Cover Story: What is a Collision DisruptHER?

by Chasidy Rae SiskCover Story, DisruptHER Articles, Magazine Staples, The Gritty Subscribers OnlyPosted on No Comments

Less than 5%.
          That’s the percentage of women working in body shops in the United States, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — as of 2024, women made up just 4.9% of that workforce. Let that sink in.
Some broader data suggests women may represent closer to 18% of total career opportunities across the collision ecosystem, but when it comes to the shop floor? The spray booth? The frame rack? The structural pulls and weld tests and post-repair scans? We’re still hovering under 5%.
          And yet, that number is increasing. Slowly. Steadily. Undeniably. In fact, that figure is more than double what it was a decade ago.  
          There’s no question that women belong in collision repair. The real question is: What happens when they stop shrinking, stop blending in, stop apologizing — and start disrupting the status quo?!

          That’s where the Collision DisruptHER comes in!
          So, what IS a Collision DisruptHER? She is someone who changes the face of collision repair simply by being exactly who she is.

Undiminished Value: Women, Wealth and the Power of Financial Literacy By: Rachel James

by Guest ContributorMagazine Staples, The Gritty Subscribers Only, Undiminished ValuePosted on No Comments

For decades, women were quietly excluded from meaningful financial decision-making — not because we lacked the ability, but because the system wasn’t built with us in mind. Bank accounts required a husband’s signature. Financial conversations happened behind closed doors. Money was something women were expected to manage day-to-day, but not strategically.
That era is over.
Today, women control a growing share of wealth, influencing the majority of household financial decisions, and they are stepping into leadership roles across business and finance. Yet, despite this progress, many women still feel under-educated, under-confident or under-supported when it comes to money. Financial literacy isn’t just about numbers — it’s about power, autonomy and advocacy.

DisruptHER Dynasty-Kristen Felder: The Take-No-Shit & Offer No Apologies DisruptHER

by Chasidy Rae SiskDynasty Feature, Magazine Staples, The Gritty Subscribers OnlyPosted on No Comments

One of our missions at Glossed & Gritty is to enhance the visibility of women in collision repair, so for our inaugural issue, it only made sense to feature the most visible and arguably the best-known woman in the industry: Kristen Felder, CEO of Collision Hub and Engage Target Media.
Kristen has been recognized for her lifetime of experience with multiple awards, including the 2011 Society Of Collision Repair Specialist Industry Service Award, 2011 Finalist Car Care Council’s Woman of the Year and 2010 Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) Impact Award – Top Four Executives Under Forty, plus she was honored by AkzoNobel as one of the industry’s Most Influential Women in 2007.
In addition to being the most recognizable woman in collision repair, Kristen is also the most controversial; she has built a reputation on pulling no punches when it comes to speaking her mind, and that’s a trait that many love – or hate – about her. But regardless of how one feels about how “rude” (her word!) Kristen may be, she certainly commands respect.
Let’s start off with a little background information on Kristen before we get to know her a lot better.
Lots of collision repairers claim they were born into the business, but it’s barely hyperbole when Kristen makes that statement – her mother literally went into labor in the paint booth!

Polished DisruptHER-Cassandra Thibeault: Promoting Positivity and Cultivating a Community for Bodywomen

by Chasidy Rae SiskDisruptHER Articles, Magazine Staples, Polished Feature, The Gritty Subscribers OnlyPosted on No Comments

From the time she was a little girl, Cassandra Thibeault dreamed of becoming a fashion designer, but as she got older and started making clothes, she realized that she didn’t like sewing! Although she had worked her way up into retail management, she decided that she wanted to do something different with her life.
That change came in 2017 when she enrolled in the collision repair program at Lincoln Technical Institute; however, after obtaining her first job in the industry — prepping and priming at Southern Auto Auction — she dropped out of the program. “When I first started my collision journey, I was honestly a hot mess and a half,” she acknowledges. “It took years to become a more refined woman, and now, I strongly encourage other women to pursue a formal education, but if they do decide to drop out, I think it’s important that they realize: you can still go out and DO THE DAMN THING!”
And Cassandra is certainly doing her thing and encouraging other women in collision to do their thing as well — in addition to working as a collision technician at Vernon Collision Center in Manchester, CT, she strives to “create more representation for women in this industry by posting my work, making inspirational content and encouraging them to do the same when it’s appropriate” through social media.
Join us in getting to know a little more about Cassandra!

Issue 1 – Spring 2026

by Chasidy Rae SiskAnchor Feature, Cover Story, DisruptHER Articles, Dynasty Feature, Editor's Blocks, Flash Time, Frame of Mind, Gear & Glam, Magazine Staples, Polished Feature, Primed Feature, Pro-Tips & Precision, Recalibration: Mind & Body, The Gritty Subscribers Only, Undiminished Value, Unfiltered FontPosted on No Comments

Glossed & Gritty is more than a magazine – but it IS a magazine too!

Curious what the Revolution is all about? Check out the cover story, “What Is a Collision DisruptHER?” and get to know the co-founders, Chas and Janna, through their Editors’ Messages.

Issue 1 also features three Collision DisruptHER profiles: Gabriella Held (Primed), Cassandra Thibeault (Polished) and Kristen Felder (DisruptHER Dynasty) as well as an interview with our first Anchor, Mike Anderson.

But that’s not all – you won’t want to miss the features on heavy-duty pants for the shop, how VOCs impact women differently or a special contribution on “Women, Wealth and the Power of Financial Literacy” by Rae James of Torque Financial…and more!

Primed DisruptHER Gabby Held: Wallys and Welds: 15-Year-Old Gabriella Held is Built for Speed

by Chasidy Rae SiskDisruptHER Articles, Primed Feature, The Gritty Subscribers OnlyPosted on No Comments

At just 15 years old, Gabriella Held is still too young to hold a driver’s license, but that hasn’t stopped her from steering her future forward!
For nearly three years, Gabby has spent a significant portion of her free time in the body shop, learning to weld, paint and repair vehicles through Trade Up Level Up, a non-profit organization focused on connecting today’s youth with the trades.
Gabby was only 13 years old when she first began her collision journey, learning to weld and mastering the delicate balance between technical precision and creative artistry.
While most teens are just beginning to think about their first car, Gabby is already tearing up the track in hers. As a decorated Junior Dragster driver in NHRA’s Division 1, she spent the 2025 season collecting trophies – including a coveted “Wally” – and earning the title of Junior Dragster Driver of the Year. Whether she is wielding a welder in the shop, spraying in the paint booth or hitting top speeds on the drag strip, Gabby is proving that she has the drive to succeed in any lane she chooses.
Let’s get to know this impressive young lady a little bit better!