Cash Flow and Starting a free business

Cash Flow has been a very important subject that I've been going over with apprentices at the shop. Since the Tattoo Industry sees a slow period that usually runs November-March a successful Shop owner will think ahead and establish different flows of cash to keep everything at the shop happy. It's hard now a days to really find opportunities that has nothing to do with MLM's or get quick rich schemes. Most of these you have to pay a monthly fee or spend hundreds for a product that turns out to be worth ZERO!!! So how do you find an opportunity to increase your cashflow?

The opportunity needs to have a viable product. Something people need. The organization should not try selling it's network opportunity. That's an MLM scheme. So what do you know that we don't? In Illinois we've been forced to deal with Com Ed and it's monopoly for Electric. Illinois finally got smart and deregulated. I own Aberration Power Brokerage. An Affiliate of Emex Power in Texas who gives customizable qoutes to commercial customers from it's website. Everyone wants to save money on their electric bill. So customers give us their zip code and a couple of things from their bill and they get a qoute for free from Electrical Suppliers all over the Country. There is no interruption of service, no money needed to switch. Everything is free for the customer to switch over. It's a win win situation.

So by being a broker and teaming up with EMEX I'm able to sell electricity (NO Experience Needed by the way) and make .002 KWH on every account. Plus the residual money every time they renew the contract. So I have no upfront money to sign up. No money ever to buy company products. So its a perfect cash flow business. It's not a get rich scheme. It takes work and dedication. But the rewards pay off. The professional training you get, the support from the home office. Everything you need to run a brokerage is there. You can check out my site at http://www.yousaveusa.com to get more info on how to get your own free site and business that takes nothing to start. Get additional cash flow in your pockets.

Important update !!!

As everyone knows Aberration Tattoo now know as Aberration Pro Custom Tattoo use to be in Belvidere Illinois on Buchanan Street. We were forced to locate the shop to South Beloit because of the neighborhood the shop was in. It has come to our attention that a guy we had hanging around the shop along with his wife are going around saying they had ownership in the shop.

This is very false. Larry and Meridith at no time had any ownership interest in the Tattoo Shop. No license or partnership agreements were ever signed with Larry and Meridith's names. Larry is not an artist or affiliated with Aberration Pro Custom Tattoo at all. In fact they still owe Shawn one of our artist a $100 bucks for a tattoo that he did on Larry. I would be aware of Larry and Meridith for the simple fact that they will tell you many stories about being owners but it isn't true at all. We would never partner with anyone without tattoo industry experience. Neither Larry or Meridith have any shop experience.

What should be included in a Tattoo Apprenticeship?

Many individuals have been contacting me asking what a Tattoo Apprenticeship involves and how long it takes before they can start tattooing. Here at Aberration Pro Custom Tattoo we believe in taking a more involved approach when it comes to training compared to other Tattoo Shops. We believe the following has to be included in any training program.

1. A organized class participation outline

2. Hands on Experience

Each week the shop holds a class where the apprentices come together for a 2 hour class and learn about a variety of subjects. As an example our apprentices will be spending the next few weeks on Cash Flow. Some ask if they are here to learn how to tattoo then why should that subject be something they are learning in an apprenticeship program? The answer I would give to that is real simple.  I do not train individuals to work for me forever. I want them to go out and start their own shops one day, I want them while they are working with Aberration Pro Custom Tattoo to be able to go out there and promote themselves which in turn means they are running their own business while contracting with us for space.

Our school system does not teach financial education which is a shame. That is why you see must people in debt and trying to make ends meet paycheck by paycheck. The Tattoo Business is some kind of monster. It has it's ups and downs, it's feast or famine in the industry. Most people think that artist make tons of money. Yes that can be the case if your smart and run it as a business that depends on your abilities to achieve a set a of goals. Yes I could just put apprentices through the same program most places use. But is it helping train someone for what is really out there in the industry? No it isn't. How can someone be successful in the industry without basic financial education? They can't.

Some other things we have in our program is an extensive amount of Health and Anatomy. I must hit on Bloodborne Pathogens a hundred times a class and during the practical aspect of the Apprenticeship. This is because just like a hospital setting a tattoo shop if not maintained or staff educated can lead to some really bad stuff creeping around. A tattoo shop must be maintained better then a surgical room or doctors office. That takes training every time to drill that into someones head. Our Anatomy class is a month long program that covers everything from nerve and blood vessel location to CPR and First Aid. It is important for an artist to know the locations of important vessels or nerves on someones body before performing a tattoo or piercing.

Last but not least you have to get the hands on experience with everything you learn in class. This can be tracing 1000's of flash designs to making a business plan for your future shop. Our program takes a year to get by the educational part before putting you on an additional 1 year probationary period. In total it's a two year process. You have to be very dedicated to finishing the program or usually it's just a waste of time on both of our parts. If your interested in learning more about the apprenticeship program at Aberration Pro Custom Tattoo visit our website at http://www.aberrationink.com or stop by the shop at 611 Blackhawk Blvd in South Beloit.

