Freedom first: the
Gallardo approach to
tattooing
There’s something instantly captivating about the work of Sara Gallardo. Her tattoo designs are clean, expressive, and unapologetically bold, much like the story behind them. In the middle of the pandemic, when most people were waiting for life to return to normal, Sara quietly began building a new one. What started with some borrowed gear and willing friends has evolved into a fully booked tattoo practice with a growing international reputation. Based in Belgium and often traveling for guest spots, Sara is creating a name for herself by doing things her way. She taught herself, she built her own system, and she found ways to overcome the typical hurdles of running a solo creative business.
Starting from home
When the world went into lockdown and routines were thrown out the window, Gallardo found space to explore something completely new. With more free time, fewer distractions, and a desire to create, she began experimenting with tattooing. It started really simple, she just had the essentials and a bunch of friends who were okay with letting her practice on them. Those early sessions were not just about learning how to use a machine, they were about developing a rhythm, gaining confidence, and building trust. “It was such a weird time globally, but for me personally, it ended up being this super productive, creative moment. I didn’t expect it to grow so quickly.” From day one, Gallardo knew she didn’t want to follow the traditional path. “I didn’t want to just join an existing shop and tattoo flash all day,” she explains. “I wanted to build something that felt like an extension of myself.” For her, being a tattoo artist wasn’t just about making beautiful work, it was about doing it in a way that allowed her to feel free, inspired, and in control. That’s why she prioritizes environment just as much as design. Her studio feels calm, personal, and warm. It’s not a high-volume, walk-in place, it’s somewhere people come for a thoughtful, one-on-one experience. “It was important to create a space where people feel safe and seen. I think that’s part of why people come back, because they feel held, not rushed.” This emphasis on energy and comfort is woven into her entire brand, both offline and online.
“I wanted to build something that felt like an extension of myself”
Starting Before You're Ready
Even before she considered herself a professional, Gallardo was putting her work out there. “At first I was just posting for fun, little updates, photos of what I was learning. But people started paying attention,” she says. Some of those early followers became her first paying clients. Others referred friends. It snowballed quickly. She didn’t do any ads or formal marketing in the beginning. It was just a mix of word-of-mouth and posting on Instagram consistently. Because her content felt personal and real, not polished or salesy, people naturally connected with her. “I wasn’t trying to pretend I was more established than I was. I think people appreciated the honesty.” That authenticity has remained a pillar of her brand, helping her grow a community that not only follows her work but engages with it. One of the biggest mental blocks for aspiring tattoo artists, or any entrepreneur, is the belief that they need tons of gear or a perfect setup to begin. Gallardo is proof that is not the case: “You really don’t need much to start. I had a decent machine, a printer, good lighting, and a space that was clean and comfortable,” she says. It wasn’t about having a perfect studio, it was about making the most of what she had. “I think a lot of people get stuck waiting for everything to be ideal, and that moment never comes. You have to just begin with what you’ve got and grow from there.” That mindset has stuck with her as she continues to scale. Rather than overcomplicating things, she focuses on staying lean, staying flexible, and letting her craft speak for itself.
“I think a lot of people get stuck waiting for everything to be ideal, and that moment never comes. You have to just begin with what you’ve got and grow from there ”
Lessons from travel
As her skills grew and her confidence deepened, Sara began accepting invitations to work in studios across Europe. She did guest spots in places like London and Zürich, and every studio had its own way of doing things. These experiences became a crash course in both artistry and business. “Some places were super organized with client management systems, others were more old-school. I saw what worked, what didn’t, and what felt good for me.” It gave her insight into everything from pricing to hygiene standards to how to handle creative boundaries with clients. “Traveling was huge for me. It gave me perspective and showed me that I could build something that fit my way of working, rather than trying to copy someone else’s setup.” The exposure to international artists also pushed her style forward, helping her refine what now feels like a very distinct Gallardo signature.
“Traveling was huge for me. It gave me perspective and showed me that I could build something that fit my way of working”
Chaos
For all the creativity that tattooing brings, the admin side can be a nightmare, especially when it’s all done manually. In the beginning, Gallardo handled everything through Instagram DMs. “It was chaos,” she laughs. “People would message me at all hours, ask a hundred questions, and then sometimes not even show up.” It became clear that this system wasn’t sustainable. “I would block time for a client, set everything up, and then they’d cancel last minute, or not at all. That’s a full day of work lost.” At one point, she tried using Calendly to structure her schedule, but it just didn’t match the needs of her workflow. It was not built for tattoo artists, it didn’t allow her to take deposits or manage the kind of client flow she needed.
“I would block time for a client, set everything up, and then they would cancel last minute, or not at all. That’s a full day of work lost. ”
The click with Vev
Discovering Vev was a turning point for Gallardo. “I was looking for something where people could book themselves and pay a deposit upfront. When I found Vev, it just clicked,” she says. The platform allowed her to set her availability, automate appointment confirmations, and avoid all the exhausting back-and-forth messaging. Now, she just sends people her Vev link, and it’s done. They choose their slot, pay the deposit, and get reminders automatically. The shift wasn’t just technical, it changed how she felt about her business. “With Vev I don’t feel overwhelmed by admin anymore. I can focus on designing, prepping, and connecting with my clients, instead of managing logistics all day.” Announcing the change was easy, she made a post on Instagram explaining that all bookings went through Vev, and her clients were actually relieved because it’s easier for them too. For solo artists like Gallardo, managing time is everything. “When someone books with no deposit, there’s always that risk they won’t show. And it’s not just disappointing, it’s a financial hit.” With Vev’s deposit feature, she filters out no-shows almost entirely. “If someone’s willing to put down money, they’re serious. It creates a level of mutual respect that wasn’t always there before.” This has also helped improve the quality of her interactions. Because people are more intentional, she can be more prepared. She knows who’s coming, what they want, and she can get in the zone without any distractions.
“With Vev I don’t feel overwhelmed by admin anymore. I can focus on designing, prepping, and connecting with my clients”
Looking ahead
Gallardo isn’t in a rush to lock herself down to one location. “I love the freedom of traveling and collaborating with other artists. It keeps things fresh.” But she’s not ruling out a studio of her own someday, maybe in the future she will open a space that really reflects her style, something minimal, welcoming, and super intentional. Wherever she ends up, her values will stay the same: quality over quantity, people over profit, and art over trends. “I just want to keep learning, growing, and doing work I believe in. That’s the dream.” And with the systems she now has in place, like Vev taking care of the admin, she has more time and space to focus on exactly that.
“I love the freedom of traveling and collaborating with other artists. It keeps things fresh”
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