Today we’d like to introduce you to Elias Gleason.
Hi Elias, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started out as just a fan of tattoos and had friends in the industry. I was in business management most my life and spent my free time hanging out with my friends at the shops they worked at and managed. I picked up how to make stencils, setup, breakdown, hygiene, and picked the brain of the owners on what it took. While being a corporate manager living in Austin I came to San Antonio to open a restaurant for a large restaurant group I was a corporate manager for. While on a day off one of my old tattoo friends told me about a shop that needed to be taken over and rebranded. I looked into it and it was a mess. But I was caught a great moment to have the ability to take the risk and I did. I bought it out, disbanded the old company and opened a new one under my LLC. I hired another trusted tattoo friend and moved her down from Ohio to help me open and manage the shop. Even though I knew about the industry there was a lot to learn. I started to learn under her how to actually tattoo myself and became good at it. Not quite like my artist today but enough to do some styles and be proud. It wasn’t easy the first 3 years. We never had a negative month but profit was very thin. I worked at the shop all day and bartended or barnacled at night to pay the bills. I even had to move in with my grandmother for a time lol. Dating was impossible so I sacrificed my whole life. I thought about going back to my old career many times but I stuck it out. I’m so glad I did because the next year things blew up. Business grew exponentially. And every year since it’s better and better. So good that I partnered with my shop manager and main piercer to open another location with her. We opened the second location in 2024 and it’s doing amazing. I have challenges running both shops but I love what I do. I recently had an artist from New York reach out to me saying he used AI to look for a great shop in SA to work at and it gave him information about my shop and me personally. He contacted me and had so much confidence he hopped on a flight and started within two weeks of talking. He’s super happy to be on the team and fits right in. It’s been an amazing journey and while it is a lot to deal with sometimes working and being present the shops for a month on end with no day off I love it. It’s something I risked and dedicated myself to and it’s a part of me.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not always. First 2-3 years were rough. Never a negative month but no profit. I’d work at the shop all day and bartend or barback and night to pay bills. I gave up my social life, couldn’t date, even had to move in with my grandmother. Also artist are not easy to come by that have great talent and good character unfortunately. It took a number of years to get the right team and build up a good enough reputation to attract the right type of artist
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m proud of being a great manager. I know how to get the job done well while making sure my staff is taken care of. If my staff is not happy clients won’t be either. I credit that to being one of the rare tattoo shop owners that is trained and educated in business management and had experience working with large work staffs.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I will only speak to the tattoo industry but it requires some risk and sacrifice. Save enough money to stick it out a few years because the market is over saturated. When you have good people give them and invest in them to have longevity. Don’t be greedy. Always invest back into the business and to your artists.
Pricing:
- 175/hr
- 1200 session
- $600/half day
- Piercings average $45
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.inkandirontattooing.com
- Instagram: @inkandirontattoos210
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EnExuM5mA/?mibextid=wwXIfr
