Here at The Bedford Mom we love sharing about and celebrating local businesses! This month we are excited to feature Card My Yard Bedford, a premier card rental service business based in Bedford, NH. It’s owned and operated by Manessa, a Bedford Mom herself. Learn all about her and her business below!
Tell us about yourself!
I moved to Bedford in 2012 with the primary focus of providing a solid public education to my 3 daughters (Molly now 17, Grace 15, and Madison 11), being closer to my corporate job in Salem, and centrally located to optimize co-parenting. For years, I was busy (trying) to take college classes, climbing the corporate ladder, traveling a lot for business, while juggling family activities. I never imagined I would become an entrepreneur, signing a franchising agreement with Card My Yard in August 2020 or that our family would have grown to include 2 rescue pups (Kip & Rocky), a rescue cat (Ellie Belly), and my wonderful partner, Doug.
Tell us about your business!
Card My Yard Bedford exists with the mission of spreading JOY throughout our community and celebrating all occasions in a BIG way. I love being a part of community events, assisting customers with card design and setting up personalized cards that are known to WOW. As a mom with a large blended family, always looking for ways to celebrate through experiences and avoiding more “stuff”, I’m a huge fan of the green aspect of Card My Yard. Our signs are high quality to be used over and over, not taking up room in the garage or basement to be forgotten about or brought to the dump. With numerous colors, graphics, and the ability to say just about anything, loved ones have plenty of options for a unique card every year without creating typical party waste and skipping the landfill.
What does a “day in the life” look like for you?
Everyday is unique! I strive to provide exceptional service for our customers and sometimes that means staying up until 2 am or getting up at 2 am to ensure a Card My Yard recipient wakes up or comes home to a SURPRISE. And yes, this even happens in rain, snow, and 90+ degree days…and I usually drag Doug along with me when he isn’t busy running his business! When not setting up Card My Yard displays, I’m covering everything from customer service, marketing, bookkeeping and networking. That’s in addition to finalizing all the little details, creating design boards for special orders, pulling signs for the next day’s events, and of course keeping our signs cleaned and mostly organized in my garage.
What are your goals for your business in the next 3-5 years?
Our goals for the next 3-5 years include continuing to partner and developing new relationships with community organizations while giving back to the town we love dearly and to make Card My Yard a household name. With increased growth, we hope to create opportunities for others to experience the JOY we feel in being creative and creating special memorable moments for others. Additional JOY bringers wanted!!
What are your favorites local spots in town?
My favorite spots in town include places open early like Flight Coffee, Pressed for their late night, fast eats, the Inside Scoop for ice cream for dinner nights, and of course Simply Delicious where Doug and I met. I also love our sidewalk on 101 where we can take our dogs for walks and the girls can taste a little bit of freedom.
What is your best piece of advice for people looking to start a business?
Don’t let your fears hold you back from making it happen! It can be scary and a whole lot of work but the rewards outweigh the “what-if?”s. I would also strongly recommend continuing to invest in being the best you (personal development, exercise, eat well…laughing). It is going to take a lot of work and you can’t expect to play well in the game if you aren’t making it to practice and putting in the effort.
How can people connect with you and follow your business?
We can be reached at @cardmyyard_bedford on Facebook or Instagram, our website www.cardmyyard.com/bedford, or send me a text or call at 603-213-1759.