What do you want to be when you grow up?
Some of us are still trying to figure out that answer years and years into our career.
Thomas Tunaitis loved to draw as a kid. His family determined his options back then would be to draw comic books or to work for Disney. But when costs associated with art school or college came into play, joining the service felt like the best plan. When stationed in South Carolina, Tunaitis received some requests to draw specific tattoo ideas and artwork.
“That’s how I got my foot in the door with tattooing. When I would see guys come back with art that I had drawn, actually tattooed on their body – it was mind blowing. So when I got home and out of the service entirely, I sought an apprenticeship and that was basically all she wrote,” said Tunaitis.
Now, Tunaitis owns and operates a successful tattoo shop with two locations, called Agaru Tattoo, in Wilmington, Delaware. Like many entrepreneurs, big dreams come with big price tags. From the stress of not quite knowing what you’re doing to the unexpected overhead you’ll encounter, Tunaitis’ advice is as real as it gets.
Here are some things to know throughout your journey as a small business owner: