Tattoo Shop Tango - Ink Different Tattoos

Ink Different Tattoos
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Visual Arts
  • Biweekly

Tattoo Shop Tango: a podcast by tattoo shop owners, for tattoo shop owners. Real talk on the daily business struggles, ideas to improve your shop, and a community that has your back. To learn more about Ink Different visit https://inkdifferenttattoos.com/podcast

  1. 4d ago

    56 Tattoos in One Day: Ink Master’s Boneface Built a “Flash Tattoo Mall,” and It Could Change the Industry

    This week on Tattoo Shop Tango, presented by Ink Different, Paul Anthony and Chico Cortez sit down with Anwan “Boneface” Johnson. You may know him from seasons 8 and 9 of Ink Master. He owns Boneface Ink in Pensacola, Florida, which has been open for 20 years, and he’s now testing a new business model. Boneface got the idea in Nashville, working a flash-only tattoo booth inside a bar. The shop’s record was 30 tattoos in a day, and he broke it with 56. He thought, “If it works there, why not somewhere else?” The result is the Flash Tattoo Mall in Pensacola. It’s a 15-station “shop for tattoo shops” where visiting artists book through a website, show up with their machine, and tattoo walk-ins. The space is stocked and cleaned for them, with no contracts or ties. In this episode, Boneface covers: Why flash and $50-minimum tattoos can out-earn custom work per hour, and why “the only thing that doesn’t lie is numbers.”Why change in this industry is inevitable, from coil machines to pens to AI, and why he was the first to bring wireless batteries to pen machines.Why he runs his shop on brand, front desk and customer service instead of individual artist personalities, using the San Francisco 49ers as his example.How he became a shop owner: he hired artists he admired, offered free booth rent to start, gave them a high percentage, and learned from them.How he looks after his artists as people, and why every artist who has worked for him now owns a shop of their own.Mental Health Mondays, his weekly men’s check-in that drew 20 to 25 guys at a time. It’s built on community instead of performance, with one rule: what’s said in the room stays in the room.His simple advice for anyone in a leadership role: pick two or three people a week and check on them.Connect with Boneface:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonefaceink/ If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to someone you trust. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 at any time. If you enjoyed this episode, like and subscribe. To work with Ink Different Tattoos, email info@inkdifferenttattoos.com. Tattoo shop owners: if you’re looking to build your team with the best up-and-coming artists in your area, head to inkdifferenttattoos.com/connect and let us help.

  2. 4d ago

    Liz Cook Turned Down Ink Master to Protect Her Dream Shop, and It Paid Off

    This week on Tattoo Shop Tango, presented by Ink Different, Paul Anthony and Chico Cortez welcome Liz Cook. She is a world-renowned color realism artist with her own ink line, multiple tattoo shops, a coaching platform, and a six-year-old at home. Liz didn’t plan to be a shop owner, but she says yes to the calling before she knows how it will work out. She tells the story of auditioning for Ink Master, being accepted, and then stepping away because her brand-new studio was the priority. A later opportunity came through TLC’s Tattoo Girls, where she ended up as the “mom” of the group. In this episode, Liz breaks down: Why she believes every artist and shop owner needs a coach or mentor, and how feedback from outside your own head keeps you from getting jaded.Her “go-getter loop” for setting goals, getting feedback, reflecting and repeating.Why perfectionism, imposter syndrome and people-pleasing hold artists back.Why going private isn’t always the solution, and why artists who go solo can end up stagnating without a community.Why every artist needs a real business plan and a hard look at the numbers before leaving a shop split, including rent and supplies.What to do when you’ve been at it for years and the spark fades.How to handle artists leaving. Chico’s take: shop owners are landscapers who plant flowers in other people’s gardens.Why you should give a new venture the same patience you’d give a new tattoo machine, which can take 10 to 50 uses to feel right.Why turning jealousy of other educators into your own work led Liz to build her educational platform.The episode also covers apprentice Clarice Dumas, the Ink Different team’s education work, and why community is the heartbeat of the craft. Connect with Liz:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizcooktattoo/?hl=en If you enjoyed this episode, like and subscribe. To work with Ink Different Tattoos, email info@inkdifferenttattoos.com. Tattoo shop owners: if you’re looking to build your team with the best up-and-coming artists in your area, head to inkdifferenttattoos.com/connect and let us help.

