Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Napier.
Andrea, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Color N’ Grey
We believe in everyone’s chance to build an empire alongside those who motivate them to be better every day. Everyone is out there working’ hard, everyone is living in the same 24 hours, and it doesn’t matter if you’re tattooed or not, our goal is to show everyone that we can unite as a single strong culture, and bring about a better tomorrow.
I went into business with my tattoo artist Ty Riley: I have been a client of his for 6 years! He was talking to me about a clothing company he wants to start and wanted to know if I wanted to come on board!
I am an Iraq War Veteran, I have four college degrees in Elementary Education, the Arts, and Human Services. I love helping others and watch people grow and succeed! However, due to my health conditions I could no longer do a 9 to 5 kind of job!
So, becoming part of Color N’ Grey was an exciting event for me to be part of! I have been modeling for 3 years and that helped open the door for Color N’ Grey to branch out and become part of the industry.
I am a plus size model and on the older side! I wanted to help break barriers that society in America has made women feel if they do not fit in a cookie cutter style their not good enough. I wanted to inspire women of all ages, sizes, and looks that you just need to be strong and confident.
I am also a tattoo model, I wanted people to know no matter the story or the feeling about tattoos you can be beautiful in your decorative skin! I want people to stop the judging each other outside of knowing each other personally. I am one who believes that you never judge someone on the outside, religion, race,m culture, gender or sexuality. I believe we can come together and fight that hate people have declared on others due to their differences.
Has it been a smooth road?
Going from an Army soldier to a civilian in college to a small new tattoo clothing company has been a challenge. First I come from a military family my mom served 24 years in the Air Force, and I joined the Army the same year she retired! So, I really only understood the military life, because as a child I did Civilian Air Patrol and ROTC. So, I loved the Army, I was a heavy wheeled truck drive and I had gone to Iraq during the war. I end up with many injuries and health conditions that I was honorably medically discharged. It broke my heart and made me face even more challenges that I NEVER knew I could face. However, every day I figured a new way to live and a new meaning to life. Being a soldier with many medical conditions and PTSD it was hard to keep confidence and strength. I started college for Elementary Education to be a 1st the 3rd grade to a teacher! I love teaching!
However, after 4 years of student teaching my health got worse. So, to finish off my BA in Human Services so that I would not lose any of my classes! I love the opportunity of having my BA and a degree in Arts that gave me so many new ways to reach out and help others. However, again my health got worse. So much worse that I could not work a normal job! So, going into business with my tattoo artist was an opportunity to still be among the community and to have an enjoyable time! I been modeling for three years as a tattoo plus-size model. Women need to see more real women out there! I am excited when I see women blowing through the barriers in the military, society and in the modeling world. I am not a big model that is known in Arizona, but I am an alternative plus size tattoo model. I have had many published and I am pretty proud because I am fully clothed! That was one thing that drove me nuts about the modeling world is the sizes women needed to be and that if you want to make it big you needed to show lots of skin.
My advice for women learns to be your own personal support team and remind your self daily how far you have come and how proud of your self you are. Since Color N’ Grey is new to me, make sure you research, learn every point on what it takes and what you need to grow in a business. It is not so easy. for sure when you are a co-owner. Make sure you keep a journal of your journey so you learn what worked and what did not work.
Be proud of who you are, what you achieve and how amazing you are. Never stop telling your self no matter how hard life gets, that you can and you will, and the most important part that you love your self.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Color N’ Grey – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Color N’ grey is a tattoo lifestyle clothing brand. It is new to Arizona, and co- owned by me and my partner Ty Riley who is a tattoo artist.
We are trying new paths that represent art, community and fun in the all we do!
It is a internet base company, that hopefully by the new year be in small business store fronts or also in other tattoo shops. Woody’s Ink shop on 36th street and Thomas cares about our product and is also where Ty Riley works.
We have had a few photo shoots and a runway event that daubed the clothing line.
I am a co-owner, I work on the advertisement, photo shoots, events, design, and money!
Color N’ Grey was started with a vision, that anyone can be apart of something greater than themselves and weather your tattooed or not, we’er all on this earth together.
Our mission is to bring people together as a united culture, and you inspire people to thrive off of their own successes, and to keep that built up momentum rolling and take each day one step at a time, up their own staircases to fulfillment.
Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
We tear each other down if one successes before another.
Women get many set backs in life and it should not be because women are tearing down each other. One big issue I have always faced since my time in the army to college to now is men always say a women can do it. Or women cant have it all. Well if women cant have it all that means men cant either.
So, with that; there is a lot of negativity in life and you should never let that bring you down or hold you back: if anyone is being negativity around you or the negativity is running your mid, you need to figure away to eliminate if from your life and focus on the positive and strength it takes to be positive!
Contact Info:
- Address: https://www.facebook.com/droidnappy2015/
https://www.instagram.com/droidnappy/
https://www.instagram.com/dreadrems/ - Website: www.colorngrey.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colorngrey/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colorngrey/
Image Credit:
Dennis Larson, Brandy Isadora, Rick Rowen
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