Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Milla Press. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Milla, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

Creating something that was new to the industry is what really inspired me to open up my own tattoo shop. I started Girlxfriend because I wanted to create a space that felt less intimidating and more comforting for clients. All of the resident artists are female/femme/queer POC folk who specialize in their own specific art styles. The goal was to create a space for clients to feel at ease and for POC/queer/female artists to grow!

Milla, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As a self taught artist, when I first learned how to tattoo I struggled with finding a shop to work at. Most shops focus on American traditional styles, while being very male dominated and making a lot of women and queer people feel uncomfortable both working there and getting tattooed there. Girlxfriend was made to stray away from this- I wanted to make a space FOR women, queer people, and all people of color. I personally specialize in creating cute, silly, nostalgic, and romantic black & grey, color, and micro fineline tattoos. I would definitely say I’m proud of creating the shop and seeing how far we’ve come in only a year, as well as the team I’ve pulled together. Also, hearing clients say “this is the cutest tattoo shop” and “I feel so comfortable here” makes me feel incredibly proud.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I personally think the most effective strategy comes from knowing how to use social media to your advantage, as well as being a personable person! As an artist and tattoo shop owner, social media – Instagram and Tiktok specifically- has allowed my business to grow so much. Knowing what to post to reach the right audience is important- a lot of our clients gravitate toward the shop because they see online how cute it’s decorated and want to come check it out! And once people do come in for appointments, being personable and connecting with them makes clients want to come back for more tattoos, or even recommend the shop to their friends!

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

I would say, listen to your team members and prioritize making the space as comfortable and open as possible. I want everyone working at Girlxfriend to feel like they have a say in what goes on, and I always prioritize the artists needs. I also want to give everyone freedom to decorate their tattoo stations however they want, making the space feel more like their own, and hopefully making them feel more at home while at work.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: instagram.com/girlxfriendla
• Other: tiktok.com/girlxfriendla