Unraveling the Art of Tattooing

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Unraveling the Art of Tattooing" – Beauty with a Twist

Release Date: January 17, 2025
Host: Dede
Guest: Alexis Soul, Tattoo Artist and Owner of Be More Ula

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1. Introduction and Meeting

In this episode of Beauty with a Twist, host Dede welcomes Alexis Soul, a pioneering female tattoo artist from the San Fernando Valley and owner of the tattoo studio Be More Ula. Their connection was sparked through social media, highlighting the power of digital platforms in modern entrepreneurship.

Dede [00:24]: "You are our first female tattoo artist."

Alexis [01:01]: "I slid in the DM... we're Cancers, by the way. So I think that right there, we just connected."

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2. Alexis’s Background and Journey into Tattooing

Alexis shares her unconventional path to becoming a tattoo artist, emphasizing her early start in the industry. At 16, she began working at a tattoo shop in North Hollywood, initially focusing on piercings before transitioning to tattooing. Her self-taught approach through Instagram and practice with friends laid the foundation for her successful career.

Alexis [02:02]: "Right out of high school, I started working at a tattoo shop, and I was actually doing piercings."

Dede [03:05]: "Can I tell you that I have a lot of people that always slide in our DM?"

Alexis [04:24]: "The Instagram page that I have now, that is now my tattoo account was just a personal page that I started in high school, started posting tattoos, and people just started following me."

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3. Cultural and Family Challenges

Navigating her career choice wasn't straightforward for Alexis, especially within her Hispanic family where traditional paths like college and a stable 9-to-5 job were highly valued. Initially facing disappointment and taboo, Alexis persevered, ultimately gaining her family's support and admiration as her success became undeniable.

Alexis [05:32]: "Growing up in my family, it was very taboo to not go to school, not get a 9 to 5. That's like the dream, right?"

Alexis [06:42]: "She sees that, and she sees that... but she still doesn't really see it fully, but what matters to her most is the financial stability and independence."

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4. Niche Selection and Tattoo Industry Dynamics

Alexis delves into the distinctions between old school and new school tattoo artists. She criticizes the traditional approach where artists often lacked specific skills, relying instead on broad capabilities that sometimes compromised quality. In contrast, modern artists like herself focus on specific niches, utilizing social media to showcase high-quality work and build a loyal clientele.

Alexis [10:33]: "There's a huge difference between people who learn how to tattoo and artists who learn how to tattoo."

Dede [11:38]: "And old school artists hate that."

Alexis [11:42]: "They’re producing better work... we're young, we know how social media works."

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5. Business Operations and Pricing

Running her own tattoo shop involves meticulous business management. Alexis employs a booking assistant to streamline appointments, demanding a $100 deposit to ensure serious clientele. She explains her pricing strategy, which ranges from $200 for small tattoos to $1,600 for full-day sessions, reflecting her expertise and the quality of her work.

Alexis [24:16]: "I have a booking assistant. Everybody goes through her because again, time management, right."

Alexis [24:43]: "A full session with me is going to run anywhere from $1,400 to $1,600 for a day."

Alexis [32:00]: "I just opened a shop last January, so we're like one year mark right now."

She also discusses the pros and cons of booth renting versus commission-based arrangements, emphasizing the importance of providing a safe and professionally managed environment for both artists and clients.

Alexis [33:17]: "Everybody at the shop books their own clients. I don't book people for them."

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6. Advice for Aspiring Tattoo Artists

Alexis offers pragmatic advice for newcomers to the tattoo industry. She advocates for a self-driven approach, utilizing online resources like YouTube and social media tutorials instead of traditional apprenticeships, which she criticizes for being outdated and sometimes abusive. Investing in quality equipment and practicing relentlessly are key steps she emphasizes.

Alexis [38:44]: "Honestly, just run it. Just go for it."

Alexis [39:15]: "The best advice I could give is to buy a good machine, okay? A good machine is going to cost you at least $1.5 grand, for sure."

Alexis [42:45]: "And you don't need tattoo schools. You can do everything at home on YouTube or follow tattoo artists who teach online."

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7. Client Experiences and Horror Stories

The conversation takes a dramatic turn as Alexis recounts intense client interactions. She shares a story of a client who developed a severe staph infection after getting tattooed and another involving a brother who passed out during a tattoo session. These anecdotes underscore the importance of professionalism, client care, and the unpredictable challenges tattoo artists may face.

Alexis [58:20]: "I tattooed a girl once... two days later, she hit me up... she was in jail and had a staph infection."

Alexis [61:16]: "A brother passed out during his tattoo session... his sister was bawling, and he was unconscious for a bit."

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8. Conclusion and Closing Quote

As the episode wraps up, Alexis leaves listeners with an inspiring quote from Mel Robbins, advocating for boldness and resilience:

Alexis [65:42]: "Fail fast. With everything that you do, dive headfirst into the abyss and do it brave, do it scared. Just go for it. Life is so short... just go for it. And nine times out of ten, it works out."

Dede closes by encouraging listeners to follow Alexis on Instagram and acknowledges her dedication and success in the tattoo industry.

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Key Takeaways

• Self-Education and Social Media: Modern tattoo artists like Alexis leverage social media and online resources to hone their craft and build client bases, diverging from traditional apprenticeship models.

• Niche Specialization: Focusing on specific styles or techniques can set artists apart in a competitive market, ensuring quality and attracting dedicated clients.

• Professionalism and Client Experience: Providing an exceptional client experience is crucial for repeat business and positive word-of-mouth referrals.

• Business Acumen: Effective time management, strategic pricing, and professional management of appointments are essential components of a successful tattoo business.

• Resilience and Adaptability: Embracing challenges, learning from failures, and continuously adapting are vital for growth and longevity in the tattoo industry.

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This episode offers an in-depth look into the world of tattoo artistry through Alexis Soul's experiences, highlighting both the creative and business aspects of the industry. Her insights serve as valuable guidance for aspiring tattoo artists and those interested in the evolving dynamics of the beauty and service sectors.

Transcript

[Didi]

Hey, guys. Welcome to Beauty with a Twist. I'm your host, Didi, and my guest today is.

[Alexis Soul]

I'm Alexis. I'm a tattoo artist from the San Fernando Valley. I have a tattoo shop named Be More Ula, and I tattoo for a living.

[Didi]

Oh, we have a tattoo artist.

[Alexis Soul]

Look at us go.

[Didi]

I know. Can I just say, you are our first female tattoo artist.

[Alexis Soul]

Okay.

[Didi]

So welcome. Yay.

[Alexis Soul]

I'm so happy to be here. I know.

[Didi]

We honestly, I know that we met. Well, tell us kind of how. Yeah. You know, it happened that you were okay.

[Alexis Soul]

But tell me that I got here, how we got here, basically, obviously, Monique. I love her.

[Didi]

I saw her shout out to Monique.

[Alexis Soul]

Shout out to Monique. We love her. Yeah. It came up on my page. I saw your podcast. I went through your whole page. I was obsessed with you. She's beautiful. She's great. And I was like, how can I be on the show? Like, how can I do this? Can I tell you? I slid in the dm.

[Didi]

I know she did size. Yeah. I slid. Yeah. Can I tell you that I have a lot of people that always slide in our dm? I bet it's like, they tell us their story, and it's great, and it's amazing, and there's tons of messages that we get.

[Alexis Soul]

Right, of course.

[Didi]

But it's always the same, like, okay, another wax or another, you know, person in the beauty industry. So when I seen you, you do tattoos. Yeah. And I seen your work, I think that's what, like, I was like, oh, my gosh. Like, this is it. This is who I want. I need her. And that's kind of just what happened.

[Alexis Soul]

That makes me so happy. I feel like I wasn't formal at all in your DMs. I was just like.

[Didi]

I was literally just like, hi.

[Alexis Soul]

Love you.

[Didi]

Yeah, let's collab. And I think it's just, we're Cancers, by the way. So I think that right there, we just connected.

[Alexis Soul]

I know. I love it.

[Didi]

We just connected, and from there, and look where we are.

[Alexis Soul]

Cancers are on a different level.

[Didi]

Yeah. You know, so tell us a little bit about your background, how you got tattooing. Just.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah. Great. Okay.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

So, I mean, first of all, I never went to college. Okay. Right out of high school, I started working at a tattoo shop, and I was actually doing piercings. I wasn't a tattoo artist, but I was, like, 16. I thought, this is so cool to work at a tattoo shop. Right. And when I started working there, I started seeing. I mean, at that time, it was full of old School tattoo artists. And I'll. I'll put little air quotes around that because we'll. We'll get into that later. But I remember thinking to myself, like, wow, Like, I can totally do that. And I was already spending so much time there. So after school, I would go to tattoo shop. I would, like. I was learning how to do piercings, but I was also learning how to do tattoos a little bit here and there. And I just sort of started posting random tattoos that I would do on my Instagram, because at the time, it was just like, how cool.

