Meet Steph Alino, an apprentice in our Philly studio. Like many tattoo apprentices, she dreamed of being a tattoo artist since high school. Through college, working in restaurants, and freelancing, Steph’s passion for art and tattoo design never left her side. And when 2020 came around, she saw an opportunity to go for it. Get inspired by the story of how she took the leap and decided it was time to make her passion and creativity a priority with the help of Ink Different Tattoo School!
After college, Steph worked an uninspiring restaurant job, yet managed to keep creativity in her life, “I actually had art on the side and tried to find jobs to get by as well as just doing freelancing work.” Even though her artistic freelance work still required her to keep a job to get by, Steph never stopped dreaming of becoming a tattoo artist.
One day, that all changed and she knew it was time to get serious and focus on her art! She recalls, “I don’t know, I guess when 2020 came around I was like you know what, I’ll just do it. Let’s just, let’s just do it and it’s going great so far.” When she’d had enough of the struggle to get by with a job she didn’t enjoy, she knew it was time to start her tattoo apprenticeship.
One of the biggest changes for Steph comes from working for herself instead of working on someone else’s schedule to get by. She says, “To be my own boss, it’s like you’re in control of your own time, your own schedule, your work, and your clients.” To be a tattoo artist means to be your own boss and having all the freedoms that come with that. Being able to have that kind of flexibility can be a game changer and dramatically increase your quality of life. That said, it’s not easy to make the transition, which is why we’re here to mentor you through every step of your apprenticeship. We make sure our tattoo apprentices have the skills they need to provide high quality customer service along with their exceptional tattoos.
Another pivotal moment for Steph during her apprenticeship was when she realized that she has the skills to make a living from her art. She says, “I didn’t really gain confidence until I actually realized that my work is good enough. I can really make a living out of this.” Steph’s journey toward her dream job wouldn’t be possible without gaining the confidence she needed to take that leap. If this sounds familiar, let us help you gain confidence in your art and in yourself! Talk to one of our advisors today about how becoming a tattoo artist is the right move for you.
With perspective from her time as an apprentice, Steph advises, “If you know your own self-worth, you’re gonna know how much your work is worth.”
If you’re feeling inspired by Steph’s story and want to start your tattoo apprenticeship in
in a supportive, safe and professional environment, start a chat on our website with an advisor. As a tattoo apprentice at Ink Different Tattoo School, you can retrain and learn skills that allow you to have a lucrative job! Our advisors will help you create a schedule that works for you and our knowledgeable trainers will mentor you every step of the way! And you don’t need to wait until a COVID vaccine is on the market because your apprenticeship starts online in a live virtual classroom, where you work one-on-one with your trainer in the early phases of your apprenticeship. Once you pass the requirements of the work from home virtual classroom training, you’re ready to complete your apprenticeship in one of our physical studios. And one of the most important parts of the curriculum is learning how to keep yourself and your clients safe. With your training, you can be confident you’ll have the skills and knowledge about preventing cross-contamination to work in a post-COVID world. Start a chat with one of our advisors to get started.