Meet Nelson Santibañes, Jr. | Owner of Santi’s Party Supplies

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nelson Santibañes, Jr. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nelson, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Growing up, my parent’s house was always the “party house” for family events such as Christmas and New Year’s, and my siblings and I had birthday parties almost every year, so the party business just naturally latched onto me. My mom especially has always had an eye for detail which I would like to think that she passed on to me, While I was in graduate school, I kept having this idea in my head about wanting to have a side business, and initially I wanted to do table and chair rentals, but then after going to a cousin’s quinceañera, I thought, “Why not rent out a 360 Photo Booth?” It really elevates any party or event, it leaves a lasting impression, and it’s a great way to engage all the guests. That is how Santi’s Party Supplies was created.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I barely started Santi’s Party Supplies this year in January, but it has already been an amazing venture. From providing my 360 Photo Booth at my full time job’s work events, to markets in local areas and in Houston, to even a Mean Girls themed 13th birthday party, it has been so fulfilling. In my opinion, a lot of people underestimate the amount of detail that goes behind hosting a party. From selecting the venue, to how you are going to set up everything in terms of the theme, to the spatial orientation of tables and chairs and how that adds to the presentation of the overall party, to the music selection and even the invite information; the message is that it is A LOT, and honestly, not a lot of people throw great parties. That is where my passion comes in, and through my business, my mission is to help make your party or event as enjoyable and memorable as it can be. My brand’s motto is: Creating smiles for the night, memories for a lifetime. And I truly mean that. I have over 10 years of customer service experience under my belt, and the biggest skill I have been able to learn and craft is Communication. It’s not what you say, but how you say it, and I can ensure that all my guests will have a truly delightful experience with my service. Talking to people is one of the greatest skills you can learn, and like everything else, it is difficult at first but overtime you really get to hone that skill and learn to talk to all kinds of people. If you are looking for a remarkable experience for your next party, then Santi’s Party Supplies is just one call away.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oof, as a long time Houston native it’s so hard to choose but here I go. For food, I love Asian cuisine so if you’re craving a nice chill ambiance with flavorful sushi then I recommend Uptown Sushi. If they are craving pasta, then I recommend North Italia which has some of the best Italian food in the Houston area in my opinion. For drinks, I usually go to the Heights area where McIntyre’s is the perfect sports bar which has both indoor and outdoor seating and the scene there is always fun. I also really like BLVD Park which is very new, and if you want a place that is more upscale and fancy then Best Regards and Plume are the places to go. But for hangouts, I have to go with one of my favorite spots at the moment which is Anime Bar in Sugar Land. Not only is it a bar, but I would say it is much more than that. It’s a place anyone can go to, anime lover or not, where they also host karaoke events, game nights with any game system and video game available from Mario Kart to Street Fighter, they have it all. All the staff are extremely friendly and are always open to have a conversation about literally anything. It’s a phenomenal place that is hard to not go to at least once a month.
In my view, some of the most exciting people/places/things to checkout is anything that you’re interested in. I personally have a lot of interests so I love exploring new restaurants, bars, and entertainment. I think the important thing is to always keep an open mind with a sense of adventure. You never know what you might be missing out on.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First shoutout has to be to God, because all things are possible with and through Him. Next, I have to give a shoutout to my mother. She is the one that has influenced me, and encouraged me to take risks. She’s told me instead of continuously thinking about an idea over and over again, one needs to take the risk and TRY. You can think about something all you want, but unless you actually physically do it, it won’t go anywhere. I also want to give a shoutout to my sister, Samantha because she actually was the first in our household to launch her own business first, Santi’s Boutique. Even as a part time student, she found the time to start her side business, going to Houston markets on the weekends, posting content on Instagram and TikTok throughout the week, and showing that it can be done by just the risk.

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