Today we’d like to introduce you to Benjamin Alexander Hamilton.
Hi Benjamin Alexander, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My path has not been linear.
I grew up here in the Eugene-Springfield area, which is still home for me and the company headquarters. All three of our current owners in fact are from the area. We were founded here and remain based here, even as the business has expanded into other states.
I became independent early. I was out on my own at 15 and spent several years in unstable situations, which forced me to develop adaptability and a strong sense of awareness. I learned how to read people, make decisions quickly, and stay focused on what was necessary to move forward.
During this time I was involved in a range of counterculture environments, rave and punk culture, large concerts, shows, and music/art festivals. Those experiences shaped how I think about community, identity, and how people engage with shared spaces. That perspective carried into how I approached the business later on.
I entered the company in 2000 at a ground level position. At the time, I was close to taking a very different path, but that opportunity shifted things. Over time, I worked through different roles in the organization and gained a full view of how the business operated.
As the company grew, it became clear that scaling would require more structure. That led to a focus on systems, standardization, and building a model that could operate consistently across locations. My role evolved alongside that shift, from day to day operations into building and maintaining the infrastructure behind the business.
Today, we operate across multiple states, but the business is still rooted here. Our structure is centered on people, training, and a strong retail foundation, with the focus now on continuing to expand in a controlled way with systems that support long term growth for both the company and the staff.
That’s been the progression, from growing up locally, to learning the business from the ground up, to building a company that has expanded beyond the region while staying anchored here.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all. And in a lot of ways, the challenges were more pronounced early on because everything was being built in real time, here in a smaller market.
Starting in the Eugene-Springfield area, there were limitations that forced us to be more deliberate. Talent pipelines were smaller, access to resources was tighter, and there wasn’t a clear model locally for what a multi-location business like this could look like. That meant we had to build a lot of the structure ourselves, hiring standards, training systems, operational consistency, all while still running day to day operations.
As we began expanding beyond the area, a different set of challenges showed up. Things that worked at one or two locations didn’t always translate cleanly at five or ten. We had to rethink how we maintained standards, how we developed leadership, and how we made decisions about growth. There were points where we had to slow down, fix underlying systems, and be willing to say “not yet” instead of forcing expansion before the foundation was ready.
A lot of the friction came from that transition, moving from a locally run business to something that could operate consistently across multiple markets while still staying grounded here. That required a shift toward more structure, clearer expectations, and a stronger focus on repeatability.
That mindset is reflected in the name Best Studio Ever. It’s not meant as a statement, it’s a benchmark. It keeps the focus on whether we’re actually meeting the standard we’ve set, across every location, every day.
At this point, we view challenges as part of the process. Most of the meaningful improvements we’ve made came from something not working the way it needed to. The goal has been to treat those moments as signals to build better systems, not just push through them.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At a high level, we operate professional piercing and tattoo studios with a strong emphasis on safety, high quality jewelry standards, ongoing training, and a structured client experience. We want clients to understand what they’re getting, why it’s done a certain way, and to feel confident that their well being comes first.
What sets us apart is how the business is built behind the scenes. We’ve focused on creating a model that supports the craft and the people doing it, not just short term output. That shows up in how we train, how we standardize procedures, and how we design our studios to deliver consistent outcomes across locations.
A big part of that, and something we’re putting a lot of focus on right now, is building an ESOP. The intention is to create a long term ownership structure where employees can earn a meaningful stake in the company over time. As the business grows, the people contributing to that growth participate in it directly.
That has a broader impact beyond the company itself. By creating ownership opportunities, we’re investing in our staff in a way that encourages stability, career development, and long term commitment. In turn, that strengthens the communities we operate in, including here in Eugene-Springfield, where the company is based and where ownership is rooted.
Brand wise, we’re most proud that growth hasn’t come at the expense of standards. We continue to invest in benefits, tools, education, and community involvement, while maintaining a consistent approach to safety and client experience across all locations.
What we want readers to understand is that we approach body art as both art and responsibility. The focus is on doing the work at a high level, building careers around it, and creating a structure where success is shared, not concentrated.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I don’t have a single childhood memory that stands above the rest. For me, that period blends more into my teenage years, where I started to find a sense of place.
Some of the most meaningful memories come from the community around the studio when I was first spending time there, along with the rave and underground scenes in the nineties. Those environments were some of the first places where I saw people being comfortable being themselves, and that had a real impact on me at that age.
At the time, piercing was still very fringe and not widely accepted. There was a sense that you had to know where to go and who to trust, which created a tight, connected community. Being part of that opened doors, not just into the craft, but into relationships and networks that have stayed with me over time.
Looking back, what stands out isn’t a single moment, it’s finding those spaces where people showed up authentically and supported each other. That sense of community has carried through into how I think about the business today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beststudioever.com/pages/high-priestess
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highpriestessoriginal/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HP.Eugene/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bestbossever/
