Your Shop Runs on Numbers, Not Just Talent

Shop Bookkeeping Is a Different Animal

Running a tattoo shop isn't the same as being a solo artist. You're not just managing your own income and expenses — you're managing an entire operation. Booth rent from five or six artists, supply orders, rent, utilities, insurance, equipment maintenance, and the constant question of whether your shop is actually profitable or just busy.

Generic bookkeepers treat your shop like any other small business. They don't understand the booth renter model, the mix of 1099 and W-2 relationships, or why your supply costs spike before a convention weekend. We do — because tattoo shops are all we work with.

What We Track for Tattoo Shops

Booth Rent & Artist Revenue

Whether your artists pay weekly, biweekly, or monthly booth rent, we track every payment individually. You'll always know who's current, who's behind, and exactly how much revenue your stations are generating. If you run a commission-based model instead, we track that too — calculating splits, managing payouts, and ensuring everything reconciles.

Artist Payouts & Contractor Management

If you're paying artists on commission or managing a hybrid model, the payout math gets complicated fast. We track every payout, ensure proper documentation for 1099 reporting, and keep your records clean for year-end tax filing. No more scrambling in January to figure out who got paid what.

Inventory & Supply Costs

Ink, needles, cartridges, gloves, barriers, cleaning supplies, aftercare products — the supply list for a tattoo shop is long and the costs add up. We track your supply expenses by category so you can see exactly where your money is going and identify opportunities to reduce costs without cutting quality.

Overhead & Fixed Costs

Rent, utilities, insurance, licensing, equipment leases, software subscriptions, marketing — these are the costs that run whether you tattoo anyone or not. We track them separately from your variable costs so you always know your true break-even point and can price your services accordingly.

Sales Tax Compliance

Sales tax rules for tattoo services vary wildly by state and sometimes by city. Some states tax tattoo services, others don't. Some tax retail products but not services. We ensure your books accurately reflect the sales tax you've collected and help you stay compliant with filing deadlines.

Why P&L Visibility Changes Everything

Most shop owners we meet know they're making money — they just don't know how much, or where it's actually coming from. A clean Profit & Loss statement changes that.

With proper bookkeeping, you can answer questions like:

• Is the shop profitable after all overhead, or are you subsidizing it with your own tattooing income?
• Which stations are generating the most revenue? Which are underperforming?
• Are your supply costs in line with industry benchmarks, or are you bleeding money?
• Can you afford to hire another artist, expand your space, or invest in new equipment?
• What would happen to your bottom line if you lost one or two booth renters?

These aren't hypothetical questions — they're the decisions that determine whether your shop thrives or just survives. And you can't answer them without clean books.

Multi-Location Management

If you operate more than one shop, the bookkeeping complexity multiplies. Each location has its own revenue streams, overhead costs, and profitability profile. We set up your books to track each location independently while still giving you a consolidated view of your entire business. This lets you compare performance across locations and make data-driven decisions about where to invest.

Our Process for Tattoo Shops

1. Audit & setup: We review your current financial state, connect all accounts, and build a chart of accounts tailored to your shop's specific structure.
2. Historical cleanup: If your books are behind, we get them current. This often reveals missed deductions and gives us a baseline for going forward.
3. Monthly management: We reconcile all transactions, track booth rent and payouts, categorize expenses, and deliver a clear monthly financial report.
4. Quarterly review: We sit down with you to review trends, flag concerns, and discuss opportunities — whether that's renegotiating a lease, adjusting booth rent, or planning for expansion.

This Service is For You If...

• You own a tattoo shop with multiple artists and need organized financial tracking
• You're managing booth renters, commissions, or a hybrid model and the payout math is getting complicated
• You want to understand your shop's true profitability beyond just what's in the bank account
• You're considering expansion and need clean financials to make the decision
• You're tired of year-end chaos and want organized books that are always tax-ready

Your shop is more than a collection of stations — it's a business. And every serious business needs serious bookkeeping. Let us bring the financial clarity so you can focus on running the best shop in town.