Reinventing my Life Through Tattooing with Veronica Anile

Be inspired by my reinventing story.

I was homeless and addicted to crystal meth. I have been clean for 10 years now by the Grace of God. I did it on my own -cold turkey-

I grew up in extreme poverty in Mexico raised by my Grandmother. I was kidnapped by my mother at the age of 5. She smuggled me into America to a life of sexual abuse. I ran away from home at the age of 15 years old and was forced to drop out.

I am the oldest of 56 grandchildren and 52 great grandkids on my mom's side alone.

In my 20s I was transferred to California to open an office in LA. I've owned restaurant & bars. I even worked along side Long Beach's Mayor as her legislative assistant. Only to hit rock bottom, alone and homeless with out a penny to my name.

I am currently writing my book because I love my life and honor my story thus far.

I want others to see that you can overcome abandonment, extreme poverty, sexual abuse, physical and emotional abuse, drug abuse, eating disorders, mental disorders, illnesses, sexist and racist prejudices and still make it to the top. Like I did!

I have had ovarian surgery, a hysterectomy, a lumpectomy, survived a mold on my face that threated my life with 85% mortality rate, I have celiac disease, and Meniere’s disease that crippled my hearing

BUT consider myself the most beautiful woman alive!

6 years ago, I opened the first PERMANENT COSMETICS & MEDICAL TATTOOING studio in Long Beach Califronia and I couldn't be more proud.

I love my clients and students and I am a forever grateful business owner.

In 2020 I joined my beautiful partner's (Ivana Tattoo Art) luxury lifestyle brand: ITA LA

Since 2018, we've traveled all over the world teaching, inspiring, and removing stigmas and barriers that still plague the tattoo insdutry.

Together we are on a mission to reinvent the world of tattooing with our survival story and with "justlove"

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About the Podcast

Reinventing the Tattoo Podcast

Recorded live from Guy Aitchison's tattoo community

Guy Aitchison's Reinventing the Tattoo started as a three ring binder in the early 90's when he agreed to his first seminar. Since then it has continued to evolve and grow through various mediums with an ever growing community of contributing artists who have benefited tremendously from the book, movies, seminars, drawing groups, mobile apps and now through this podcast.

The podcast replays live shows from the Reinventing the Tattoo network including exclusive interviews, discussion panels, webinars, art jams, and even drunk critiques.

Check the website for the upcoming live stream schedule, and tattoo artists and apprentices are encouraged to download the mobile app in the google or apple app stores.

About your host

Gabriel Ripely

Computer geek, progressive businessperson, event producer, business planer, & freelancer amplifying artists, studios, and companies that are leaving a positive impact.
Gabe Ripley has been helping artists use technology to propel and secure their careers and business since the mid-nineties. After finding great success in promoting tattoo artists, Gabe's first tattoo studio opened its doors in 2005, and grew to a multimillion dollar international tattoo company, before closing in 2018. In 2007 Gabe started producing professional development events in unique locations, and now produces or co-produces a 4 day tattoo gathering, an art retreat, a 2 day conference, and numerous single day events. Event locations include resorts in Massachusetts, Colorado, New Mexico, Venice Italy, and Dublin Ireland among others. Gabe Ripley has presented at the Worldwide Tattoo Conference and taught a seminar “Building a GREAT tattoo business” at countless tattoo conventions and online.

Currently Gabe is focused on TattooNOW, which has been empowering thousands of artists with career enhancing technology and education since 1999. Before TattooNOW, Gabe had a very successful freelance programming career in the USA and in Europe. Projects included programming Smurf, The Little Prince, and Lucky Luke video games, touch-screen kiosks for Honda and the Epcot Center, and monthly business multimedia DVD-Roms narrated by Leonard Nimoy. Ripley was a founding partner in a technology company in 1996 (which still exists!). Travel has been a staple of Gabe’s business and personal life since hitch-hiking barefoot through eastern Europe in 1992. He stated programming BASIC when he was 8 years old, and dropped out of college twice but that didn’t stop him from teaching college level computer courses at age 20!

He is progressive in politics and business. Since reading Issac Asimov books growing up, thinking about vast visions as well as the impact of our actions for the short, long, and very long term has been ingrained into Gabe’s thinking. Understanding that his business is supported directly by local, national, and international communities, Gabe truly tries to directly contribute to the communities that are helping arts businesses thrive. He defines success by how much he can afford to give back, and helps produce benefit events. His mission is ultimately to make a long lasting positive impact on the world (or at least get three to four weeks vacation!). There are various articles written by and about Gabe online and in the real world via magazines, books, and podcasts as he loves to talk once someone gets him started.