[Didi]

You were 16. He said, yeah, like, how. How long?

[Alexis Soul]

I know. Yes. I'm like, wait, you're like, math.

[Didi]

The math. I need to know.

[Alexis Soul]

Okay. I was like. I was 16, so I was, like, a sophomore or junior in high school, and I started working at a tattoo shop in North Hollywood as an apprentice.

[Didi]

Okay.

[Alexis Soul]

Cleaning, like, learning how to just do piercings and stuff. Okay. And then from. From being there and cleaning and spending so much time there, I would obviously see other people tattooing. And I remember thinking to myself, I can totally do that. Doesn't look that hard. And I was already spending so much time there that I would, like, practice on friends and stuff like that.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

And because I thought it was so cool to tattoo, I would post it on my Instagram. Like, the Instagram page that I have right now, Alexis underscore, xo. It's actually Soul. A lot of people are like, what the is an xo?

[Didi]

Can I tell you? I was gonna say your ass.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

Name is X.

[Alexis Soul]

Okay.

[Didi]

But it's different.

[Alexis Soul]

My name is Alexis Soul.

[Didi]

Okay.

[Alexis Soul]

Like. Like the sun. Yeah. But people don't really catch on to it because. Why did my mom put an X on it? I. I don't know.

[Didi]

So she realized on your birth certificate.

[Alexis Soul]

My birth certificate is Alexis Soul, and it's spelled X O, L. That's so dope. Yes, exactly.

[Didi]

That's so dope.

[Alexis Soul]

Exactly.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

But most people are like, xo, L. Cool. Q. I guess.

[Didi]

I don't know.

[Alexis Soul]

Anyways, the Instagram page that I have now, that is now my tattoo account was just a personal page that I started in high school, started posting tattoos, and people just started following me, and I kept tattooing, and I didn't go to college because College. She wants to do that.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

And I was just like, let's wing it. Like, let's see what's gonna happen, you know? So then I just. I just kept tattooing and, you know, disappointing my family and. And it. And somehow I've Gotten here today.

[Didi]

Yeah. And look at you now.

[Alexis Soul]

Good. And we're thriving. We're happy.

[Didi]

So does your family think of you different now because you're successful? You are at a good place face. What do they say now?

[Alexis Soul]

Are you Hispanic?

[Didi]

Yes.

[Alexis Soul]

Okay. I am, too.

[Didi]

Are you the middle child?

[Alexis Soul]

No, I'm the baby.

[Didi]

Okay.

[Alexis Soul]

So that's which makes it works. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Which makes it worse. Growing up in my family, it was very taboo to not go to school, not get a 9 to 5. That's like the dream, Right? So me, the baby of the family, saying, I'm gonna tattoo. I'm not gonna go to school. Let's wing it and hope for the best.

[Didi]

You gave him a heart attack.

[Alexis Soul]

A heart attack. It's like. It was literally like, the news that I could have broken to my mom. Right?

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

But I think that realistically, that generation, they lived such a different lifestyle that really all she wanted is for me to be able to be financially independent. And now, years. Years and later, now that I am, she's like, telling her friends, like, oh, yeah, she tattoos. Like, hit her up for tattoos and stuff. But of course, it took a really long time for us to get there, just because it's just a very different generation with very different upbringings.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

And what we do, even what you do, is so foreign to them.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

As a way of being successful.

[Didi]

Yeah. Because they think that the only way to be successful is you go to school.

[Alexis Soul]

Correct.

[Didi]

You know? Correct. It's like this generation is so different, though.

[Alexis Soul]

Correct.

[Didi]

That I feel like it's not even about school. It's like, okay, you go to school, you're wasting your. You know what I mean?

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah. And blessed her heart. You know, she doesn't know any better. And, you know, a lot of our parents didn't really get the opportunity to go to school and get a 9 to 5.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

So I get it.

[Didi]

But it's the old generation. That's how they think. That's how they'll forever think.

[Alexis Soul]

Yes.

[Didi]

But I feel like now the place that you are. And after she sees this watch. She's gonna be bragging to her amigas. She be like, my kid. That's my kid. Right There she is.

[Alexis Soul]

But what's so funny is that my mom has no clue of Instagram at all. She doesn't have an Instagram. She doesn't know how to use it. She still doesn't really understand the context of what I do or how successful I am. Because she doesn't. She's not on social media.

[Didi]

Not on Facebook.

[Alexis Soul]

She's on Facebook, but I'm not on Facebook. Like. Like, she knows that I can afford to support myself, and then I'm happy, and then I drive a nice car, but she doesn't really get it. You know, she'll tell me, all my. My friends follow you, but I don't.

[Didi]

Know what that means.

[Alexis Soul]

And, like, she's just not there, and she's still not there, you know? And it's okay. She doesn't really see it fully, but what matters to her most is the financial stability and independence.

[Didi]

She sees that, and she sees that.

[Alexis Soul]

And she's like, you know what? I'm happy. Sure.

[Didi]

Whatever.

[Alexis Soul]

I don't know what the fuck she's doing, but she's doing something.

[Didi]

Right. Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

So.

[Didi]

So you didn't get into piercings, Right. You got more into the tattooing.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

Now, did you. Oh, my gosh. Do you.

[Alexis Soul]

Have you pierced every part? No. Ill. No, people. Because I want to know.

[Didi]

I want to.

[Alexis Soul]

You know, let's talk about that. People ask me that all the time. And during the first two years when I worked at that tattoo shop, I was apprenticing, so I was watching what my mentor did. Did?

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

And he did everything.

[Didi]

Like, everything.

[Alexis Soul]

Oh, like, everything that you could think of. And it was like little Alexis, like, like, barely 18 years old, like, back there while girls are dropping their panties. Like, let me tell you, girl, it's not. It's kind of yuck.

[Didi]

It's kind of yuck.

[Alexis Soul]

And, like, I hate to say it, but people. A lot of people do not take care of themselves, you know?

[Didi]

Oh, I know. I'm in the. In. I want to.

[Alexis Soul]

You. You know what I mean? And it's like holding professionalism during those moments is really hard now.

[Didi]

Oh, my God. You've seen a dick get period. I just need to know. Guys really do it. Oh, my God.

[Alexis Soul]

They do.

[Didi]

They.

[Alexis Soul]

They do. They do. And not only that, there's, like, a million different ways it could be done, so you just use your imagination on that one, and we'll leave it at that.

[Didi]

Gross.

[Alexis Soul]

Gross.

[Didi]

So you were like, I don't want to do piercings. I'm there to start.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

Tattooing and stuff. Did you kind of find your niche into it? Like, you were like, I don't want to do color. I want to stick.

[Alexis Soul]

That's a. Yeah, that's a great question. Because I started as a piercing apprentice.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

I never had a mentor to teach me how to tattoo. And so the safest route was just doing really simplistic Line work stuff because I didn't know how to do anything else and nobody was there to teach me how to do anything else. And I think I accidentally fell into my niche that way because it was safe and not so much because I only wanted to do line work, but because at that time that's all you really. I didn't know how to do anything else. And then there was this huge market for like minimalistic, simple stuff. So then there was me, like little 18 year old Alexis tattooing. And within a few years I was busier than everybody else in that shop that had been tattooing for like 10, 15 years.

[Didi]

Because now we're going to get into it. The old school tattoos are like, oh, gosh, you know, the girls, the fudgeing clown girls, faces and yeah. The black and white. Very art. What is, what is the fucking name of it?

[Alexis Soul]

What is traditional?

[Didi]

Traditional.

[Alexis Soul]

And not only that, there's a huge difference between people who learn how to tattoo and artists who learn how to tattoo. And what I mean by that is that in the tattoo industry and people are not going to like this at all. In the tattoo industry, there's people who Google shit and copy it and profit off of it and accept every single client and say, I can do that, I can do color, I can do black and gray, I can do line work, I can do everything. Because they're in it for the money. And physically, can they try their best to do that? Yes. Is it going to look good? No, it's really not.

[Didi]

Damn.

[Alexis Soul]

And that differentiates between people who have a specific niche and they narrow it down, they get really good at it because they have an artistic background to back it up with actual artistic skills. Does that make sense? Yes, that makes total sense versus Google searching. And like, there's a huge separation in the industry between those two types of people.

[Didi]

And old school artists hate that.

[Alexis Soul]

New school artists.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

Not only because we're producing better work. Right. But because we're, by producing better work, we're also able to charge more and we have more clients that want us. Right. Because the quality of the work is just so much better.

[Didi]

Because it's new.

[Alexis Soul]

Because it's new. And on top of that, we're young, we know how social media works. And social media is so important. You, you know that. Yeah, you know, so it's like, so.

[Didi]

Those tattoo artists were just doing it for a quick buck. That's basically what it is.

