Convention Connection: From Nurse and Flight Attendant to Inventing Her Own Tattoo Style, Mimi Sama’s Journey
Mimi Sama was a nurse. Then she became a flight attendant. Then she managed the front office of a five-star hotel on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Tattooing wasn’t part of the plan until a friend’s tattoo shop gave her a place to land. Today, she’s tattooed more than 1,000 people in over 35 countries. She also created Mangala, a style that blends Edo period Japanese painting with modern anime. We sat down with Mimi at the Villain Arts Tattoo Festival in Kansas City for Convention Connection to hear how it all started.
Key Takeaways
The pivot: Mimi worked as a nurse, a flight attendant, and a hotel front office manager before she ever picked up a tattoo machine.
A self-taught path: She had no tattoo apprenticeship and says learning on her own took much longer.
Her own style: Mangala grew from her love of anime and the Edo period art and kimono patterns she studied while living in Japan.
A global career: She’s tattooed in more than 35 countries and now travels with her two kids.
Her advice: Don’t give up, and stay humble, because you can always keep learning.
Who is Mimi Sama?
Mimi Sama is a Tattoo Artist and the creator of Mangala, a style she describes as a blend of anime and manga themes with intricate patterns.
She was born in Portugal and raised in Paris. As a child, she loved traveling and always had her nose in a book. According to her website, she has tattooed since 2014. She owned a tattoo shop in Paris from 2014 to 2015. Today, she’s based in Milwaukee and San Francisco.
Her work has also earned awards, including Best Asian Influences at the NY Empire Tattoo Expo in 2023. She also won Best of Show at the Milwaukee Arts Festival in 2024.
Her family wasn’t very open to an artistic career, so her early working life looked very different. She went to nursing school and worked as a nurse, then as a flight attendant. She finished that chapter as a front office manager at a five-star hotel on the Champs-Élysées.
Those roles still shaped her. Nursing builds habits around preventing the spread of infection and handling needles. Flight attending teaches you to work with every kind of personality. Both matter in tattooing.
Why would someone leave nursing and flight attending for tattooing?
For Mimi, the change came from boredom, a break, and an unexpected first tattoo.
She loved her hotel job, but every day followed the same rules and routine. Eventually, she felt bored. So she stepped away from work to figure out where she wanted to go next.
A friend owned a tattoo shop, and she asked if he needed a receptionist. He said yes. She started spending a day or two a week there, bringing in the drawings she’d always made.
She loved watching clients arrive with a story, a feeling, or an idea they wanted translated onto their skin. One day, a friend of the owner offered to let her do her first tattoo on him.
She wasn’t planning to become a Tattoo Artist. But when she pulled her first line and felt the needle leave a mark for the rest of his life, she knew this was what she wanted to do.
Tattooing is also a deeply human craft. Mimi says the connection and trust clients place in you can never be replaced by technology. We explore that more in why tattoo artists are still essential.
What role do tattoo conventions play in an artist's journey?
For Mimi, conventions let her bring her style to clients who can’t come to her.
She lived in San Francisco for three years. Now she returns there one week every month and pairs each trip with a convention. Recent stops have included Kansas City, Raleigh, and Omaha.
She says her San Francisco sessions are more relaxing, with less noise and a calmer setting. But not everyone can afford a flight or a day off. Conventions let her meet clients where they are and give her best work at every show.
Conventions have also brought recognition. Her work has won prizes at shows like the Anchorage Tattoo Arts Festival in 2024.
Mimi says she’s free because she isn’t tied to one tattoo shop. When she’s ready for something new, she packs her bags and goes somewhere else, with her two kids along for the ride.
Pro Tip: Many touring Tattoo Artists plan convention trips around their home base. Following their schedules is a great way to get tattooed by someone outside your city.
How do you invent your own tattoo style?
Mimi’s style came from combining what she loved with what she discovered while living in Japan.
She was a big anime fan from a young age. In Japan, she became inspired by Edo period paintings of geisha, samurai, and mythical animals. She was especially drawn to the intricate patterns in men’s and women’s kimono designs. She noticed how those small details completely changed a piece.
That led to a question: could she mix modern anime with traditional Japanese patterns? The answer became Mangala.
What are the key ingredients of a signature tattoo style?
Passion: Mimi built her style around something she’d loved since childhood.
Immersion: Living in Japan let her study traditional art and patterns up close.
Combination: She blended modern and traditional influences into something new.
