We recently connected with Mary Searles and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Mary, thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
Something that I try hard to prioritize in my services is a comfortable and pleasant experience. The tattooing industry is classically and traditionally part of counter culture. This environment was usually not for just anybody, but now the industry has changed. Tattoos are more mainstream now than ever, but still so many artists tend to treat their clients with a coldness or coolness that isn’t always conducive to feeling relaxed and comfortable with getting tattooed. It’s an extremely intimate and vulnerable experience, and making sure I have the best bedside manner possible is incredibly important to me and important to my clientele.
Mary, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Ive been set on doing art professionally for the last 15 years. I received my BFA in Illustration from the School of Visual arts in 2018, and then I got into the tattooing industry in 2019. I applied for a job managing White Rabbit Tattoo in NYC. I would work the desk, phones, do the bookings and handle the money. It was the best job I had to date and I immediately fell in love with everything. I knew I wanted to learn but I had to play it cool for a couple of years. I put in my time, and made absolutely sure that it was what I wanted to do.
Learning to tattoo is no small feat for both the mentor and apprentice. I had two coworkers and friends that truly took me under their wing and started at the basics. It just snowballed from there, and before I knew it I was doing my first tattoos on strangers for free.
I was at White Rabbit for about 4 years, and then I moved from New York to Florida to help my partner pursue his career. The adjustment was difficult; after 6 months and trial and error, I found myself at Heart in Hand- a successful woman owned studio in the Tampa Bay Area.
I pride myself in my client interaction. Most of my business has been word of mouth, and not only is that the most effective advertising but it’s also the most flattering. I hold myself to incredibly high standards and my personal and professional integrity is the most important factor to my success so far.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
After moving to Florida I found myself in a studio where I felt I was regressing. I wasn’t tattooing nearly as much as I needed to in order to make enough money or grow as an artist. I continued to fight for the career I worked so hard for, and despite a lack of business I found ways to make ends meet and did not give up, no matter how many times the thought crossed my mind. I can be stubborn where it matters, and my parents both raised me to be as tenacious as I could possibly be.
It was a hard decision to leave this studio as I felt an attachment to my colleagues, but I did and I’m proud that I advocated for myself and moved on in a direction that helped me grow.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
Being kind! There’s no reason to have an attitude. Even if there’s a frustrating client, or you feel like your boundaries are being pushed- there are always polite ways to handle things. Tattooing is the best job ever, but it still falls within customer service. Giving somebody a positive experience where they feel taken care of goes such a long way.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @calico.tattoo.art