[Alexis Soul]

Well, and before there was social media, I mean, tattoo shops were profiting off of just sitting and waiting for people to walk in the door. Right. So it's like, I don't blame them. You know what I mean?

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

They, they didn't have like booked appointments months ahead. It's like, we're going to go in and if somebody walks in and then they want, like, Sailor Joe tatted on their arm, we're Google searching it and doing it. You know what I mean?

[Didi]

Do people still get that?

[Alexis Soul]

I'm sure somewhere. I'm sure somewhere in some universe. They do, for sure. Because there's. There's a market for everything. Everything. Yeah, there's a market for everything.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

You can't, you can't hate on it, you know?

[Didi]

And you know what, too? I feel like we have to give them props, though, to do old school artists 100. Because they're still running a business.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

Still. And if they'd be smart to hire new school artists.

[Alexis Soul]

Correct.

[Didi]

Because it's bringing them clientele, it's springing them, it's bringing them, like, people to get to know their shop too.

[Alexis Soul]

Correct. And also just to learn from new people. You know what I mean? Like, if you stay stuck in the same old mindset and you never learn, you never grow, you just stay stagnant. And that's the biggest downfall that people make. Right? Especially old school tattoo artists, is instead of saying, like, oh, this 19, 20 year old is booked out. How are you doing that? Can you tell me how you're doing that so I can learn from you instead of that, they're like, you, you, you're not even tatted, you don't have sleeves.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

You didn't go through an abusive apprenticeship. Like, you're not worthy of being included in this industry, you know, and it's very, very, very gatekeepy. The tattoo industry is very hard to get into.

[Didi]

So let me ask you this.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah, Please.

[Didi]

Because you're beautiful.

[Alexis Soul]

Right. Thank you.

[Didi]

And this is a male dominant type of industry.

[Alexis Soul]

Right?

[Didi]

100%.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

So what do they say when they look at you? Do they. Are they like, you got the hose? For sure.

[Alexis Soul]

Oh, my God. Got the hose. Is crazy.

[Didi]

For reals. Because let me tell you something, they're probably like, wow, she works out beautiful. That's already number one. She is a natural pretty. She is a tattoo artist. She has her own spot.

[Alexis Soul]

Like, oh, yeah, I'm being gassed up right now.

[Didi]

But that's probably what they. Right. Come on.

[Alexis Soul]

For sure. But you know what the first I.

[Didi]

Would say, do they take you serious?

[Alexis Soul]

Is what I'm trying to tell you. Five to six years of My professional life.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

Being a tattoo artist, I never once posted my face, my body, anything, because I. I wanted to make it so badly and gain respect of people in the community.

[Didi]

Yes.

[Alexis Soul]

That I never posted myself. Now I 100 reels. All of that. We're marketing off of it.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

For sure. Because Dumb not to.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

Okay. But back then, in the beginning of my career, I never post myself because even now, people don't. People are gonna assume that I'm booked, that I have this, that I have that.

[Didi]

That.

[Alexis Soul]

Because of all these other reasons. Because they're fudgeing haters. You know what I mean?

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

It's so much easier to say, like, she's booked because she's hot, instead of saying she's booked because she's worked for the past 10 years, built a clientele. She has talented background.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

Talented. You know what I mean?

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

People are haters.

[Didi]

Yeah. Absolutely.

[Alexis Soul]

That's it. Period. That's all there is to it. But now, do people take me seriously? They do, because the work speaks for itself. Do I still have haters in my comments? 100.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

I welcome it.

[Didi]

I like them.

[Alexis Soul]

Swear to God, I'm a fucking troll. Like, I'm not responding to them, but, like, yeah, I welcome it. It's great for the algorithm.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

Do people take me as seriously as male tattoo artists? I don't know. But do I have control over that? I know I don't.

[Didi]

Yeah. That's what I'm saying. Like, they probably. I bet she was kind of like, hell, because it's such a dominant industry that kind of like, they're not going to take. Oh, she's just another one. She just wants, like, she just wants a clout. She. She just wants attention. She's just what they're thinking because they.

[Alexis Soul]

Are 100%, you know, finally.

[Didi]

It's how that. It's was probably really hard for you.

[Alexis Soul]

It was very hard.

[Didi]

I gave you so much, pops.

[Alexis Soul]

Thank you.

[Didi]

Did that shit. You all you guys. You guys are thanking my face? No, I'm. I'm going to show my work for.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

What it is.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

And now look where the fudge you are.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah, exactly. And like, I always just. I'm so fueled by people's doubting me. It's been one of my biggest, greatest aspects of, like, my growth is that. That when people doubt me and they want to give me 10 million reasons why I shouldn't.

[Didi]

Couldn't.

[Alexis Soul]

I'm like, perfect. Can't wait. Let's run it back. Let's run it. Like, I'M so prepared.

[Didi]

So you, have you gotten friends that like really do hate on you? Like, okay, like let me give you an example. Yeah, I have, I used to have a large. Okay, so you know, you have different friend groups. I mean, I don't know if you have different friend groups, but I used to have different friend groups. As in, I used to have my party friends, this is my right, going out friends. And then I used to have like, this is my nurturing friends. This is my friends that I could trust. Then I have my long term besties. We don't talk that much, but it's like, hey, girl, how you doing? We're still always going to be friends.

[Alexis Soul]

Okay.

[Didi]

So I had this other friend group, right. And we were close, we were cool. Known them since before high middle school. Right. I had my business and not one of them sat in my chair. And it's so funny because complete strangers trusted me and my own friends didn't. And they would go to purposely go to other estheticians and post them. And I'm like, you're not my friend, bitch. You're a hater. Because. And it, you know, that's what I mean.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah, absolutely. And I think that having friends who are not willing to be your friend if you're doing better than them, it speaks for itself. You know what I mean? Like, they're not, I don't want you near me anyways. I have so many friends that are doing so much better than me and I gravitate towards them because I'm like, how do you do that? Can you teach me? Like, I want to support you. You support me because that's, that's how you grow. That's how you have a big mindset. Like small minded people are like, oh, no, you make me feel small. Get away. Right? And like power to them. Let them. I, of course I had friends like that.

[Didi]

Yeah. I feel like a real friend is going to applaud you even if you're doing better than them no matter what. And that's your true friend.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah. You know, and realistically, I prefer to surround myself with people that are doing way better than me.

[Didi]

Same.

[Alexis Soul]

I would rather be a tiny little fish in a big pond than be the biggest fish in a tiny, tiny, tiny little pond.

[Didi]

Oh my God. Can we short clip that?

[Alexis Soul]

Like, like, like genuinely though. And that goes for everything, even gym with me right now. I started at Planet Fitness and I'm like, I'm the, I'm the biggest fish in this tiny little pond.

[Didi]

And you're like, I need to get out.

[Alexis Soul]

And I need to get out. Like, I want to go to a gym and be in fear of my life because I'm surrounded by jacked girls and boys that make me feel weak as.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

Like, that's what I want.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

You know what I mean?

[Didi]

No, absolutely. I know what you mean. I, I listen, it's like, I've said this on my podcast. It's like who you are, who you hang out with. My mom used to tell me that my mom is like, your friends justify you. As in, like, if your friends are doing this, then that you're going to do those with that with your friends. And it's just, you know, and I had gotten rid of a lot of friends. I'm not even going to lie. I'm being so transparent because I had friends, close friends, and I just ghosted them. And it sucks because I didn't give them any closure. And did they reach out? No. Because it's a question. According to them, I'm a. And I did this, this, and that doesn't matter. But what I'm trying to say is, is because I, you're not, I'm not benefiting from you. And that sounds really harsh, but it's.

[Alexis Soul]

No, it's really harsh at all.

[Didi]

I, I, what am I getting out of this friendship? I need to get something out correct of this friendship.

[Alexis Soul]

100 does.

[Didi]

Do I mean money? No. I mean, I want to get advice. I want to give you advice. I want to receive the advice.

[Alexis Soul]

100.

[Didi]

Right.

[Alexis Soul]

I couldn't agree with you more. If it's not benefiting me emotionally, financially, spiritually, I don't want it. And that goes, that applies to everything, right?

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

Friends, romantic partners, business, everything. Like, it's not selfish at all to, to choose that and to ghost people because they're no longer benefiting you. And it's okay that maybe at one point they were benefiting you and they just no longer are.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

Because again, like, growth mindset, you know, we're not here to stay stagnant.

[Didi]

Yeah. I can just name the amount of friends who I talk to on daily in one hand. Oh, yeah, me too.

[Alexis Soul]

Me too.

[Didi]

That's just who I talk to every day.

[Alexis Soul]

Those are my people, 100%.

[Didi]

I am so proud of them. They're actually doing better than me 100%. And they think I'm doing better than them. I'm like, yeah, you're doing better than me. But I am, I am applauding you.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

And we are celebrating the smallest.

[Alexis Soul]

I love that.

