Meet Laura WalkingStick with Sign Savvy
@sign_savvy
We are so excited to introduce you to Laura! Lovingly known as the ‘sign lady’ around Katy, Laura is one of the most creative, talented mamas we know, helping hundreds of local schools and families celebrate their kids, holidays, sports, and more! Her business, Sign Savvy, is your one-stop shop for yard signs and car decals for schools and sports teams! She can really do it all! Our yard is decorated beautifully with her high quality signs for holidays and she’s helped us with logos on shirts for years!
Her business is booming and growing and she’s also a dedicated mama to her three beautiful daughters. She loves the Katy community and supporting local. She is such an inspiration and we can’t wait to watch her continue to flourish! Check out our full interview with Laura below!
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in the Katy area?
I am born and raised right here in Houston, TX! I have lived in the Katy area for the last ten years!
How many kids do you have and how old are they?
I like to tell people that I run a Tiny Girl Gang. I have 3 beautiful girls – Kylee, age 12, Ryan, age 9 and our caboose is Waverly, age 5!
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
I played competitive softball starting my sophomore year of high school and ended up playing at the Division I level in college.
Favorite local things to do in the Katy area?
We love going to the high school football games in the fall, visiting small business markets and my girls particularly love Typhoon Texas!
What is your go-to activity just for you, mama?
I definitely love a good mani/pedi and indulge in my monthly massages. But I also fancy a good uninterrupted lunch or dinner with a friend.
Give us your best mom hack that makes life easier.
Weekly meal planning! If I try to grocery shop for longer than a week at a time, so much food goes to waste. And I make sure to ask each person in my family what they’d like to see on the menu. So at least one day that week, someone is getting their “special” meal.
OK, let’s talk business. Tell us about your business and what makes it unique!
Sign Savvy proudly partners with school districts across the Greater Houston area to provide custom yard signs and car decals for their students and athletes. Booster Clubs can raise funds for their extracurricular activities through our ongoing partnerships. We are also able to collaborate with businesses to provide signage for their brick-and-mortar locations, as well as merchandise for their customers. Additionally, some of my favorite projects are wedding & special events signage! They always turn out so beautiful and elevate such a special day!
When did you officially launch your business and what’s been the biggest blessing in it all?
Sign Savvy was officially launched in 2018, but we have had partnerships with our schools and organizations for over 20 years! The biggest blessing in it all has been the ability to be fully business owner and fully mom. It’s a both/and concept and something I am very proud of. The financial contribution I’m able to give our family is just the bonus.
What’s your back story- what did you do before launching your business?
I grew up working in the restaurant industry. After graduating from Texas A&M and getting married, but before Sign Savvy, I worked at the Pappasitos concept restaurant where part of my duties included figuring out what dishes were more successful than others based on sales.
Do you think it prepared you for being an entrepreneur?
100%. A large part of being a successful business owner is having great customer service. Think about when you dine out. The restaurant could have the best food in the world but if they have horrible customer service, it makes you not want to go back. It’s the same in business. You can have a great product, but your customer service needs to outshine what is purchased.
Most memorable signs you’ve made?
This is such a great question but also so hard to answer! Most memorable would probably be the Boots for Troops signs that we have done. We offer these flash sales around the holidays for people that want holiday themed yard signs in their yards. Last year we offered Memorial Day signs, and the proceeds went to an organization that provides care packages to active duty military men and women. It was such a great success that we did it again this year and will continue!
Best advice for mamas wanting to launch into their own business?
Find your niche. Don’t do something on a whim because it sounds good. Do something that you’re passionate about and do it with excellence. You don’t need to swing for the fences right out of the gate. Start small and as you execute with excellence, greater things will come.
Biggest blessing about being a mama owned business in the Katy area?
The greatest blessing in all of it has been the gift of time with my kids. I am so thankful that I get to work from home and get to work around my kids’ schedules and school activities. I get to be a successful business owner & be fully present with my kids.
Future plans and hopes for your business?
Last year was our greatest year yet. We are excited to announce that Sign Savvy has been able to purchase a large format printer that will allow us to supply even more custom signage to the Greater Houston area through banners, canvas prints, posters, trade show graphics, backdrops, murals, wallpaper, etc. This new equipment will allow us to serve the commercial and industrial community in a much better capacity! We can’t wait!
If there was anything else I could tell the beautiful community of Katy, it’s to shop small and tell your friends. Every purchase from my business goes directly to supporting our family. We are so grateful to the schools and organizations that value this as well and who choose Sign Savvy year after year. We look forward to seeing Sign Savvy in every yard and business in the area!
