Do you like drawing? Were you good in art and drawing when you were in school? If yes, what did stop you from pursuing what you liked? What if you can rewind your life and choose art again. What if your passion (art) becomes the main source of your income. You earn doing what you like. Wouldn’t it be awesome to live to your passion? Let me tell you about my life story.
My name is Sunny Bhanushali, founder of Aliens Tattoo and Learn it Like Aliens. I was so inclined to drawing and sketching when I was a teenager. I belonged to a very poor family, we were financially so poor that I preferred using burnt wood(raw charcoal) for drawing instead of pencils as pencils were expensive for me back then. I left my studies and started working at the age of 15.
From then I worked hard to help my family financially. I started working as a sweeper, progressively I developed my communication skills to become a part of successful call centres. I was caught in day-night shifts, sales, and commissions, I was working my ass off to make less than 30,000 Rs. a month. I had become a part of a sophisticated labour engine, my life was stuck inside the air-conditioned corporate box. All the doors seemed closed, outside the world of call centres no one would pay a similar salary or recognize my talent, that was the bubble I lived in, and there are many like me in the corporate box. So how did I get out of the box? How did I turn my annual income into my weekly income?
One thing did not leave me throughout my journey, it was Art.
Wherever I worked, I used to sketch and draw in my free time because I loved it the most. I had a few drawings in my portfolio but not good enough to sell them. I explored many other options in my week-offs, I went to painting galleries, met renowned artists and painters to find a way to work with them or work on a commission basis. Nothing worked. Then something happened, something strange, which I never thought I would do.
My friend wanted to get a tattoo and so we visited a tattoo studio. He got his tattoo on his forearm, I was there witnessing the whole process of tattooing. I found it interesting and thought of learning it from the same artist. When I inquired for tattoo training, he put me down, the artist said: “the tattoo artists are special, not anyone can be one”. He said, “I don’t have that thing in me to be a tattoo artist.” INSULT!!!
This insult turned out to be my wake up call
And it began. I came back home and started saving money for tattoo machines and material. I bought my first tattoo kit after a month. Watched some tattoo videos online and did my first tattoo on me. From that day nothing could stop me. I worked in call centres and on my week-offs I tattooed friends and colleagues. This went on for a year until I gained enough knowledge about starting my tattoo business.
In less than 3 years my annual salary became my quarterly income. I was making more than 3lacs every 3 months. But the most important thing is I was free of a routined corporate box, I was doing what I loved the most. I had all the time to be with family and friends. I had all the time to sketch, paint, and tattoo. The more time and space I earned the better I got with tattoo art and painting.
By the 5th year of tattooing, I was making double the (call centre)annual income every month. By the 8th year, I made that amount weekly.
My studio, Aliens Tattoo, is one of the top tattoo studios in India. Aliens Tattoo is recognized globally. I travel around the world as an artist. I have been featured as “Best Tattoo Artist of the Month” in one of the top tattoo magazines of London, Total Tattoo Magazine. I and my studio has been a feature in media and newspapers more than 100 times. I have won multiple awards in International Tattoo Conventions. Today I own a chain of premium tattoo studios, Aliens Tattoo, spread across India with 18 Operational outlets, with 90+ tattoo artists working and serving our clientele. Every morning we receive beautiful reviews and appreciations from our customers. THIS IS SUCCESS!!!
Now I work only 2 days a week, the rest of the days I spend time learning new technologies. I dedicate my time to find the best way to teach what I have learned all these years so I can help people like me. I put more and more time in designing online tutorials on tattoo art and digital art and make them available to everyone at a very affordable price so people like me can flourish. I have developed a great tattoo training program for all. It helps many to change their lives, find their true potential. It can help you too.
If you wish to break your routine and follow your passion, it is time. It is time to move out of your comfort zone and pursue your passion. If you want to make 5 figured or 6 figured monthly income through working on what you like the most then you got to hustle, you got to go for it..