[Didi]

You know, I love that.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah. I, People ask me all the time like, oh my God, do you, do you go out? Like, you must have so many, you must have so many friends. Like you're so popular.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

And like I literally don't with anybody.

[Didi]

So true.

[Alexis Soul]

Like, I literally don't fuck with anybody. Like I have two best friends and I hang out with them physically outside of work a handful of times a year. Everybody else on social media, friends, of.

[Didi]

Course, that's like acquaintances.

[Alexis Soul]

Acquaintances. Of course. But like people that I would spend my time with because time is very valuable. Very, very few.

[Didi]

Yeah. I 100 agree. I'm just over the.

[Alexis Soul]

And I like it like that. Yeah.

[Didi]

I'm over going out.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

And you know, I think I like dinners.

[Alexis Soul]

Me too.

[Didi]

I like to go. I, you know, I like an agenda.

[Alexis Soul]

I know, me too.

[Didi]

Like an agenda. I love an agenda. I live by it.

[Alexis Soul]

Yes.

[Didi]

I have a schedule and if I don't go by that schedule.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

I'm up the next day. I am tweaking. I am, I'm not all there.

[Alexis Soul]

No. 100%.

[Didi]

And I feel like I, I don't know how I used to do when I was 21 years old. Going out, stay out to 6am no. Then coming and going to work. I know it's not all there. I feel like now I'm locked in.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

And I, it's crucial for me to go to bed at a good time, wake up, waking up at a good time. Yeah. And having a schedule for myself. Yeah. 100.

[Alexis Soul]

And when you start to be successful, those little increments of time that you used to take advantage of before and fudgeing. Stay out till 6am And.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

And just take advantage of now. They're so important. It's like, no, I can't hang out after work because I only have a 30 minute window to eat and then I have to get dressed and go to the gym. And then after that I still have to like talk to client. Like, like every little minute counts. And so if I'm willing to give you a little segment of my free time, you better, it better, better be benefiting me emotionally, physically, spiritually.

[Didi]

One of the three for sure.

[Alexis Soul]

If not, that segment is going to make me money and I can spend it in a different way. Whether it be editing, feeding myself. Like time is money person.

[Didi]

Agree.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

So now do you take. Because I want to know. I want to know about the tea. I want to know about your pricing. I want to know.

[Alexis Soul]

Oh God, she said let's dive. I want to talk about money into it. I like money.

[Didi]

Let's talk money.

[Alexis Soul]

Do you, let's do, do it.

[Didi]

How many clients do you take a day now? So we passed the whole apprentice. We did the. Okay, we did the piercing.

[Alexis Soul]

Are you talking now?

[Didi]

Let's, let's talk about now.

[Alexis Soul]

Okay, we're diving. Okay, to. First of all, I have a booking assistant. Everybody goes through her because again, time management, right. I would rather outsource, pay somebody to manage all of that for me because I can use my time to do something else. So everybody goes through my booking assistant and before they even talk to me personally, they're paying a hundred dollar deposit just to say I would like a moment of her time. Okay. And that's not me being cocky. That's just me being professional and, and security, but also narrowing down who's being for real and who's wasting my time. And at this point in my business, I don't want anybody that's going to waste my time try and haggle prices with me. Like, we're not doing that. We're narrowing down. Who's so fudgeing for real and who's so serious about booking an appointment? Me. That sending a hundred dollar deposit is no problem. Right. So that's what, that's for now. Yes. I only take one client a day, especially because I'm prioritizing larger appointments, larger sessions. If it's small stuff, I'll take multiple a day. A full session with me is going to run anywhere from 14 to 1600 for a day. Okay. Now when I say a day, I'm not, I'm not talking about a 9 to 5. Okay. A day for me. And people are not going to like this. A day for me is 11 to 4 o'clock. Okay. When they arrive at 11, I'm not starting tattooing immediately at 11. We're going to conversate, we're going to make sure you're comfortable. We're going to get everything set and prepped. I'm probably not going to start tattooing you until 12 or 12:30, realistically. Okay, I'm done by 4 or 5. That is my full day. It is four to five hours for 14 to 1600.

[Didi]

I need to quit my job.

[Alexis Soul]

Listen, it seems like a jump scare, right?

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

Like that's ridiculous. But the reality is, is that you're not only paying for those four to five hours with me, you're paying for the 10 years, eight years that it took me to be able to give you this quality work in four or five hours. Right?

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

And the reality is, is that tattoos are not a requirement. You know what I mean?

[Didi]

Not a luxury. I mean, it is a luxury.

[Alexis Soul]

It's not a luxury. Yeah, I don't know the word either, but yeah, it's. It's a luxury. So if you would like to get tattooed by me, this is what I require. And it's not only mentally exhausting, but it's physically exhausting. My wrists hurt, my back hurts, my eyesight used to be 2020. I used to have. I'm not even fudgeing, lying. You can ask anybody in the industry why my ISI used to be 2020. Okay? When you become a tattoo artist, everything is this close. Okay? I'm tattooing four or five hours a day. This close. Right after that, I'm editing videos this close on a screen. Then after that, I'm on my iPad, I'm prepping for the next day. This close. Then I have to talk with my booking assistant. We're going to, we're going to meet and make sure everything's cool. We do a FaceTime. We're this close. The only time that I'm not looking this close is on my off days and at the gym. And I used to have 2020 vision all the way. Until I was 20 years old, I had perfect vision. I started tattooing. Gone. That's right.

[Didi]

I never heard of that.

[Alexis Soul]

Gone. But you know what? My focus is crazy. My, my eye doctor is like, you can't read that. And I'm like, I'm reading every letter because my. Your brain says, okay, we don't use this anymore. We don't use long distance vision anymore. But she's using the up close fuck ton. So let's, let's, let's narrow in on that.

[Didi]

So it's, it's just, that's why you charge. The way you charge is because of all those back end. Because you know what? I was going to ask you, what do you think? Obviously you're going to think, yes, because it's there for our work, for me. And people might fucking hate me. I will never pay $20,000 for a tattoo because first of all, that is a car, okay? And I have priorities. I mean, if you have money, group, yeah, great, okay, yeah, savings, great. But holy crap, that is a lot of money for a tattoo. I. Okay, one of my friends, he tattoos, he posted this thing how much I make in a day. And I love to see those videos.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

But he took two sleeves, half sleeves, charged $6,000 each. And oh, my gosh, that is crazy. I mean, kudos.

[Alexis Soul]

It seems crazy in retrospect, right? But like, in my opinion, a twenty thousand dollar car, is it going to last you forever? Are you going to drive that car forever? Maybe you're going to get five, 10 years out of it. Right.

[Didi]

But a tattoo is forever.

[Alexis Soul]

But the tattoos, forever.

[Didi]

You can see that. But when I'm old, that shit's gonna look wrinkly.

[Alexis Soul]

You're gonna look wrinkly without tats, though.

[Didi]

I mean, you're right, you know what I'm saying? You might as well do it with style.

[Alexis Soul]

You're gonna look great, you're. Everyone's gonna look old, so who cares?

[Didi]

Okay, yeah, you're right, you're right.

[Alexis Soul]

And like quality over quantity, you know what I mean?

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

And it's a luxury, so like, if you want it, get it and do it right. Or if you want to budget, budget on it. But it's going to look like you budgeted on it, that's for sure. I can promise you that.

[Didi]

Well, do you see? Okay. Okay, this is some tea. Do you see? Tattoo artists are so big in the industry and you think they're not. They shouldn't be that big in the.

[Alexis Soul]

Industry because their work isn't all there, 100%. But from a business perspective, some tattoo artists are very good on social media. So they're very, very, very booked. Talent wise, tattoo wise. Are they really, really good?

[Didi]

No.

[Alexis Soul]

But can I respect them? Can I respect the hustle? Absolutely, absolutely, 100%. But I'm not going to get tatted by them, you know what I'm saying? Like, I'm not going to dap you up and say your work is so sick because I'm not a liar.

[Didi]

So then if you were to see them doing a class, you're not showing up to that class to learn.

[Alexis Soul]

I'm not learning from nobody. I'm not learning from nobody. That doesn't impress the out of me.

[Didi]

Oh, my gosh. True.

[Alexis Soul]

Because time is money. This is a waste of my time. What am I doing paying for a class when I tattoo better than you?

[Didi]

But. And then they're so big on social media.

[Alexis Soul]

Huh? If they're teaching a class on that, I'm pulling up. I'm pulling up for sure. There's so many tattoo artists that are incredible on social media that within a year they're like 100k, 200k, 300k, they just pop off. Are they the best tattooers in the industry? No, but you can't hate on that. You cannot hate the Hustle.

[Didi]

Like the Marketing is just amazing. That's why. Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

I'm like, teach me your ways. I. I want to be like that. That's the best way to learn. You see somebody that they have something you want, you don't hate on them. You say, how'd you do that? Teach me how to do that.

