Nurses and paramedics....IV starting tips!!!?

I am a new LPN with IV cetification. I enjoy starting IV's but don't feel like I am as good as the professionals around me. I know that everyone misses sometimes (except the liars). In my new job I am in occupational medicine, where we do blood draws on chemical plant employees(same procedure as IV start), sometimes up to 50 a day. Sometimes I have good days when I am really in the zone, and sometimes it seems like I have to double stick every third person. I had a man p out on me yesterday (men are wimps around needles). and by the time last day on this particular site job came around(one week job) the other plant employees had spread the word that people were getting stuck "5 or 6 times" (I would never do this!) which made me feel incompetent, which I am not. I know people expect perfection from healthcare employees. Are there any "old tricks" to help me dilate the vein or things I can say to reure a grumpy patient? THANKS!