Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonya Grenell.
Hi Sonya, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My story eh’… where do I begin… Well, I’m celebrating my 45th birthday, along with tattooing for 25 years this month, oct 2026. I have always been a natural creative person. Some of my earliest memories are of drawing. Yes, including the walls up every staircase I could get my hands on, haha! Creating straight from my imagination has always been the way I have naturally expressed myself and made sense of the world around me.
After graduating Highschool from Northview High School in Grand Rapids MI. I went on to earn a BSc in Graphic Design and Business. While attending college at Ferris State University in Big Rapids MI, I worked at a local boot factory. The company offered an education benefit that reimbursed 80% of tuition for employees who maintained good grades and were a full-time employee. I was determined to make the most of it. It was hard work, but it gave me an opportunity that I’ll always be grateful for.
Then, at 19 years old, something completely unexpected happened. A neighboring boot maker had noticed me drawing regularly on my breaks. One day, he approached me and asked if I had ever considered learning how to tattoo and then offered me a job at the local tattoo studio he worked at. My eyes lit-up..OF COURSE…I would LOVE to learn how to tattoo! It was another avenue for me to express my creativity, um, YES PLEASE!!! I was all in! Although, I had no idea at the time, that one simple question would change the direction of my entire life.
I fell in love with tattooing and dove head first into the black void of the unknown, never looked back!
In 2010, I graduated college, became a full time tattooer/piercer and new owner of Lighttouch Tattoo, (EST. 1999). That year, I also became a mother to my first daughter. Life was moving quickly, and I found myself balancing motherhood, my education, and building a career in an industry that I had grown incredibly passionate about.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the biggest obstacles I faced was learning how to balance all of the different parts of my life. Being a mother, running a business, maintaining my work responsibilities, and making time for myself to stay creative, were all important, but there were only so many hours in a day. It was difficult to be fully present at home while also thinking about clients, employees, finances, scheduling, and the many other details required to keep a business moving forward.
I also had to protect the creative part of myself. Creativity is at the heart of what I do, but it can be challenging to stay inspired when you are constantly managing the practical side of a business. I had to learn that personal time was not something to feel guilty about. Making space to rest, recharge, and create for myself helped me return to my work with more energy and clarity.
As Lighttouch grew, I began thinking of the business as an ecosystem. Every part had to work together effectively, from the artists and clients to the daily operations, finances, customer experience, and overall vision. Keeping that ecosystem healthy required organization, communication, flexibility, and a willingness to solve problems as they came up. There were times when I felt stretched thin, and I had to learn how to delegate, set boundaries, and trust the people around me.
Finding that balance was not something I figured out all at once. It was an ongoing process of adjusting, learning from mistakes, and recognizing what needed my attention most. Some seasons required me to focus more on my family, while others demanded more from me professionally. Through it all, I learned that success is not about doing everything perfectly. It is about continuing to show up, making thoughtful choices, and creating a life and business that can grow together.
I eventually moved Lighttouch a few miles down the road into our local Big Rapids downtown district, where we are still located today. What started as a passion for art and an unexpected opportunity to learn tattooing grew into something much bigger—a business, a career, and a place that has become an important part of my life.
Over the years, my work as a tattoo artist has changed, as I have changed. Growing as an artist, a mother, and a business owner has naturally shaped the way I see creativity and the way I approach my work. Everything I create is essentially a reflection of me learning, living, and continuing to discover what feels meaningful to me.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My style is beautifully dark and morbid, while also displaying sweetness, cuteness, and fantasy. I’m drawn to the contrast between the eerie and the whimsical—the strange, the delicate, the mysterious, and the unexpected in nature and daily life itself. Each piece of art I create is a part of an ongoing creative journey, and I’m grateful to the people who continually trust me to bring their ideas to life, and allow me to use their skin as canvas.
That same love of the unusual and imaginative has led me into a new chapter: Life After Death Museum and Gift Store. Opening this month withing the same building as Lighttouch Tattoo on October, 16 2026. It will feature rare taxidermy and relics dating back to the 1800s, and the gift store will offer unique one-of a kind hand-creafted decor, jewelry and oddities for those who appreciate the darker side of art and life.
Life After Death feels like a natural extension of the things that have always inspired me. It gives me another way to create, collect, share, and build a space where people can explore their own curiosity. I’m excited to welcome visitors and see how this new idea grows.
Looking back, I’m grateful for all of the unexpected moments that shaped my path. I didn’t necessarily have a perfectly mapped-out plan when I started. I simply kept learning, kept creating, and kept my momentum moving forward no matter where it took me.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Risk-taking is a personality trait of mine, to say the least. I have never viewed risk as something to take lightly though. Before i make a decision, I consider what could go wrong, what the consequences might be, and whether I am prepared to handle them. But eventually, there comes a point when thinking has to become action, you have to dive into the unknown fearless and ready for anything good or bad that may come about.
I have taken SO many risks knowing there was no guarantee they would work. I have moved forward with ideas that were exciting, uncertain, and sometimes intimidating. It can feel like your decision wasnt the right one in the beggining of every dive. I have heavily relied on my resilance, determination, and the belief that I can figure things out as I go, to keep me moving forward. Not every risk has worked out exactly as I hoped though. When something fails, there is no time to stay stuck in disappointment, you have to thick about what happened why it happened, learn from it, then QUICKLY find a new path forward. That ability to adapt is just as important as the courage to begin.
Entrepreneurship requires a certain willingness to question everything. You have to be a, happy yet realistic skepic. Challenge the usual way of doing things, disrupt comfort and make chages ONLY when necessary. Try to examine what is working and what is not, be willing to create your own direction when needed. There is no single formula that guarantees success.
I believe entrepreneurs are, in some ways, natural-born risk takers—but that does not mean they are careless. Taking a risk means understanding what is at stake and choosing to move forward anyway. It means trusting your instincts while remaining willing to adjust, learn, and begin again.
For me, risk-taking is not about being fearless. It is about refusing to let fear stop me from pursuing an idea that matters during every new venture, creative decision, and unexpected opportunity has required me to step beyond what felt comfortable. Sometimes the outcome has been exactly what I imagined and more. Other times, it has led somewhere completely different. Either way, taking the risk has taught me something, it’s either going to be lesson’ or a blessin’!!!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@lighttouchtattoo
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lighttouchtattoo and https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterdeathmuseum
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BmqKA2N6P/ and https://www.facebook.com/share/19Kevg61Ev/
- Youtube: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifeafterdeathmuseum
