Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophia Culpepper.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I have been an artist my whole life and came to a point in my early 20’s when I realized I needed to make some decisions on how I was going to turn that passion into a career. At the time, tattooing was still very focused around “flash” art, so when I began considering it as a career path, I knew that I was going to do it differently.
I told everyone, “I don’t want to make ‘tattoos’ I want to make ART on people’s skin!” Fortunately for me, the tattoo industry was headed in the same direction. I was able to build a beautiful career doing what I loved. I came to learn that tattooing was so much more than putting art on people’s skin. It was about connecting with people and their stories. In dealing with something so permanent and meaningful to the wearers it became increasingly obvious that what I was doing was much bigger than me. These collectors deserved to have not only incredible work but art created and applied with passion. So I did that. I put my all into every piece and into every interaction.
Eight years into my tattoo career, I hit a roadblock. I had done everything that I could to honor my clients, those that had allowed me to make a career doing what I love. The only thing I wasn’t able to customize for them was the environment. This is where the concept for BLACK&GREY was birthed. I took a good look at the tattoo industry and I realized that it had been in a massive shift for the last decade. The instruments and products available were better, the art was pushing the boundaries of what we had been taught was even possible on skin, the clients had evolved into educated art collectors and yet the tattoo studio itself had remained stagnant. No matter what we chose to do differently or better for our clients, it was all still packaged within the same shop environment that had been the standard for nearly a hundred years.
I had been involved in tattooing as both a consumer and artist for all of my adult life and knew where the industry excelled and where it had neglected. I took that information and matched it with my passion for customer service, love for interior design, years of bar and restaurant work and my love of art and its community. BLACK&GREY Atelier is the culminating result. Three years after the concept’s inception, and a full 3,000 square foot build-out later, we have finally opened our doors. BLACK&GREY boasts private tattoo booths, an art gallery hosting artwork and installations from across the globe, retail space featuring local creators including popular fashion brand Fourgunsdown, and a beer and wine bar (coming soon!). My goal was to take intimidation out of the tattoo experience and insert a little luxury.
Great, 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?
It was definitely NOT a smooth road! The vision that I had for this business was larger than life so I felt I needed to execute it to the fullest. Being a tattoo artist gives you experience in business ownership but this was, obviously, a much larger scale. I threw myself headfirst into multiple realms I had ZERO experience in. I leased a space that was in what they call “cold shell” condition which was initially exciting because it was a blank slate and I could build almost exactly what I had in my mind without concession. Though the reality of it meant that I needed to become versed in architecture, interior design, electrical, permitting, plumbing, city and state codes….the list goes on and on.
Then the reality of funding a project of that size and complexity was another huge hurdle. I was waist deep in things and people to manage with no prior experience, just learning as I went. At this time, I was doing 98% completely alone which led to many breakdowns, a lot of second guessing, at least one full on anxiety attack, and constant questioning by my family and friends about whether or not I was making the right choices. And I hadn’t even begun to do any of the actual BUSINESS things yet! When it came down to it, I knew in my core that I was making the right decision. I knew that it was going to work and be successful and that this time was ultimately going to be a small blip in this chapter. Any second guessing I was doing was out of fear and exhaustion. Once I made peace with that and continued to forge ahead, I could chip away at the mile-long to-do list. I have so much advice for entrepreneurs, specifically female-identified ones, I probably couldn’t fit it into one article.
My main points would be to trust yourself. You have to listen to your gut and not let anyone or anything stand in the way of reaching your goals. Even yourself. Your fear will often come forward and tell you that it would be easier to stop but when you hear that voice, question it. Take a moment to step away from what you are doing and reset your mind. Check in with yourself. There is going to be enough negativity from outside sources that you need to make sure that what you are doing is worth it. If it is, put on your big girl panties and prepare to get knocked around (theoretically speaking). Not a single person I dealt with throughout this process understood what the hell I was trying to do so I resigned myself to showing them. I put myself through a year of constant questioning in order to be like, “There! This is what I was trying to explain to you!” It was draining having no one else see my vision but that was also the beauty of it. That is what makes it special and unique and (hopefully) ultimately successful.
More specifically, I would advise young entrepreneurs to start with funding first! I did things backwards which made it much more stressful. Also, and this is a big one, make sure you have a team. I’m not saying you need to bring partners into your business. What I mean is that you SHOULD NOT attempt to do everything on your own. This was a huge lesson for me. Delegating is key. Even if you are CAPABLE of doing all of the things individually, doing them all at the same time is a different story. It will cause undue stress and it is IMPOSSIBLE to do all things at your full capacity. Some areas will suffer. Lastly, you’re rad and capable of anything. Don’t forget it.
Please tell us about BLACK&GREY Atelier.
As a tattoo artist, I specialize in photorealism. Imagery that is made to look realistic in shading and texture. I often pair realistic subjects with graphic elements to create more dynamic pieces. Or layer photographs in a unique way to create something more surreal and impactful. When it comes to my personal painting style, they often have a social and/or political theme or message. Across the board, I utilize both black and grey and color techniques and enjoy them both equally!
Speaking as BLACK&GREY Atelier, we are quickly becoming known for an environment that’s a little “extra”. Imagine our entrance as a combination of a 5-star hotel lobby and New York style artist’s loft. One of my biggest brag points is in the artists we house. I have been extremely picky with who I bring in to this studio. They are all the perfect blend of artistic talent and customer focus. BLACK&GREY is an ego-free zone.
Even for those uninterested in partaking in the tattoo services we invite you to shop the boutique and experience the immersive art we are currently exhibiting by European art group Squidsoup. It is a 16 foot suspended light installation titled “Curve” whose shape mimics that of a crashing wave. It flows through numerous color combinations and sings just softly enough for you to hear while sitting amongst the bulbs. Pure magic.
Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well positioned for?
Unfortunately “opportunities” are still relatively scarce in comparison to our male counterparts. There are more female-focused funding opportunities than there have ever been, but that’s not saying much when we are all clamoring to take from one small pot.
I will say that there is more interest in what women are doing than ever before. We are in the midst of a revolution and people love hearing/reading about it. It’s exciting to see progress and we are doing it in broad strokes. I would recommend taking advantage of the fact that supporting small and female-founded businesses is “en vogue” right now.
Women are well positioned for a TON when it comes to business. This is not news. Historically we are highly creative and intuitive beings who are also well-equipped for working as a part of a team. Add that to the fact that women are usually highly organized and natural innovators and you have a recipe for success.
With that being said, social media and the culture it has created has been HUGE in women’s success in recent years. It has provided a platform for anyone to reach everyone and the cornerstones for success on those platforms come naturally to most of us ladies; imagery, art, creativity, vulnerability, etc. You no longer need a big fat investor to be able to market to the masses and you no longer have people dictating how to do it either.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1450 Market street, Suite A1
San Diego, CA 92101 - Phone: 619-338-4000
- Email: blackgreycouture@gmail.com
- Instagram: @blackandgreyatelier
Image Credit:
Sophia Culpepper
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