Do visible tattoos negatively impact entrepreneurs business with customers, clients, or investors?

[jesseissorude]

I started a business because I want FREEDOM.

For me, it's all about crafting the life I want to live, and not living by other people's judgments. Of course, on the way to reaching that life, you have to make some concessions.

You can't just walk into a club and sit down in the VIP section until you've put in the work and sweat at becoming that VIP.

I don't have any visible tattoos (yet?), but the business I started (in the music industry) is one where I frequently interact with other people with tattoos and it doesn't hurt my business with them at all.

I want to craft a life for myself where nothing is off limits. I'd only choose not to do something if it negatively impacted the level of freedom I've already created for myself.

For example, murdering someone would severely limit my freedom because I'd probably be crippled by guilt and incarcerated. Tattoos, on the other hand, would be a-ok for me. They wouldn't have been ok when I was in a day-job where I was representing a company and interacting with customers, though.

More and more, I'll increase the level of freedom I have in my life, whether it's:
-being able to have tattoos if I want them
-a spur-of-the-moment flight to a different country
-accepting an invitation to a $2000/plate dinner
-paying a house-call in the AM to Bill Gates and jumping up-and-down on his bed to wake him up so he can make you eggs

All of these things are incredibly stupid to do if you haven't crafted your ideal life for yourself, but I would NEVER tell someone that they can't do that if they really want to.

EDIT: To answer the question more directly, I think having visible tattoos is incredibly Fastlane if you paid the price and hustled to be in a position where you can do that.

 

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[OldFaithful]

Different roles require (or at least encourage) different "uniforms", which are basically the set of expectations that comes along with that role. Sure, you can violate expectations and still succeed, but it likely adds a handicap.

Very well put. I don't want or need any self imposed handicaps in my venture.

Typical tattoos on the torso or limbs are only the beginning of the story. The face tattoos & lobe plugs are beyond my comprehension. But then again, I'm an old soul.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

The answer is highly dependent on the situation.

However here is one fundamental fact about the question: Some people WILL JUDGE you based on them. And it is not your decision on HOW you will be judged. So by having them, you increase probabilities of judgment.

The same thing could be said for religion or politics. When you openly voice or display a particular ideology, you will be judged. Some won't care, some will hate you, some will love you. Question is, will it be a detriment to your overall goal?

Doesn't @MJ DeMarco have a tribal arm band?

Very small, and not very tribal.

 

[jon.a]

Very small, and not very tribal.

There you go, I didn't know that.

 

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[Guest3722A]

People w/tats:

• George Orwell
  
  
• Thomas Edison
  
  
• Franklin D. Roosevelt
  
  
• Teddy Roosevelt
  
  
• King George
  
  
• Winston Churchill
  
  
• Andrew Jackson
  
  
• James Polk
  

COMPANIES

"Beyond just successful people with tattoos, there are also major companies that directly attribute their success to their acceptance of tattoos and piercings. They also have CEO's, CFO's, directors, and upper management with visible tattoos and piercings. Here's a list of examples:"

• Boeing
  
  
• Ford Motor
  
  
• Borders
  
  
• MetLife
  
  
• All State Insurance
  
  
• Red Roof Inn
  
  
• Apple
  
  
• IBM
  
  
• Forever 21
  
  
• Shell Chemical
  
  
• RE/MAX Realty
  
  
• UCLA

• Bank of America
  
  
• PetSmart
  
  
• Ticket Master
  
  
• Flagship Cinemas
  
  
• Sprint
  
  
• Wells Fargo
  
  
• Home Depot
  
  
• National City Bank
  
  
• Kmart
  
  
• Sally Beauty Supply
  
  
• Target
  
  
• Amazon

http://www.stapaw.com/#!why-do-people-get-tattoos/c15ez

 

[Digamma]

There is really no discussion here. Of course it's a negative.


In theory, a small percentage of the people you interact with will judge you because of them.

The tattoos will, in other words, lower your conversion rate.
Business is a numbers game. Maybe it's not such a number that will break you, but it's there. Net negative.


In practice, a lot of people you interact will be less inclined to do business because of it.

Humans are not rational creatures.

There is a societal bias on tattooed people, and most people will be influenced by it.

This should be obvious to anybody who has studied a little marketing and consumer psy.


This is why I didn't get my half sleeve yet.

 

[LightHouse]

Very small, and not very tribal.

What about the one on your lower back? was it a butterfly or a softball?

 

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[Nicoknowsbest]

Some more reading material concerning this topic:
https://www.quora.com/At-what-point...ll-off-a-sleeve-tattoo-like-soccer-players-do

Have them if you want them. Don't have them for the wrong reasons though. And obviously, be smart about it - invest in high quality and make sure you can cover it, if needed. Yes, it will be needed.

At the end of the day, hitting the Fastlane is already hard enough. People judge you ALREADY.

So don't make it EVEN HARDER for yourself.