Meet Lauren Inman with Yard Love Miami Valley!
She started her business in April 2025!
Why did you choose to start a sign business with Yard Love?
What I originally thought was simply starting a small part time yard sign business turned out to be something much more meaningful! A blessing that helped carry me through an unexpected and challenging season. About a month before my twin boys graduated from high school, I was searching for a company that could create a graduation yard sign display for our home. To my surprise, I couldn’t find anyone who served our area. Living in a more rural part of Ohio meant that many of the fun celebration services available in larger cities simply weren’t accessible here.
That’s when the idea came to me: Why not start one myself? Not just for my family, but so other families in our community could celebrate their milestones with beautiful yard displays as well!
What I didn’t realize at the time was that God was preparing me for something I would soon need more than I ever expected. Shortly after launching my sign business, I found myself navigating an unexpected career transition while also preparing to send my twin boys off to college—one of them out of state.
As summer orders began to come in, I stayed busy creating and installing vibrant displays filled with color, themes, and graphics celebrating birthdays, graduations, and other special moments. Instead of dwelling on uncertainty, the work gave me purpose. It reminded me how powerful it is to bring joy to others during their happiest milestones. There’s something incredibly fulfilling about serving your community in a way that makes people smile. What began as a small part time side business to bring yard sign greetings to underserved areas has grown into something far more meaningful. In many ways, Yard Love didn’t just help families celebrate their special moments, it also became a source of healing and purpose in my life.
What is a community event you’ve set up for, and why was it special for you to be involved?
Oh, I love this reflection question because it immediately brings me back to October 2025, when I had the honor of creating a yard sign display for a local Pee Wee football team. What made this yard sign set up so special is that my son—now an Offensive Lineman at the University of Kentucky, started on this same field when he was just 8 years old, 11 years earlier.
As I was putting the display together, I actually found myself crying. It felt like a full-circle moment: I was giving back to a team and coaches who had instilled so much in my son at such a young age. Seeing him grow from that field to playing at an SEC Division 1 college program made the moment incredibly humbling.
I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to be a part of their playoff games. It meant more to me than they will ever know.
What is a sign you’ve set that has a special story or got a fun response from the customer?
One yard sign order that still sticks with me is from a gentleman whose order read: “My father passed away a few months ago. He was a caregiver for a woman who is disabled and would always make her birthdays special with yard signs. I’m trying to make this birthday special as this is her first birthday without him.”
Reading this immediately touched my heart. It was clear that the son wanted to honor his father’s legacy by continuing the tradition of celebrating someone he cared for so deeply. For this order, I decided to make my first three-tiered yard sign, putting extra care into making it as special as his father always did.
Seeing the joy and surprise on her face when she saw the sign is a moment I’ll never forget. It reminded me why I do what I do and I’m apart of people’s most special moments.
What do you love most about being a Yard Love affiliate?
Honestly, it’s the corporate team! From Nikki’s availability and responsiveness, to Carrie’s engaging and kind spirit—always looking for ways to support and benefit affiliates—to Dusty’s quick graphic design skills and helpfulness, and Jeremy’s IT knowledge and expertise, this team has made my transition into starting my own yard sign business not just possible, but successful. Without their guidance and support, I’m 100% certain the startup process wouldn’t have been nearly as smooth.
