We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Marion Carole Miller a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Marion Carole, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

I would say the biggest risk would be stepping away from a constant paycheck or punching a clock. My biggest fear was, if I could make a living at tattooing. Obviously when I first started out it was nothing like it is now days. There wasn’t social media to advertise on and let everyone know what you’re doing daily. I had to pound the pavement passing out business cards and doing everything I could to stir up business. It definitely wasn’t like it is now. Now days I’m turning more business away than I can get to. I believe the internet and Reality tv shows involving tattooing has generated a huge movement in Tattooing in just the last 20 years. Never would I have believed I would have been this busy

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

My name is Marion Carole Miller I live in Hickory North Carolina. I guess it all started as a kid constantly drawing. I knew from a young age I wanted to do something with art the older I got. After high school I attended the Atlanta college of art in downtown Atlanta Georgia. While attending college I took an internship through Cartoon Network. At that time everything was going digital. It really wasn’t my thing, so I decided to take a break and head back home. While home, I had a few friends that wanted me to design their tattoos they were planning on getting. Once they had gotten their tattoos, they came to show me. And they were horrible, not one of them look like the drawings I did for them. And at that time a light went off in my head. I was like why would someone attempt to permanently mark someone if they couldn’t draw. So I thought that I could hop into tattooing hoping to make a little money to live on while I went back to college. But little did I know that I would fall in love with tattooing and the tattoo community. At first, I definitely wasn’t as busy as I am now. But I believe my art background before I started tattooing really help me stand out. Never would I have believed I’d be doing this for a living or even doing one job for 24 years. But it really doesn’t feel like a job. I get to draw on people with electric crayons. Can’t get any better than that. So thankful for my parents encouraging me and constantly pushing me to do something with my talent.

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

I don’t think there’s a strategy to it. Treat your clients the way you want to be treated. “Be nice” that goes a long ways in gaining new clients and keeping your regular clients. I’ve had so many tell me they stopped going to an artist because of the way they acted or talked. I’ve noticed people are already on edge or nerves when they approach an artist. No need to make them even more uncomfortable by acting a fool or being rude. Even if the artist isn’t the best, I’ve noticed by giving that client the best experience you can and treating them with respect. They are more than likely to come back, and even bring more with them.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Honestly, I would have never even thought to hop on any social media if it wasn’t for a friend of mine. I did the MySpace deal and thought it was lame. I have a Facebook page for the studio. But a friend suggested I try Instagram. When I did that, things blow up! So many door were opened though social media. It’s the the best free advertisement there is. Practically everyone is on one social media platform or the other. I suggest post what you’re into doing or what you want to do more of. It helps strike an interest and get people wanting your product orservices.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Artistic_Pursuit_Studio
• Facebook: “MarionCaroleMiller” personal page “ArtisticPursuitStudio” is my business page

Image Credits
Portrait of myself taken by Caleb Willson Instagram @kuhleeb_