Check Out Brandie Meekins’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandie Meekins.

Hi Brandie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today. 
My artistic abilities were discovered during my adolescent years and were later developed in 1992-1993 during middle school under the tutelage of my two art teachers and mentors, Mr. Ulysses Davis and Mr. Reginald Foushee (Fayetteville, NC). Both inspired me to explore my creativity further. Upon graduating from E. E. Smith High School, I was voted “Most Artistic Female” for a Senior Superlative, and I’ve been a Contributing Artist for three murals in my hometown of Fayetteville, NC (all were completed between the ages of 17-18, and two still exist). Both murals were also completed alongside two of my Mentors, Mr. Ulysses Davis and Mrs. Dorothy Fielder. This is why I feel it’s so important to pour into the lives of young people because each of the three aforementioned individuals poured into me. I became a teen Mom at the age of 17, giving birth to my daughter during my senior year of high school, and Dorothy Fielder, as well as my family, encouraged me to keep pushing, no matter what. They still believed in me. In fact, the two murals that I contributed to in my local community, near my collegiate Alma Mater (Fayetteville State University), were in progress while I was still pregnant with my daughter, Michaela Colvin. Once she was born, I became a full-time, hands-on SUPER MOM, and never looked back. I stopped sketching and painting after completion of the second mural because the mere smell of paint began making me sick, and I also discovered so many more new loves once I enrolled in college that fall. My mom, Deborah McAllister, tried extremely hard to get me to minor in Art or take some art classes (anything but putting the pencil and paintbrush down, but I just wouldn’t). I majored in Criminal Justice and joined several clubs and organizations, to include marching band, where I pursued my other talents/passions in the performing arts as a Twirler and Dancer. I went on to become a collegiate and high school Dance/Color Guard Coach and Coordinator for several years and even became the owner of what was formerly known as Nezziem Performing Arts Center in my hometown. My daughter continued to grow and develop her talents, which is when I became Tennis and Softball Mom, Mom of a high Academic Achiever, Mom of a Student Government Officer, Mom of a Homecoming Queen, then JCSU and NCSU Mom, of which my daughter attended college on academic and tennis scholarships at JCSU, then earned Dual Master’s Degrees in one year at NCSU. I shared all that to say that it wasn’t until my daughter’s junior year of undergraduate studies when she began “doodling” in her suite one evening, continuing to sketch each day, and we all realized that she had the same (if not better) artistic abilities as her mother. Seeing her love for art and her amazing work inspired me to delve back into it. At that time, I’d been a Nonprofit Director and returned to the world of Higher Education. My daughter constantly encouraged me to sketch or paint something each week, and now that she’s fully grown and I’m no longer a “full-time, hands-on Mom,” I have devoted much time to my art again. Play-N-Paint was launched in 2022 from my desire to utilize my art skills regularly and to continue engaging young people (ages 5-18) while making an impact. The site and services were relaunched as a single entity under Brand Mee, LLC, in 2023 as my birthday treat to myself (March 11th) and my gift to the world. PNP is a mobile mixed media art service where children and teens gain opportunities to explore art techniques, enhance unique creativity with varying skill levels in mind, and build self-confidence while growing their passions. We also support development of cognitive, social-emotional, and multi-sensory skills, primarily through agency partnerships. Paint parties explore creative expression and allow children’s parties or teen events to become events with a purpose and for a cause. Canvas and face/hand painting contribute to an interactive, engaging, and joyful event experience. Michaela and I are currently working on a “Mother/Daughter Duo” business venture, MeCo Designs, established August 1, 2023. Michaela is a Certified Interior Designer, so our services will include home and office decor (our paintings and other personalized art pieces), residential and commercial staging, relocation consultation to assist with creating and/or transforming spaces, and a series of paintings for general sale. My primary goal is to share my gifts and talents with the world while making an impact. