Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Zac Adams. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Zac , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Quality control is a challenge almost every entrepreneur has had to focus on when growing – any advice, stories or insight around how to best ensure quality is maintained as your business scales?
It was easy to maintain high quality with just one artist and one room and limited clientele; now with a whole shop and many moving parts it’s become a juggling act. Being everywhere at once simply isnt possible, but instilling a set of core principles In each and every member of your crew is. If the standards are set across the board and there’s no grey areas, the company will Continue to thrive as it grows. If every team member is aware of the expectations and level of quality that is required then growth is inevitable. The problem occurs when attention to detail is abandoned for the promise of increased income, even if it means decreases in effort/quality. When a company grows so do the costs of running that business; Overhead, supplies, machines, manufacturing, payroll, taxes…etc. it all rises. Unless there are strategies in place and principles instilled, quality will be sacrificed in order to meet the demand of the growing business. Remaining strict and never taking short cuts Is the only way to guarantee that standards are maintained and even improved upon. As more employees move through the company, delegation becomes essential to maintain consistency and pride in the work being done. There’s no way for the owner to make the rounds and check in on every single employee and every single product being made, packaged and shipped, so having a crew of skilled trustworthy and dedicated people around you is key. There must be a fear attached to sub par performance, that way it will be hell or high water before they would ever imagine cutting a corner or skimping on a detail. It is ultimately the owner’s responsibility to insure that standards of quality are set in the beginning and remain that high, or get even higher as the company expands and outgrows old methods.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Even at an early age, i knew i was the black sheep. Cursed with the inability to follow the standard curriculum, my imagination and tenacity drove my parents and teachers crazy, I wanted to express myself and be different anyway i could, but having been raised in a very strict religious house hold made it nearly impossible. The constant comparisons and judgements would leach the individuality out of me on a daily basis. It always felt odd that people would willingly join the herd and conform to the pressures of the outside world just to feel good or fit in. I knew even back then that i would do whatever it took to stand out and tell my story. Looking back i see now that i was desperately trying to find my voice. My place in this world. Once i discovered tattooing, something clicked. I found a hole in the wall shop off 12th street in my hometown of canton, and walked in, nervous and unaware of how quick my life was about to change. From the first sting of that needle i was hooked. I had found El Dorado. I didn’t know it then, but the rest of my life would be spent cutting my own path. Before long I became a frequent face in the shops surrounding my house, and i immersed myself in the lifestyle; the good parts, and the bad. From Ohio to california and North Carolina, i absorbed as much as i could. By 2015 i was ready to move back home and begin planting roots. Tattooing had saved my life and I felt an obligation to give back anyway i could.
It didnt take long to find a job working under another tattoo artist and I quickly made a place for myself. My area was the size of a shoebox on the first floor of a 1930’s dress shop. French doors and ornate fixtures adorned all three floors and each room was occupied by some sort of business. The pace was slow and the money was light. I worked 7 days a week, stayed late and arrived early, cleaned, prepped, stocked and sold everything I could. I was broke, i was tired, i felt depleted and overwhelmed, and to top it off, my boss had stopped paying the bills. Needless to say my enthusiasm was waning. I had experienced bad management and ownership several times in the past, even going as far as helping build a shop for someone only to have it go under less than six months later. Its a common problem in business, not just tattoo shops. Once i got the call that the landlord was locking the doors since the rent hadn’t been paid, i knew it was time to step forward and make the decision. Agreeing to let me pay the back rent and sign a new lease, my entrepreneurial chapter began.
I knew I could not only make this business thrive, but i would now have a platform to accomplish my mission; helping people express themselves the way they’ve always wanted. Steadily i began seeing a pattern among new clients; poorly done, ugly, and sometimes awful tattoos were the norm. Each and every day i would have consults for cover-ups and fix-ups of all types. I heard more and more how this couldn’t be covered and that it would be impossible to do anything with the mess they had, Defeated and out of options, more often than not they would just give up, or settle for blacking out a perfectly good arm. After months of this I began accepting new clients the worst of the worst and taking on pieces that others considered “impossible”. Steadily, the word spread that I wouldn’t turn down a project no matter how far gone it was; And that was true. I knew in order to make a name for myself and build a strong brand I would have to do what others wouldn’t. I would have to stay later, reach further, and most importantly work harder to make sure that each and every client that came through those doors deflated, would leave elated. Helping people tell the story they want to tell instead of the one they were given is still the most important goal of the Inkeeper’s Tattoo Parlor and will continue to be the cornerstone of our business. As we have grown, so have our standards. With each new artist quality doesn’t stay the same, it increases due to the groups amplified efforts. Expectations rise alongside the growing clientele and growing popularity. Our motto of “Wear Your Story” is the guiding point of our mission and has stuck with us to this day. You don’t have to be stuck with the skin you’re in, you can tell the story you want to tell and wear it with pride and power.
Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?
