Today we’d like to introduce you to Ruby Gore.
Hi Ruby, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve been tattooing for about 10 years now. I actually almost didn’t start tattooing because I hated the idea of hurting people, it genuinely bothered me that much. But that concern ended up shaping my entire approach. Before tattooing I spent about a decade in marketing and graphic design, but I always knew I wanted to do something where I was drawing.
I got into scar cover-ups somewhat by accident. A client wanted to cover a stretch mark, and I told them I hadn’t done that before, but if they were comfortable with it, I was willing to try under supervision. It healed phenomenally. When I posted the transformation on Instagram, someone else reached out asking if I covered scars too, so I took the same careful approach. The longer I offered scar cover-up services, the more I heard from clients how rare it is and how many other artists had turned them away. That’s when I realized I was filling a real need.
Having had plenty of my own terrible experiences getting tattooed, I decided that just because that was the norm in the industry didn’t mean it should stay that way. I opened Black Thorne Tattoo, my private appointment-only studio in Portland, in early 2025. My specialties are in illustrative realism, fine line, scientific florals, nature, pets and scar cover-ups. All of my pieces are fully custom and I only work with one person a day so I can give each client the time and attention they deserve.
I also run the Survivor Tattoo Project: Out of the Darkness, which offers free tattoos and scar cover-ups to survivors of self-harm, abuse, assault, and violence. And more recently I started my consulting business Ruby the Robot Whisperer, where I help non-technical solo and small local business owners use automation to streamline their operations. I’ve always been someone who can’t sit still with just one thing. 😂
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road in the tattoo industry, especially being female and even more so when I lived on the east coast. I’ve taken a lot of criticism over the years for how much I care for my clients. There’s this part of the culture where you’re expected to be tough and not coddling people, so I was always being told that I princess my clients too much simply by trying to make sure that they were as comfortable as possible. But I’ve never really been very good at conforming, and especially not just because someone says “that’s how we’ve always done it”. I’m also a firm believer that just because something has been a way for a long time, doesn’t mean it should stay that way.
On top of the industry challenges, I went through a cross-country move from Philadelphia to Portland, which meant leaving behind an established client base and starting over again in a new city. I had to rebuild everything, find a new space, build new relationships, and get my name out there all over again. I also made the decision to take a break from social media for my own mental health, which, when your business relies heavily on Instagram for visibility, is a pretty scary thing to do.
But honestly, the hard parts are what have made me the artist and business owner that I am today. Every hurdle has pushed me to think outside the box, do things differently, build something that aligns with my values and works for (and not against) the way my brain is wired.
As you know, we’re big fans of Black Thorne Tattoo/Ruby the Robot Whisperer. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I am a solo operator of two businesses, Black Thorne Tattoo and my consulting business Ruby the Robot Whisperer. The two might sound unrelated, but they’re actually deeply connected. Everything I teach my consulting clients, I have built for myself first. I was drowning in the admin side of tattooing, spending hours responding to emails, doing manual scheduling, bookkeeping, marketing, and it was eating into the time I needed to actually make art and wanted to spend with my family. So I started building systems to automate the repetitive stuff, and it completely changed how I run my studio.
Most of the tattoo artists that know me were already aware that I’m kind of a tech and marketing nerd because I’m always excitedly talking about the latest thing that I’ve been working on. But when I started to notice an uptick in interest not just from other artists, but from my tattoo clients that own their own small business, I realized that I wasn’t the only one drowning in running a business and that I could help them automate their business like I did.
What sets me apart in both spaces is that I genuinely care about the people I work with. In tattooing, that means creating a safe, comfortable environment where clients feel heard and respected. In consulting, it means meeting people where they are by making it more approachable and less intimidating, especially if they aren’t tech savvy. It’s also about showing up as a heavily tattooed artist who named her consulting business Ruby the Robot Whisperer and proving that credibility doesn’t have to look a certain way.
I’m most proud of building businesses that let me help people in completely different ways, and for never being afraid to be myself while doing it. Whether I’m covering someone’s scars with a piece of art or showing a small business owner how to get a few hours of their week back, it all comes down to being who I actually am while helping other people in the process.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Don’t wait until you feel ready because there’s never a “right” time. I spent a lot of time early on thinking I needed permission or validation from other people before I could do things my own way, and that held me back more than anything else.
The biggest thing I wish I’d known is that you don’t have to do things the way everyone else does them just because that’s how it’s always been done. In tattooing, I was told I was too soft and accommodating. In business, I’ve been told I’m not corporate or serious enough. But in both industries, I’ve proven that not conforming is actually one of the best things you can do to stand out. At some point you have to stop letting other people’s expectations define what your version of success looks like.
Also, learn the business side early. I don’t care how talented you are, if you don’t understand how to run a business, you’re going to burn out. I came from a marketing and design background that taught me how to run a freelancing business so I was lucky that I had a head start, but I still had to learn a lot of it the hard way. Simplify everything, get your systems in place, automate what you can, and protect your time like it’s sacred, because it is.
And honestly, be kind to people. It sounds simple but it goes a long way, especially in industries where that isn’t always the norm. The relationships I’ve built by just treating people with respect and compassion have opened more doors for me than any amount of hustle ever did.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.therubygore.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therubygore/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therubygore
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rubytherobotwhisperer/
- Twitter: https://x.com/therobotruby
- Other: https://rubytherobotwhisperer.com/
