Northshore Women Rising: Nikki O'Brien

Meet Nikki O'Brien, co-owner and the business brain behind Lago Vista Tattoo Company.

You moved here from New York and opened Lago Vista Tattoo Company in 2023, what made you choose this area, and what was that first year actually like?

We've actually lived all over the US: New York, Chicago, San Francisco, LA, Vegas, and now Austin. We're roamers at heart and love exploring new places! Once our boys started school, we wanted to put down some roots, and the Austin area felt like the right place to raise them. After so many moves, adjusting came pretty naturally. The real question was which corner of Austin to land in. We fell for the North Shore and have been here for 4 years now - with its laid-back, slightly hippie lake-town vibe - and we love watching it grow!

And that first year with the shop was a whirlwind. There was a lot of learning on the fly including the long days filling out paperwork and meeting with the Board in Lago to be the first licensed studio here!! We also spent time talking and listening to neighbors to understand what this community wanted from a tattoo studio. What surprised us most was how fast people showed up. First-time clients turned into regulars, regulars turned into friends, and by the end of the year it felt like we'd found our people. That support is THE reason we're growing today.

Your husband, Mike, is the tattooer, but he’s told us, and I quote, “I just show up where she tells me to.” What is it like being the powerhouse behind the scenes?

Ha! He's so chill. We have a great dynamic because he's the artist who loves getting lost in his work, and I'm the business brain who loves thinking through our marketing, partnerships, and the bigger vision for the shop. When we got together over 14 years ago, he already had a vision: he always knew he wanted his own shop, something unique and different from the traditional tattoo parlor. As our relationship grew, I came to understand what that dream meant for him, and more importantly - what it meant to him.

When we landed in Lago, the direction was simple. We wanted a safe, welcoming space where people could come get tattooed, enjoy good conversation, and never worry about being judged or mistreated, which unfortunately still happens in a lot of shops. So while I'm mostly in the spreadsheets day to day, the feeling you get walking into Lago Vista Tattoo Co. is what I'm most proud: a place where everyone, and especially women, can feel safe and heard. So I guess that makes me part power, and part (safe) house ;)

There's still a tendency to call a business "woman-owned" only if a woman holds it outright. What do you want people to understand about co-ownership, and why does that 50% (or less) still count?

Owning half a business doesn't mean doing half the work or carrying half the risk. Women build businesses through partnerships all the time, because it's often the smartest way to get started: you double the skill set and you have someone in your corner. That shouldn't make our ownership count for less. It should count, full stop. That said, I'm proud to be a female business owner. I work hard to build this for my family, WITH my family. Women are uniquely built for collaboration, and life takes a village!! To all the women out there - bet on yourself and make your dream happen. And if you need advice, come sit on our new patio and let's talk about it over a cup of coffee and some fresh ink ;)

You're moving into a building with Alba Wine Bar, Kendall Designs, and Common Thread Wellness, all women-owned. What does it mean to you to be part of that lineup in Jonestown?

Make no mistake: we moved specifically to be part of that lineup! We've spent the last two years building our business in a small studio in Lago Vista, always hoping we'd be able to grow. When we met Jess at Alba, saw the kinds of events she was hosting, and heard her creative vision for the retail center, we were inspired and hooked - and the timing was perfect for us to take the next step.

A group of women-owned businesses doing incredible work side by side, turning that part of Jonestown into a destination, and creating a real home for creative people? Count us in! We're so excited about the future of the area and what we're all about to build together. Keep your eyes open, the best is yet to come from this little corner of Jonestown!!

What pushed the move to the new location, and what are you most excited for people to see when they walk in?

We'd been dreaming about growing into the right next spot, and when the chance came to join such an amazing group of women-owned businesses in Jonestown, it felt like the right moment to grow. For the new space, we went with more of a speakeasy vibe: relaxed, welcoming, and somewhere people actually want to hang out. We also have a new patio, so you can sip coffee with us while you wait for your appointment, or watch the sunset over the lake while your kids play in the grass and swing on our tree swing. More than anything, we hope people feel the passion we poured into every corner, and that everyone who walks in feels welcomed and comfortable.

Is there a moment in your career that reminded you why representation for women in business matters, especially in spaces like tattooing?

As you know, I'm pretty tatted up, and I've sat in chairs all over the world, with some of the nicest artists and some of the roughest. Thankfully, most of those experiences were great. But the few that weren't all had the same thing in common: male-dominated, bro-culture shops with a take-what-you-get-and-like-it attitude. Those were genuinely scary, even for someone who isn't easily intimidated. I've actually had a couple of tattoos covered up because I was too afraid to speak up in those spaces. And sadly, so many of my female friends have had that same experience in shops across the country.

It's not OK, and we don't have to accept it just because that's how "tattoo culture" has always been. I truly believe women are changing the world in ways big and small. This is our part: making sure everyone feels safe getting inked with us. Every woman-owned shop moves that forward.

What's next for Lago Vista Tattoo Company, and what do you hope the shop represents for Jonestown a few years from now?

In a word: community! We're so excited to help build more of it around the North Shore by bringing more people to our neighbors' businesses and teaming up on creative events. Giving back is a big part of who we are, and as we grow, we want to put even more money and energy into the community. It's a great time to be part of Jonestown. I think the next three to five years will be transformative for the businesses in town and a real boost to the local economy, and we're thrilled to be part of that moment.