Meet Crystal St. Junious: Yard Card Specialist, Teacher, Realtor, & Mom

We had the good fortune of connecting with Crystal St. Junious and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Crystal, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I felt like now was an appropriate time because I have two small children and I wanted to make my own schedule. I am an elementary teacher, but due to Covid I didn’t feel safe sending my 5-month-old to daycare, so I knew I had to come up with something fast! I couldn’t afford to not have any income coming in. I would always see these yard cards and wonder how they got started. So, I began to research, but hit a brick wall. One Saturday evening a friend and I were just talking on the phone and the subject came up. I knew it wasn’t just an ordinary coincidence, so I had to move on it. Since then, I’ve been blessed to be “booked and busy” as they say, lol! My advice to anybody wanting to pursue a dream is to “Go For It!!!” It doesn’t matter if there is 100s of that same type of business. What’s for you, is for you! Put your own little twist on it, give quality service, and we all can win! It’s enough opportunity out there for us all to be successful!    

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My Yard Swag offers custom yard sign greeting rentals for any occasion, like every other company out here, but what sets me apart from others, is that I do every set up with love! I try to make sure each setup is perfect and unique. I also try to work with my customers, because I understand the financial hardship, we all could possibly be facing. I was a single mother for 10 years. I know that we all have dreams of making our loved ones feel special but may not have the means. I am always offering discounts to make my products more affordable. I’ve traveled over an hour many times to make my customers happy. I know that customer service is everything and most small businesses stay successful through referrals and word of mouth. I try to make my customer’s experience a positive, memorable one. My goal is to make my business a franchise, so people across the world can get their “Yard Swagged” by the best!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The Turkey Leg Hut hands down is a must when visiting the Houston area! Anybody that I recommended to this place is still talking about it until this day! They aren’t just your average turkey legs, they put some type of magic on those turkey legs. My mouth is watering just thinking about it, lol! I’m from Louisiana and as you may know, we love a good daiquiri! Bourbon Street Daiquiris in Pearland and New Orleans Daiquiris to Geaux on Cullen, are my go-to spots when I’m in the mood for a good drink. When I want to let my hair down and be in a club environment, I usually visit The Address or Privacy. They both have good music, hookah, and the vibe is right.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family, friends, and community have all been very supportive in making my dream be prosperous. Special shout out to my mother, Ernestine St. Junious and my boyfriend, Jamil for always being supportive and even getting out there helping me to set up when they have free time. Shout out to Ashley Yearby for the recommendation. I admire your drive. Shout out to Ashely Thorn for all your advice. Shout out to my niece, Zoe Hamilton for helping me to come up with the perfect name. Shout out to my girl Goldie for making my website. Shout out to Iris Garcia for taking an interest in my story. Last but not least, shout out to my customers, because there would be no me without you! I am appreciative to have a strong support system.

Website: myyardswag.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myyardswagyardcards/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myyardswagyardcards/

Image Credits
Photos by: Paola McLeod Hair by: Nay Monroe