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

Hi Yassa, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Growing up I always wanted to be a tattoo artist. I would draw 24/7, draw tattoos on myself with sharpie and binge ink master. However, my parents are super traditional, conservative and have a huge distaste for tattoos. Because of this, I never thought a tattoo career would ever be an option for me. In school, I had severe undiagnosed ADHD and felt alone so I dropped out my Junior year at the age of 16. I found a website that sold fake diplomas and transcripts that I used to get into cosmetology school and later fashion school. My parents were not happy with my decision but let me do it anyways. I took my State Board exam before leaving for FIDM and failed the practical by 1 point, 2 times. I was so distraught but had a feeling everything happens for a reason. Fast forward 3 years, I graduate from FIDM with 2 degrees in Manufacturing and Product Development and have already worked with brands such as Levis, Redbull and Converse. I worked in the Fashion Industry as a Product Developer for RE/DONE and Vince the next 3 years.

In October of 2020, I got laid off from my job at Vince. To be honest, I wasn’t upset. They gave me a very generous severance package and I was able to collect unemployment so I took a leap of faith and got my tattoo license and certified in Microblading. I went the cosmetic tattoo route versus the conventional tattoo route mainly because I wanted it to be an easier transition for my parents. I could market cosmetic tattooing as makeup, or something more accepting. I also knew that cosmetic tattoo artists make a lot of money, even as a beginner.

After getting certified in December 2020, I signed the lease on my first Private Tattoo Studio in Hermosa Beach the day California ‘reopened’ end of January ’21. I hit the ground running building my clientele and scaling my business at exponential speed. Now, in just 1 year os starting my own business, I upgraded to a larger studio space, have over 300 clients, expanded my services to include cosmetic and body art tattoos, grew my Tik Tok to (almost) 100k followers, and even started a cosmetic tattoo mentorship program training women how to do what I did.

My goal is the revolutionize the tattoo industry, making it less toxic, more inclusive and help people realize their potential and discover their true authentic selves.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The thing that really attracted all of my clients was my unique Hyper-Realistic Microblading Technique. Microblading some times has a bad name for ruining skin, merging over time, and looking harsh. With my technique, we are able to create super natural healed results that last and preserve the integrity and health of the skin. This came from my natural aesthetic and eye for design, proportions, and details. It came rather easily and improved with every client.

I always say that I am an advocate for “skin first beauty”. Natural results that give my clients the brows, lips, etc. that they deserve.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When I am not working I like to stay at home with my dogs, BUT I am a sucker for a good coffee shop. Some amazing ones in the South Bay are Two Guns Espresso, Sidecar Doughnuts, and The Boy And The Bear. Nothing beats a good Vanilla Latte and a stroll on the Hermosa Beach strand with the pups.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to shout out this book that has gotten me through so much. If I could make every person in the world read it, I would. It is called ‘How To Do The Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal From Your Past, & Create Your Self’ by Dr.Nicole LePera, a Holistic Psychologist.

As soon as I opened this book I felt like it was written from my future self. It helped me analyze childhood trauma, discover my inner child and authentic self, and was the catalyst to convince me to start seeking support with my mental health. I have since been seeing a Therapist and Psychiatrist on a regular basis and properly diagnosed and medicated for severe ADHD. Without making my mental health a priority this last year, there is no way I would’ve been able to scale my business the way I did.

Website: www.yassatattoo.com

Instagram: @YASSATATTOO

Facebook: @YASSATATTOO

Other: Tik Tok: @YASSATATTOO

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