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been a smooth road, which is why I’ve had to relaunch and focus solely on this PNP. I initially offered four different entities to reach children, youth, and young adults, and they were all housed under one umbrella (Brand Mee, LLC). All entities, including PNP, were on one website, which included the arts, college coaching, professional development, and motivational speaking. I tried to intertwine all of my worlds into one, and from a marketing perspective, I believe the page could’ve been a bit confusing and/or too busy from the outside looking in. I decided to hone in one the one area that I felt was my deepest passion and just focus on that first. Well, when you have several passions where young people are concerned, it can take a while to truly see where you’re most effective. I had to engage in some self-inventory, utilize my own Certified Career Coaching advice on myself, and gain some true clarity on the direction I wanted to go because I definitely wasn’t being booked much. I took some time to determine my target market and that was very helpful. However, social media marketing has been very challenging for me, as my IG page is still fairly new. I grew up in an era where social media wasn’t a thing, but I’m now finding myself having to learn the current trends and learn all that I need to gain traction and draw interest and traffic to my page and my website. Things are starting to look better for me, as I’ve recently had, on average, one scheduled planning consultation per week. Things are “getting there”, and I’m grateful for new interests and support. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a former Nonprofit Director and Social Work Field Instructor for College Interns, Criminal Justice, and Behavioral Health Professional, and Sworn Member of Fayetteville, NC’s City Planning Commission, I have a combined ten years of human services and leadership experience. I also have almost ten years of higher education experience as Assistant Director of Admissions, Senior Admissions Counselor/Regional Recruiter, Graduate Admissions Counselor, and Diversity (DEI) Professional. I have been known for making it my fiduciary responsibility to establish transformational relationships with those I serve, use best-fit Certified Career Coaching skills in helping them achieve educational and career aspirations, and develop programmatic structures to enhance the overall quality of life for others. I believe in collaboration and intentional, effective service delivery, and also working with individuals from various backgrounds and demographics has heightened my sense of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. These experiences set me apart by allowing me to meet people where they are, engage in active listening, operate with passion, and work even more earnestly to make decisions that will help navigate others’ personal and professional maturation processes while empowering them to maximize their fullest potentials. However, of all my aforementioned experiences, I feel that my greatest accomplishment has been empowering my own daughter towards goal attainment and maximizing her fullest potential. Michaela attended Johnson C. Smith University on academic and tennis scholarships, and within one year of graduating with honors (2018), she obtained two Master’s Degrees from NC State University (2019). 

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My artistic abilities were nurtured and developed by my two middle school art teachers and mentors, the late Mr. Ulysses Davis and Mr. Reginald Foushee. Both inspired me to explore my creativity and enhance my skill levels. My Mentor, Mrs. Dorothy Fielder, always saw the good in me and encouraged me to be the best version of myself when I was a bit “rough around the edges.” She never gave up on me. She was very instrumental in instilling my value and love for community service, as well as in facilitating the two mural projects I contributed to in my teen years. She even wrote my recommendation letter to join her/our beloved Sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. I have actually dedicated my Play-N-Paint site to Mr. Reginald Foushee, Mrs. Dorothy Fielder, and to the late, great Mr. Ulysses Davis. My former Collegiate Advisor and lifelong Mentor (Mr. Keith Coleman), Mentee (Jovanah Graham), former Intern (Steven Reneau), former Admissions Supervisor/Director (Mr. Vory Billups), and my former childhood Track Club Coaches/Educators (Mr. John Smith and Mr. Eric Streeter) have been there for me every step of the way, pushing me when I haven’t had the capacity to push myself. My Uncles and Aunts (Donald Meekins, Earl Meekins, Greta Meekins, Roscoe Williams, and Valerie Stubbs-Meekins), God-Mother (Rosa McAllister), and my daughter’s Paternal Grandmother (Elva Colvin) have nurtured me and shown me so much love and support over the years when I’ve needed it most. My Mom (Deborah McAllister), Daughter (Michaela Colvin), Sisters (Marjeana Meekins and Ashara Meekins-Collier), and Aunt (Brenda Richardson) have been my biggest cheerleaders during this entrepreneurial journey and transition. They have believed in me wholeheartedly when I didn’t even believe in my own vision. All the individuals I’ve mentioned have been the “TRUE TEAM BRANDIE” since I can remember, never wavering-no matter how much I wavered. Most importantly, because of my Christian faith, I know that God did it all. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://play-n-paint.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playnpaint_nc/