Generalists vs Specialists

Seth Black

Feb. 11, 2025

Small Business Tips

Tech Tips

In one way or another we all fit into stereotypes. I fit into a few pretty well, “goofy, middle-age dad”, “computer nerd”, “Capricorn.” There’s a couple of stereotypes that I’ve noticed are very common in both the technology world as well as the art world: the specialist and the generalist. This month’s tech tips article is more like “observations in technology and art” than actual tips - there’s no harm in that, right?

I started my career - in the last century - as a generalist. I would build websites, configure network equipment, maintain server racks, everything! Woo! I learned very quickly that being familiar with everything made my work less reliable, less valuable, more generic, and kept me chasing things that I didn’t know or even care about. Luckily, I fell into becoming a specialist in databases while working for a soul-crushing megacorp and I feel that set me on the right path. Ironic. My new-found focus helped me land some really solid tech gigs, and gave me a legit foundation that’s still relevant today, decades later.

While working in the thick of the tattoo industry we recognize a similar pattern. You’ll see the generalist tattoo artist who “can do” any style a client asks for and for the lowest price. They can crank out some basic am-trad flash or a geometric piece but none of their tattoos are unique or speak to their abilities as an artist. These are usually the first artists we see flail when the market slows down. This isn’t a reflection of them as humans, it’s just a reality of their stereotype - the generalist. Clients don’t typically save up for months - or years - to get 3-inch skull-and-dagger flash on their calf.

On the other hand, we have the specialists who have found their sweet-spot. They’ve got their fundamentals down, and instead of taking any client that comes their way, they’ve put in the work to build their own niche. It’s not the easiest path - I’ll even call it scary, but these are the artists who keep their books practically full regardless of season, political climate, position of the planets relative to the constellations, or fickle whims of the Fates.

Well, what do we do with this? Like I said in the beginning, this is more like “observations” than a step-by-step how-to guide. I feel like sometimes it’s more valuable to step back, assess the situation, and acknowledge where we’re at than to charge headlong into yet another “15 EZ steps to 5x your bookings!!!” program. If you find that you’re on the path you want, sweet! If you’re not happy with your current direction, sweet! Maybe there are some things you can do to help get you going down a different path? I’m not a believer in “do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” - but I do believe that going down the path you love will make the easy times freaking awesome and the hard times that much more tolerable.