We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nicole Zummo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

It’s kind of a funny story.. so the name of my business is Fluidnix. I’m constantly being asked what that means and where it came from. It actually has nothing to do with tattooing. Back in 2017 I remember scrolling on instagram and there was a video of this woman using watered down paint to create this gorgeous free flowing ocean scene. I had to try it. I gathered my acrylic paints, went outside & just went at it. It was so much fun and so freeing to see all of these loose colors dancing together on a canvas in a way you could never achieve with traditional methods of painting. The style is a form of fluid art. You water down the paint with other substances ( I would use hair oils, nail polish, really anything that could dilute the paint) and the result is one of a kind painting with so much dimension and life. I did this for weeks and had such a big collection of paintings so I figured I’d give it a shot at selling them. I created an instagram… wasn’t sure what to name it. My name is Nicole… so I figured Fluidnix would get the point across. I never knew what a monumental moment creating Fluidnix would be back then.

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

I really am so thankful for what tattooing has given me. I have always been on the quiet side but tattooing has pulled me right out of my shell. I get to connect with such a wide spectrum of people and its such a dream to be able to adorn permanent artwork as a career. This path of tattooing is really such a gift that I do not take for granted. There is nothing on this earth that I love more than being able to connect with countless people to bring their tattoo ideas to life. I take pride in making sure all of my clients feel heard and safe while they are in my presence. I had an experience getting tattooed once where I felt very uncomfortable and like I was a burden asking any questions. I make it a point to make sure you feel secure in your design and in my studio. I take my time with every design no matter how big or small they are all made with the same precision love and care. Getting tattooed may be painful but I will always do my best to make sure you feel at ease throughout the procedure.

I specialize in fine line tattooing as well as black and grey illustrative. I absolutely love making tattoos of marine life, animals, insects, antiques, botanicals / florals , anything naturally occurring really – and dainty micro tattoos / fine line lettering. I am always open to other styles / imagery you may be interested in. I primarily use Eternal Ink when making tattoos because it is non toxic, glycerol free, water based and vegan. For aftercare I provide dermshield – a clear bandage to help minimize any potential risks in healing your fresh tattoo. Due to the large amount of clientele I have gained over the years – it actually has forced me to limit my bookings. I open up my available appointments once every 3 months. I spend about a week booking everyone in and keep the clients I couldn’t get in on a cancellation list. It seems to be the best method to book efficiently & limit the large influx of emails to once every few months. I will always post updates on my Instagram once the time to book approaches.

My instagram @Fluidnix has been a great tool in connecting with potential clients and showcasing my work in the nature of photos, reels and stories. I love that it helps my clients get to know me before coming in for your appointment so you know what to expect walking in. Getting a tattoo can be intimidating but I will do my best as your artist to make it a pleasant experience.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Word of mouth.. I get a large source of my clientele by word of mouth and recommendation – which I am beyond grateful for. I also get a large amount of clients from my instagram.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I believe being authentic and passionate has helped build my reputation in the tattoo world. My instagram presence has significantly grown in the last 2 years to 15,000 followers – when I started this account back in 2017 I never imagined how successful it would be. Being consistent with posting and interacting with followers has definitely impacted Fluidnix’s growth over the last 5 years.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nicolezummo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fluidnix/

Image Credits
Taylor Bell @taylorbell_photography