Running a business is hard. a good money making business is really hard. It involves spinning many plates. To think that you can open doors and watch money roll in, is both naive and plain stupid. Like a good relationship, it takes work, stamina and patience. Ok, I am one of the least patient people on the planet. i can see my friend Jane holding her index finger up and orbiting the others around her hand while saying, "Henry, Universe!" People do not like change, when it happens they grow
scared and start to panic. Not all change is bad. This simply means things are evolving. Sometimes working with people takes work. Again, I am one of the least people friendly people on the planet. I say this cause, lets be honest the human race sucks at times. I hurt a friends feelings because I said that I believe that world poverty would never be a abolished. Sure on paper it sounds great and nice, but a infra-structure is in place that means that before anything can be done the structure it's self would have to change completely. Unfortunately, this is where the problem lies. Those whom hold big business also impact the laws and stupid regulations that are foisted upon us.
So at the shop I never stop thinking about my business. It is said that a man thinks of sex 6 seconds. Well a business owner thinks of money every 12 seconds. To me money is simply a means. It will not solve my problems and not make me feel better, or give me a hug when I need one most. No money is simply a tool for me. I use it for my shop and my life, and my shop is my baby. Not only am I married to my partner, I am married to my shop. I have fired people, been accused of being a slave driver, a miser, unjust, unfair and even uncooperative. Sure thats they way it looks from that side of the fence. What most don't under stand is that the placement of things to build a business are many. Just because I leave work does not mean I'm done for the day. Administrative decisions must be made all the time on my part and for the post part I try and be fair and ethical.
I have to remove my self from the situation and look at it from another point of view. To place special preference over one individual would not be fair to the other two. To try and encourage someone is also a task. Sometimes it is disheartening when you place a compliment on someone only for them to knock it with a viewpoint that lacks any kind of general enthusiasm or even zeal. In tattooing you have to take the sour with the sweet, and I have in many shapes and forms during the course of my business. To make someone understand what it is I am doing to fair across the board can cause them a little dismay for no apparent reason. There is nothing personal, this is business and I too have fallen short at times of this, but over all it was my decision making that got me to this point. There are times I wish I had a recorder to tape every time someone fucking complained about work or it's slow. Yet I can choose to work every day if I wanted to but I don't. There are two sides to every story and view points. All my decisions are based on a diplomatic process, for the greater good. If they choose to personalise it. Well that is a tar baby they will have to contend with themselves, because it's nothing against them. But I have reached a breaking point where I am done trying to muster the encouragement and build the enthusiasm for these types of people, because it is a false sense of security to them. Success is built on the pillars of failure, and I have fucked up a lot to know better. This job has to make room for artistic ego of course, yet I will not be placed into a arena where I am supposed to show preferential treatment to one and not the other. IT's not right nor fair and would only cause friction and resentment.
This is for them to work out on their own. I will admit I remove myself from business emotionally, because it's a saving grace.
Joleene is my barometer, and I love her for it. I have been erroneously accused of being superior or make someone feel like they might not have a job or that I have talked down to them. An easy excuse and cop out, especially in tattooing, when I have witnessed it served to customers on a weekly basis. My goal is to seek out a corner of the planet and make it my own, and to have longevity with the course of my shop over seeking the approval of other tattooists and having my name in a magazine. It's been nice to have those accolades, but it is my work. The guys whom work for me are nice and have a talent. do I trust them, to a certain degree absolutely, that is my concern. If they work hard I will compliment and reward them when appropriate. I will not be questioned on how I govern my businessm becasue I have given them reason from the gate. I do ask they're opinions on issues that concern them and like to hear feed back. However, not all my decisions will be met with joy and agreement. Ultimately, the bottom line is I will run my shop a certain way fair and evenly, and if they take that personally then that is there own issue to deal with.
