Meet Micah Harold | Tattooer, Business Owner, Artist, and Entrepreneur
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We had the good fortune of connecting with Micah Harold and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Micah, what role has risk played in your life or career?
If there’s anything involved in paving your path to success, it’s two things in particular in my own anecdotal experience and the first one is risk. The year was 2014 and my bosses had just informed us they were closing the shop. With nowhere to go and only about 1500 bucks in my pocket, I borrowed 2000 dollars from my brother, filed the LLC for my new business, Red Handed Tattoo. I soon took over the lease and in a stroke of good luck, it was already set up to operate. It wouldn’t be the first time I took a calculated risk but at least this time I didn’t have that much to lose. There’s nothing more motivating than the possibility of you and your family on the street so I used that fuel to work long arduous hours. Where many people said there was no way a one-person tattoo shop could thrive, I began to prove them all wrong. I added the second vital ingredient to what would be my recipe for success and of course I’m talking about consistency.
I showed up every day, I never let a customer down and within a year I had several workers, a four month wait list and all my debts paid off. I used the fuel of fear, fear of failure to forge my way. Success is the best revenge because it’s something you can focus on while forgetting about all the people who want you to fail. If you wouldn’t take someone’s advice, why would you take their criticism? Get them out of your head and focus on yourself. Stay positive and be sure to surround yourself only with those who want you to succeed.
For me, from the beginning of my entrepreneurship it seemed Risk had dictated my every move. I kept all my chips in the middle and let them ride until I had a good nest egg and taking risks weren’t as precarious.
I’m not going to say that Risk plus Consistency equals success every time, but for me, it yielded a bloom I was not expecting, and that’s really it, right? The bigger the risk, the bigger the chance of failure, but also the bigger the risk, or the bigger the dream, there’s the chance that your wildest dreams will come true.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Traditional tattooing often takes a difficult apprenticeship that at it’s core is of a militant fashion. Scrubbing cars with cotton schwabs were not uncommon in the long history of Tattoo apprenticeships. A young scrub if things worked out would soon find himself, once all the cleaning was done and the artwork was showing promise, the chance to tattoo themselves for their first tattoo. Clearly they don’t make them like this much anymore but these were all lessons in what traditional tattooers thought made a good tattooer and not only got them out in the world but allowed them to survive. All too often we have to work through pain and honestly though, if artists didn’t work through their baggage, the art would only be a fraction as good.
It wasn’t long until I caught a documentary on Japanese Tattooing featuring traditional Japanese tattooer, Master Horitoshi, my favorite tattooer. Seeing the beauty of Japanese tattoo dictated my path and it would take me over ten years of study to specialize in the art of Japanese tattoo and Traditional American tattoos.
I came to tattoos thinking that one day I may be able to change it somehow without realizing all the ways that tattoos would soon change me. I learned that by giving myself and surrendering myself to tattoos, that tattoos would take care of me and delivered me from the path of apprentice to Traditional Tattooer.
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.
Shreveport is geographically on the Northwest corner of the Louisiana boot. We have casinos, arcades, fine dining but one of the most beautiful places I recommend is the Norton Art Gallery and Gardens. My daughter and I walk there several times a week and the Gallery highlights historical, Americana paintings and sculptures. Herby K’s is a long revered local restaurant along with Ernest’s Orlean’s Restaurant, you’re looking at some good eating. Louisiana is home of creole cuisine and if you’ve never tried it, you’ve never lived, not to mention it’s just a hop, skip, and jump to New Orleans!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Invest in two people, your customers, but also your co-workers. Several years into my business I made the alarming discovery that I had more people in my life who were bitter when good things happened for me and my business, or even Jealous and denigrating when I’d get a write up.
I always considered myself a positive person and sooner or later, the people around me who didn’t vibe separated like oil from water.
Save yourself the trouble now, learn to recognize the people around you who want you to fail, get them out of your life, even if it’s family or friends. Surround yourself with the people who uplift you and support you.
Appreciate those people and reciprocate all the strength and time they take out of their day to encourage you because they don’t have to.
These are the people who are responsible for our success. The people who want you to succeed and support all your hard work are the people we keep in our hearts because we owe it all to them, every single bit! Your business is a house and your customers and co-workers are the guests.
Website: allmylinks.com/micahharold
Instagram: @MicahHarold_Tattoo
Facebook: www.facebook.com/micah.harold
Other: TikTok; PlantbasedPillowPrincess
Image Credits
It’s all mine! No worries, use as you see fit.