We recently connected with Michelle Perez and have shared our conversation below.

Michelle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

During my time in obtaining my business degree, I took an internship with my friend who owned a tattoo shop. I came into the shop with zero experience and had no clue to what I was doing or where to start. The first couple weeks I wanted to cry myself to sleep. I buckled down and learn everything there is to know about tattooing and piercings. I learned the craft from building a tattoo machine to the art of piercing. Ina year period of time I was managing 5 shops and highly successful at maintaining the business. I now own my own tattoo boutiques that are located in 3 of NC malls and one standalone shops with hopes of moving on to my next projects of more shop and a convention.

I don’t think that there is any way to speed up the process of tattooing and piercings. The process is very serious like a medical procedure and it there are far too many people who already do things in the industry before they are ready. A good training session for a piercer is normally a year or more. In the tattoo part it can take anywhere from one year to two before a person should touch someone skins.

Michelle, 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?

To be in the tattoo industry and to be a business owner you have your foot in two doors. The tattoo industry is a culture on in itself and you have to be a tattoo person. On the other hand, there are many practices in the industry that are not customer service friendly. Normal things in business with innovation is harder in the tattoo industry with most having an issue with change. With piercing I am an informative piercer and makes sure that I have consultation with my clients with all the necessary information. I train my piercer to be knowledgeable and customer service friendly. We go the extra mile even developing the best aftercare and infection prevention for the aftercare of piercing and tattoos. The tattoo industry provides with all the things that a business owner can want creativity daily, expanding market, and many of avenue to grow. My shop are boutiques that are made for a safe and upscale environment. Our clients range from 3 months to 92 years with a welcoming environment much like a salon or other service-based services. Parent can feel comfortable with bring their childern in our family environment versus a more traditional tattoo shop.

What I am most proud of is the environment of my shop and the people that work with me. My people that work for me are reflection of myself. I have an amazing crew; That love Inkology as much as I do! Not to mention that we have some of the best client in the world~

We love our clients, they become our family!

Have you ever had to pivot?

Sure, there are time business that I had to rework or redevelop my own business. I even had to close things down and reopen with change to my previous business with restarting with things I previously make mistakes or things that just did not work. I often remind myself when things are bleak that they are reason for everything. Sometimes it is better to take a brief loss on something to come back with a new better start. That tiny loss is better than the continued loss performance that can cost you thousands of dollars in the long run.

Never ever be scared of change! Change and invocation are keys to successful business!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Any business owner has to know resilience with me being a female in the tattoo industry was pretty challenging to start of course things have changed for women now. When you open a business, it is the hardest year of your life. I often refer to having a business is like having a child you have to work extremely hard in its first years to get it where it needs to be. Periods of time when there is no break or when your dead tired. Money may not come at the start, and you have to be patient. You become responsible for other people and in many cases, you have to put their needs above your own. Being a business owner is not for the faint of heart or will. Daily you have to find strength and become a negativity eater with pushing positive productive environments.

I’m still learning every day! I never stop learning!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: inkologytattoosandyou
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inkologytattoosandtattooscrabtree
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/inkologytattoosandpiercingscharlotte https://www.facebook.com/inkologytattooandyou

Image Credits
Tattoo Piercings by Inkology Tattoo Artsit and Piercers