[Didi]

Come here. Let's see. Let's. Let's talk about it.

[Alexis Soul]

Let's talk about it. Let's talk about it.

[Didi]

So do you have your own shop?

[Alexis Soul]

I do.

[Didi]

Okay. So do you.

[Alexis Soul]

Are they.

[Didi]

Are they booth renters?

[Alexis Soul]

I just opened a shop last January, so we're like one year mark right now.

[Didi]

Oh, Happy anniversary.

[Alexis Soul]

Thank you.

[Didi]

Congratulations.

[Alexis Soul]

Thank you.

[Didi]

That bitch that you are.

[Alexis Soul]

It's called Be More ula.

[Didi]

Okay.

[Alexis Soul]

And some artists pay rent and some artists do commission. And I give option because, yes, I'm a businesswoman for sure, but I'm also a tattoo artist, and I understand being on the other side of it, and I wish that I would have been afforded the option of either or. Most people do commission. Most business owners, tattoo shop owners do commission because. Why? Because that's where the money's at. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. I respect it. There's nothing wrong with it, but pros and cons to each, you know?

[Didi]

Yeah, they'll get 60. You'll. You'll keep. I know they. It's either 50. 50 or 60. 40 or. Yeah, 70. Yes. Depending.

[Alexis Soul]

Most shops do 50, 50, which is just crazy, but that's the reality of it.

[Didi]

Does that stress you out, as in getting their clients? Because what if they're hitting you up for you. For you? Like, they're thinking you're gonna get. They're getting tatted by you, but you're getting tatted by someone at your shop.

[Alexis Soul]

Everybody at the shop books their own clients. I don't book people for them. The number on my page is strictly for my booking assistant only. So everybody's in charge of managing their own bookings.

[Didi]

So they're only paying you the. Whatever your percentage because you. They're using your shop.

[Alexis Soul]

Correct. And because I have permits, I, like, supply all the fucking supplies.

[Didi]

License your every ink and their pens. And there's no.

[Alexis Soul]

No, no, There's. There's personals. Like your. Your machine is yours. It would be like the cameras. You know what I mean? Like, that's. That's your stuff. So we don't supply that. But there's so much extra, like paper towels, plastics, bibs in caps. Like, there's all the little shit. We supply that. So they're paying for the, the space.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

They're paying for the supplies. And they're also paying because they don't have to be the middle. I'm the middleman between health department, the city, all the fucking regulation you do, all the headache shit. That's me. Yeah. That's what you're here for.

[Didi]

I get it, girl.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

Trust me. The overhead is crazy, huh? I was. You know what?

[Alexis Soul]

I feel like it's, it's a lot. It's a lot.

[Didi]

You know what? Owning a salon or shop in general is just so much stress.

[Alexis Soul]

It's not all it's made out to be.

[Didi]

It really isn't.

[Alexis Soul]

It's not.

[Didi]

But do you regret it though?

[Alexis Soul]

I don't regret it. I don't regret it at all.

[Didi]

However do you advise it? Would you give, would you give someone the advice? Go do it?

[Alexis Soul]

Honestly, I think that everybody should chase after their goals aggressively, whether it's going to turn out good or not. You should chase it aggressively and fail fast with everything. So I would advise everybody to just go for it. Me personally, it's a lot to own a business. And one thing that you give up owning a business is your freedom. Okay? Because when breaks down and hits the fan, you're not like, bye, I'm going home. I don't own the place. Right. Which is the freedom that you get before, you know, you don't get to go on vacation and be like, good luck, everybody. Like, peace.

[Didi]

I'm just paying my peace out.

[Alexis Soul]

Like, no, you know what I mean? So you give up a lot of freedom running a business and do I want to do that forever? No, I don't want to do that forever.

[Didi]

So you don't see yourself owning this forever?

[Alexis Soul]

No, I don't. I think nothing's forever. I think I have an idea in my head what you want, what I want, and I chase it and I do it and then I get it and I tend to be like, what's next?

[Didi]

Now do you have a 10 year plan or do you, it's kind of like you're going with the flow or do you see yourself?

[Alexis Soul]

Oh God, that sounds so irresponsible to say. I don't have a 10 year plan. Like I'm a grown ass woman. I, I, I don't have a 10 year plan.

[Didi]

And that's okay.

[Alexis Soul]

I literally see something in my head. I'm like, I'm gonna go do that. I'm gonna try that. Oh, that didn't work. Okay, I'll try this. I'm gonna Try that. I'm gonna try this. I'll try that.

[Didi]

That's such a cancer.

[Alexis Soul]

It is. It is.

[Didi]

And.

[Alexis Soul]

And. And last year, I was like, I'm open to tattoo shop Bucket. You know what I mean?

[Didi]

It's like, kind of. What is it called? You do shit?

[Alexis Soul]

Impulsive.

[Didi]

Impulsively. I'm such an impulse.

[Alexis Soul]

I am. I am, too. And you would think impulsive means like, oh, we're Gonna buy this $500 pair of shoes and. No, I'm impulsive. Like, I'm gonna spend all my savings to try this. Oh, my God. Run it.

[Didi]

And if it fails, I could say I did it.

[Alexis Soul]

That's what I'm saying. Yeah. Fail fast, dude.

[Didi]

I'm the same way. I've done so much stuff in my life impulsively, that's, you know, it's gotten me some places. And I could say that I did it, and I could tell my kid that I did it. Yeah, but would I do it again? Absolutely not. And I could see it now. It wasn't a waste of time, but I'm like, what the was I doing.

[Alexis Soul]

Trying to do that?

[Didi]

But sure, you know, we needed to.

[Alexis Soul]

Do that so that we can get to a place where now we're like, why the did I do that? We're not doing that again. Yeah, everything's a lesson. You know what I mean?

[Didi]

It was one day to another. I wanted to start a podcast.

[Alexis Soul]

Amen. I love that for you it was one day or go, guys.

[Didi]

It was like, one day to another. It really was. I told my videographer I wanted to do this is my idea. He's like, well, I can't do that for you because I know nothing about podcasts, but I know somebody that can.

[Alexis Soul]

Amazing.

[Didi]

And then, boom, I hire, and I. And Marlowe can vouch for me. Like, he was trying to teach me how to do a podcast. I didn't want him to teach me.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

I was like, I just. Yeah, he didn't know that. Yeah, but what did I do? I said, can you do it?

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah, did I not?

[Didi]

Wasn't it really like that?

[Alexis Soul]

But, like, people get so fudgeing, stuck in the mindset of being like, oh, like, I want to do this, but what if this happens? Or what if it fails? Or, like, so many what ifs that you just get fucking paralyzed by it. You know, you have to just, like it. Just wing it.

[Didi]

Do it.

[Alexis Soul]

Just wing it.

[Didi]

Okay, I want to ask you something.

[Alexis Soul]

Okay.

[Didi]

Because I had a tattoo artist on here, shout out to act. What is his name on Active Edward. Okay. We had a tattoo artist.

[Alexis Soul]

Okay.

[Didi]

I asked him and we're going to play the clip. Okay.

[Alexis Soul]

Okay.

[Didi]

We're going to pause for that. Okay. What is some advice that you would give to an upcoming tattoo artist?

[Alexis Soul]

Honestly, just run it. Just go for it. If you're waiting for validation, if you're waiting for somebody to hold your hand and show you the way and. And take you through an apprenticeship, it's never gonna happen. Okay? You're gonna spend a year, two years, three years procrastinating and hoping that your guiding angel is going to come and take your hand and show you the way, and it's just not going to fudgeing happen. Social media and YouTube is huge.

[Didi]

So that's what he said.

[Alexis Soul]

YouTube is huge. There's artists at my shop right now never went through an apprenticeship. They learned everything on YouTube. There's also artists who went through an apprenticeship and endured horrible things in order to get to where they are. There's. There's so many stories of people's getting forced to get tattoos and clean the bathroom with toothbrushes and, like, all these horrible things that give you the badge of honor. And, like, you went through so much suffering, so now you're allowed to be in the industry. It's all bullshit. It's literally all bullshit. The best advice I could give is to buy a good fudgeing machine, okay? A good machine is going to cost you at least 1.5 grand, for sure. You're going to spend at least a g. Get a good ass machine, go on YouTube, follow people that you want to be like and literally watch their shit, see what the fudge they're doing and practice on your friends. And you're going to be so fudgeing bad at first, and it's okay.

[Didi]

Make sure you have a friend that's down.

[Alexis Soul]

Make sure your friend knows that you're gonna be really bad.

[Didi]

Is. Can they. I heard pig skin. Is that true?

[Alexis Soul]

All the fake skin is.

[Didi]

Is that.

[Alexis Soul]

It's all like. Yes. Are you gonna be able to tattoo on fake skin and feel how a machine feels in your hand? Yeah, for sure. Of course. But is that gonna transfer over to real skin?

