Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Maegan Benipayo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Maegan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

Yes, I’ve been able to earn a full-time living from tattooing for going on 4 years now, but it didn’t start off that way. I was working a 9-5, whilst taking an apprenticeship for two years until the pandemic. During lockdown, all my friends were trusting enough to let me practice on them, which helped jumpstart my career. If it wasn’t for the pandemic, I wouldn’t have had the courage to quit my job and start my own business. So if I could go back and just not have been afraid to do what I love, I would have started a long time ago.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Maegan and I’m a tattoo artist that specializes in fine line/ black and grey microrealism and creator of MGN Studios. Growing up, I’ve always had an engagement in numerous artistic pursuits from creating clothes to painting murals, so it was evident I wanted to pursue art. Tattooing was the most profitable form within exploring my career choice and my brand is secondary.
I call it MGN Studios because I am the sole creator of all the services I provide, which include: Tattoos, paintings, murals, logos, digital art covers, fashion design, tech packs, web design and more services within the realm of branding.
I think once I realized many people were coming to me looking for mentorship and asking me questions about my brand and how I got started was when I felt like I was on the right path. I’m always willing to help or give advice to anyone building a business and don’t know where to start. I believe the relationships you create along the way are essential for your business reputation.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Being comfortable doesn’t mean you’ve reached your destination.

I’ve come to realize the importance of embracing discomfort as a catalyst for personal growth. Transitioning through life changes, like quitting jobs, relocating, and navigating relationships has consistently posed challenges for me. I had to acknowledge that my lifestyle, my habits, and my environment had to change in order for me to grow.
I’ve always stuck to a job because I was afraid of change and never pushed myself to start my journey of tattooing because I always had to work. I never thought of my job to be a barrier. But during the lockdown, we had a lot of time to pick up a hobby. I was already almost done with my apprenticeship so it was easy to catapult into my own business after that.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

There were a lot of interviews I used to watch on people’s journey to success. There was one where Stephen King spoke about his journey into writing, “From horrible-to-decent material you scribble down, you’ll find your way to the “good” writing.”
The hardest part for me was having the discipline and courage to start both my brand and my tattoo business.
But there’s a fashion designer I look up to that I studied and I continuously watch all the ways he markets his brand. On an Interview he stated, “You’re not only selling the clothes, you’re selling a lifestyle.” That one stays embedded in my head because the product has to tell a story and you’ll always have a target market who you’re catering to; you just have to figure out who your people are.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maeganstudios.com
• Instagram: @mgnstudios

Image Credits

@wickedytg
@imagesbyelvon