  3. Oct 27

    The Training Secret Behind Black Flamingo Collective: How Jordi Pla Turns Apprentices Into Top Earners

    This week on Tattoo Shop Tango, presented by Ink Different, Paul Anthony and Chico Cortez sit down with Jordi Pla. He is a 150-time award winner, an Ink Master alum, and the owner of Black Flamingo Collective in Bethesda, Maryland. Jordi was a year from graduating in aerospace engineering at UCF when he switched his major to art. Tattooing started as an accident and a hobby. A DM from Chico led to a shop interview, and three months later Jordi was at his first convention, where he won his first award. He went on to do 25 to 40 conventions a year for a decade. Chico calls him proof that hard work beats talent any day. In this episode, Jordi covers: How he got on Ink Master, and how close he came before landing a spot on season 13.Why conventions were the biggest accelerator of his career, from learning by watching artists up close to landing his first sponsor.Neochromatic tattooing, the style he developed from contrasting ideas, textures and colors. It’s built on bold outlines and complementary colors, like reds blending into teals.How he became a shop owner, and why his fraternity brother and business partner Miguel Denari handles the paperwork while he leads the art.His training system: monthly seminars on topics like color theory and professionalism, and why he invests in apprentices.How to teach artists to hustle instead of waiting for walk-ins, from complimenting people’s tattoos and handing out cards to having apprentices start an Instagram before they tattoo.Why a bad hire can drag down a whole shop, why he’s scaling a 19-station shop down to a smaller team, and how to find the right shop size for you.Why he cut back to four or five conventions this year after burning out, and how he plans to bring his team to shows.Connect with Jordi:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordi_bfc/  If you enjoyed this episode, like and subscribe. To work with Ink Different Tattoos, email info@inkdifferenttattoos.com. Tattoo shop owners: if you’re looking to build your team with the best up-and-coming artists in your area, head to inkdifferenttattoos.com/connect and let us help.

  4. Oct 15

    From Health Insurance, a Fictional Island to America’s Longest-Running Tattoo Convention: Meet Jesse Smith

    Welcome to Tattoo Shop Tango! Presented by Ink Different, in this first episode, our hosts Paul Anthony and Chico Cortez sit down with Jesse Smith. Jesse is a Richmond, Virginia Tattoo Artist, the owner of Loose Screw Tattoo Studio, and the man behind the Richmond Tattoo and Arts Convention. If you run a shop, lead a team, or dream of throwing a convention, you’ll learn a lot from this one. Jesse has been tattooing for almost 30 years, starting while he was in the Army. Around 2009, he felt stuck doing the same rabbits and squirrels, so he invented a fictional island off the coast of Ecuador full of its own creatures. Every critter got a name, a backstory, friends and enemies, and his clients now collect characters from that world. The first piece was a 300-hour full-body suit, with a blog post to match. Jesse also breaks down how he runs Loose Screw:-Why he turned every artist into a W-2 employee, and why six people left when he made the change.-How he offers medical and dental coverage, paid vacation, supply ordering, and cleaning, so artists can focus on tattooing.-How the benefits package is funded: an 8% share of each participating artist’s cut that shifts as costs and revenue change.-Why the average artist tattoos only about 10 billable hours a week, and why incentive brackets didn’t change that.-Why he’ll take an artist with a great attitude over raw talent, and why one A player beats ten B players.-Why he’s not chasing a “scalable” business, and how he keeps a human touch in a professional shop.-His “rotate your muscles” method for balancing tattooing, a shop, a convention, and fatherhood without burning out. Jesse also tells the story of the Richmond Tattoo and Arts Convention, which started in 1988, and why he gives free tickets to seniors, students, Virginia-licensed Tattoo Artists, and veterans. This year it runs October 23 to 25 in Richmond, Virginia. Connect with Jesse:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessesmithtattoos/Convention: https://richmondtattooconvention.com/Shop: Loose Screw Tattoo Studio, LooseScrewTattoos.com If you enjoyed this episode, like and subscribe. To work with Ink Different Tattoos, email info@inkdifferenttattoos.com. Tattoo shop owners: if you’re looking to build your team with the best up-and-coming artists in your area, head to inkdifferenttattoos.com/connect and let us help.

