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

Lindsay, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

Building a legacy means creating something enduring that can be passed on.

I’m hoping to continue and build onto a legacy that was passed down to me from my father. Back in May 2022 my dad, Tony “T-Dogg” Evola, died unexpectedly, and while he may have physically left this realm he left behind a one hell of a legacy, his legacy, one that was built around him. My dad opened T-Doggs Tattoos back in April 1998 and when he died he had been in business on the corner of Bellefontaine and Parker Rd for 24 years. He was the face and the heartbeat of the shop and T-Doggs brand. Needless to say, when I took over I knew I had very big shoes to fill.

The legacy I’m hoping to create is one that was built by my dad but continued by me…One that focuses on family and community. A legacy that’s about being good to one another and taking care of the ones you love. It’s a legacy that focuses on putting people over profits. A legacy in which loyalty reigns supreme. A business that provides amazing service, cleanliness and above all else treats everyone like family!

I hope to be remembered for being a fair business woman, a smart and savvy business owner, a good-hearted person who wants to make and leave the community a better place than it was when I found it.

When I’m gone I hope that I’m not just remembered for taking over my fathers business and keeping his legacy alive but that I’m remembered for all the innovations and contributions and what I did to grow the business and turn it into mine.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Lindsay Mooney and I’m the owner of T-Doggs Tattoos in St. Louis.

I am a 35 year old St. Louis native who has been brought up in the tattoo industry since the age of 9. A business woman, entrepreneur and mother of one, people are my passion and I’m all about creating unique experiences for others. I inherited T-Doggs Tattoos from my father a year and a half ago.

T-Doggs Tattoos has been offering clean, custom tattoos to the St. Louis metro area for the last 25 years. Our services include tattoos, body piercing, tooth gems and permanent jewelry.

At T-Doggs Tattoos we treat everyone like family and go out of our way to insure that our clients feel safe and comfortable. We want everyone who walks through the door to have a fun, feel welcome, and leave with a one of a kind experience!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Inheriting a business and deciding to keep it going wasn’t and hasn’t been as easy as it may look like from the outside.

There’s a lot of learning, stress and legalities that come along with inheriting a business that you had no intention of ever running one day. Everything from A-Z I had to learn. Not to mention dealing with the heaviness and overwhelm that is probate. It’s been everything but easy, but I’ve kept on jumping over each obstacle landing back on my feet each and every time. I’ve learned and grown so much as a business owner through this process and even though at times it’s been tough it’s definitely been worth it.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Before taking over T-Doggs Tattoos I was in the beginning stages of building my own brand and business, Soul Happy—a lifestyle brand focused on bringing unique, wellness and self-connection focused experiences to the community.

I started Soul Happy smack dab in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time I was a yoga instructor working at a number of yoga studios in the St.Louis/St.Charles county areas. When all the studios shut down and I was unable to receive unemployment I needed to come up with something quick. I started teaching on Facebook live and then once things started opening back up I begin teaching cool pop-up events and leading Womans retreats! My business was starting to take off when my dad passed away unexpectedly and then I found myself pivoting once again…

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @tdoggstattoosandbodypiercing
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063464982168&mibextid=LQQJ4d