We were lucky to catch up with Gabrielle Garcia recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabrielle , thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

When I was about 16-17 I saw a video on Instagram where a woman was doing free self harm, stretch marks, and standard scar coverup tattoos. Being someone who used to struggle with depression and self harm, that video brought me to tears. I told myself I want to help people in that way. I want to change peoples lives. Fast forward to 2021 I was given an opportunity to start an apprenticeship. My focus at first was building my style and skill, of course. But once I reached a point of understanding the craft I decided to start trying to tattoo over scarring of my own. I realized it was fairly simple if you can understand what kind of skin you’re working with. As I grew more and more I felt comfortable and confident to bring other people into the world I knew. Helping a person feel the way I felt when I took my body back is and has always been my life’s goal. I want to make an impact that lasts a lifetime for not just me, but those around me who have the same struggle. I want to make people feel beautiful again.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up in Chicago in a household that encouraged art. Growing up my mother always supported me in my passion. We didn’t have a lot as my mother was a single mother of 4. She always provided anything she could for me to grow and prosper as an artist. So in my opinion, she was the start of my journey. I started getting tattooed at around 12 years old, crazy right? I realized that the process of tattooing was a really healthy way to express myself. I was given an apprenticeship in 2021 after going to get my neck tattooed (in case you haven’t caught it so far I was PASSIONATE about this craft) the beginning of my apprenticeship felt like a dream come true, after all, that is what I wanted to build a career out of. Getting to watch and learn from others in the industry helped me to figure out how I wanted my services to affect others. Before I was given the opportunity in this industry I had a few bad experiences myself with other artists. Personally, I wanted to be the change I wanted to see when it came to having a safe space for everyone. Especially given the fact that I was here wanting to make people fall in love with their image again. I thought about all of the ways I wanted to feel during a stressful experience such as getting tattooed. I put that into my services because I stand by the motto “tattoos are for everyone, and everyone can get a tattoo”. I’ve listened to others about what could make their experiences better, and what they feel the most comfortable with. I’m always growing and always learning new ways to help others. Without any of the support from friends, family, and clients I wouldn’t be here. And I’ll always be grateful for the ones who give me opportunities to grow.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I was accepted into my apprenticeship, I felt like all my dreams were coming true. I was so excited (and also a little uneducated) for the future I was ready to build for myself. Tattoos shops are made for everyone and as a client you’re always looking for what’s going to have you the most comfortable. Everything on the outside of the industry looks beautiful and meaningful. Unfortunately not everyone in the industry views their craft in this manner. When I was exposed to the inter-workings of this industry I was displeased with what I saw. I began to change all of the things I could about my services. After about a year, the experience I had, started to be hard to work around. I was met with the choice to give up, or to keep pursuing my dream in a different location. I was lost for a while wondering how I could save the passion I still had for this craft. After about a month or so I received a miracle, I had reached out to a different location to finish out my apprenticeship, and I was accepted into the program. From there I continued to do as much learning and growing as possible.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

In the first year of my apprenticeship I was taught about more than just operating my machine and using what I know to create body art. I was taught how to “deal with” the flow of clientele in this busy location. I was never taught to create an experience that felt like it was made for you. With the growing business came the growing clientele. Having to get through a list of clients in a short amount of time I wasn’t given the opportunity (and I also didn’t question it because it was part of my training) to learn about the people I meet. I carried that mindset over to my experiences once I graduated my apprenticeship. I noticed after a while of being on my own that I didn’t know the people I had spent so much time with. This impacted the way people felt during their service and that completely went against every moral I had when it came to the experiences I was looking to give people. I began giving everyone the opportunity to tell me about themselves and what makes them tick! I began asking more questions and figuring out what people needed to make a personal experience. Once I switched that mindset, I noticed more people leaving with a smile on their face and an experience they wanted to tell everyone about. It warmed my heart to know I was finally having a positive impact on peoples lives.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfD1EC3zUZdvjCAnQWapYJNlY-q-oVjYLiFdqdfQdd50NRqLg/viewform?usp=sf_link
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stabbs.with.gabs?igsh=MW1nbm1ic2dpYzR0Zg==