We were lucky to catch up with Teddy Xiong recently and have shared our conversation below.

Teddy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

If I were starting over, the main thing I’d do differently is focus on my own art from the start.
When I first began my career, I worked at a street shop taking walk-ins and doing tattoos that didn’t really excite me. That led to burnout and a lot of self-doubt because I wasn’t doing the kind of work I was passionate about.

One piece of advice I’d ignore earlier is the idea that you have to be good at every style and post everything you tattoo. Once I started focusing more on my flashes and my style, things started to click. I felt more confident and attracted clients who appreciated my work for what it was.

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

Hi, I’m Teddy! I’m a tattoo artist based in Los Angeles.
I started tattooing in 2018 during my last year of art school. From the beginning, I knew I needed to differentiate my designs to stand out. So, while I’ve always worked hard to improve my tattooing skills, I’ve focused just as much on creating unique and original designs.

I’m really proud of how far I’ve come. Today, I own my own tattoo shop, where I get to work alongside other artists who share the same values and passion for pushing creative boundaries. I want my clients and followers to know that my work is all about originality, and that I’m committed to creating tattoos that are not only well-executed but one of a kind.

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

Having worked in other shops before opening my own, I learned firsthand what kind of boss I didn’t want to be and how I wanted to be treated as an employee. I think the key to managing a team and maintaining high morale is to never forget those lessons. It’s important to treat your team with respect and appreciation, even when it might not be the most financially reasonable decision in the short term. Acknowledging their hard work and showing that you value them goes a long way in building a positive and motivated environment.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In the summer of 2021, I came to LA for a guest work (tattooing) and stayed with my best friend, who had moved here during grade school. I immediately fell in love with LA’s vibrant energy and creative community. At the time, I was living in New York, where I had a stable tattoo studio I’d been leasing for three years, working by myself. Though things were going well in NY, something about LA made me feel like it was time for a change. I decided to make a major pivot in my life, trusting my gut to move across the country. Luckily, my tattoo friends stepped in to take over my NY space, giving me the freedom to lease a new studio in LA—without even touring it in person. Taking that leap of faith led to more than I could have asked for: the space was even better than I imagined, and the decision to pivot my career and life to LA opened up opportunities I didn’t expect.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bearwithmela.com
• Instagram: teddyxtattoo

Image Credits

Photo credit: Dat, @datvnguyen
(For the personal photo)