Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tony Ezzell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Tony , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?
I’m the happiest I’ve ever been as a business owner. It allows me to set my own schedule and manage my own rate of work. It also gives me the opportunity to provide a safe, supporting environment for other artists to create.
I would never take a ‘regular job’ over it, as I have had other jobs in the past. I worked retail and food service as a teenager and then completed a 20 year career in the Army. I value the freedom of being my own boss too greatly to ever go back.
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.
Well, I have always been an artist. As a child, I was told being an artist was not a viable career option, that the term ‘starving artist’ existed for a reason.
As I grew into adulthood, that stuck with me. I joined the Army and gave up on creating art for a long time. Even though I wasn’t creating, I was still in love with art. I began my tattoo journey at 18 years old, while I was still in my initial training for the Army.
As I became more involved in the tattoo community, I saw artists thriving. I began to realize that there was a viable career for me in art, I would become a tattoo artist! For the majority of my military career, I practiced art and learned all I could about tattooing; both the art and the industry sides.
During my last year in the Army, I opened my own tattoo shop. We have now been in business for almost seven years. As a shop owner, I strive to create an environment that allows artists to create their best work with as little constraint or pressure as possible.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
When I started getting tattooed, most shops were heavily into the ‘bikers and outlaws’ theme. Many people found them intimidating, even scary. While I wasn’t scared off, it also wasn’t my vibe. I’m a geek, just a tad socially awkward. I don’t really care for heavy metal or skulls and flames. I rarely saw my personality type represented in the tattoo community.
My vision was to create a place my fellow geeks and outcasts would feel comfortable, welcomed. Somewhere they could talk about their favorite movies or games or cartoons and have that excitement shared by their artist. Somewhere that potential clients could bring their ideas and not be told that they were silly or wouldn’t be good tattoos..
With this in mind, customer experience has always been one of my top priorities. My fellow artists and I always do our best to celebrate our clients interests, to let them know we are just as excited to be creating their tattoo as they are to receive it. Because of this, we have come to be known as the premier fandom tattoo shop in our area.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
My time in the military gave me a strong foundation in leadership. One of the most important lessons I learned while serving was to never expect anything from your team that you don’t expect from yourself. Lead by example. Don’t be a hypocrite. Your team members are the reason your business succeeds, they are your most valuable asset.
Treat your team members like people. Be understanding, lenient when the situation calls for it. Maintain your standards, but be forgiving if someone makes an honest mistake.
When adding new members to your team, be selective. A single bad employee can tank your reputation within the community almost overnight. Try to ensure that new members share your vision and are aware of your expectations.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.easydoesittattoo.com
- Instagram: /spacewizardstattoo
- Facebook: @spacewizardstattoo