One situation stands out more than any in my mind… Covid-19. Coming out of our best year I was in negotiations to buy the building we were renting. Getting closer to the closing date, we were unexpectedly hit with a stop-work order on march 15 2020. The word was prevalent through the grapevine prior to this but no one could have anticipated the magnitude of what was to come.
Our life was put on hold to “flatten the curve” while every the world grasped and reached for information and someone to blame. I braced for impact in as calm a manner possible, and formed a loose gameplan. The martyrdom of staying open seemed worse than anything the health department could mandate so we reluctantly closed our doors. Immediately the thought process switched to “how am I going to pay my bills?” And “what the @$&% are we going to do?”
First things first; we started painting and updating the lobby. First things fiI knew that we were going to be down for a while and the only thing that kept my mind from it, was working. No matter what kind of work it was, it felt better than just sitting Idle and stewing.
I saw a brief bit of hope in the PPP loan the government was offering but not having any employees made it not possible. A week or so after I qualified for a small grant of a thousand dollars and a “keep your chin up”. Not even covering my rent on the building, it was gone just as quickly as it came. We needed to figure out something and fast.
Once we finished the lobby we moved into total ass-kick mode. Hiring on a full-time gatekeeper, expanded our marketing to the radio, dropped over 6k on an entirely new merchandise line, and made renovations on the building as I signed the title over and became owner. The world may have been at a standstill but the Inkeeper’s was running full spread ahead.
You can Be on the right track, but if you are standing still on that track, the train is going to hit you. Stay focused on what you can, and deal with circumstances as they arise. So what we couldn’t tattoo for the time being, we were going to make the best of it. The merchandise went directly on the Inkeeper’s e-commerce site and we began taking deposits for appointments once the mandate was lifted.
Staying focused and remaining disciplined is key during times of uncertainty and stress. There were a lot of irons in the fire when Covid hit and panicking wasn’t an option. The shop had 8 people depending on it and this was my only was to pay the bills. Methodically working through the muck will bring you to solid ground. Our internet presence grew since there was nothing to be done physically. Once the building renovations were done it was time to virtually renovate. We overhauled the websites and directed more money to our advertising. We improved our scheduling and upped our prices; yes raised our prices, not lowered. I knew it was important to raise expectations and prices when everyone else was panicking and dropping theirs. Turns out; 2 days, became 2 weeks, which became 2 months, and the money was running short.
On the 15th of May the governor released us back into the wild; opening the doors up once again. We had spent every bit of savings we had so this news couldn’t have come at a better time.
When those doors opened they blew off the hinges. The phone was ringing off the hook and the lines were wrapping the block. It was an incredible turn of events from what we anticipated. The expected slow trickle of clients was anything but. Our books have never been more filled with customers from
An ever farther reach than before the shut down. Our price increase left no one’s mouth soured and even increased our credibility as a steadfast business. The implied power of the radio ads and the billboards and social media presence made us a household name. Staying persistent and striking while everyone else is retreating is essential to making moves in business. We were
Screaming while everyone was whispering, The more that people heard it, the more they wanted to know what the &@$% it is.
It’s the Inkeeper’s , and it’s here to stay.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Being real instead of being right. I’m upfront with my customers and begin to build a relationship as soon as introductions are made. I feel a strong sense of pride in guiding someone through their tattoo journey. It’s a lifelong commitment and being frank is the only way to achieve the best results for both parties. Beating around the bush on that sleeve design that just won’t work and will not look good is a disservice to both of you. This mentality will ruffle some feathers but if you are more Concerned with the client than you are with the money, inevitably the storm will settle and you will both come to an agreement. I’ve had clients storm out of the shop cussing and hollering and almost fist fighting me and I’m hollering and cussing and giving it right back to them and half an hour later they are in the chair getting the stencil put on. If I just pussyfooted around the situation I would have lost the client and my self respect. I have tattooed this specific client three times since this incident and have another session booked for the coming year. People respect you when you are real with them. Leave the smoke and mirrors for the sideshows and bring your vulnerability to the table.
I will often hear around town that I have a heavy hand, and that I charge too much, my books are too full, and that I am too stern (an asshole; if I should be so crass). And that I expect too much from my artists and crew and this and that. While All this may be true; It works. The books are full and the hand is heavy and the cost is so high because I over-promise and I over-deliver. I strive for perfection in everything I do and I expect that mentality from the crew at the Inkeeper’s. I’m stern on my artists and my workers because pressure forms diamonds and hardens off weak minds.
We’ve developed a presence online, on the radio, through social media, raising funds for animal shelters and non profits, being a presence in the community and providing jobs for 9 team members; but we are nothing without our reputation. We take pride in our motto of “Wear Your Story” and are determined to help people achieve that. Our reputation rides on our honesty and objectivity as well as our attitude and artistic ability. Quality work at a quality price is all it boils down to. Be real, and stay real.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.inkeeperstattoo.com
- Instagram: Theinkeeper
- Facebook: Www.Facebook.com/zacadams
- Linkedin: Zac Adams
Image Credits
Ben Lehman Joe Albert