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Meet Drew Atkinson of Stray Cat Strut ATL

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Drew Atkinson.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Stray Cat Strut is a partnership composed of some PHENOMENAL female Atlanta-based designers and makers. We came from all over the US, and have a very wide range of education and practical experience in our fields and somehow (THANK YOU UNIVERSE) made it into each other’s lives.

We met in what some people would call their “survival job”. Barely getting by, not doing the things we actually love to do. Working together there helped us discover each other’s talents and the immense need to stop trying to work out of our basements, and make-shift-dining room-turned-workshop-spaces. We realized together that it was time to take the leap!

So, we quit our survival jobs, rented a studio space together, made it our own (covered up the preexisting graffiti with our own graffiti), set up a business plan, and finally have the room to grow and do what we love!
We definitely wouldn’t be where we are today without each other and our contributors. Everyone who has believed in us has put so much into this and we are incredibly grateful for this opportunity to prove that we have what it takes!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Nope! The path to starting a business is never a smooth road.

I think the realization of figuring out every little thing that it takes to start and run a business is the biggest hurdle that we have to jump every day. We started this business out of each of our individual needs to have the space to do our work. We now know that it’s so much more than a studio rental. If we want to grow and flourish, it has to be so much more than that.

We are learning how to run a business as we go, and each day we get better and better at it. We have plans and goals, we sign contracts and give contracts to be signed, we answer emails, we pay bills, we do ALL of the things that business school WOULD have taught us, but we were all fine arts majors…

Working together is like living with roommates after living in your own space for a long time beforehand. You have to make adjustments. You have to change and compromise for other people after toughing it out and doing it on your own for so long. These adjustments are sometimes hard, but they are always necessary. We are grateful for the changes, we are thankful for the growth, and we are excited about learning more about the business and each other every day.

Please tell us about Stray Cat Strut ATL.
Individually, we each have strength in either costume design or makeup design and prosthetic fabrication.
We take jobs where we have to take designs from concept to reality in our respected fields. We work with theaters, films, and individuals alike to create characters and turn their visions into wearable works of art.

Together, we have combined all of our expertise to create a product unlike any other–Stray Cat Tats!
Stray Cat Tats are easy to use, 3d temporary tattoos that are filled with glitter and bright pigments, and are wearable all day long.

We took the concept from a type of prosthetic that is frequently used to create small wounds like cuts and scrapes, and made it pretty! This method of creating the tats plus the experience we each have with creating characters helped us to conceptualize the fun shapes and designs of the tats.

We have made every piece with a character in mind–from mermaid scales to devil horns, creating a character has never been easier! This is what sets us apart from others. We are the only business making anything like these. They’re completely unique and bring glitter and fun to any occasion (and who doesn’t want that??!)

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I guess if I had to change anything, it would have been my work ethic within my survival job. THANK GOODNESS, I proved my worth after jumping into this business because I didn’t give my partners a lot of proof that I was hardworking before… I hated where I was and that showed. A lot. It was hard to be invested in a place where I wasn’t doing what I loved but I loved the people I worked with and I’m glad they kept me around.

However, I think, in life, you don’t get a do-over. We really wouldn’t have learned what we have learned if things didn’t go exactly how they have gone. It’s a bit flowery and poetic, I know… but I don’t think I would have done anything differently. Stray Cat Strut is where it is today because of the failures as well as the successes.

Pricing:

  • Costume and makeup jobs are on a client by client basis
  • Stray Cat Tats range from $8-$20

Contact Info:


Image Credit:
Photo of Unicorn and Peace Sign model was captured by photographer Anthony Gagliardi

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