Four years ago, The
resa Sapergia wanted to create something different in the tattoo community in Prince George. Combining her fine arts background with her training in tattooing Theresa decided to open a shop with the look of an art gallery and the relaxing atmosphere of a day-spa.
Walking into Handsome Cabin Boy Tattoo definitely feels more like entering an art gallery than the classic old school tattoo shop. From the large scale pieces of art on the walls to the constantly updated music playing in the background, Theresa has succeeded in her vision.
Holding a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Emily Carr and a Masters of Fine Arts from Concordia Theresa is proud of every piece of work she has completed, whether a piece of art or a tattoo, and she is passionate about the hand selected works of art she has created. The combination of her creativity with her clients’ initial ideas is the perfect recipe for a tattoo.
Theresa says her biggest supporters in the venture have been her family and friends, Community Futures, and other local businesses. She explains that her family has been very supportive throughout this whole process while Community Futures guided her on the pathway to success, especially through the business planning process. She also met many other local business owners through workshops and friends that have been mentors and helped Theresa with any questions or concerns that arose as she grew her business.
Sapergia is very proud of the high bar she and her co-Tattooer: Katie Zammit have set for themselves and of how they have been able to work together to create a successful business; but she also insists everything she has experienced is a gift. With the success of the shop, Theresa has recently signed a new five-year lease in her current location. Also, as a successful entrepreneur, she is proud to be able to give back to her community and donates to various groups such as Pride Week, Cinema CNC, Twin Rivers Art Gallery, the SPCA, and an annual ALS walk.
Theresa’s advice to future entrepreneurs is to start with Community Futures! She says she learned everything she needed to survive her first year through CF-FFG whether through information, networking or setting out a business plan to follow. This also helped her meet a community of business owners who have been helpful along the way. She also says to expect the unexpected and that sometimes the unexpected will broadside you but not to let it discourage you from your dream.
It has been a long and eventful journey for Theresa, but the hard work is starting to pay dividends. She has become more confident in her abilities as a business owner and has built up a dedicated clientele booking months in advance for tattoos. After working 6 or 7 days a week for the first few years Theresa explains that she’s finally taking more days off this summer and has realized that she is able to without having to worry too much.
