Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide

Today's episode is all about finding your voice and having the courage to use it—even when conventional wisdom tells you to stay quiet. When you start clearly communicating who you are, what you stand for, and what you love creating, something magical happens. The right people find you. The wrong ones politely step away. Your schedule fills with projects that energize rather than drain you. And yo...

Goal Getter Worksheet - Free download to help you brainstorm and structure your goals   Episode 11 - 8 Reasons You Won't ACHIEVE Your Goals Again This Year with Missi Blue "I was super busy all the time. But was I being productive? Absolutely not. I was just kind of running in circles, feeling confused and messy." - Missi Accountability meetings completely transformed how I approach my business. B...

In this episode, we're diving deep into one of the most crucial aspects of building a sustainable tattoo career - finding and attracting your ideal clients. After 20 years in the industry and owning Bluebird Tattoo, I've learned that working with the right clients isn't just about making better art - it's about creating a career that energizes rather than drains you. I'm sharing my tried-and-true...

Ready to stop spinning your wheels and start making real progress? My productivity masterclass reveals the exact system I used to transform from overwhelm to control in my tattoo business. Get my battle-tested strategies for eliminating time-wasters, conquering your most daunting tasks, and creating a thriving business that actually supports your dream life—straight from someone who's walked the p...

We've all faced those moments where everything falls apart despite our best preparations. Today, I'm sharing my personal experience with a failed management hire that cost me a year of progress, and the lessons that transformed how I handle setbacks in my business. Whether you're dealing with staffing challenges, client issues, or creative blocks, this episode offers practical strategies to help y...

Get my Note Taking Guide Dan Pemble on Instagram Consuming knowledge without applying it is something we've all been guilty of. I'm embarrassed to admit I watched the same seminar seven times before I actually implemented what I learned! In today's episode, I'm sharing how I broke that cycle and created a system that helps me transform seminars and courses from passive consumption into real skill...

Today we're getting real about something that's been kicking my butt lately: post-convention recovery. After crashing hard following the Baltimore Convention and then pushing through a charity flash day before I was fully recovered, I finally recognized the pattern that's been draining my energy and affecting my work. In this episode, I'm breaking down what I've learned about planning for recovery...

The journey to becoming a tattoo artist isn't what most people imagine. After countless messages asking for apprenticeships, I'm pulling back the curtain on what it truly takes to break into this industry. This isn't about gatekeeping—it's about ensuring you're getting in for the right reasons and with the right mindset. An apprenticeship isn't just learning a skill; it's committing to a lifestyle...

Hiring an assistant transformed my business—and my life—but the process wasn't without its challenges. After experiencing first-hand how the right help can pull you from drowning to breathing again, I'm sharing the exact process I use to find assistants who complement my strengths rather than mirror them. From creating job descriptions that attract organized minds (and scare away the wrong candida...

Guest spotting can be rewarding but also intimidating if you're unprepared. I'm pulling back the curtain on both sides of the experience - what you need to know as a traveling artist and what shop owners should consider when hosting guests. From essential pre-trip questions to bringing your portfolio (seriously, why don't artists do this?), I share the communication strategies that make or break t...

In this episode, I explore the all-too-familiar terrain of creative blocks and artistic burnout. As tattoo artists and creators, we've all experienced that moment when inspiration seems to vanish completely—when our artistic well runs dry despite deadlines looming. I share my personal journey through these challenges and offer practical strategies that have helped me reconnect with my creative spi...

Let's talk about boundaries. Join me as I explore the tricky balance between setting boundaries as a tattoo artist and knowing when to bend them. As business owners, we're taught to be crystal clear about what we do and don't do - but what happens when our schedule isn't full? I share my own recent experience with breaking one of my hard and fast rules and how I've been inconsistent with enforcing...

I'm beyond excited to bring you this conversation with my tattoo shop bestie and incredible black and gray artist, Gabe Burgos. What started as a guest spot at Bluebird Tattoo turned into an amazing friendship built on our shared sobriety, brutal honesty about shop ownership, and drive to constantly push ourselves outside our comfort zones. Gabe went from working in factories to running his own su...

