Own small tattoo studio

Local clients booking by appointment, plus walk-ins, and visiting artists or resident artists who pay you rent.

Your own tattoo fees per piece or hour, plus chair rent or a share of takings from other artists, and sometimes aftercare products.

• Strong tattooing and design skills
• Infection control and clean studio management
• Running a small business and handling rent, tax and bookings
• Managing and attracting other artists

• Premises and artists usually need registering or licensing with the local council, and the conditions on hygiene and layout vary. Check before you sign a lease
• Planning permission or change of use for the unit, and the landlord's consent
• Public liability insurance, employer's liability insurance if you hire, and treatment risk cover
• Safe disposal of needles and clinical waste through a registered collector
• Fixed costs like rent and business rates continue in quiet months, so check whether any rates relief applies

Startup costs are typically around £8,000 to £40,000, depending on the unit, fit-out and equipment. These are estimates, and rent and business rates continue in quiet months, so keep a cash buffer.

Things to check: premises and artists usually need registering or licensing with the local council, and hygiene and layout conditions vary, so check before signing a lease. Also check planning permission or change of use, landlord consent, insurance and clinical waste collection.

Monthly revenue is typically around £4,000 to £20,000, depending on how many artists work there and how busy you are. This is revenue, not profit, and fixed costs like rent and business rates continue.