Aberration Pro Custom Tattoo Is Illinois State Certified

Aberration Pro Custom Tattoo has received it's Illinois Department of Public Health Certification!!!! What's this all mean? Aberration Tattoo has passed a stringent process in which tattoo shops in the State of Illinois must now pass in order for the shop to remain open. All artist must be Bloodborne Pathogen Certified, the shop must meet the requirements of sanitation set forth by the Department of Public Health. Aberration Tattoo is proud of complying with the new Illinois Tattoo and Piercing Laws. It keeps the good shops open and the bad ones closed.

What are they Thinking?

Nancy Pelosi is set to become the Democratic Party Minority Leader. What the the Democrats thinking? They just got whooped in the last election because the people said that they didn't like what was happening to this country. The people don't like the spending these Democrats went on the past two years and they said it was enough by giving the Republicans the control of the house and almost the whole Senate.

This should show the American people just how screwed up Politicians think. They are in their own little world, power hungry and looking out for their best interest. Nancy Pelosi is the kind of person who cares nothing more then her image and how much control she can get. If elected to be the Minority Party Leader the Democrats will be looking at the defeat of the White House as well as both chambers. The American People are fed up with this non-sense in Washington. The Tea Party has proven that this election cycle. Already the Republicans are moving to kill earmarks and cut taxes. They are the ones with he wind to their back.

Obama is already looking at a crushing defeat no matter what in 2012 and this doesn't help him throwing support behind Pelosi. After all it was her used in half the Republican campaigns to defeat Democratic Runners. I believe the democratic party has been torn apart by these socialist thinking people and until the rest of the democrats stand up and say "Enough is Enough" their party will become less and less viable because the American People are just sick and tired of everything they are about.

The Past-The Present- The Future

I've been personally tattooing since 1994. Back then the stigma of tattoos and piercings was just starting to lift from the old just bikers,convicts and military just got them. The one thing that took a while was the bloodborne pathogen education to really start taking hold. Back then everyone worried about AIDS but since no documented case of the virus being transfered everyone was still dumb when it came to Hep or other types of infections such as staph. I still remember when artist would tattoo without gloves. Talk about a risky business back then.

The art and types of ink we had was way different then it is now. Just like their wasn't many places to go to get a tattoo, supply places to get inks and needles were also in short demand. Moms was the staple of the industry and back then it wasn't really all that good as it is today. Mom's ink today is some of the brightest stuff on the block. Back then tattooist use to use a jigger to make their own needles then use a autoclave to sterilize them and go straight to work.

Most of the tattooing back then was done either at the shop or someone with skill would tattoo you out of the house. Most were called scratchers because they didn't complete the apprenticeships the shops offered. Problem was without that many shops back then those apprenticeships were few far and between. Today the problem of scratching is rampant with the advent of the internet. Anyone can go and buy a kit off Ebay and just start going at it on someone. The biggest problem I see with this is that they have no training in Bloodborne Pathogens. It is the health side of the industry that most people have no clue. There is some nasty stuff out there that can be passed. Yes tattooing is an art form. Yes it is a lifelong journey to get it right. But safety has to be the most important aspect of it.

Back when I started out the Art of tattooing was still in the stone age. Our lining techniques as well as shading techniques were just basic at best. Nowadays artist are doing full color portraits on people. The inks are just out of this world. I've recently changed from Star Bright to Intense. The difference is just amazing. In the future I just can imagine what will be headed our way. Now we have the disposable tools in which to use. No more autoclaving like in the past. Personally I see no reason why if these disposables are here why any other shop in this country would go with metals any more. One time use is the norm and the risks to someones safety is greatly reduced. With the autoclavable barrels or forceps there is still a chance something can be passed. Now with disposable unless some artist is just a pig the chance of something being passed is erased.

The future of tattooing should be very exciting considering all the technology out there. Machines are being developed different from the old coil based machine. Different art techniques are being brought in by the younger generation. I'm waiting for when lasers will be used for tattooing lol. But in the meantime safety remains the biggest issue. Make sure that as a customer you are aware of the artist and the safety of the procedure. Tattooing has been around for millions of years and should be around for as long as the human race remains. Safety must always be the first thing not only on the customers mind, but also the artist.




http://www.aberrationink.com

How can you do $10 Tattoos and $10 Piercings?

Here at Aberration Tattoo we always get the question "What can you get for only $10?" Aberration Pro Custom Tattoos has over 30 different styles of Kangi (Chinese Writing) name tattoos (Actual Edwardian Script 72 Font Size) sheets of flash with $10 Tattoos. We also have plenty of other tattoos that are our daily special such as praying hands, paw prints and a whole lot more.

Aberration Pro Custom Tattoo is a leader in being innovative in the Tattoo industry. Other shops are upset because we drive down prices. Aberration feels it should be on the side of the consumer. Tattoos and Piercings have been over priced for so long it was time for a shop to be proactive in helping all the hard working individuals a chance to get a work of art

The economy today has been rough on everyone. The Tattoo industry still hasn't evolved with the times. Competition is rampant in other industries, Why not the Tattoo Industry? Aberration Pro Custom Tattoo will always be on the cutting edge to promote our industry in a good light. When it comes to the customer you can always know that we have your back.