We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ahsia Crawford a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Ahsia , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
After discovering my natural talent for art in high school, I explored careers like fashion design and tattooing, ultimately gravitating toward tattoos. However, financial responsibilities delayed my dream, and I worked various jobs, always chasing better opportunities.
While working at an airline with long, paid breaks, I started drawing again, which reignited my passion. This led to commission work for custom logos and tattoos. After workplace challenges, I switched to TSA in 2019, where a painting request from a coworker unexpectedly launched a steady flow of art commissions through Instagram.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, I used paid time off to start a tattoo apprenticeship. Within six months, I was accepting paid clients, and within a year, I was working in a shop. Initially, I kept a security job out of fear, but after being fired, I took a leap of faith to tattoo full-time. It’s been five years now, and I’ve never looked back.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m a full-time tattoo artist based in Gwynn Oak, Maryland, with a strong focus on creating meaningful, high-quality body art. My journey into tattooing began with a love for art discovered in high school. After trying different careers, including fashion design, I realized tattooing was my true passion. It wasn’t an easy path—financial responsibilities delayed my start, and I worked various jobs before finally pursuing a tattoo apprenticeship in 2020. Within months, I was taking clients, and now, five years later, I’ve built a thriving career.
I specialize in realistic tattoos, scar coverage, and reworking old tattoos, but my versatility allows me to adapt to various styles. My work isn’t just about creating art; the issues i solve in my industry is helping clients regain confidence, commemorate meaningful moments, or express their individuality.
What sets me apart is my attention to detail, the ability to create a luxury experience for my clients, and my genuine passion for the craft. I take the time to connect with each client, ensuring the work we create together is deeply personal and high-quality.
I’m most proud of taking the leap of faith to follow my dream, even when it wasn’t the easiest choice. For potential clients and followers, I want you to know that my shop is a welcoming, professional space where your ideas and stories will be brought to life with care and artistry. My goal is to provide not just a tattoo but an experience that leaves a lasting impression.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I built my reputation in the tattoo market through passion, dedication, and meaningful connections with my clients. While I started tattooing for financial reasons, my mentor’s advice to focus on passion transformed my approach. By putting love into every piece and paying attention to detail, I create high-quality work that stands out.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Posting everyday helped the most . A day or two break is fine otherwise you want to keep posting good quality content . In today’s world people don’t wanna see just the work they wanna see you. Rather if that’s you doing the work interacting with your client , skits , etc.
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