Women-Owned Tattoo Studios Are Changing the Business of Ink

When Renee Santagata started tattooing in 2010, she didn’t work with another woman in the industry for eight years. Today, she owns Okami Ink in Houston, a woman-owned tattoo studio with a mostly female staff. Her story is part of a bigger shift. Across the US, women are opening their own tattoo studios and changing how the business runs.

At Ink Different Tattoos, we love seeing this happen. It proves that access, not talent, was always the missing piece. Here’s what’s driving the change, who’s leading it, and how you can be part of it.

What is a women-owned tattoo studio?

A women-owned tattoo studio is a tattoo studio where women hold majority ownership. They set the hiring, client care, safety standards, and culture.

For a long time, women in tattooing were often stuck in low-paid assistant roles. Now they’re signing leases, hiring Tattoo Artists, and training tattoo apprentices of their own.

You can feel the difference as a client. Alyse McCamish described her four-hour session at a woman-owned tattoo studio in Nashville as “just such a therapeutic experience.” She left with three new tattoos: vines, a hummingbird, and a dachshund in a hot dog costume.

That focus on comfort and care matches what we value at Ink Different. Our “Good Humans” culture is built on respect and real support.

Why are women-owned tattoo studios rising right now?

They’re rising because more women are getting tattooed, more women are entering the craft, and clients want inclusive spaces.

Start with the clients. According to a 2023 Pew Research Center study, 32% of US adults have at least one tattoo, and 22% have more than one. Women lead the way at 38%, compared with 27% of men. This isn’t brand new either. A 2012 Harris Poll found that women had become more likely than men to be tattooed, 23% to 19%.

The number of women tattooing has grown too. In 2010, about one in six Tattoo Artists was a woman. During the pandemic, a wave of new Tattoo Artists entered tattoo apprenticeships. Some in the industry call them “COVID babies.” Better machines and the rise of fine-line styles also helped widen the field.

Then there’s culture. Tattoos used to carry heavy stigma. Now they’re mainstream, and many clients research specific styles and Tattoo Artists like collectors. More clients means more room for new tattoo studios, and women are stepping up to open them.

How are women changing the business of ink?

Women are changing the business by putting client comfort, safety, and fair mentorship at the center of their tattoo studios.

Here’s where women-led tattoo studios are setting new standards:

• Client experience: Calm spaces, clear consultations, and time to talk. Many clients describe the experience as relaxing, not just painful.
• Inclusive spaces: Tattoo studios like Okami Ink and Pink Ink focus on making women and LGBTQ+ clients feel safe. Okami client Sarah Austin says she always looks for women-owned tattoo studios for that reason.
• Hygiene and safety: Strict OSHA bloodborne pathogen standards and open sterilization practices.
• Mentorship: Training tattoo apprentices with patience and open knowledge instead of gatekeeping.

Branding matters too. Women owners build loyal followings through social media and storytelling. Check our list of platforms to help tattoo artists build their brand.

Who are the women reshaping the industry?

They’re Tattoo Artists, tattoo studio owners, and Mentors proving that skill and leadership have no gender.

Renee Santagata is a great example. She grew up in Connecticut, where she remembers only three tattoo studios in her hometown. Her first attempt to get into a local tattoo studio ended in a quick rejection. She kept drawing while working as a barista and slowly built her portfolio.

Then she brought that portfolio to a Tattoo Artist she admired. He told her to come back in a month with new drawings. She did, exactly 30 days later. He admitted he’d been joking because he didn’t realize how serious she was. That persistence earned her a tattoo apprenticeship.

Sixteen years later, she’s one of Houston’s go-to anime Tattoo Artists, inking characters from Dragon Ball Z, Naruto Shippuden, and Chainsaw Man. Her tattoo studio also employs newer Tattoo Artists like Kathryn Booth and Monica Campos. “I think female tattooers are here to stay,” Santagata says.

Reality TV helped open doors too. Shows like LA Ink and Ink Master brought Tattoo Artists like Kat Von D into the mainstream in the 2000s.

At Ink Different, our Master Mentors include Liz Cook, an award-winning Tattoo Artist who trains alongside Al Fliction, Kyle Dunbar, Boneface, and Jordi Pla. Learning beside Tattoo Artists of that caliber shortens the distance between where you are and where you want to be.

