The Business of Tattooing

About The Business of Tattooing

Welcome to The Business of Tattooing—the podcast that goes beyond the ink to dive deep into the industry, the hustle, and what it really takes to succeed in the world of tattooing. I’m Rob Smead, founder of Electrum Supply, and your guide through the business side of this ever-evolving art form. Each week, we’ll break down the latest trends, tackle the challenges artists face, and sit down with industry pros to talk shop—unfiltered and straight to the point. Whether you’re an artist, a shop owner, or just someone who loves the craft, this is the podcast built for you. So, sharpen your skills, level up your business, and let’s get to work. This is The Business of Tattooing!

Publisher

robsmead

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

2 Apr 2025

Latest episode

12 Nov 2025

Latest episodes

31 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Nov 2025

   THE BUSINESS OF TATTOOING - EPISODE 30 - SPOTLIGHT SERIES FEAT. RYAN ADAMS

   Tattoo shop owner Ryan Adams shares insights on navigating shop ownership, adapting to industry changes, and exploring ventures like his oddity shop and death museum in an interview.

2. 

   23 Oct 2025

   THE BUSINESS OF TATTOOING - EPISODE 29 - SPOTLIGHT SERIES FEAT. DAVION ELLIS

   Shop owner Davion Ellis shares his unconventional journey into tattooing with host Rob Smead, discussing his apprenticeship philosophy and vision for building an anime-themed shop in this interview.

3. 

   16 Oct 2025

   THE BUSINESS OF TATTOOING - EPISODE 28 - TIMA TALKS

   Rob Smead and Sean Brown introduce TIMA and Inktegrity, which are initiatives aiming to establish safety standards, ensure transparency, and unify the tattooing profession; this is an interview.

Who has been a guest on The Business of Tattooing

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Ryan Adams
• Davion Ellis
• Mikey Newblood
• Pony Lawson
• Reese Hilburn

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

81,178

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 49 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

64

Social presence

0

YouTube

85

Engagement

0

Contact The Business of Tattooing

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.