Conversations with Franccesca Tardini

Today we’d like to introduce you to Franccesca Tardini.

Hi Franccesca, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Angel and I built In The Pink out of a shared frustration and a shared dream. We’ve both spent years in underground music and tattoo culture, and we kept running into the same issues: venues that excluded younger fans, creative spaces that weren’t financially sustainable, and systems that left independent artists feeling exploited or overlooked.

We wanted to create the kind of space we needed when we were just starting out, so we did. In The Pink is part tattoo studio, part venue, and part content engine. It’s a hybrid model that gives artists not just a stage, but a full ecosystem to grow in: from workshops and merch to livestreaming and digital tools. It’s all designed with long-term sustainability and community at its core.

What’s exciting is that we’re not just fixing problems. We’re building something new. We’re launching our first physical location in Los Angeles in 2026, and from there, we’re ready to scale in a way that still feels personal, inclusive, and true to the scene.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all, honestly, it’s been anything but smooth.

From the start, we knew this wouldn’t be easy. It took us close to eight months just to shape a business model that was both financially viable and ethically sound. We refused to fall into the common traps—like relying on alcohol sales or pay-to-play tactics, because we wanted to build something that genuinely supports artists, not exploits them.

Right now, we’re still in the process of finding the perfect location, which has been its own challenge. Because we’re mixing retail, tattooing, and live events, the zoning requirements are complex, and not every space can accommodate that. But we’re being patient—it matters to us that the location feels right for what we’re trying to create.

And to be honest, one of the biggest challenges has been the fact that we’re building something new. We’re not exactly reinventing the wheel, but we are trying to make a more ethical one…and there aren’t many roadmaps for that. Innovation is exciting, but it also means a lot of trial and error. Still, every hurdle has just reaffirmed why we’re doing this in the first place.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Angel and I both come from the underground—me through music marketing and artist management, and her through tattooing and touring as a musician. We’ve spent years inside creative industries that don’t always treat artists fairly, and that’s shaped how we approach everything we do now.

At In The Pink, we’ve built something that reflects both our worlds. It’s a space that blends a tattoo studio with a live music venue, retail, education, and digital media. We didn’t just want to open a cool place—we wanted to design a system that helps independent artists actually grow and thrive. That’s what we specialize in: building real support around culture that’s usually underfunded, overlooked, or exploited.

What sets us apart is that we’re not outsiders trying to profit off the scene. We are the scene. We’ve played the shows, done the door splits, struggled through bad deals and burnout. And we used that experience to create something more thoughtful, more sustainable, and honestly… more respectful.

The thing I’m most proud of? We never took shortcuts. It would’ve been easy to follow the same old venue model, but we pushed ourselves to build something new. And now, we get to offer a space where artists and fans are seen, heard, and valued. That means everything to us.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was always building or creating something. I started playing music when I was eleven, and from that point on, it became a core part of who I was. I was the kind of kid who loved to take things apart just to see how they worked—whether it was a guitar pedal or a car engine. That curiosity has always stuck with me.

I was definitely a little different, but in a good way. I leaned into art, music, singing—anything creative really. I wouldn’t say I completely fit in, but I still had a lot of friends. I think people were drawn to the fact that I was comfortable doing my own thing. I’ve always had that mix of ambition and independence, and I naturally took on leadership roles, even as a kid.

Those early interests—music, design, building things from the ground up—they’ve followed me into adulthood and shaped everything I do today.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://inthepinkla.com
• Instagram: @inthepinkla
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/inthepinkla
• Youtube: @inthepinkla

Image Credits
Jrr Imagery