Brigz Tattoos and Gelato: Bringing the Art of Tattoos to the World

"The biggest thing that stood out to me about Gelato was the ability to ship almost anywhere in the world within three to five days. That was crucial for us as we were starting to get orders from all over, and the idea of local production really aligned with our values of sustainability."

Christina and Corbin Briggs, Founders, Brigz Tattoos

Ecommerce Store Success Snapshot

• Now selling posters, framed art, apparel. Will expand into calendars, greeting cards, stationery and hats. 

• Now primarily in the US and Canada. Will expand into Europe leveraging Gelato’s global network. 

• Nearly doubled revenue year-over-year.

• $80k in first few weeks of launching.

• Selling more than 200 designs.

In Fall 2022, Corbin, who was then working as a tattoo artist, posted a video on TikTok showcasing one of his unique, country-western designs. While he had done that before, he did something a bit different this time. He added a specific call to action for viewers to purchase a stencil of the design. The response was overwhelming. Overnight, Corbin received about 100 direct messages on Instagram from people eager to purchase. 

Managing sales through social media quickly became unsustainable. Not only that, Corbin and Christina had the idea to expand from Tattoo stencils to include prints of the artwork as well.

Determined to create a business that would allow them both the freedom to work on their own terms, Christina began researching solutions to scale their business. After researching, she learned about print-on-demand and then quickly discovered GelatoCreate. What stood out to her was Gelato’s ability to ship products almost anywhere in the world within days. Additionally, Christina appreciated Gelato’s commitment to local production.

"The biggest thing that stood out to me about Gelato was the ability to ship almost anywhere in the world within three to five days. That was crucial for us as we were starting to get orders from all over, and the idea of local production really aligned with our values of sustainability," says Christina.

After receiving paper and frame samples and being pleased with their quality, Christina and Corbin landed on GelatoCreate for the print-on-demand solution. Within two weeks, Christina built a new website, integrated GelatoCreate, and launched a line of prints featuring Corbin’s tattoo designs. The results blew their expectations away. In just a few weeks, Brigz Tattoos generated more than $80,000 in sales—an amount that surpassed Christina’s annual earnings. This success enabled Christina to quit her waitressing job and focus entirely on their business, marking the first time the couple could fully dedicate themselves to their entrepreneurial dreams.

“I remember the orders pouring in while I was at work. Corbin was out of town and I was texting him saying, should I just quit right now so I can focus on this?” says Christina. “ When I put in my notice, my boss at the restaurant was so excited for Corbin and me. They were, and still are, cheering us on.”

The rapid success of Brigz Tattoos was supported by GelatoCreate’s ability to seamlessly manage high volumes of orders while ensuring quick and reliable delivery without compromising quality. GelatoCreate and its customer success team empowered Corbin and Christina to scale their operations efficiently, transforming Brigz Tattoos from a side project into a full-time business. 

"Gelato provided exactly what we needed to grow quickly," says Christina. "It’s been a crazy journey from starting this as a side hustle to where we are now. Gelato allowed us to keep our focus on what mattered most—our designs and our customers."

"Being part of the GelatoCreate summit and participating in growth calls really helped us understand how to scale our business,” says Corbin. “It wasn’t just about the platform; it was about being part of a community where we could learn and grow alongside other ecommerce entrepreneurs and creators."

Additionally, Brigz Tattoos integrated Gelato’s Personalization Studio, allowing customers to create personalized versions of Corbin’s designs. The Personalization Studio has enabled Brigz Tattoos to expand their product range and offer unique, customized products that resonate with their audience.

"The Personalization Studio opened up a whole new avenue for us," Christina adds. "It allowed us to offer something special to our customers, and the response has been incredible. People love being able to make the designs their own."

Central to Brigz Tattoos’ success has been their strategic use of technology and marketing. The couple operates their business on Shopify, a platform that integrates seamlessly with GelatoCreate, enabling them to manage their ecommerce operations with ease. Shopify and GelatoCreate allow them to handle everything from order processing to inventory management, ensuring a smooth customer experience.

A key element of their growth strategy has been their use of organic social media content, particularly on TikTok and Instagram. Corbin, who has a natural talent for creating engaging content, initially grew their following through authentic, relatable videos that resonated with their audience. These videos, often shot on an iPhone, captured the essence of their brand and the artistry behind their designs. The couple then leveraged this organic content by repurposing high-performing videos for paid advertising campaigns. This approach proved highly effective, as ads that felt natural and authentic to their audience generated significant engagement and conversions.

"Our initial growth was really organic," Corbin explains. "I started creating content for fun, and it naturally connected with people. When we used those same videos as ads, it worked because they were real and relatable."

Today, Brigz Tattoos boasts a catalog of more than 200 unique designs, with a massive social media following that includes 280,000 TikTok followers and 149,000 on Instagram. Their business continues to grow, driven by a mix of organic social media success, targeted marketing strategies, adding print-on-demand products from Gelato’s growing catalog, and serving global customers with local production. As they look to the future, Corbin and Christina are focused on expanding their product offerings – they’ll likely add calendars, greeting cards, stationery, and hats –  entering new markets, and leveraging GelatoCreate’s capabilities to sustain their business’s upward trajectory.

"We’re excited about what’s next," Corbin says. "There’s so much more we want to do, and with Gelato by our side, we’re confident we can keep growing while being true to who we are and what we believe."