He travelled from Nairobi to start a business that he felt was not well exploited in Kampala.
What do you call your tattoo business?
I call it K’la Ink and we do all kinds of tattoos and body piercing.
When did you start this business?
Immediately I arrived in Uganda in September last year.
What experience do you have to do this kind of business?
Quite a lot. I learnt this through my uncle who has a similar business and it took me six months to grasp everything. I have been doing this for more than three years now.
Because this kind of work involves piercing, don’t you think it’s risky and could lead to spread of diseases and other infections?
It is when you don’t know what you are doing. I’m a professional because unlike other parlours, I dispose off all used materials and safety measures are taken. I have never received any complaints so far.
How many tattoos can you do in a day?
If they are simple tattoos, I can do eight to 10 pieces but if they are complicated designs, I’m able to do three to five a day.
Why would someone trust you to tattoo them?
My work is professional. Before we start on anything, a client first fills a consent form and I follow protocol because I don’t work on pregnant women and people with skin diseases.
How long does it take for a tattoo to heal?
We treat it after a week and full recovery is between three weeks and one month.
How much do you charge for both tattoo and body piercing?
They vary in sizes, details and colours. Ordinary tattoos start from Shs80,000 and if it’s a full body tattoo then I can charge Shs2m onwards. Body piercing prices range between Shs60,000 and Shs80,000.
What challenges are you facing doing this kind of business?
Customers not following instructions and other parlours not keeping their work professional, thus making us all appear unreliable.
How much can you make on a good and bad day?
This business is seasonal. We can go an entire month without any customer and time comes when I can make 500,000 and more in just one day.
Where are you located?
At Equatorial Mall, Level 3, shop number 367.