[Didi]

No, it's not.

[Alexis Soul]

The first tattoo I did was horrible.

[Didi]

Oh, my God. I want to see it.

[Alexis Soul]

It was a money sign. Oh, my gosh. Like.

[Didi]

Like, you know what I'm thinking?

[Alexis Soul]

Like, the universe was like, girl, there's money in this.

[Didi]

No, but you know what? You said money sign. What I was thinking, because I probably could do it. Do you remember in Middle school, where they did the three lines and then the three lines and then you somehow connect them. Am I the only one that knows what that is? You don't know what that is?

[Alexis Soul]

Yes.

[Didi]

Do you know what that is?

[Alexis Soul]

Yes. The three lines. And then.

[Didi]

Yes.

[Alexis Soul]

Everybody did it on their test. They were like, oh, graffiti, yes. Me, yes.

[Didi]

Okay. Nothing like that. It was literally a money sign.

[Alexis Soul]

It was literally just a money sign. And I'll always remember it because I think it's probably disappeared by now because I was so scared to hurt her that I just went way too light. Oh, yeah. But just fail fast. Just try it. Do your best. Who cares to move on?

[Didi]

Just try it.

[Alexis Soul]

Just try it and move on. Maybe you'll fudgeing, hate it. Or maybe in a year you'll semi decent.

[Didi]

Do you advise them to take a course? So is there a tattoo court? Obviously there's tattoo courses, right?

[Alexis Soul]

Oh, yeah. God, there's. I have opinions. There's tattoo courses.

[Didi]

I. I've never really seen them because I'm not really in that industry. But like, tell me, is there.

[Alexis Soul]

Okay, yes, there's tattoo courses and there are tattoo schools.

[Didi]

What?

[Alexis Soul]

Those tattoo schools that will charge you five or six thousand dollars. So you can come in and they can teach you how to set up. And like, business wise, I respect the hustle. You know what I mean? I respect it. However, I personally don't think that you need that. There is schools that they're going to teach you how to set up. They're going to teach you how to tattoo. But you can do all that at home on YouTube or you can follow tattoo artists subscribe to their pages. A lot of people are doing, like, how tos. As long as you subscribe, you pay.

[Didi]

Five, ten bucks a month, and they.

[Alexis Soul]

Teach you how to fucking tattoo.

[Didi]

Oh, that is crazy. I didn't know that they. I didn't even know that. But, like, it's technically not a license. It's just health. It's just through city. You need your certain license through the city.

[Alexis Soul]

Correct. Tattoo artists have the least regular, like. Yeah, Nails, hair, sds. You guys go through so much more certifications than we do. Yeah, we take a course online.

[Didi]

What?

[Alexis Soul]

We take a course online that takes like an hour or so that basically teaches you how to not spread germs and disease.

[Didi]

Okay.

[Alexis Soul]

Which is valid. That's great. We're using blood and needles. You need to be able to make sure that you're keeping your clients safe.

[Didi]

Yes.

[Alexis Soul]

It prints out of the printer once you finish. It cost 50 bucks.

[Didi]

That's it.

[Alexis Soul]

You take that to the city. You say, here you go. I know how to clean stuff up. You pay another $50. They say, where do you work? You say, I work at Be More. You la. They say, okay, and they give you a fucking license. Nobody's checking to see how you tattoo or how long you've been tattooing. You could get. You could literally get your tattoo license right now during this podcast. Oh, my God, this is crazy. And it's crazy because you guys have to go through so many hours, and.

[Didi]

It'S like, we don't even go through. What the. You guys go through. Yes. That's. That's. That's illegal.

[Alexis Soul]

That's illegal. Yeah. And, like, why is it that I don't know.

[Didi]

Criminal. That sucks. I hate you guys.

[Alexis Soul]

I don't know what the. I know, dude.

[Didi]

We do all the time. My girls are terrified here.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

I mean, not. They're all licensed, obviously, but we do hours. I'm talking. We went to school for 600 plus hours.

[Alexis Soul]

Yikes.

[Didi]

You guys went to school for hours. That is crazy.

[Alexis Soul]

Like, you can get a license and have never even touched a tattoo machine. And the test is. Is basically common sense. It's like, do you put the gloves on before or after the procedure?

[Didi]

Like, that is so criminal.

[Alexis Soul]

Before.

[Didi]

That is the.

[Alexis Soul]

That, like, you have to really try to fail that test.

[Didi]

That is criminal. As I'm so upset right now. Do you see my face?

[Alexis Soul]

I'm so sorry.

[Didi]

Oh, that sucks. But you know what? Kudos, I guess.

[Alexis Soul]

But I'm sure they're gonna come out with more soon. It's just right now in the industry.

[Didi]

That'S all it has. Like, have you ever seen an infected tattoo?

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah, of course I had a girl. I'm sorry, finish your question.

[Didi]

No, tell me. I want to know.

[Alexis Soul]

I had a girl once. I've never seen really bad infection because typically, as long as you're a clean person, you're not rolling around in the mud, you're not gonna get an infection.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

Okay. Like, let's. Like, let's be honest. Tattoo is like a scrape. Your body's gonna take care of it, right?

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

If we take care of this grape, it's gonna heal better. Yeah, if we left it.

[Didi]

Yes. Alone.

[Alexis Soul]

Okay. I tattooed a girl. I hope she doesn't see this. I tattooed a girl. Okay. Two days later, she hit me up. She texted me. She was like, something's wrong. It looks like green. I was like, whoa, green. We're talking colors. Like, like, like, send me a picture. Like, maybe She's. I need to know. Maybe she's being dramatic.

[Didi]

Yes.

[Alexis Soul]

I was like, send me a picture. She sends me a picture. This is green, okay?

[Didi]

Like, green.

[Alexis Soul]

Like, it's like mucusy green, not normal green. I was like, you know what?

[Didi]

Come on in.

[Alexis Soul]

I gotta. I gotta see this, and I gotta see this in real life because, like, something's really wrong. And she came in and I was like, what happened? Because I literally just saw you two days ago. Like, there's no way that in 48 hours this has progressed to a staff infection. You know what I mean? And she was like, well, I'm not gonna lie. Like, after I left, me and my boyfriend got into a fight. I fucking went to jail. I've been in jail for the past two days. And I was like, boom. Duh.

[Didi]

Is this a real story?

[Alexis Soul]

This is a real story. This girl went to jail immediately after getting tattooed, okay? Why she went to jail, I don't know. She went to jail.

[Didi]

Jail is fucking nasty.

[Alexis Soul]

Nasty. She came in after she got released. She had a fucking staph infection.

[Didi]

Where did she get tattooed at?

[Alexis Soul]

It was just on her. So that was just on her arm. But, like, where is she? Like, she's been sleeping in jail for the past few days. You know what I'm saying? Like, that is nasty. So she had a staph infection. She was like, what do I do? I was like, go to the hospital, dude. Like, go to urgent care. There's nothing that I can do at this point to. To help you. Like, you need medical attention.

[Didi]

You know what I mean?

[Alexis Soul]

Like. Like, leave here and go immediately to urgent. Run.

[Didi]

Run.

[Alexis Soul]

Because you have a staff infection and that staff is like, no joke. Like, you need to get antibiotics for that shit. You can't just wash it away.

[Didi]

Like, that's crazy. I want to know how. What I know is there stories out there. I'm pretty sure that there is. Like, obviously, because I'm so. I'm stuck on, like, you getting your license for one hour. Like, do they, like, I'm thinking like, HIV.

[Alexis Soul]

I'm thinking like, oh, 100%. Like, real talk, you need to be very careful. We're dealing with needles, okay?

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

And like, yes, it's a real concern.

[Didi]

That's crazy.

[Alexis Soul]

And you need to be paying attention to that 45 minute test, okay? Because it's teaching you how to make sure that you're not getting yourself exposed to anything like that. I mean, hep C, hiv, a lot of this. This stuff is like a reality for our industry now. Your clients should be doing paperwork.

[Didi]

Right.

[Alexis Soul]

And you should be checking that paperwork. And the paperwork, it says if any of these things apply to me, I have to let my artists know.

[Didi]

Right.

[Alexis Soul]

Are people going to be transparent with that? Maybe yes, maybe no.

[Didi]

Right.

[Alexis Soul]

That's just. People are human. Is it. Is it maybe embarrassing to tell your artist that? Yes. But we need to take extra precautions, right?

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

In general, though, the rule of thumb is that you should be acting like everybody has hiv. That's how safe you should be with everybody, so that it doesn't matter if somebody comes in and they don't tell you, because you're already taking the necessary steps to constantly protect yourself.

[Didi]

Now, let me ask you, if they put. Yes. Are you declining the service?

[Alexis Soul]

You're not allowed to do that. I believe. I don't know the law on that, but I haven't had anybody check.

[Didi]

Yes.

