Her Story
About Mary
I started in the tattoo industry in 1997 when I saw an ad for a piercer and shop manager position. I interviewed with a guy named Uncle Russell, and we had the same birthday, so he hired me. I spent 25 years in that industry, eventually owning my own tattoo shops and managing operations for a business in Kansas City that had 6 different shops with about 35 people under my supervision. I've been published several times as a writer for Tattoo Guru magazine, where I interviewed the old-timers and documented tattoo history, hearing firsthand experiences from artists who tattooed back in the 50s and 60s and how much the industry has changed. I also do technical writing on tattoo machines themselves and creative writing for fetish and body modification books. One of my most important contributions was taking part in legislation work to get tattooing legalized and regulated in multiple states. I worked with health departments to present them with regulations, inspection protocols, and licensing requirements, helping to bring legitimacy and safety standards to the industry. Eventually, I got out of tattooing because it lost its soul for me. It used to be a sacred art that only a few people did, but now the industry is so flooded that it's not special anymore and has lost its magic. Today, I look for writing gigs, management positions in retail, and do contract work, bringing the same empathetic leadership style and communication skills that made me successful in the tattoo world.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Mary
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think my success has a lot to do with me being empathetic in the way I communicate. Growing up with 4 older brothers, I know what works with guys, and I think the tattooers respected me because I didn't pull the girl card a lot and I didn't put up with nonsense. My communication skills are really what set me apart. You can't get in the client's head and see what they want, so you have to really sit down and do a good consultation and give them a few options when you draw it up. I think people liked that I took my time. My family shaped a lot of who I am, so I would definitely give them credit for my success.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I ever got was to never take no for an answer and always do what you know. I followed that model, and that persistence made me successful.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I think it's really important, especially in anything that's sales or tattooing, to not be arrogant about it. You're always going to have a different client in your chair, no matter if you're good at tattooing or bad at tattooing. It's going to change based on the person that you're working with. So be open, be on the level, and don't be unreachable. A lot of tattoo artists, once they become famous, are arrogant as all get out and treat their clients horribly. But it's nicer if they can take their earbuds out while they're tattooing and have a conversation with people about the piece to really make it a good experience.
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