"Sometimes your big ideas require a special skill that you don't currently possess and you'd have to learn this new skill. The thought of learning a new skill brings us right back to stress mode. And because when the fuck would you even have time to study and learn this?" I've learned firsthand the challenges of being a solo entrepreneur. After years of doing everything myself and experiencing mul...

"The only thing that's stopping me is me. I am perpetually just getting in my own fucking way. Everything I'm currently struggling with, I brought on myself. I literally make my own schedule." - Missi Blue A chance encounter with a free-spirited client at my shop, Bluebird Tattoo Studio, sparked something in me. Here was someone who had created the exact life I dreamed of when I first opened my sh...

As someone who spent most of my life undiagnosed with ADHD, I'm passionate about sharing how what many see as limitations can actually be superpowers when you learn to work with them, not against them. In this deeply personal episode, I open up about my own journey of late diagnosis, sobriety, and building Bluebird Tattoo - and how my ADHD traits actually helped me succeed. Whether you have ADHD o...

"The things you want are just on the other side of the work, and the work can't start until you take the first step." - Missi When I opened Bluebird Tattoo Studio, all I had were fold-up tables and bare walls. Today, I want to talk about those mental barriers we set up for ourselves - you know, the ones that keep us stuck in place. I've learned that embracing the messy, imperfect beginnings isn't...

"Trust your gut and trust your experience. After a decade of experience, the body knows what to do for a lot of it. You just have to listen a little better." - Casey Hart   In this powerful episode, I sat down with Casey Hart, owner of Foxwood Tattoo Collective and an innovative force in the tattoo industry. Casey opens up about her journey from traditional tattooing to incorporating spiritual hea...

"Business cards are not expensive, guys. I will die on this hill. Even though people might lose them or find you online, having a business card is still so important - it's your first impression and your walking billboard." - Missi Blue In this episode, we're diving deep into the art of turning your social media following into actual paying clients. As tattoo artists, we often focus on growing our...

"In order to reach your goals, you have to become the person who already has them. Stop asking what you want to do and start asking who you need to be." - Missi Blue Today, we're diving deep into why New Year's resolutions often fail and what you can actually do about it. After years of setting goals, breaking promises to myself, and finally finding what works, I'm sharing the real, unfiltered tru...

"I want them to see that my success is a direct result of not giving up, putting in everything I have and am into my dream and working towards my goal. I want them to go after big dreams and know how to reach their goals." - Missi Blue   Let's get real - in this episode, I'm sharing all the ways I've both failed and succeeded at being a mom while building my tattoo career. From hiding my art from...

"Anyone who says they're good at multitasking is full of shit. You're not. I'm sorry. No one is. You might think you are, but if you really sat down and analyze the amount of time it takes you to do things when you are constantly switching between tasks, you would see that you waste a lot of time in your day." Let's get real - we all have those days where we're running around like crazy but someho...

"Whatever you're looking for, you're sure to find it. So find the good things in situations and the people around you in life in general." - Missi Blue In this episode of the Bound by Art podcast, I dive deep into a topic that affects every tattoo artist: managing the energy in your space. As someone who's spent countless hours in close proximity with clients, I've learned that understanding and m...

"Winners are made in the off season. While everyone else is taking a break, we're working our asses off - and when the next season starts, we hit the ground running." - Missi Blue Hey everyone, Missi here! In today's episode, we're diving deep into a reality every tattoo artist faces - the slow season. But here's the thing: instead of seeing it as a setback, I'm showing you how to use this time to...

" My entire career was manifested out of trying to prove someone wrong. I'm just fueled by spite. " - Missi Blue Welcome back to the Bound by Art podcast! In this episode, I'm opening up about my wild 20-year ride in tattooing - from my early days as a stubborn apprentice to finding my groove as a pet portrait specialist. You'll hear how spite and determination (plus some Christmas ornaments!) led...