owners together in Las Vegas for a week of business and safety education, connecting with vendors, and seeing the latest jewelry designs at the expo. It's easy to walk away with new ideas and case candy, but the real value is always in the people. This year we asked each team member who attended to share a few words about what the week meant to them.
Blair Lucero - (She/They), Community and Client Relations, GIA AJP
This year, my experience was invigorating and inspiring! I took a range of classes that both helped me in my job, and learned more about the history of our industry.
Nevaeh - (She/They), Jewelry Professional
This was my first year going to conference. I felt my experience was not only very educational but also made me feel very proud to be part of the Evolution family!
Keara Dayton - (She/Her), Studio Manager, GIA AJP
Refreshing. Balancing history with new information and industry developments. My favorite is always the history classes and this year really killed it with those. The panel with Sheree Rose along with Paul King and Y Howard was a real treat, as well as the perspectives in the class on Jack Yount from people who actually knew him.
Kat - (She/Her), Shift Leader / Jewelry Professional
This was my second year at APP and it was just as fun as last year. I learned so many things, took more piercer oriented classes and that was super informative. I got to meet a few of the jewelry vendors. It’s always fun to meet the people who are making the jewelry that I have. I always learn fun things that I can pass along to our clients!
Syndesi Best - (He/They), Lead Piercer at Evolution on Central Ave, GIA AJP
It's always great to catch up with old friends and find out what they’ve been up to since I last saw them. I learn just as much from them as I do in class!
Crystal Sims - (She/Her), Co-founder/owner
The APP Conference is always one of my favorite weeks of the year, combining my love of learning, teaching, and spending quality time with people I’ve built relationships with that span decades. This year I served as a speaker, offering education on KPIs for body art businesses, hiring and retaining team members, and I presented a research poster on training in piercing studios. It was also the first time I began sharing details of my upcoming membership community, the Evolution Growth Lab. If you’re a body art studio owner and you want to know more, make sure you’re on my mailing list!