Fundamentals: On her website, she says Mangala combines anime influences with readability, flow, and long-term durability.
Mimi also worked inside a very traditional tattoo shop in Japan under a respected master. The rules were strict. As a woman, she couldn’t speak directly with the men working there and had to go through a secretary. Clients weren’t supposed to talk much. Everything had to be in English so the boss knew what was happening.
She describes it as very old school. But she says it was an amazing experience that taught her a lot and pushed her abilities further.
How can you follow a path like Mimi's? A step-by-step guide
You can follow a path like Mimi’s by committing to the craft, getting structured training, and developing your voice over time.
Step 1: Make the decision. Mimi didn’t plan to tattoo, but once she felt the pull, she followed it.
Step 2: Get structured training. Mimi taught herself, and she says it took her much longer to learn from her mistakes. A tattoo apprenticeship gives you a Mentor who can catch those mistakes early.
Step 3: Master the fundamentals. Drawing, line work, machine handling, and safety come first.
Step 4: Learn safety and sanitation. Study the OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard so clients can trust you.
Step 5: Find what inspires you. Mimi built her style from anime, Edo period art, and kimono patterns. Look at the things you’ve always loved.
Step 6: Stay humble. Mimi says even after 13 years, you can still learn. Keep up with quality and new technology.
Step 7: Get licensed and go pro. Meet your state’s requirements.
How does Ink Different help you build your own path?
Ink Different Tattoos helps beginners build a tattoo career through the Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship, with hands-on training from experienced Mentors and licensing support.
Ink Different has trained Tattoo Artists for 15 years, including many career changers. It’s also a college alternative. Whether you’re ready for a career change into tattooing or just exploring why tattoo apprenticeships are a solid alternative to college, there’s a path for you.
What can you expect from our traditional tattoo apprenticeship?
Length: 18 to 24 months of hands-on training.
Structure: A four-phase tattoo apprenticeship that builds skills in the right order.
Format: You train in person with experienced Mentors inside a working tattoo studio.
Beginner-friendly: No prior art experience required.
Outcome: Job-ready skills, licensing support, and a guaranteed job offer at one of Ink Different’s tattoo studios.
This is a career that comes with confidence. You’ll finish with job-ready skills, licensing support, and a guaranteed job offer at one of Ink Different’s tattoo studios. Seats are limited, with only two apprentices per tattoo studio per Mentor.
What is the Master Mentorship program?
Once you’ve built your foundation, you can keep growing with Ink Different’s Master Mentors. They include Al Fliction, Liz Cook, Kyle Dunbar, Boneface, and Jordi Pla.
Learning from Tattoo Artists at that level helps you sharpen your technique and develop a signature style, the way Mimi built Mangala.
How does Ink Different make tattoo training accessible to everyone?
Ink Different offers Spanish-speaking locations in Denver, Orange County, NYC, Miami, San Antonio, and San Diego, so language is never a barrier to your tattoo career.
With 60+ locations nationwide, there’s likely one near you. You’ll also join Ink Different’s “Good Humans” culture, a supportive community where you never build alone.
Remember: This is a Good Humans culture. You are joining a supportive, family-like community, not just signing up for lessons. You will never build alone.
Ready to write your own story?
Mimi Sama was a nurse, a flight attendant, and a hotel manager before she found tattooing. She taught herself, worked in Japan, created her own style, and built a career that takes her around the world.
Her advice for anyone starting out is simple: don’t give up, and stay humble.
To get tattooed by Mimi, visit her booking page or follow her on Instagram at @mimi_sama.tattoo.
Ready to become a tattoo artist? Apply now to Ink Different's Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship and and start building an AI-proof career with licensing support and a guaranteed job offer. Prefer to take it one step at a time? Fill out our quick questionnaire to see if the Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship is right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Mangala tattoo style?
Mangala is Mimi Sama’s style. It blends modern anime and manga themes with traditional Japanese patterns inspired by Edo period art and kimono designs.
Do I need art experience to become a Tattoo Artist?
No. Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship is built for beginners and teaches drawing, line work, and machine handling.
How long does the Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship take?
The Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship takes 18 to 24 months across four phases.
Is it too late to switch careers into tattooing?
No. Mimi worked as a nurse, a flight attendant, and a hotel manager before she started tattooing.
How can I book a tattoo with Mimi Sama?
Visit her booking page or follow her on Instagram at @mimi_sama.tattoo. She tours conventions and returns to San Francisco regularly.
