Meet Cassandra Hunter, MSN, RN, CPNP, NI-BC | Owner, Get Pierced by Nurse Cassandra

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cassandra Hunter, MSN, RN, CPNP, NI-BC and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cassandra, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The idea for my business came almost 8 years ago after the birth of my daughter. At the time, I was working a day job and only had weekends off. I tried to schedule an ear-piercing appointment for her at a local pediatrician’s office, but their limited Saturday availability meant we’d have to wait over a month. I didn’t want to wait that long, but I wanted to use titanium jewelery due to my own skin sensitivities to most metals. we eventually got in, and the experience was great. Her ear piercing healed well, and as I was ordering more jewelry for after the initial earrings were changed, I discovered that the jewelry company had a nurse ear-piercing program.
That’s when the idea struck me: I could provide in-home ear piercing for children during off-hours when parents were home. No one would need to take time off from work! I brought everything to their homes, and my price included the earrings and cleaning solution. Initially, my advertising and marketing plan was non-existent, but my reputation grew through word of mouth and local mom groups. I wasn’t just piercing ears; I was providing an experience tailored to each family’s needs.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
In addition to being a certified Blomdahl ear piercing nurse, I’m dually certified as a pediatric nurse practioner and certified in nurse informatics. I have been a nurse for 20 years, and cared for critically ill children for nearly half that time. In doing so I have mastered the art of patient- centered care, therapeutic distraction and overall care of children and those with emotional or physical stressors. My service is meant to be an experience not a quick torturous procedure. I utilize fun toys like fidgets and rubber chickens along with breath work and other distraction techniques to not only get through the actual ear piercing but to set a calming mood right from the start. Sometimes it’s the parents who are nervous and not the kids. Regardless, I’m assessing what techniques will work best with you or your child from the minute we schedule your consult. I’m also honest. Along with distraction, I also always address pain management early on. Is it going to hurt? Yes, it might but we all experience pain differently and our past experiences and emotional state can impact our perception of pain as well. I offer a numbing cream to those interested and I’m currently gifting adorable unicorn ice packs and donut shaped ear pillows to support your new piercing while you sleep.
I will include one last example where I recently declined to pierce a kid. The parent wanted her daughters ears to be pierced at one of my events. On further questioning I realized the mom wanted her daughters ears pierced but the daughter just didn’t want to have them done. She wasn’t afraid. She didn’t want earrings. Now I believe in body autonomy and so I respectfully declined to pierce her daughters ears that day. I offered her my business card and to honor my event pricing should she change her mind in the future but that I respected her daughters decision on what she wanted to do to her own body.

Being a nurse practitioner allows me to offer a level of care and professionalism that is often lacking in traditional piercing environments. Clients can trust that the procedures are performed with the utmost care and adherence to medical standards. Of course there is always a good ol ring pop prize that tends to dry up any remaining tears before I head out.

What are you most proud of or excited about?
I mean this interview is pretty cool! I am a hard worker and am proud of where I have made it to so far but I’m an ambitious person. I have a bunch of ideas in the works and am excited to see which ones take off. I am most proud of the positive impact my business has had on the community. Providing a safe and comfortable piercing experience, especially for families and individuals who might feel anxious about the process, has been incredibly rewarding. I am also excited about the future of my business, particularly the development of training programs to help others start their own in-home ear piercing businesses. I am also expanding my party planning offers and am featured on Batch, an experience booking app where I plan to continue to add on additional collaborative services with local women owned business. I’ve always valued community health care and continuing education so I take pride in being able to provide both of these in my personal and professional life.
How did you get to where you are today professionally?
How far back should I go? Ha! My professional journey has been quite an interesting one. Before starting my ear piercing business, I worked as a nurse at Boston Children’s hospital cardiac unit. After about 8 years of patient care, a master’s in nursing in pediatric primary care and a recession, I took a position working on the clinical education and informatics team where a new passion and skill set emerged. My love for understanding the details and inner workings of technology that clinician’s need to provide patient care developed into a nursing informatics certification. After almost 15 years I left the hospital for another clinical education and informatics role where today I am the product owner for the clinical service line and I help them get what they need from their software systems.

