By your trusted Canadian bookkeeper at Beyond the Ink – because good ink lasts forever, but so do CRA audits if you mess up payroll.
Hey there, studio owners, ink slingers, and
glitter-splattered reception heroes!
Let’s talk about something everyone in the body mod
world cares about (even if they pretend not to): getting paid.
Now I know, commission splits and artist payouts are often
discussed in the same whispery tones as who really clogged the break room
sink or who pierced someone’s eyebrow with the wrong gauge—but your
commission structure shouldn’t be a mystery wrapped in a secret handshake and
buried under a pile of half-filled out paper waivers.
Let’s get this sorted out, Canadian-style: fair, friendly,
and CRA-compliant, eh?
💸 The Classic Split:
Not as Simple as 60/40
Many studios run on a commission split, where the artist
gets a percentage of what they bring in. Seems easy enough, right?
“You tattoo $1,000 this week? You get 60%, I keep 40%.
Done!”
Oh sweet, innocent summer child. Not so fast.
That split needs to factor in:
- Who’s
covering consumables? (Needles, gloves, ink, those very specific
vegan aftercare products)
- What
about taxes? (Is the artist a contractor or employee? More on that
below.)
- Are
you tracking it or just scribbling numbers on a napkin between clients?
Trust me, the CRA does not accept napkins.
📜 Contractor vs.
Employee: Choose Wisely
Here's where things get spicy.
Contractor:
- Artist
controls their own schedule
- Provides
their own tools
- Might
work at multiple shops
- Files
their own taxes (T2125, baybee)
Employee:
- You
control their schedule
- You
provide equipment
- You
handle their deductions (EI, CPP, income tax)
Mixing this up can lead to fines, penalties, and awkward
conversations where you try to convince the government your piercer is “just
crashing on the payroll temporarily.”
🤓 Pro Tip: If
you’re treating them like an employee, pay them like one. Do the deductions.
File the slips. Sleep at night.
💰 Paying Out Like a
Pro (And Not a Pirate)
Whether you’re doing weekly, bi-weekly, or “whenever I
remember and find my calculator,” consistency is key.
Best Practices:
- Track
services and payments daily
- Provide
a payout summary (yes, like a pay stub – artists love transparency and
snacks)
- Include
any shop fees or charges (like for no-shows, supply use, or breaking yet
another ring light)
- Make
deposits electronically when possible (or at least don't pay in crumpled
fives and toonies)
Bonus: If you use accounting software that syncs with your
POS, this process is smoother than a healed helix.
📚 Your Obligations
(Yes, You Have Them)
As a studio owner, if you’re doling out money without clear
documentation, you might as well write "PLEASE AUDIT ME" on your
forehead.
Here's what you should be doing:
- Issue
T4s for employees
- Issue
T4As for contractors (if you pay them more than $500/year)
- Keep
detailed records of who got what, when, and why
- Have
contracts in place (nothing fancy—just a written agreement on splits,
expectations, and what happens if someone ghosts mid-sleeve)
🍁 Real Talk from
Your Friendly Canadian Bookkeeper
Look—I know you didn’t open your studio to become a human
calculator. You wanted to create art, change lives, and maybe post cool “healed
6 months later” pics on Instagram.
But if you don’t handle commissions properly, you could:
- Get
burned at tax time
- Upset
your artists (who might start eyeing that new studio down the road)
- Miss
out on business deductions because your books are held together by duct
tape and denial
A solid payout structure builds trust, avoids conflict, and
keeps your business on the right side of the maple-scented law.
TL;DR for the Busy Shop Boss:
💵 Splits? Make
them clear and written down.
👷
Contractor or employee? Know the difference, or suffer the CRA’s wrath.
📊
Track everything like your business depends on it—because it does.
🧾
Issue those T slips—yes, even if it’s awkward.
✅
Get help (from someone like yours truly) if it all feels like too much.
Final Thoughts from Beyond the Ink
At the end of the day, your studio runs on art, community,
and caffeine—but it thrives on solid systems. So stop guesstimating
payouts and start treating your artist payments like the business boss you are.
Need help building a payout template? Want someone to help
you stop doing payroll with a calculator app and a dream? I’m here.
💉💰📅
— Beyond the Ink, where your body mod business meets bookkeeping that
doesn’t suck.
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