We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Christy Fish. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Christy below.

Christy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Success in tattooing isn’t some overnight fairytale. It’s blood sweat and a whole lot of humility, if you’re doing it right. This is a centuries old art form not a quick way to get TikTok famous. If you’re coming in just to trend on social media or make a fast book you’re probably not going to last. First off , you’ve got to respect the craft second, you’ve got to put in the work. So many times I hear someone in the shop say that they’ve been entertaining the idea of starting to tattoo… And the first question I ask them is … do you make art? It blows my mind that nine out of 10 times the person standing in front of me saying that they are interested in tattooing don’t paint or draw at all in their own spare time. So respect the craft by not muddying the market with a lackluster drive to make art, if you’re going to do it figure out how to apply it to every aspect of your life… there are 1 million amateur mediocre Tattoer‘s in the world doesn’t need another one. Third, develop a backbone and some hustle. The industry is inundated with individuals who think a cheap machine and an Instagram page make them pros. The competition is fierce and the market is saturated. You need to stand out, not by gimmicks but by the quality of your art and if you’re lacking in that have the guts to ask for guidance and listen to constructive criticism. It seems the new trend in tattooing is to just figure it out for yourself and not ask anyone who paved the way before you for any guidance, whether that’s out of fear or insecurity it is definitely going to keep you stunted. Community in tattooing has been one of the greatest learning tools that when also combined with a little healthy competition has consistently pushed me to always strive to be better. And as far as hustle goes, social media isn’t enough… you have to be out there in the real world shaking hands and handing out cards and saying yes, So many new tattoo artists are constantly turning business away because they are constantly saying no to potential business. Not just because it’s some thing that is beyond their scope… but more often it’s because it just doesn’t suit them. I believe that I’ve gotten to where I am, well sort of because I started before social media, so I had that face to face hustle… But also because The first half of my career was taking on everyone’s special requests and not making people feel stupid about their ideas. So I guess the last tip would be about handling your clients with love. That first tattoo should lead to the next and if it doesn’t I think that’s a problem with you.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I feel like I already used a lot of words… I started tattooing in 2007 in Portland Oregon. I opened up my own shop in 2018 after working at a handful of awesome shops but wanted to create my own little tribe.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Doing exceptional work every time to the best of my ability. Whether it’s a massive back piece or a tiny script tattoo I give every client my best effort. The tattoos I put out there or walking advertisements for my skills and if I consistently produce work I’m proud of people will notice. The industry isn’t just about putting a gun skin it’s also about trust. Clients want to feel comfortable with you so it’s important to take time to make their experience a positive one.

Can you talk to us about your experience with selling businesses?

No

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @fishface203