It’s been a combination of hard work, continuous learning, and a willingness to take risks. Balancing a full-time job while building my business as a single mom required meticulous time management and calculated outsourcing! I want my daughter to know what hard work is though so I model it. My passion for both healthcare and entrepreneurship kept me motivated.
Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?
No, it wasn’t easy. There were many challenges along the way, both personally and professionally. I’m no stranger to hard work though. I worked 30 hours a week at the hospital while getting my master’s degree. I just keep going forward and don’t look back! But in all honesty I developed a lot of my time management skills as a floor nurse because you just can’t be late with patient care. I’ve always tried to work within the resources I have. Sometimes that involves using some creativity to get things done. For example, I pretty much ran my entire business from my smart phone until a few months ago. I’m able to bring my business to dance class or outsource my grocery shopping! That way I can be there for my daughter but run my small business in the evenings and on Saturday’s. I try to reserve Sunday’s for rest, although I am currently editing on a Sunday.
What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I want the world to know that Get Pierced by Nurse Cassandra is more than just a business—it’s a passion project that combines my love for healthcare and helping others. My brand stands for safety, professionalism, and a personalized touch that ensures every client feels cared for and valued. My journey is a testament to the power of following your passions, taking risks, and the impact of community and family support. I hope my story inspires others to pursue their dreams, no matter how challenging the path may seem.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When my best friends visit Boston it is now usually also with their kids, I’d ensure they experience the best of the city in a family-friendly way. We’d start with brunch at The Friendly Toast and because we all have kids we’d probaly make our way to a playground or local pick your own farm stand. I love art and theatre. Now for dining out without kids, we’d enjoy seafood at Legal Harborside or Row 45. I love a good beach day and frequent Glocester for a quick trip and of course there’s Cape Cod, i Our trip would wrap up with a visit to the New England Aquarium, lunch at Quincy Market, and a rooftop dinner at Lookout Rooftop and Bar, where the kids can enjoy the view of the harbor while the adults relax. In the winter we go snow tubing which is fun for the whole family!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Absolutely. My journey with Get Pierced by Nurse Cassandra and my overall career wouldn’t have been possible without the support and encouragement of several key people in my life.

First and foremost, I would never be where I am if my mom had not strongly encouraged me to stay in school while also allowing me the freedom to find my own path. She may have had a few questions when I started an ear-piercing business, but she has been nothing short of supportive of any vision I have ever had.

I think my success is owed in part to the child life therapists and clowns at Boston Children’s Hospital because I use a lot of distraction and positive reinforcement techniques that I learned through my work with them as a nurse in the cardiac unit. Their influence has been instrumental in shaping the patient-centered approach I take with my ear-piercing clients.

I’m grateful that I took a leap into the small business world and have had the privilege of meeting and connecting with several inspiring women-owned businesses. A special mention goes to the local small business community and clients who have spread the word about my small business. Their positive feedback has been the catalyst for my expansion and inspiration. Additionally, I owe credit to numerous other women-owned businesses for their inspiration, encouragement, support, and networking. I appreciate all those who took a chance and believed in or encouraged me to pursue my passions.

A special shoutout to KB and her beautiful business, Inspireher Empire, for her unwavering support and inspiration. Also, to Jess @ FYRbyJess, for pushing me in front of the camera and seeing something in me that I couldn’t see myself. Their belief in me has been invaluable. One last shout out to Robyn @parentingtheanxiouschild who not only has helped my become a better parent but has helped me to refine my skills in providing emotionally supportive care.

Website: https://nurse.teamblomdahl.com/chunter/

Instagram: @thisnursetravels2u

Other: https://dot.cards/thisnursetravels2u