Being a tattoo artist can be loads of fun. But let’s be real – managing the business side of your passion is not, with the chaotic whirlwind of emails, rescheduling nightmares, and financial headaches. Many tattoo artists have resorted to using general booking software and piecing together various tools, but these solutions often fall short of addressing the unique needs of the tattoo industry. Enter Porter: a revolutionary app designed specifically for tattoo artists. Porter is tailored to the tattoo world’s distinct needs, offering a comprehensive suite that encompasses booking, payments, marketing, and even financial management – all under one seamless digital roof.
Created by co-founders Mat Lefkofsky and Zack Neff, Porter was born out of a realization that the tattoo community lacked a comprehensive platform tailored to their unique requirements. As Lefkofsky explains, “Tattoos are exploding among our generation, but the booking process hasn’t changed much in the last 20 years, making it extremely inefficient and difficult for both artists and customers to book tattoos.”
The catalyst for Porter’s creation came when a friend shared his experience navigating the intricate web of emails, direct messages, and rescheduling efforts required to book multiple tattoo appointments. This insight prompted Lefkofsky and Neff to embark on a quest, interviewing countless tattoo artists and studio owners to understand their pain points and aspirations better.
“We literally spent a few months in early 2023, going around to tattoo artists and studio owners bargaining for their time, just to sit down and interview them about their business,” Lefkofsky recalls. The resounding feedback? Existing booking software and tools were inadequate, failing to account for the nuances of the tattoo industry.
With a clear vision in mind, the Porter team set out to create a platform that would revolutionize the way tattoo artists operate. At its core, Porter offers a comprehensive booking platform designed explicitly for the tattoo world, allowing artists to manage consultations, appointments, liability waivers, and more seamlessly.
But Porter goes beyond just booking. It’s an all-encompassing platform with point-of-sale hardware, customer relationship management (CRM) tools, marketing capabilities, and financial management features. This holistic approach empowers tattoo artists and studio owners to streamline their entire business within a single, intuitive platform.
“We built an all-in-one-suite with custom payment devices, marketing tools, and financial reporting designed specifically and only for the tattoo industry,” Lefkofsky explains. “So that a tattoo artist or a tattoo studio owner can come and run their entire business in one place gaining the ability to power their business with their data.”
For independent artists, Porter offers a streamlined solution for booking, calendar management, and payment processing, with a monthly subscription fee of $35 after a free trial period. Studio owners can opt for a more comprehensive package, which includes additional features like payroll management and employee scheduling at a monthly cost of $100 for studios with three or fewer artists, or $150 for larger studios.
What sets Porter apart is its unwavering commitment to understanding and catering to the unique needs of the tattoo community. As Lefkosky emphasizes, “We are completely dialed into the needs of our customers, constantly making changes to the product to better suit their business needs as artists and studio owners, based on their real-time feedback”
This customer-centric approach has worked wonders, as Porter users have reported tangible benefits, including increased revenue, fewer no-shows, and improved efficiency. “Artists who use us typically see a 25-35% increase in revenue within their first 3 months after switching to Porter,” Lefkosky proudly states. “Appointments don’t slip through the cracks, and they are able to schedule more appointments in a shorter amount of time”
Tattoo artist and Porter user Deundre can confirm. “I get so many more bookings now. Porter makes it so easy for me to see what exactly a client wants with a description, photos, which area of the body, the size, the color. With other software, I used to have to gather all this information through DM,” Deundre continues, “A lot of bookings used to get lost in the conversation, or clients would stop replying. With Porter, there is no back-and-forth. So whenever a client is inspired to book, they can without having to wait for me to reply. They are more likely to book because it’s a simpler process.”
As the tattoo industry continues to thrive and evolve, platforms like Porter are poised to play a pivotal role in empowering artists and studio owners to focus on their craft while leaving the operational complexities to a seamless, industry-tailored solution.
Learn more about Porter here.
