Christina Schneider has found her new business a perfect fit for her creative niche.
The Carmel resident started Yard Card Queen-Carmel business in August 2020 and is enjoying every minute.
“Everybody’s signs are a little different,” Schneider said. “Mine are like an explosion of personality. I go above and beyond with the personalization. I love to meet the people and talk to them.”
Schneider likes to find out as many interests as she can about the person who the sign is celebrating.
“I’m kind of the social butterfly in the family,” she said. “I love doing this. This is my jam. I love to celebrate kids. It lets my creativity sing.”
There are other Yard Card Queens nationally.
“We own and operate our own independently,” Schneider said. “I didn’t have to pay a rights fee. We are all pretty small.”
Schneider’s Yard Card Queen serves Carmel, Zionsville, Westfield, Noblesville, parts of Fishers and parts of north Indianapolis, but she usually keeps within a 15-mile radius of her Carmel home. She said 90 percent of her business is in Carmel.
Schneider receives and sends referrals to Sign Gypsies, a female-owned business in Zionsville.
“As women-owned businesses, we need to support one another,” Schneider said. “There is so much business because there are just not enough of us. We refer each (other) all the time when we can’t (fill an order).”
Many sign businesses have seen an increase in business because of the COVID-19 pandemic and gathering restrictions.
Schneider has three daughters who have been involved with the business. Her oldest daughter, Isabella, 22, has helped when home from Purdue. Sophie, 13, and Amelia, 12, help with other projects.
During holidays, people rented signs ‘We’ve been Booed’ at Halloween and “We’ve been Elfed” at Christmastime.
Schneider said her daughters had fun ringing the doorbell and then leaving the goodies and the signs.
“The kids love it, especially during COVID,” she said. “They can’t go out and celebrate and do their normal things.”
Schneider said she expects 2021 graduations are going to be a boon for business, so she has been stockpiling supplies.
Schneider’s signage can be found on the Yard Card Queen-Carmel’s Facebook page and yardcardqueen.com.
