Feb 01, 2016 8 Questions with: Spirit Ink’s Evelyn Chun
What am I doing with my life? At one time or another we have all pondered this esoteric question. Very few actually go beyond the question in search of an actionable answer. Even fewer take the next step and jump into the void in pursuit of the American dream. I’m inspired by these doers, these open door openers, and those who eat unknowns for breakfast. Evelyn Chun is one of these brave souls. By day she is an account executive for an advertising agency. During nights and weekends she is the Co-founder of Spirit Ink, a (con)temporary shop.
It was the perfect solution. When you are sorting through the options of what to do with the rest of your life and serious commitments are far too permanent, you form a company that celebrates the non-permanent expression. Is it hard to run your own company? Sure. For a few, it’s harder to sit and do nothing. Evelyn and her friends are doing it all; corporate teams by day, business owners by night, all while inspiring a generation of millennials along the way.
Describe the evolution of Spirit Ink. How and why did you get started?
Right before graduating, I experienced a quarter-life crisis, as most millennials do. I didn’t have a full-time job or my career path lined up. As it happened, one of my childhood friends was going through a similar situation. We sat down and just brainstormed when we randomly started talking about our desire to get tattoos. The idea of temporary tattoos popped up since we were both terrified of the pain and the commitment. Temporary tattoos were not as “mainstream” or fashionable back in 2012, and the idea seemed relatively risk-free financially and marketable to the ever-growing “hipsters.”
What is the hardest part of running your own company?
Time management and lack of resources. It was hard to prioritize and see what really needed to be done in order to not waste time and money.
What was the biggest risk in diving-in and why did you go for it anyway?
The initial investment to outsource the tattoo manufacturing was our biggest risk because it required a considerable financial investment that wasn’t realistic for recent college graduates with student loans, but in order for us to sell quality products with FDA approved vegan ink, this step was vital.
What are you guys currently working on? Where do you see Spirit Ink going in the future?
We would love to target the wedding industry by offering wedding favor and tattoo bar packages. We want to sell the product with a meaningful experience, rather than just individual products. It would be great to build a strong brand that can be leveraged to expand into other product categories.
What is your favorite Spirit Ink product?
Giraffe tattoos — it was one of my very first attempts of using Adobe Illustrator to design, so it will always have a special meaning for me. Also, the design is appropriate for everyone!
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grow-up?
So many random things, but in high school and college, I wanted to work for the UN. Partly because my birthday is on UN day (and obviously to make the world a better place).
Where do you personally find inspiration?
I love leafing through fashion magazines and going through Pinterest to find photoshoot ideas and tattoo inspirations. It’s definitely exciting to see how far I can push my creative capabilities with limited resources.
What is your favorite post work destination?
My room, to decompress and spend some quality “me” time away from all distractions.
