Meet Frank Lao | Business owner tattoo studio

We had the good fortune of connecting with Frank Lao and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Frank, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I get asked a very similar question to this often. People assume I grew up in art or had this talent or fascination with art. The truth is, I have 3 older brothers. 2 are building mechanics and my other brother (master mike) is the life long artist.

I remember when I was about 7 years old my brother Mike would draw these cool skulls on my forearm with a pen. Then he’d scratch it in there with a sewing needle. It would go away after a few days but for those few days. I felt like the coolest kid in the playground. So I’ve always loved tattoos.

When I finished high-school I never imagined tattoos would be as popular as they are today. I had bills to pay and needed to make a living so I went with the safe sure route and learned hvac. I worked at hotels as a building mechanic and then at a lab. The pay was enough to cover the bills and my modest lifestyle but I felt trapped. 2-3 hours of traffic, 5-6 hundred dollars on gas alone just to make to and from work. And the thought hit me around my 30th birthday. I have 35 more years of this.

One day I expressed my feelings to my brother Mike. By this time, he had already been tattooing for about 15 years. He said, Frank. I have the best job in the world. It’s so busy I dont have enough hands to take more business. If you want to learn you can do this too.

After that day. I would work my regular job, then go and learn about tattooing from my brother. I did that 7 days a week for 2 years.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been tattooing now for about 15 years. I think it was about year 7-8 people started telling me that I have really nice line work. People would ask me to do really intricate designs with lots of straight lines and that led to doing very small tattoos and photo realism type pieces. I feel like the customer dictates it for you. With apps like Instagram where they’re able to click on your name and see all your work. The client is able to seek out the artist that does what they’re looking for.

This woman reached out to me a couple of months back. She had a bad tattoo on her shoulder. She said she had it for 20 years. Her family called it a starfish. She was embarrassed by it and scared to get it fixed because she didn’t want another bad tattoo. She saw the work I did on someone and got my info from them. So we set up an appointment. Afterwards, every few weeks I was getting random zelle deposits. I didn’t know who it was from and would post reminders on Instagram for people to message me prior to leaving deposits.

When her appointment came, she told me she was sending me money as a way to save for tattoo and that it was a mother’s day present for herself.

It took me about 3.5 hours, attached are the before and after photos. (lily flower) I completely transformed her old tattoo. It’s very satisfying. It’s like she had this part of her that she has to look at everyday and people made fun of her and now it’s something shes proud to show off. It’s just such a great feeling to be able to have that power to fix something.

As far as challenges and lessons. There are so many.. from tattooing to working with the different client personalities to the different artist. I think Bruce Lee said it best when he coined the phrase “be like water” be flexible, adapt and persevere. If your appointment cancels last minute, you can either work on designs or call another client to come in. Your car breaks down, call an Uber. Take a taxi. The world will never stop and there will be ways to make things work.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I was showing my best friend around for a week. They will 100% leave minimal 5 lbs heavier.

I think id start off in my home town of Pasadena.

Breakfast at Russell’s or millies in pasadena for some banana walnut pancakes and eggs. We can get a old fashioned soda pop on fair oaks where they filmed back to the future. Or walk around south pasadena to the Halloween house. Maybe a short drive towards the jpl building up to the top of the world by the radio towers over looking all of the los angeles county.

Dinner and drinks at the celler in pasadena. Super cool secret speak easy with wines and cheese meat boards and pizza flat breads. Maybe lounge at ipic theaters. And that’s just day 1.

We also have to do to universal studios and visit Mario world and Harry potter land. All you can eat crab legs at café Sierra.

Then we have grove in LA with the farmers market. And Korea town. Chapman Plaza, quarters korean bbq. I think the food in LA i can go on forever.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Most definitely my brother and mentor mastermike at inkfiend art tattoo studio in alhambra. If not for him I’d still be hating life and dragging one foot after the other.

All my clients and friends that were trusted me to work on them.

And my beautiful Sarah. Sometimes the cost of being a business owner is late nights, long hours, missed dinner plans. It’s not always easy but to have a partner that is understanding. Peace at home really is priceless and far underrated

Website: https://Www.ifa2tattoo.com

Instagram: Frank_ifa

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frank.lao.815650?mibextid=JRoKGi