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

Samantha , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I’m definitely happy as a business owner. I do have those days when I wish I could just clock out and not think about work. Owning a business is like being a parent. It’s 24/7. It’s a lot of worry and a huge commitment. At least it is if you want to be really successful. Whatever problems I may be dealing with, cannot affect my staff or the business, however, I truly enjoy being able to help out with any issues that may arise for the employees and artists. I try to be the kind of boss that meets my teams needs and can be flexible within reason. I work with a tremendous group of professionals that don’t need me helicoptering all the time but when they require anything, I am there. For me, I know that just being an employee would never be enough. I love to have the room the grow in whatever direction the business needs and not be hindered by anyone.

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

So I have always been interested in business management. I had owned and operated a decorative painting business in the early 2000’s and a personal chef company. Both were doing well until the economy took a downturn in 2008. After many hard learned lessons, I chose to put business on the back burner and go to school for a career in the medical field.

It was during that time that I met my husband, Jp Alfonso. He was already a tattoo artist but he had a dream and the drive to do so much more than what he was doing at the time.

The economy was still bad and he struggled to make ends meet. Through watching his experience and seeing what he was going through at other shops, we thought there must be a different way to run a tattoo business. One where it felt stable and like you could actually have a future and somewhat “normal” life. So we put our heads together and with his creative vision and my organizational and business skills, we opened Jp Alfonso Studios in 2017.

At the time, opening a tattoo business in Gwinnett County was very difficult. In fact, we were the first to be granted permission in 25 years! It wasn’t easy. We had to go through several meetings with the Board of Commissioners and follow strict rules associated with our permitting. We were watched closely and the took the honor very seriously. We felt it was important to set a good example and show the county what a serious business Tattooing could be.

Initially, we were only given a permit for 3 years. We took on tremendous risk to build out our facility without assurances that we’d be allowed to stay open. After the 3 years, we had to report back to the Commissioners and ask for the temporary permit to be removed. At that meeting, I was shocked to receive a standing ovation from the board and hear what a great job we did for our industry. It was a proud moment.

As for the customers, they are EVERYTHING! It’s super important that they not only receive amazing artwork but that they also feel comfortable, valued and welcomed by everyone that works in the studio.

Tattoo shops can be intimidating places. We wanted to take that out of our business. Our customers are greeted with kindness and professionalism at every step along the process. We take pride in answering all the questions upfront and with as much detail and explanation as possible. Our studio only does large scale and multi session tattoos. This is permanent and expensive. We want the client to know that we respect that and are honored that they put trust in us.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Without question, CONSISTENCY! This is the only way to build brand trust. We have clients that have been with us so long that now their adult children come to us. This is directly attributed to consistence with art, customer service and client experience.

Any advice for managing a team?

When managing a team, I feel it’s very important to listen to the needs of your staff and be willing to change as their needs and circumstances change. This is all with respect to the core values of the company and without disruption to the customer experience. I also think it’s important to take the staff out and do fun things outside of work. You get to know people differently when the boss hat comes off.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.jpalfonsostudios.com
• Instagram: @jpalfonsostudios

Image Credits
All tattoos done by Jp Alfonso at Jp Alfonso Studios