We’re beginning the New Year with a fun Stork Stories interview. Janice Wilke is the proud owner of Front Yard Friends in Chesapeake, VA. Janice really knows her stuff and there isn’t anything she hasn’t experienced after 11 years in the lawn greetings business! She and her family have worked very hard to build a busy and successful business. Front Yard Friends serves the greater Tidewater area of Virginia, which includes Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Newport News and Hampton Virginia as well as Moyock, North Carolina.
Let’s hear from Janice:
Stork Lady (SL): Front Yard Friends has been in operation since 2003 and is truly a family affair. Tell us a little about your family.
Janice: My son & daughter began to work with me in FYF when they were in high school. They’ve since graduated from college and are still active in the business. My son recently married and his wife came on board when they were dating. My mom also lives with us and has helped in more ways than I can count.
SL: Why did you decide to start a home based business?
Janice: It allowed me the flexibility to be with my children when they needed me, and I truly enjoy working for myself.
SL: What made you decide on stork signs & other lawn greetings as your home business versus other opportunities?
Janice: My husband rented a stork for me when our babies were born. He later surprised me with a lawn greeting for my birthday. I had been on the receiving end of all the fun and wanted to offer it to others to enjoy.
Front Yard Friends Stork Rental Service Chesapeake, VA 757-410-3369
SL: What do you like most about being in this business? What is most rewarding?
Janice: Making people happy by having a small part in a special day or occasion. I especially love to get phone calls from satisfied customers thanking us for making them feel special.
Being successful in my own business is very satisfying. Providing a service that leaves a positive impact on people is its own reward.
SL: What made you choose the Stork Ladyopportunity over the other stork signs that are available?
Janice: At first we tried designing our own stork. It worked for a while, but we couldn’t seem to capture the professionalism and polish that Stork Lady brings to our business. Before we became a partner we had been admiring the Stork Lady signs from afar. When we decided to up our game, getting our signs from Stork Lady was an easy decision to make.
SL: What different kinds of marketing have worked for you?
Janice: Twenty years ago there were newspaper ads and yellow page ads. But after a while we realized our best advertising is our displays because having them seen in yards all over the Tidewater area creates great word of mouth advertising. We no longer pay to advertise. However, having a top-ranked website is key to a successful business in today’s world.
SL: How have you used the income generated in your business?
Janice: It has helped our children’s educations and in general has improved the quality of our lives. We have been very blessed in this business.
SL: What personal qualities does a person need to be successful in this business?
Janice: A person has to be extremely self-motivated.
SL: What advice would you give someone who is looking for an affordable home business opportunity?
Janice: Do your homework! Any home based business will require time and hard work to become established and successful. And it may sound easier than it will be. Fortunately, in this business there is plenty of help out there from people more than willing to help. That’s not always true in other businesses. Going with the Stork Lady opportunity will help you get started and on the right track. Front Yard Friends has branched out in many ways in the past 11 years. We provide great deals on Lawn Greeting start up packages to help people trying to break into the business. We offer a lot of variety, as well as many different themes to celebrate all occasions. Please check out our Front Yard Friends website for examples of some of the displays we offer. However, our website gallery isn’t complete. Be sure to contact us for a complete listing. And be sure to check out the website of our second company, Sweet-Greetings. The signs we offer through Sweet-Greetings are colorful, fun and popular! The gallery on our Sweet-Greetings website is complete.
Front Yard Friends Lawn Greetings Service Chesapeake, VA 757-410-3369
The Wilke Family Front Yard Friends Lawn Greetings Service Chesapeake, VA 757-410-3369
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