FAMILIAR FACES: Color Me Mine's Nedy Trent

If you’re a resident of West Orange, you probably have heard of Color Me Mine, the paint-your-own pottery studio at 15502 Stoneybrook West Parkway, Unit 128, Winter Garden. 

Franchise owner Nedy Trent opened the business two years ago, welcoming hundreds of guests over the years. 

With her charming smile and welcoming attitude, Trent leads by example in everything she does, ensuring each person’s experience is the best it can be. 

But Trent didn’t always live in the area. Before moving to Hamlin six years ago, the Trents lived in Washington, D.C., and California, moving from place to place due to being in a military family. 

For eight years, Trent was a sailor in the U.S. Navy, — four years on active duty and four in the reserves — and once her contract ended, she was able to dedicate her time to her children. 

With three kids, she often found herself taking them, along with other military wives, to Color Me Mine. 

“We did a lot of pottery painting at Color Me Mine in California, as a fun thing to do with the kids,” she said. “We still have our pieces from 2012.” 

They always had so much fun painting and spending time together; she loved the family-friendly environment. 

Then, the Trent family moved to Florida, and while trying to find something to do, Trent’s daughter said she wished they could go to a Color Me Mine studio. 

A quick Google search revealed the nearest studio was in Tampa. They opted to visit a different pottery studio and spent about three hours there. 

They loved the experience, but the location was not ideal. The drive home was long.

That’s when Trent’s daughter suggested they open their own franchise close to home. 

Trent laughed it off, thinking it was unattainable. 

But later, her daughter went online and filed a franchise-interest form through the Color Me Mine website. 

The following day, Trent received a call. 

She was stunned. She didn’t think they’d actually call. 

Nedy said she was quickly reeled in and learned she actually could pursue a Color Me Mine franchise if she so chose.

After a few more meetings and phone calls, she decided: Go for it.

WORLD TRAVELER

Trent recalls taking art classes while in school, but she never took interest in it. 

Instead, she loved theater, music and sports. 

“I had no artistic ability whatsoever, at all,” she said. 

After moving from New York to South Florida her eighth-grade year, she became extremely active in extracurricular activities. In high school, she was a part of the choir, track team, cheerleading team and basketball team. 

But even then — as a Jill of all trades — she didn’t know what she wanted to do after graduation. 

Her parents expected her to go to college, but it wasn’t something she wanted to do. 

One day, a military recruiter visited her school and spoke to her, forever changing her life. 

“He didn’t have to say much to convince me,” she said. “He was like, ‘You’re going to get a paycheck every two weeks, you’re going to have your own place and independence.’” 

So she enlisted in the Navy. 

Although her parents didn’t approve of her choice at the time, they warmed up to the idea and eventually accepted it. 

Trent said she has no regrets. 

She went off to boot camp in 1995, and because she was an athlete, she said it wasn’t hard.  

On top of that, she also was able to do one of the activities she likes the most: sing.

She joined the choir in the Navy, often performing at graduation ceremonies. It was treated as an extracurricular activity, but she didn’t mind it. It was a way to connect to her artistic roots. 

“I truly enjoyed the time I spent in the military,” she said. “It taught me a lot, gave me a lot of discipline, structure, organization; so many things that I was able to take out of being in that environment.” 

From Thailand to Spain to Turkey, Trent was able to visit places she never thought she’d see.

She spent eight months in Thailand working as a cargo handler. 

“It’s a lot of hard labor, intensive work, but I learned a craft; I learned how to drive forklifts and cranes,” she said. “It was a great experience at the time.”

Thailand also was her favorite place to visit. 

“I got to travel, I got sightsee, visit Pattaya Beach (and) Bangkok,” she said. “As a young person, just being able to take that in was a great experience.” 

And along the way, she made friends for life. 

With strict immigrant parents, Trent always had structure; she knew to be on time, organized. 

“But the military brought it out of me, like, I can be even more structured and more organized, and really have a direction if I focus on that,” she said. “It really helped me to be just disciplined and ambitious.” 

Courtesy Photos

LASTING LEGACY

Trent’s discipline, organization and ambition, stemming from her parents and the military, is what led her to successfully open Color Me Mine. 

After moving to Horizon West and deciding to open her own studio, Trent applied skills acquired in the military to make her daughter’s wishes come true. 

Trent’s paint-your-own pottery studio is more than just a wish, though. 

It’s generational wealth, Trent said. 

“I just want to show (my children), ‘Hey, we’re in this life for a purpose and a certain amount of time, so we have to make the most out of it while we’re here,’” she said. “I’m trying to create an environment for them that they can feel like they can be successful in anything that they do. … When I go, I want them to be able to see a legacy in me to carry on.” 

But the business has been wonderful to Trent. She genuinely loves everything about it. 

“There’s not been a bad day since I opened the doors here,” she said. “I can honestly truly say that my staff is amazing.”

Every month, franchise owners participate in a brand meeting to talk about how studios have grown from month to month, and Trent’s studio consistently is in the top five for growth. She credits her team. 

“I wouldn’t be able to do this without you guys,” she said to her team members. 

But as a first-time business owner, Trent experienced some challenges.  

Learning about sales tax, personal property tax, licenses and the managing side of things was tough. But overtime, she was able to get a handle of things. 

“We’re just really happy to be a part of the community,” Trent said. “We want to be here for a very long time. I want people to know this is a family environment. ... It’s a great place to sit down, unwind and just let your mind settle and really focus on being creative.” 

To Trent, being an owner and manager is an honor. 

“It doesn’t feel like work at all,” she said. “It’s the best job ever.”