  5. 05/30/2025

    Secrets from Tattoo Rescue Revealed! w/ Joey Tattoo

    Ever wonder how reality tattoo shows like Tattoo Rescue actually get started? Spoiler alert: it involves a Jersey guy yelling at a film crew and accidentally becoming a TV star. 😂   In this episode, hosts Paul-Anthony Surdi and Chico Cortez sit down with Joey Tattoo—tattoo shop owner, TV personality, emcee, and all-around industry OG—to talk about:   🎬 The wild story behind how Tattoo Rescue got made. 🔥 What it’s really like fixing struggling tattoo shops across the country. 🎤 Joey's journey from tattooer to one of the most in-demand convention emcees. 🖤 Why old-school respect matters in today’s oversaturated tattoo scene. 🏆 And yeah… the truth about trophies at tattoo conventions (he doesn’t hold back 😅).   Joey also shares stories about his time in the industry, mentoring new Tattoo Artists, tattooing 7 days a week, and giving back through his conventions and charity work.   💬 If you care about tattoo culture, history, and hearing it straight from someone who's seen it all, you’re gonna love this one.   👍 Like, Comment, and Subscribe for more real talk with tattoo legends and industry leaders.   #TattooRescue #JoeyTattoo #InkDifferentTattoos #TattooPodcast #TattooConvention #TattooIndustry #TattooHistory #TattooArtistLife #TattooCommunity #RealityTattooShow #TattooCulture

  6. 05/16/2025

    Tattoo Master to Legend: Gill Montie Drops BOMBS on the Industry, Tupac, and More

    Get ready for a wild ride through tattoo history with a living legend. In this unforgettable episode, hosts Chico Cortez and Gabe Jaksich sit down with none other than Gil “The Drill” Montie and his wife Gemma Montie (and Luna, his pet guardian) to talk about everything—from the roots of American tattooing to Tupac, biker life, Hollywood stories, and preserving the soul of the craft.   💥 What’s inside this epic episode: 🖤 Gil’s stories of tattooing legends like Tupac, working with Zeke Owens, and hanging with Philly Eddie. 🎤 Behind the scenes of movies, music videos, and celebrity tattoos (yep, even Biggie). 🔥 The real difference between today’s industry and the OG tattoo culture. 💉 The magic of being a true “tattoo man” vs. just doing tattoos. 📜 Why preserving tattoo history matters more than ever.   This one isn’t just a podcast—it’s a masterclass in tattoo legacy, passion, and respect for the roots. If you care about tattoo culture, you need to hear this.   👇 Drop a comment if Gil’s stories hit home or if you’ve got your own OG memories to share. 👍 Like, Subscribe & Share to help us keep real tattoo history alive!   HOST: Gabe Jaksich - https://www.instagram.com/tattooingcraft/ Chico Cortez -  https://www.instagram.com/chicom4l/   GUEST: Gill "The Drill" Montie - https://www.instagram.com/gillthedrill/ Gemma Montie - https://www.instagram.com/theoneandonly_mrsdrill/   PRODUCTION TEAM: Studio Production: The Podcast Doctor Post Production: ABBC Productions Editor: Alexandra Voelmle Producer and Editor: Benjamin Collins   COMPANIES ASSOCIATED: Ink Different Tattoos Ink Different Tattoo School Good Humans Aftercare brand   CHAPTERS: 00:00 intro 00:27 Gill Montie the Tattoo Man 03:48 Tattoo Tradition 09:08 TAttoo man as the Medicine Man 11:44 Shop Life 17:20 How Gill and Gemma Met 22:23 Being the partner of a tattoo legend/respecting elders 25:47 Art getting better, pay getting worse/documenting history 35:02 Gill's Hollywood Connections 36:29 TuPac and Biggie 40:42 Relationship between Motorcycles and Tattoos 47:45 Other Tattoo Artists from the past Gill admires 48:41 Gill being a tattoo hero, passing on history and the legac   #TattooPodcast #InkDifferentTattoos #GilMontie #TattooLegend #TattooHistory #TupacTattoo#TattooIndustry #TattooLife #GemmaMontie

