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

Makayla, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Any thoughts around creating more inclusive workplaces?

As a woman working in a male dominated industry, it has been my goal from the beginning to create a safe place for people to get tattoos done and feel a sense of belonging. Historically, tattoo shops and artists have had the reputation of being a tough, non inclusive “boys club”, and you would be called names or kicked out for not following suit.
I’ve been told countless times in my career that I wouldn’t make it due to me being a woman. As far as I’m concerned, the industry should be welcoming to everybody. I just recently opened my own tattoo shop in Colorado Springs, CO after eight years of working in the industry of tattooing. Our motto at Lost Woods Tattoo is: “if you don’t belong, then you belong here”. Myself and my fellow artists all go above and beyond to make sure people are comfortable during their procedures. This includes a welcoming atmosphere, providing them with various snacks, privacy screens and body covers, asking for and respecting pronouns, and empowering one another as fellow outcasts.
My goal has always been to make the tattoo experience not scary or intimidating, rather fun and something to look forward to.
This is our first year open as a business, but to add to our inclusivity motto, in the future we will be offering color tests, doing flash days where we donate a percentage of our earnings to local projects focused around LGBTQ+ matters, and toy drives for the holiday seasons. Giving back to our community is extremely important to me.
Tattoos are for everyone, and it’s my goal every single day to give people a sense of belonging in a safe place where they are free to be themselves.

Makayla, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have been established as a tattoo artist in my city for eight years now, but getting into it was truly the most difficult thing I have ever done. I was treated very unfairly and I had to prove myself time and time again to keep my job when I was first getting started. I was told by my peers that I wouldn’t make it because I was a woman or no one would get my style of art tattooed on them.
Fast forward a few years, I’m now the owner of my own shop and I’m specializing in my own style of art. I’m most proud of sticking to my original goals and making my own dreams come true despite the negative feedback I got.
I’m now proud to say that I specialize in anime tattoos as well as traditional tattoos with a cute/pastel twist. I love making things “girly”. I also specialize in doing glitter tattoos. However just because I specialize in those things doesn’t mean I won’t do other tattoos. My goal is to always create the best experience possible with my clients by creating a safe and welcoming environment and not only meeting but exceeding their tattoo goals and dreams.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

For me personally, I gain the majority of my clientele through word of mouth. I tattoo a large variety of people from all walks of life, but they all have one thing in common- their tattoo artist :) “Every client, every time” is a good way to put my attitude at work. People get tattoos for all sorts of reasons and it’s my job to ensure that my clients have a good time regardless of their reason. We share stories, we laugh, we cry, we connect. The artist/client relationship is so special, and if you make it a special experience with every single person who walks in, they are sure to tell their friends.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

When it comes to keeping the people around me happy, it’s important to make sure their needs are being met. At my shop, each artist makes their own schedule, they come and go as they please, each station is completely unique to them and they can decorate and express themselves however they wish.
I value freedom of self expression and realness, so I expect us to always be ourselves.
Of course there are rules such as keeping our shared spaces clean, but everything is clearly communicated and we have regular shop meetings to ensure that everyone is heard and understood.
Having a true open door policy makes the world of difference. Face to face conversations, going out of my way to ask for feedback and making appropriate changes as necessary also definitely keeps everyone happy.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/probablymakayla

Image Credits
All photos are taken by me or by my assistant (husband), I have full rights to all photos.