[Alexis Soul]

But nonetheless, I'm very, very, very, very careful. Any artist, Tattoo artist, all of us have tattoos on our hands. Okay. And I don't mean, like, cutesy tattoos. I mean, like, I have dots all over my hands from accidentally poking myself.

[Didi]

Oh, that makes sense.

[Alexis Soul]

You gotta check this one out. This one is cr. You guys can probably see it on camera. Do you see this?

[Didi]

Okay, you. That's from a.

[Alexis Soul]

This is. Is a tattoo. This is a. Oopsie. Stop. This is. Yeah, girl. This is. This is a. I set my machine down, and I had just got my machine, and I set it on a surface that didn't have an edge. So I set it down, it started rolling, and I was like. So I went to catch it like this. Like. Like, I went like that while it was running, and boom, it got me.

[Didi]

Oh, my God.

[Alexis Soul]

I didn't even think of tatted.

[Didi]

And these people are human. That's the thing.

[Alexis Soul]

Like, they're human.

[Didi]

There's nothing different. I had. I had a family member that passed away from that, and it's a human thing, of course. And it's sad, you know? So that's why I'm just so. Like, tattooing is. 45 minutes for a test is criminal, as I know. Like, you need to pay attention to those 42. Every second counts.

[Alexis Soul]

You do. And the reality is, is that for artists, it's 45 minutes. But in order to get your license, you need to say, I work at this facility. Right. And the regulations and permits for that.

[Didi]

Facility, that for me. For Big Mama.

[Alexis Soul]

For Big Mama is crazy. So, yes, artists is quick. But for me to be able to facilitate artists and say that I have a clean, safe space is Very, very, very, very long, tedious procedure process, so.

[Didi]

Well, kudos to you. You're a boss. Bitch. Carry. Thanks.

[Alexis Soul]

We're doing it.

[Didi]

I. I feel. I feel like, you know, you're doing the thing.

[Alexis Soul]

Thank you.

[Didi]

Literally trying. Literally.

[Alexis Soul]

We're doing our best.

[Didi]

So let me ask you now, when you do smaller, like, okay, like, for example, for me, I would want a small tattoo. Give me a price range. 15, 14 to 16 is if they want something like.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

You know.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah. For smaller stuff, my minimum is 200.

[Didi]

Great. I love that. So you can make coins with this.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

Because how long does it take you?

[Alexis Soul]

Like, five minutes. But we're talking, like, very small. Like, we're talking like, you want a teeny heart on your hand. That's like, like the size of my pinky nail.

[Didi]

200. Oh, shit.

[Alexis Soul]

If we're talking, like, love on the hand. No, no, no, no, no. That's going to be like 400.

[Didi]

I respect your year. I need to fudgeing quit my job now. Do you do. Because a lot of tattoo artists do, like, brows. Have you ever gone into that?

[Alexis Soul]

Eyebrows?

[Didi]

Yeah, like ombre microblading.

[Alexis Soul]

You know, I think that people are so picky with tattoos. I can't imagine how picky they are with their eyebrows. And do I have the patience for that? I. I don't think I do.

[Didi]

No.

[Alexis Soul]

I mean, it's your face. Like, I feel like girls would be like, this one eyebrow has one more hair than this one. And I'm not doing that. No, no, no, no.

[Didi]

Have you ever. Oh, my gosh. Before we end this podcast, I need to know, have you ever done a tattoo on a. Like, someone's like, a client getting their boyfriend tatted their name, and they. And then it doesn't work out. Or on their face? Like, Christian rock got fudgeing blue face tatted on her face and now wants to remove it. Like, what? Like, on the.

[Alexis Soul]

On the face is crazy talk. But anywhere else, the reality is it's none of my fudgeing business, you know? But, like, I'm not. I'm not there to be your mom and hold your hand and say, sweetie, are you sure you really want this? You know what I mean? Like, that's not my fudgeing job. You paid the deposit. You're trying to get your boyfriend's name tattoo on your ass. Let's run it. Like, that's not my. You're not my daughter.

[Didi]

You know, you're.

[Alexis Soul]

You're a big girl or a big boy. Like, well, have you. We'll do what you want.

[Didi]

Okay, so you did. Have you ever said no to doing something, though?

[Alexis Soul]

Like, of course.

[Didi]

You're just not comfortable with 100%.

[Alexis Soul]

Even now at this level in my career, I'm so blessed to be able to pick and choose what I want to do.

[Didi]

I love that.

[Alexis Soul]

Do I accept every client that messages me? No, I don't. Because I have the privilege of prioritizing what speaks to me and what excites me. I feel that before I didn't have that privilege. I was trying to make money. I was saying yes to every Christian rock. You know what I mean? Like, I was saying yes. Now. Now I'm able to, like, pick and choose and narrow down the clients that I want to tattoo.

[Didi]

Yeah. And do you have, like. I'm just trying to see. So do you have clients that, like, I'm trying to think how you built the clientele, because I know it's kind of like a one and done unless they want more. Right. So I'm kind of saying, like, yeah, your clients from social media or kind of like word for mouth type of deal, like, go to her because she did this. Like, how do we be you? Is what the I'm trying to say, you know?

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah. Thank you. I think the biggest aspect of business in general, and this stretches out more than just the tattoo industry, is the experience that you give your client. Okay. And people miss that. Okay. When they come to me for a full day session. They're paying 14 to 1600, not only for a good quality tattoo, but they're paying for the experience that I provide them. Right. So we're talking. You're my friend. You're the most important thing in the world to me right now. You're paying for my time, so nothing else fudgeing matters except for what you want, how you feel, what we're doing. Like, you're going to leave the shop being like, I'm going back to her. Because nothing compares to the experience that they just had. And that's not me being cocky, saying, I'm going to give you the best tattoo in the world. It's literally just that, like, be a good fudgeing human. You know what I mean? Be a good person. Make people feel comfortable. Like, don't just milk them for them for money. Yes. Tattooing great is. Is. Is a big part of it. You need to have talent, but also just giving your client a really good experience. And then even if you only see that client once a year, which is typically like. Like you're saying it's one and Done. Or if I'm lucky, once a year, maybe. They have had such a good experience with you that anytime anybody in their circle mentions tattoos, immediately they think of me. Why? Because they just had a great fudgeing experience with me.

[Didi]

Right.

[Alexis Soul]

It's like the one you were telling me about. You got a tattoo and she was a fudgeing bitch. Do you remember the tattoo? No. You remember the experience that you had, and you remember that she was a bitch, and people miss that. People are like, you want to tattoo with me? Okay. Tattoo money. Bye.

[Didi]

Damn. See, and that's why I bring on different people from different industries.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

Because it. We all get a perspective. So it's the same with us. You know, it's a common thing, and it's the experience that we're providing for our clients. And that's what's either not either bringing them back or then telling someone else. But it's also, again, how you said the art. Because if I see your tattoo, I'm gonna be like, who the touched you? Because I need them to touch me. Right.

[Alexis Soul]

You know, Exactly. And. And taking pride in your art and what you do.

[Didi]

Yes.

[Alexis Soul]

It's going to be showcased everywhere that person goes.

[Didi]

Yes.

[Alexis Soul]

Right. So not rushing through it. Like, my full attention is on you and how this comes out in your experience.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

And energy is so, like, multiplied. You know what I mean? Like, if I'm giving good energy, my clients receiving good energy, it. Everything comes back to me in tenfold.

[Didi]

Like, absolutely.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah. And I'm so big on that, so I really prioritize client experience and being a good human, it's. It's so easy.

[Didi]

Yeah. Just the energy.

[Alexis Soul]

It's so easy.

[Didi]

And another thing, too, is your confidence. Like, you need to be confident in your work. Like, I did that.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

And that right there. Because I would rather go to someone that's so confident.

[Alexis Soul]

100.

[Didi]

And saying, damn, yeah, this person knows what. Like, they're confident about it. I'm going.

[Alexis Soul]

Not just like, yeah, yeah, I did that 100%. And with all of those things. Right. It's like 1400. That's nothing. Take my money. It's going to be on me forever.

[Didi]

You know what I mean? I would pay that.

[Alexis Soul]

It's worth it. Yeah.

[Didi]

Damn. Okay. Well, we always end this podcast with a quote. I didn't even. Huh? Well.

[Alexis Soul]

Oh, gosh.

[Didi]

Horror stories. I mean, do you have a horror story? I have, like, oh, my gosh. I didn't even ask you. This was on my mind. Have you ever stopped midway of tattooing?

[Alexis Soul]

Yes.

[Didi]

And Say, I just can't tattoo anymore.

[Alexis Soul]

You have.

[Didi]

What do they say? I'd be crying. I'd be like, the reality is, is.

