Your own small tattoo studio

Walk-in and booked clients wanting custom tattoos, flash pieces and cover-ups, plus guest artists paying chair rent.

Fees per piece or hour for your own work, plus chair rent or a commission from other artists and some aftercare product sales.

• Established tattooing skills and a portfolio
• Infection control and sterilisation procedures
• Basic business management and bookkeeping
• Marketing and building a local reputation

• Premises standards and licensing vary by state and territory, and some states have specific tattoo parlour licensing, so check before signing a lease
• Council zoning and approval for the location
• Public liability insurance and workers compensation once you hire staff
• Fit-out and lease costs are paid before you earn, so plan your cash flow
• Sharps and clinical waste must be handled and disposed of by the rules in your state
• Working with minors is restricted, so check age and consent rules where you live

Startup costs are typically around $25,000 to $80,000, depending on the lease, fit-out and equipment. These are estimates, and fit-out and lease costs are paid before you earn, so plan your cash flow.

Monthly revenue is typically around $6,000 to $30,000, depending on how many clients you tattoo and whether you rent chairs to other artists. These are estimates, and your costs come out of that.

Check premises standards and licensing for your state or territory, council zoning and approval, sharps and clinical waste rules, age and consent rules for minors, and insurance including workers compensation if you hire staff.