Pro Tip: Santagata had to beg for a chance. You don’t. A structured tattoo apprenticeship gives you a clear way in without waiting for someone to notice you.

How do you open or work in a women-owned studio?

You start with a structured tattoo apprenticeship, earn your license, build a portfolio, then join or open a professional tattoo studio.

You don’t need a college degree. Here’s the path most successful Tattoo Artists follow.

Step 1: Commit to a real tattoo apprenticeship

Skip the gimmick kits and random tutorials. A legitimate tattoo apprenticeship gives you structure, feedback, and licensing support. This is the single most important decision you will make. Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship is built for beginners with no prior art experience required.

Step 2: Master the fundamentals

Drawing, line work, shading, machine handling, and sterilization come first. Like Santagata, you’ll fill a lot of sketchbooks before you ever tattoo a client.

Step 3: Learn safety and health standards

Study bloodborne pathogen safety and aftercare using sources like the American Academy of Dermatology tattoo care guidelines. Clients trust tattoo studios that take health seriously.

Step 4: Earn your tattoo license

Licensing rules vary by state. Learn your local requirements, such as how to get your tattoo license in Texas or how long a tattoo license takes in Colorado.

Step 5: Build your brand and network

Grow your portfolio, post consistently, and connect with tattoo studio owners. Your reputation opens doors to a chair, and one day maybe your own tattoo studio.

Before you begin, read about the mistakes aspiring tattoo apprentices should avoid so you can protect your momentum from day one.

What skills do you need to succeed?

You need strong drawing fundamentals, machine control, hygiene discipline, client communication, and basic business skills.

Talent is only part of it. Women running successful tattoo studios also handle scheduling, pricing, marketing, and team leadership. The client side matters just as much. McCamish’s session felt healing because her Tattoo Artist listened while she worked. That people skill keeps clients coming back. 

Worried about technology taking over? Don’t be. As we explain in why tattoo artists are still essential, hand-made tattooing is built on human trust, creativity, and connection. That makes it an AI-proof career.

How Ink Different helps you build your foundation

Ink Different Tattoos trains complete beginners through the Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship, with live mentorship, job-ready skills, and licensing support over 18 to 24 months.

We’ve been training professional Tattoo Artists since 2011. We’re a college alternative for people ready to build a career that’s truly theirs.

What you can expect from our Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship

Our Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship follows a four-phase structure. You learn by doing, in real tattoo studios, the whole way through.

• Phase structure: Four progressive phases built for beginners with no experience.
• Hands-on learning: Personalized, in-person mentorship from professional Tattoo Artists.
• Timeline: 18 to 24 months of structured growth.
• Outcome: Job-ready skills and licensing support so you’re ready to work professionally.

A career that comes with confidence

You finish with real skills, a portfolio, licensing support, and a guaranteed job offer at one of our tattoo studios. That foundation lets you build a client base and, one day, open a tattoo studio of your own.

Mentorship that pushes your brand and skills further

Want to go further? Our one-year, in-person Master Mentorship pairs you with award-winning Master Mentors: Al Fliction, Liz Cook, Kyle Dunbar, Boneface, and Jordi Pla. It’s ideal for mastering a style, growing your career, and preparing for tattoo studio ownership.

Making tattoo training accessible for everyone

With 60+ locations nationwide, there’s likely a tattoo studio near you. We also offer Spanish-speaking locations in Denver, Orange County, NYC, Miami, San Antonio, and San Diego, so language never stands in your way.

Ready to become a Tattoo Artist?

Santagata had to prove herself twice just to get a tattoo apprenticeship. Today, she runs her own tattoo studio and trains the next wave of Tattoo Artists. The doors are more open now than they’ve ever been.

Each Mentor at Ink Different takes on only two tattoo apprentices per tattoo studio, so seats are limited. Real mentorship can’t be mass-produced.

Ready to become a tattoo artist? Apply now to Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship and start building an AI-proof career with licensing support along the way. You can also fill out our quick questionnaire, and we’ll help you figure out if it’s the right fit.