Wondering How to Get Started as a Tattoo Artist? It Starts with a Business Plan

Are you a creative individual with a penchant for something edgier? Perhaps becoming a tattoo artist is the right move for you. If you are wondering what you need to do to get started, continue reading.

Starting a business is a huge endeavor that involves everything from learning about common payment solutions for tattoo artists to hiring employees and understanding tax laws. But before you get into that, you need to have a plan.

Create a Business Plan

Any small business owner needs a plan, specifically a business plan. This is especially important if you are looking for funding in the form of a business loan from a banking institution. Here are the key elements of a business plan:

• Executive Summary – This will include an overview of what your business will do and what products or services you will provide. Include tattoo artistry, of course, but also add any aftercare products or t-shirt and hat lines if you already have this idea in the works. This content is written last, but placed at the beginning of the plan. Include your company’s mission, vision, and goals here.

• Company Description – This section should clearly outline your business’s purpose and how you intend to run it. Include a company description that highlights your history, goals, legal structure, and unique selling points or USP. Share your story regarding why tattoos are meaningful for you and why you want to get into this business.

• Market Analysis – This analysis shows that you clearly understand your chosen industry, the target demographics, and the market, and what your customers are looking for. Include a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis for greater detail. Pay attention to any competitors that might take business away from your studio.

• Products and Services – Explain what you will offer your customers in detail, along with the benefits your services will provide to your customers. Show your passion for tattoo artistry here and explain in detail how you can honor your customers by providing them with high-quality body art.

• Marketing, Sales, and Strategy – Outline how you will attract customers to the tattoo parlor and how you will retain them. Include promotional strategies, applicable sales channels, and pricing. Since some people only want one tattoo on their body, explain how you will attract new customers.

• Organization and Management – Describe the organizational structure of your new business, including all members of your management team. If you are opening up your tattoo shop on your own without any partners, this section will be smaller than the others.

• Financial Projections – Add detailed, researched, and informative financial information, including forecasts that cover the first three to five years of operations. Include start-up costs, cash flow data, and balance sheets. These numbers need to be based on facts and not guesses. If you are just starting your business, you will not have this information. Instead, do your research and use your competitor’s data or industry benchmarks.

• Funding Request – If you are asking an outside source for funding, this is where you will document your requested amount. Back up the number with detailed information on how you will use the money and how you intend to pay it back.

Now that you have a sense of what a business plan entails, it is time to sit down and get to work. Even if you are an artist, the business side of your new endeavour needs to be managed. The best way to do that is with a comprehensive plan