The document provides an overview of Aardvark Tattoo Company, including its founding, business model, challenges, and operations. Aardvark was co-founded in 2010 by two tattoo artists and a piercer/manager. It is a custom tattoo shop that focuses on cleanliness and professionalism. The co-owners split responsibilities at startup, with one handling design work and another focusing on construction and publicity. Finding a landlord, insurance, and financing were major obstacles as tattoo shops face stigma. The business involves consulting with clients, designing tattoos, getting approvals, doing tattoo sessions over multiple sittings if large pieces are involved, and completing the finished tattoo.

2. Aardvark Tattoo Company “ Aardvark” because it’s first in the alphabet, gender neutral, odd enough to be memorable, cute but not too cute Founded 2/14/10, began to make profit after about 3 months Co-owned by 2 artists (us) and a piercer/manager 2 current independent contractors All custom shop; our motto is “it’s not about us, it’s about YOU”

3. Aardvark is different because… We are CLEAN and professional Our choices of décor, furniture, logo, and other promotional materials are all selected and created with this as our guiding concept

4. Division of Labor!! Most shops are owned by one artist, sometimes an investor Artists don’t make the best managers! Lack of management leads to supply shortages, lack of promotion, general chaos and stress Irish: works harder than both of us.

5. How we started Business plan- not only important for investors, but also to clarify your “game plan” Split up the work- I did all the graphic and web design, Irish did construction and publicity, Paul did the comparison shopping for all fixtures, furniture, and supplies

6. Obstacles NO ONE wants to rent to a tattoo shop! Or insure it Or lend to it (a bank wouldn’t, and private lenders are fraught with problems) Hustlers- credit card machine companies, “contractors,” etc.

7. What, exactly, do you DO? Customer presents idea in a consult We sketch for them and agree on a basic layout & plan

8. We create a finished drawing, often using digital manipulation

9. After the client approves the design, we begin the tattoo!

10. On many larger pieces we do multiple sittings

11. The finished product!

25. A brief history of tattoos Tattoos (or scarification) appear in every culture in the world

26. Oldest discovered tattoo is from about 3,300 bce Often associated with coming of age rituals, healing, and other sacred rites

27. Techniques range as widely as subjects do The modern tattoo machine was developed in 1891 by Samuel O’Reilly

28. As the art form grows, so does the cultural acceptance Jeff Gogue Guy Aitchison Mike DeVries

29. Nikko Hurtado James Kern Paul Booth

30. Ooh, pretty! I want one! WAIT! You must be 18 in the state of Oregon to get a tattoo, those who tattoo minors risk heavy fines and imprisonment Those who tattoo minors or outside of a licensed shop are irresponsible, and most likely unskilled and DANGEROUS! Staph infections/mersa Hepatitis A, B, and C HIV Cover-ups cost more, removal costs more AND hurts more Bad tattoos make you look bad!

31. THINK before you INK! Find a licensed artist you can trust who will listen to what you want If the shop is dirty, reusing needles, or makes you at all uncomfortable, LEAVE! Look at examples of other art & come with an idea, please don’t pick it off the wall! What’s the rush? Your tattoo is an expression of who you are! The quality of your tattoos shows how you feel about yourself!

32. “ A thing of beauty is a joy forever” - John Keats Thank you!