Harold R. Gray found the keys to a better life were hidden within his habits; with a clear pathway to success, he was able to unlock unfathomable potential and create a fashion line. It captures the entrepreneurial spirit and its embedded in the soles of his shoe-brand. He has turned moments of failures into pivotal points of motivation, breaking through barriers of a system that is constructed for his downfall, Gray is now looking to reflect that success is attainable by looking at the energy behind daily habits.
The mission behind HRG Fashion is “Raising awareness about the power of one’s self is the driving force of Habits Reflect Greatness Today. We all have the ability to accomplish goals and become successful in whatever we desire to achieve. The biggest factor holding someone back is self. We often become doubtful, uncertain, and lose confidence along the journey and eventually give up and conform to old habits that is why we have created the HRG Collection to strive for Greatness.”
Habits Reflect Greatness represents the hunger developed by living beyond what is seen, Gray found that it is imperative to look at the everyday hustle and gear oneself to plan according to the destination and drive. He stated, “If you want to get up in the daytime and go spend $200 a day and live the life that you want, go be great at that.”
Harold had to exercise perseverance early in life, socially in his youth he was involved in community sports, the Inglewood little league at Darby Park. His educational journey had a lot of turns starting at Hawthorne Christian school and then moving on to secondary learning, he attended Peary Middle School, Washington High School, and graduated from Artesia High School in Lakewood.
Transitioning into adulthood, Gray made time to go to Cerritos College but ultimately, he desired a direct channel into the workforce, he began his career in the trucking industry. he examined his circumstances and realized amid everything he was doing; it still wasn’t enough. Gray was working over 60 hours as a truck driver, hauling concrete in the construction sector.
He would come home drained from an exhausting day, only to be met with the anxiety of barely surviving. Gray didn’t get to see the family he was trying to provide for, and he realized this wasn’t living. Listening to his inner conversation, he wanted to live on his own terms and spend quality time with the people he loved. That’s when a spark ignited in him to press forward with no thoughts of stopping until a new level of freedom was reached.
Pulling himself out of the depths of doubt, Gray began to have immeasurable amounts of dedication in seeking more. He looked within to find the power to create his multiple streams of income. The HRG Collection encapsulates the hustle he needed to reach new levels.
The name HRG also has an endogenous meaning, symbolizing his Fathers and Gray’s initials. His father lived with dementia, seeing the mental strength it took to carry on through life with a growing challenge, inspired Gray to push through to his goals no matter the mental strain. Now, Gray nourishes his three kids and is able to support his parents.
Gray’s Father played a significant role in pressing the needle forward in his life; he looks to drop Hustle Reflects Greatness. A limited-edition capsule collection, reflecting the grit needed to pursue the life that is worth living. Gray works as lead creative director and designer of the HRG brand. He opened up about the uphill push it took to get his designs into mass production, he had to hit the ground running.
For a newly designed shoe to go in mass production, one must sell seven pairs. Gray went into hyperdrive, calling everyone he knew to make those sales. In half a day, he sold eight pairs of shoes and felt the power of rising above the expectation. In light of the rise in support of Black-owned businesses, Gray has seen a significant shift in awareness of his impact within the community. Many people reached out to bring recognition to his brand, and he has seen growth within the equity HRG brings.
Gray shared details about his journey, “I had to reinvent myself, I had to throw away the old me, with having a reputation I had to throw all of that away and start from scratch and start working. It dawned on me that if I didn’t change my habits, I would be going down the same road, so that’s where Habits Reflect Greatness came in.”
The seed Gray planted grew, Habits Reflect Greatness has journeyed into multiple sectors of businesses, reaching a pinnacle point of hustle in their new endeavor include philanthropy and business mentorship, Gray is looking to bring out the “Triple A,” Awareness, Alternatives, and Action to work as navigation for those looking for the same life renovation.
Working for himself, Gray has turned every opportunity into a steppingstone to higher levels. Additionally, he holds his hand out to reach into the community and elevate those willing to work for what they want. Gray is looking to donate to the Brotherhood Crusade, a grass roots organization that shares the same vision in improving the quality of life for communities-in-need. Gray had many motivations; family, financial freedom, and the need to renovate his life. But the greatest desire was to impact the world, channel his dreams, and creating fashion that represents the hustle.
