Emotional Days at the Shop: Pro Strategies for Tough Calls with Missi Blue | Ep. 44
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
Release Date: 08/20/2025
Why your tattoo shop NEEDS community partnerships with Missi Blue and Sutton Lockheart
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
Running a tattoo shop isn't just about creating incredible art—it's about building systems that work, fostering community connections, and staying consistent even when the business side feels overwhelming. I was lucky enough to sit down with my friend Sutton, owner of Self Care Tattoo, to work through some of the real challenges he's facing as a shop owner in small-town Pennsylvania. We dive deep into the difference between being two weeks booked out versus two months, why community marketing might be more powerful than social media for local shops, and how tracking your client sources can...
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Working Harder, Getting Less Done: Sound Familiar?
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
You know that feeling when you're working your ass off but somehow still feel like you're spinning your wheels? Yeah, I've been there recently, and it forced me to take a hard look at what the hell I was actually doing with my time. I realized I was back to being completely ineffective—burnt out, not seeing results, and definitely not getting closer to my goals. So I had to ask myself the tough question: what are we doing here? In this episode, I'm sharing the brutal honest assessment of my workflow, the changes I'm making to actually see results, and the boundaries I'm setting to protect my...
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7 Career Moves That Took Me from Unknown to Booked Out with Missi Blue
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
"All of these moments were scary as hell for me at first. I pushed through and did it anyway. None of these moments were comfortable, or easy, or came naturally to me. I had to put myself in uncomfortable situations so that I could grow." Looking back at my career journey always gives me perspective, but this time I found something that really stopped me in my tracks—a note from 2017 with my "big" career goals that honestly make me laugh now. Not because they were silly, but because I had no idea what I was actually capable of achieving. Today I'm breaking down the specific moments that...
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Art vs. Ego: When Pushing Harder Isn't Always Better with Missi Blue | Ep. 45
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
"Am I challenging myself or am I torturing myself? Am I trying to be something I'm not, and that's why it's so hard? Should I be leaning into what already works?" You know that feeling when you finish a tattoo and you're completely drained—not just physically, but emotionally and mentally too? I had this eye-opening conversation with my friend Milo after she guest spotted at Bluebird Tattoo Studio, and it completely shifted how I think about artistic growth. We dove deep into why we feel guilty for creating art that comes naturally to us, and why we think we need to torture ourselves to be...
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Emotional Days at the Shop: Pro Strategies for Tough Calls with Missi Blue | Ep. 44
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
"The truth that no one really wants to hear is that it takes pushing through the hard days to be able to push through the hard days." Let's have an honest conversation about something we all face but rarely discuss openly - those mornings when life punches you in the gut right before a full day of appointments. After 20 years in this industry and countless days of showing up when I didn't think I could, I'm sharing the framework that's helped me navigate these impossible decisions. This episode was born from my recent experience with my dog Baxter's cancer diagnosis, which happened just days...
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Stop Doing It Alone: A Raw Talk for Stubborn Tattoo Artists with Missi Blue | Ep. 43
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
This wasn't supposed to be a teaching episode, but sometimes the most powerful lessons come from the most honest moments. I've been questioning everything lately – why I keep pushing so hard when it feels like I'm constantly running uphill with no end in sight. Between tattooing full-time, running Bluebird Tattoo Studio, mentoring, podcasting, and creating content, I was drowning. But then I remembered exactly why I'm here, and it's not for me. If you've ever felt like the angry stray cat who needs help but won't let anyone close enough to give it, this one's for you. You're not alone, and...
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Stop Taking Feedback Personally: Pro Tips for Tattoo Artists with Missi Blue | Ep. 42
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
"Your worth and your value is not based on how much people like your art. At the end of the day, it's art. No one has or ever will agree on art, period." -Missi Blue Here at Bluebird Tattoo Studio, I've learned that the difference between artists who plateau and those who continuously evolve comes down to one thing: how they handle feedback. After 21 years in this industry, I can tell you that the most painful critiques often deliver the most valuable lessons. This episode dives deep into the psychology of receiving feedback, why we take things so personally, and how to transform even...
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From Reactive to Proactive: Master Your Mindset in the Tattoo Industry with Missi Blue | Ep. 41
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
"People treat you exactly the way that you allow them to." Here's the thing that took me way too long to learn: every time you let someone else's bad mood, rude comment, or unexpected situation completely derail your day, you're essentially handing over the keys to your life. I used to be the queen of letting one small thing spiral into a week-long emotional disaster, and honestly, it was exhausting. But I've learned that the difference between thriving and barely surviving in this industry often comes down to one simple question: who's really in control here? In this episode, I'm sharing the...
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9 ADHD Strategies That Saved My Tattoo Business From Total Chaos with Missi Blue | Ep. 40
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
"Having ADHD does not mean we can't do hard things and we can't get shit done. We just have to lean into what works for us and away from the things that make everything worse." I spent 38 years struggling through life thinking everyone else had some secret manual I never received. Constantly scattered, forgetting appointments, leaving projects half-finished, and procrastinating until deadlines became emergencies. It wasn't until my daughter was diagnosed with ADHD that I realized I might be dealing with the same thing. Getting my own diagnosis at 38 was both validating and overwhelming, but it...
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Stop Chasing Goals That Kill Your Dreams: What Artists Get Wrong with Missi Blue | Ep. 39
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
"If you actually want the dream you say you're after, why wouldn't you take as much of it as you were able to now and find those in-between steps to start living the dream now? What are you waiting for?" Here's something that's been weighing on my mind lately, and I think it's going to challenge everything you think you know about goal setting. What if we've become so laser-focused on our goals that we've completely lost sight of our actual dreams? I'm talking about that beautiful, colorful vision that made you pick up a tattoo machine in the first place. I've always been the queen of breaking...
info_outline"The truth that no one really wants to hear is that it takes pushing through the hard days to be able to push through the hard days."
Let's have an honest conversation about something we all face but rarely discuss openly - those mornings when life punches you in the gut right before a full day of appointments. After 20 years in this industry and countless days of showing up when I didn't think I could, I'm sharing the framework that's helped me navigate these impossible decisions. This episode was born from my recent experience with my dog Baxter's cancer diagnosis, which happened just days before I was scheduled to tattoo a pet memorial. What I discovered in that moment changed how I view the intersection of personal pain and professional purpose. Whether you're dealing with grief, relationship struggles, or just feeling emotionally depleted, this episode will help you create your own decision-making framework for those inevitable hard days.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
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The hidden cost of creative careers - Why no one prepares us for the emotional labor of performing creativity on demand, regardless of personal circumstances
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The decision framework - Key factors to consider when determining whether to push through or reschedule, including assessing your emotional state, work quality potential, and possible benefits for both you and your client
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The power of purposeful vulnerability - How sharing authentic moments with clients (when appropriate) can create deeper connections and more meaningful work
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Setting professional boundaries - The critical difference between relating to clients and making them your therapist, plus how to maintain professionalism during emotional times
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Emergency protocol strategies - How to handle true emergencies professionally, including deposit policies, rescheduling tactics, and maintaining client relationships
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The frequency factor - Why patterns matter more than isolated incidents, and how to identify if you're creating avoidable chaos versus experiencing genuine emergencies
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Building emotional resilience - How each decision to push through builds your capacity for future challenges, and why avoiding difficulty can reinforce limiting beliefs
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Finding purpose in pain - Real examples of how personal struggles can enhance your ability to serve clients, especially in emotionally charged work like memorial tattoos
Links:
instagram.com/tattoosbymissiblue
instagram.com/boundbyartproject
instagram.com/bluebirdtattoostudio
Music: Unknown Road - The Harp Project