  7. 05/02/2025

    How the Tattoo Industry WAS TRANSFORMED for Women w/ Peggy Hurley & Lauren Klose

    The tattoo world hasn’t always been welcoming to women, but that’s changing fast, thanks to artists like Peggi Hurley and Lauren Klose. 💪🎨   In this powerful episode, hosts Paul-Anthony Surdi, Chico Cortez, and Gabe Jaksich sit down with these two trailblazing Tattoo Artists to talk about how women are reshaping the tattoo industry from the inside out.   🔥 In this episode, we cover: ✨ What it was like being a woman in tattooing "back then" vs. now 💥 Breaking barriers and building respect in the shop 🧠 Owning your space—literally and creatively 💡 Advice for women (and anyone!) looking to thrive in the tattoo world   This is a must-watch for anyone interested in the evolution of the industry, female empowerment, and creating inclusive spaces in tattooing.   💬 Tell us in the comments: Who are the women in tattooing that inspire you? 👍 Like, Subscribe & Share for more real talk with tattoo industry pros.   HOST: Paul-Anthony Surdi - https://www.instagram.com/p/DB9eDiHySuB/ Chico Cortez -   https://www.instagram.com/chicom4l/   GUEST: Peggy Hurley - https://www.instagram.com/peghurley/ Lauren Klose - https://www.instagram.com/tattoos_by_lo/   PRODUCTION TEAM: Studio Production: HGAB Studios Post Production: ABBC Productions Editor: Matt Kiem Producer: Benjamin Collins   COMPANIES ASSOCIATED: Ink Different Tattoos Ink Different Tattoo School Good Humans Aftercare brand   #WomenInTattooing #InkDifferentTattoos #TattooPodcast #TattooIndustry #TattooArtistLife #PeggyHurley #LaurenKlose #TattooShopLife #FemaleTattooArtists #TattooCulture

  8. 04/18/2025

    What you DIDN’T know about Tattoo Conventions w/ Legion Avegno

    Think tattoo conventions are just about showing off ink and slingin’ tats? Think again. 👀 In this episode, hosts Paul-Anthony Surdi, Chico Cortez, and Gabe Jaksich sit down with Legion Avegno—tattoo artist, shop owner, and convention runner—to pull back the curtain on the real world of tattoo conventions.   🎪 Here’s what we get into: 🔥 Why every serious tattoo artist should be attending conventions 🎬 What really goes on behind the scenes 💥 The biggest challenges of running a successful event 🎯 What makes a convention stand out—and why some fail   If you’re trying to grow in the tattoo industry, this episode is packed with the kind of insight you can’t Google.   🎥 Watch now and drop a comment with your favorite convention experience—or the one you're dying to attend!   👍 Don’t forget to Like & Subscribe for more tattoo biz tips, artist interviews, and real talk from the industry.   HOST: Paul-Anthony Surdi - https://www.instagram.com/p/DB9eDiHySuB/ Gabe Jaksich - https://www.instagram.com/tattooingcraft/ Chico Cortez -   https://www.instagram.com/chicom4l/   GUEST: Legion Avegno - https://www.instagram.com/legion_avegno/ Orlando Tattoo Show - https://www.instagram.com/orlandotattooshow/   PRODUCTION TEAM: Studio Production: HGAB Studios Post Production: ABBC Productions Editor: Matt Kiem Producer: Benjamin Collins   COMPANIES ASSOCIATED: Ink Different Tattoos Ink Different Tattoo School Good Humans Aftercare brand   Chapters: Intro 00:00 Who is Legion 00:00 The Orlando Tattoo Convention 03:40 Legion Mentor 06:01 traveling tattoo artists 08:53 Current Shop 10:15 style 14:57 how things have changed 17:18 Physical Media 23:14 Fallen Sparrow 25:19 Keep it CLEAN 29:16 Love for the Craft 33:57 Hand Made Trophies 37:11 The Old Idols 39:12 Buisness Owner Responsibilites and Help 41:32   #TattooConventions #TattooPodcast #InkDifferentTattoos #TattooIndustry #TattooArtistLife #TattooEvents #BehindTheScenes #TattooCulture #TattooShopOwner #ConventionTips

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Tattoo Shop Tango: a podcast by tattoo shop owners, for tattoo shop owners. Real talk on the daily business struggles, ideas to improve your shop, and a community that has your back. To learn more about Ink Different visit https://inkdifferenttattoos.com/podcast

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