Rising Stars: Meet Justin and Julia Williams

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Justin and Julia Williams.

Hi Justin and Julia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We’ve always wanted to have a business together – we considered an art gallery, but that requires selling a seriously large quantity of art. We were both creating a good amount of paintings but still needed our day jobs to pay the bills.

Jules was at a law firm managing litigation and Justin was working with a design firm handling design and client relations when we found the first Frisco Tattoo location, in downtown Rogers, Arkansas. Neither one of us had ever tattooed before and the idea of apprenticing somewhere was going to be expensive and could potentially take over a year to complete.

We decided to meet with a couple of new artists who had just gotten their licenses and weren’t very interested in staying at the shop where they apprenticed. Once we got over the fears of what might go wrong, we decided that the opportunity greatly outweighed the potential failure signed the lease, and got the ball rolling. We weren’t open long before COVID hit and we were forced to close the shop for almost a month.

Once the restrictions were lifted, we were able to practice more and we started to see gradual improvement. After almost a year we tested with the state got our licenses and never looked back. Luck played a part in our success – we were fortunate to find a great space with lots of traffic, our marketing found its target, and our client base has been loyal.

Next, we wanted to set up a location where Justin grew up – Colorado. The Frisco Tattoo shop landed in Boulder on Halloween of 2023 and we’re excited to see where it takes us! With the help of some young talented artists, we’re looking forward to 2024 and beyond.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Opening a tattoo shop while also learning about the industry and a new medium was definitely a challenge. Justin went to Oklahoma State for graphic design and illustration and Jules had been perfecting her style before we ever picked up a machine. Once we started practicing, it got easier and easier.

After some struggles with imposter syndrome and the industry not exactly welcoming two new artists to the scene, things picked up once folks realized we weren’t a typical body art shop. We started becoming known for our unique style, shop ambiance, and customer service – and word spread. The industry in Colorado is a whole different ball game than most other parts of the country. Very different, with lots of unexpected challenges.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We both specialize in custom tattoo designs and we’re known for being fair business owners in an industry where some of our fellow artists can be a little rough around the edges. Tattoo shops aren’t typically known for their marketing prowess or customer service but our approach is a little different.

I’d say we’re most proud of having the belief in ourselves and our skills to learn not just a new medium, but to learn about an entire industry and culture. I’d say the thing that sets us apart in this industry is the fact that we came to this new career with the experience of owning numerous different kinds of businesses that greatly helped us in the tattoo industry.

Lots of artists don’t have experience with graphic design, marketing, or even traditional art and training. We think that having those experiences helped separate us from other shops.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
There are lots of books and YouTube videos we’ve both read and watched, hours and hours of research. But, nothing beats just doing it and practicing – it’s an art form and there are tricks. I don’t know a single artist who isn’t constantly learning and getting better.

Having years of pen & ink/watercolor/acrylic/graphite/illustration experience was a huge bonus – some artists don’t have that kind of training. The latest book we’ve read was “The Creative Act: A Way of Being” by Rick Rubin – a tremendous book, a great source of inspiration especially for anyone in the creative industry.

Pricing:

• $150 p/h, depending on the piece

Contact Info:

• Website: friscotattooco.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/friscotattoocolorado
• Facebook: facebook.com/friscotattoocolorado