[Alexis Soul]

That tattoos hurt, okay? Oh, tattoos hurt. People have different levels of being able to take pain, right? Some people are really good at it, and some people. I suck. I hate getting tattooed with a passion, okay? I don't like that. And I don't really get tatted like that, and I don't care, but I know that. That I don't like getting tatted, right? So I use numbing cream. I take Advil. I want somebody to hold my hand. I need a pillow. You know what I'm saying? Me, like, diva type now. There's people who are just not good at getting tattooed. And some people, like, if you're screaming, you're yelling, you're about to pass out, like, this isn't a good time for you, and it's not a good time for me, right? And, like, I'm not being paid enough right now to endure this. And realistically, like, if you're. If your body's given out on you, we're done, so we're not doing it. And, like, I'm just uncomfortable. Sometimes people be, like, moaning, and it's just weird.

[Didi]

What the heck? Like, moaning like.

[Alexis Soul]

Like, when they're in pain, but, like, it's making everybody in the shop uncomfortable because the noises that are happening are like, girl, I know that don't hurt that much. You know what I mean?

[Didi]

Like, you're wilding out, so you stop them just because of, like, okay, I can't keep going. Like, you are in too much pain.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah. Or if they pass out cold. We need to take a minute.

[Didi]

We.

[Alexis Soul]

We need to reset. And that's real. That happens often.

[Didi]

And someone's passed out on me.

[Alexis Soul]

100 full grown men. Yeah.

[Didi]

What is the worst place to get tatted? Hold on real quick. What you think? Where is the worst place to get tatted at? Hands and feet. Oh, my gosh. Yeah, I got my ankle tatted.

[Alexis Soul]

No, I died. Yeah. Yeah.

[Didi]

No, like, that's where I. I think. You know what? I blame the tattoo artist. And I always said that that's the one he fucked up on my foot. Yeah, I think it was me too.

[Alexis Soul]

Now that we're. Now that we're looking, now that we're talking about, it might have been me.

[Didi]

I kept moving. That hurts so bad.

[Alexis Soul]

It hurts really bad.

[Didi]

It was on my bone, like, on my ankle, like, right here.

[Alexis Soul]

Girl, why'd you do that?

[Didi]

It was my first one too.

[Alexis Soul]

Oh, My God. My first one was on my foot, too.

[Didi]

I don't know.

[Alexis Soul]

My twin.

[Didi]

I didn't know. I didn't know either. I was like, I don't. I was like, I don't know if it's gonna look good on me. Like, let me go. Let me get it at a place that's not really shown. Yes. Foot was my first option.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

Same and that. And I told myself, I'm never doing this.

[Alexis Soul]

I know. Yeah, me too.

[Didi]

And again, what happened? I went back two months later.

[Alexis Soul]

That's how it goes. That's how it goes, folks.

[Didi]

So wait. Tell me a horror story. Tell me one. One story where you really remember it. And it. Okay, tell me.

[Alexis Soul]

Brother and sister, matching tattoos, three letters. Teeny T is there first. Okay.

[Didi]

Okay.

[Alexis Soul]

The sister is like, I'm gonna go first because I'm the most scared, and I'm really nervous. He's like, it's gonna be really easy.

[Didi]

No big deal.

[Alexis Soul]

You go first. She's like, okay, great. She goes first. He's like, how is it? She's like, oh, my God. You're gonna be so surprised because it's actually really easy. It's really. It's actually not that bad. Cool. Her.

[Didi]

Where was that?

[Alexis Soul]

It was right here. It was, like, on the wrist.

[Didi]

Okay.

[Alexis Soul]

Takes five minutes. Cool. She's done. She's so happy because she's like, oh, my God. We. We were stressing for nothing, which is usually how it is. We're stressing for nothing. Okay? He's like, I told you. See, you're stressed out. Like, it's all good. You know what I mean? Being cool guy, big brother. Like, we're talking, like, full grown man.

[Didi]

Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

And then I clean up. I reset. I was like, okay, I'm ready for you. So then we go to do his, and I start tattooing him. And, like, I can tell that he's nervous. You know, he's sweating, and I'm like, he's playing cool guy. But it's okay. It's only gonna take five minutes. Like, he's telling. He's telling his. He's telling his sister, like, oh, yeah. It's like, it's no big deal. Like, it's totally fine, you know? And, like, meanwhile, I'm like, okay, we're going down. We're going down. Because he is looking pale. He's sweating profusely. Like, I had literally just finished the last letter, and, like, I look up, and he's like, fl. Fully, fully unconscious. Okay? And, like, we're trained for this. It's fine. It's not a big deal. Sister has never seen this in her life. Okay? Sister is like, should I call a paramedic? She's like, crying, sobbing. I'm like, take a deep breath, okay? Everything. Everything is going to be okay. Like, he has not died.

[Didi]

Okay? He.

[Alexis Soul]

He is not with us currently, but he's coming back to life. Okay? Just give him a minute to bounce back. And, like, he was unconscious for a little bit. We have these little smelling salts that you wave, and it kind of like brings people back to consciousness. So he wakes back up. She's like. She's like in full fudgeing tears, and he is like, what the fuck just happened? You know? And like, with men, typically, their immediate response is to be like, oh, like, let me get up. Like, let me just get. Like, I'm fine. Like, nothing happened. Like, bad idea, right? Because you need to chill. You need to chill. Because homie goes down again for the second time.

[Didi]

Oh, my.

[Alexis Soul]

You know what I mean? Because he's trying to stand up, and I'm like, fucking sit down. Like, who are you trying to impress? Like, you're. You can't hang right now. Respectfully. You know what I mean? Like, you can't hang. So sit the fuck down. And like. Yeah, it was just. It was just like a really dramatic experience because I'm trying to get homie to sit down. His sister is bawling, screaming, like, wants to call a paramedic. Like, she thinks that you're killing. I'm killing him. I'm like, they never. I never saw them again. Like, that was probably his first and his last tattoo because, oh, my gosh. I never saw him again. Bless his heart in three letters.

[Didi]

Yeah, I see these when that handlebirth.

[Alexis Soul]

No, girl, it was this big. It's funny because his sister was literally just telling him, like, it's fine. That was. That is so easy. You got it in the bag.

[Didi]

Oh, my gosh. That is funny. Yeah.

[Alexis Soul]

Rough.

[Didi]

You know what? Shout out to him.

[Alexis Soul]

Shout out to him. Shout out to my boy.

[Didi]

Shout out to him. Shout out to those three letters that will forever be a story for real. And you know what he's probably saying to other people? Nah, it wasn't that bad.

[Alexis Soul]

It was exactly.

[Didi]

Tattoo was nothing.

[Alexis Soul]

Now I got telling his homies all his next plans for his sleep. Yeah, I want to do this.

[Didi]

I want to do this. Yeah, this is nothing.

[Alexis Soul]

Easy. It's easy.

[Didi]

Horrible. Well, that was fun.

[Alexis Soul]

The ego goes crazy.

[Didi]

You know what? It really does, because men ain't at the End of the day, when it comes to pain, they can't look at. Hands down, my man is sick as hell right now. Like a crying baby on the bed. Okay. So when I'm sick, you see me do this. This.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah, you're getting done.

[Didi]

I'm like, I'm not sick.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

I'm dying inside.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

But I'm fine.

[Alexis Soul]

Yeah.

[Didi]

But men, they're just babies. They can handle.

[Alexis Soul]

It's in their nature. You can't blame them. It's in their nature.

[Didi]

Well, we always end this podcast with a quote. Okay, I didn't even mention that, but I hope you have a quote in mind.

[Alexis Soul]

It could be anything.

[Didi]

It could be whatever you want, something that you live by.

[Alexis Soul]

Okay, I think that I'm gonna have to end this podcast with a quote by one of my favorite people, somebody that I really look up to. Her name is Mel Robbins. I'm sure a lot of you guys know her. She's a businesswoman. She has her own podcast as well. And the quote is to fail fast. We kind of mentioned it in the podcast a little bit, but with everything that you do, deep dive head first into the abyss and do it brave, do it scared. Just go for it. Life is so short. Who cares? Nobody's watching you. Nobody's judging you. Nobody cares. Just go for it. And nine times out of ten, it works out.

[Didi]

Oh, I love that. Yeah, put an applause emoji or something, Period. Thank you so much for being on my podcast.

[Alexis Soul]

Of course. Thank you. I had so much fun.

[Didi]

I'm so glad you guys just drove far.

[Alexis Soul]

She did. She. She drove a solid three hours, but it's okay. Follow me on Instagram.

[Didi]

Period.

[Alexis Soul]

Follow her. My Instagram is Alexis Underscore. Soul X O L. Soul Soul.

[Didi]

I love it. I love. I love. I love how she did that.

[Alexis Soul]

Thank you.

[Didi]

Well, I hope to see you next time. Yay. And if you guys see me with the next tattoo, just know who the it's by.

[Alexis Soul]

Okay. Period.

[Didi]

And we'll see you on the next one.

[Alexis Soul]

Bye.