Meet Jamie & Jeff Woody with Yard Love Blue Springs
What did you do before starting your Yard Love business or what do you do along with
your business?
This is our side business. For the past 13 years, I have worked for the Community Blood Center of Kansas City. I am a Data Analyst in Marketing and Donor Services. My husband, Jeff, is an Inside Broker for a wholesale insurance company.
Why did you start this business?
In 2020 during the pandemic, we started working from home. When our good friends, Matt and Jessica Hayes started with Yard Love, we loved what they were doing so much that in May we decided to start our own business. This business is such a wonderful way to spread positivity throughout our community and we wanted to be able to do that for our schools, family, and friends.
What is your favorite birthday sign to use?
The turquoise sequins with the big glitter numbers. I have it in the silly square font. It looks really nice in yards. I just purchased two more sequin sets and I am excited to see how they turn out.
What has changed the most since you started in this business?
The biggest change for me personally has been the ability to meet so many people in our community. I now have connections with local business owners, chamber groups, schools, and churches. I love being a part of growing other businesses and community groups and hearing all the new ideas that are emerging during a difficult time.
Tell us about how you work with the other Affiliates in your area. Do you have a story
about how you’ve helped each other out?
I am so fortunate to work with friends! Jessica Hayes has been a friend of mine for the past 12 years. Our husbands have been friends for over 35 years. Our sons are the same age. We share ideas, contacts, fill in for each other, and share graphics all the time. Recently, we started a text group with another friend of Jessica’s, Chrissy Sager with Yard Love South KC. We bounce ideas off each other all the time, share graphics, and contacts. It’s so nice to have others close by to form a team.
What is the toughest greeting set up you’ve had?
My own yard is the worst! It’s a big hill, all the rock, and dead grass where we had trees removed. By far the toughest yard to set a sign.
What is your favorite sign that you’ve put up?
I was contacted by a wife that her husband was coming home from being deployed for more than a year. This was early in the start of our business. I told my husband that I didn’t want to charge her for the sign and wanted to donate it. I responded to the order with an email stating that I would like to thank both of them for their service. She was very thankful. The next day I received a message from her mother. She explained to me how touched they were by our kindness and told me a little back story. Her husband had never met their second son. He was
about to meet him for the first time and also learn about some serious health concerns he had been diagnosed with. It was a beautiful homecoming.
Have you ever been caught setting up a surprise greeting for someone?
I have been caught a couple of times now. My favorite time I was busted was Father’s Day. I went out super early to set up a “Best Dad Ever” sign and got caught. He was so excited about the surprise, he went to the garage and got a lawn chair. He sat outside with me while I finished setting up and chatting the morning away. We had coffee and a great conversation. Later his daughter sent me pictures of him with the grandkids sitting by the sign, waving to everyone who drove by. The best!
What is your favorite event/organization/business sign you’ve set up?
My favorite organizations are schools and PTAs. I love seeing kids’ reactions to signs and surprises. Recently I set up a couple for Thanksgiving and the kids at two schools loved it! This year it wasn’t just the kid’s reaction, it was the teachers and staff too. You could see the excitement and appreciation they felt.
Tell us a little about you and your family.
My husband Jeff and I have been married for 10 years. We have an almost 9-year-old son, Ethan.
We are a sports-loving family! Being born and raised in Kansas
