By Amy Howe
You own Blacklist Ink and Blacklist Laser, located next door to each other on Main Street in Joplin. Please describe your businesses and the different roles you each play.
Wade: Our businesses complement each other. We are able to send people over to the laser side and have tattoos removed, and if they do, they are able to get a discount on the tattoo side. We both have knowledge of both aspects of the business. With me being a tattoo artist, I have a lot of knowledge about tattoos, and she has a lot of knowledge about lasering.
Tyffanie: I run the website and social media for both, and I help answer questions for both. We started with tattoo removal, and a year later, we added hair removal, skin rejuvenation, skin renewal, facials, body contouring and spray tanning. There are other people who rent the rooms in the building, so we also have people who do hair and permanent cosmetics and more.
What would you say is the best part of working together?
Wade: I had been in business for six years with the tattoo shop before we decided to open up the laser side. A big reason we started doing laser tattoo removal was we had so many people who wanted cover ups, and we couldn’t do them because their tattoos were too dark or the lines were so thick. So having laser removal helps people lighten their tattoos and not have to compromise so much and cover up with something they really want.
Tyffanie: With cover up, you’re restricted. Many clients do whole removal and some do partial removal if they don’t want to commit to full removal. It’s nice to be able to collaborate and work with clients together to help them decide if a tattoo is worth lightening and covering.
How did you meet?
Tyffanie: We met a long time ago in his other tattoo shop.
Wade: Before I opened Blacklist, I was partners with another tattoo shop. She came in and got a tattoo from another artist. Later on, a best friend of hers started apprenticing. We all went to dinner one night and it started from there.
Tyffanie: We started dating at the beginning of 2011, and we got married in 2014.
Do you have any kids?
Tyffanie: We have three under two right now! We have an almost two-year-old named Oliver. He and Wade actually share the same birthday, January 25. And we have brand-new twins. They were born October 11. Their names are Emma and Eli.
How do you keep the spark alive when you spend so much time together?
Tyffanie: I think it’s hard when people expect there to always be a spark in marriage or if the spark is defined as super romantic. Some people’s idea of marriage can be a little unrealistic. Our sparks are accomplishing things or seeing our son walk for the first time. My spark right now is when I’m pumping and he’s feeding a kid!
Wade: We have lots of little sparks, which make the big sparks.
Tyffanie: Also, I think whenever you have a business together, you have to be realistic about your expectations. We had Oliver around the same time we bought our building and had to remodel it. I was home with a newborn and Wade was working 24 hours a day. It was a hard time, and we had to make sacrifices, but we defined our goals together and knew we could depend on each other.