Meet Joanna Oleaga | Picnic Planner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joanna Oleaga and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joanna, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
It has changed. At the beginning I was a full-time mom, dedicated to my kids and family. Being away from home, I wanted to be the one in charge of my kid’s full time. Now that they are a little older, I felt it was time for me to start becoming active again in the work force. Not an easy task for us women/professionals/moms who stepped away from any industry for several years. But in this experience, I have discovered that the more open you are about your reasons for being away, explaining the gap on your CV and embracing it, the better chance the right door will open for you. Especially, because if you still want to be involved in your kids’ activities, you need a job that understands, sick days, school plays or performances or just a complicated morning. Besides Glampicnics, I also work part time for a consulting company from home. But I’m full-on mom/chauffeur duties in the afternoons and now with Glampicnics, busy on the weekends. I still find time to come to their tennis matches and be present in most of their activities. I also have an amazing husband who supports me in this project and who has my back when I have a busy schedule ahead. Additionally, my kids support me 100% and love being involved with Glampicnics. My daughter comes with me for setups and my son is the official car loading expert!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m still quite new in the market, so I’m not sure I have a successful brand just yet but I can tell you what my differentiating factor is, and it is the attention to detail, how personalized all my tables are, there are not two exact setups, even when I am requested the same theme, I always give it a little extra touch. My picnics are full of products and carefully curated decorations to make your celebration a memorable one.

One of my oldest memories is asking my mom to help her set up fabulous dinner tables when they had guests at home. Later in life, decorating my own kid’s birthday parties has always been something that brings me joy, spending months planning every little detail. A dear friend, with a very well stablished business for sleepovers (Hopitepees) invited me to become a part of her world, complimenting somehow what she was already offering to her clients. That is how I came up with the idea of Picnic Parties. It combines two things that I am passionate about, gorgeous table decorations and parties.

The ability to create memorable experiences and make a positive impact on people’s lives is a driving force behind the fulfilment of my picnic setups. The party industry is an ever-evolving field that requires professionals to stay up to date with the latest trends, technologies, and industry practices. We also try to give back to society with party donations for schools.

I consider myself risk adverse, so honestly taking that first step towards starting my own business was not an easy decision. I was filled with insecurities and doubts, but I also knew that I was at a good point in life, to take that risk. With my kids getting older and becoming more independent, with a little extra time in my hands, and with the idea of starting with small investment and hopefully continue to growth, the chance was there in front of me, and I decided to take it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Houston is a fun city with a lot of diversity. Some of my favorite places involve food! I love taking my guests to Tiny Boxwoods, the Menil Collection and the Museum of Fine Arts with their respective cafes. A walk on one of our beutiful parks, Memorial, Herman. Dinner and drinks at Brennans at the Bayou. A brewery and Barbeque are a must when you have friends in town.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shout out to my family, my supporting husband and my amazing kids. The values that my mom and dad instilled in me and the wonderful group of friends that are a part of my life.

Website: www.glampicnics.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glampicnicstx/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Glampicnicstx

Image Credits
Photo Credits The Montrose Studios https://www.themontrosestudios.co