Card My Yard: Transforming Celebrations with Personalized Yard Greetings

Card My Yard is an innovative franchise that brings celebrations to life with customized yard greetings for events like birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, and more. Launched in 2014 by Amy Arnold and Jessica Stanley in Austin, Texas, the brand has expanded rapidly, opening its franchise program in 2017.

Designed as a flexible, home-based opportunity, Card My Yard offers franchisees a low-overhead business model that allows them to serve their local areas by delivering personalized outdoor displays for special occasions.

Setting itself apart from traditional greeting options, Card My Yard creates vibrant, physical displays that spread happiness to both recipients and their communities. Thanks to a user-friendly e-commerce platform, customers can easily place orders online, making the process simple and efficient for clients and franchise owners alike.

Training

Card My Yard provides a structured training program to its franchisees to ensure smooth and effective operation of their businesses:

1. Initial Online Training Program
   Franchisees, specifically the Principal Owner and General Manager, must complete an initial online training program before the opening of the business. This training covers fundamental operational aspects and is available without charge, although any travel-related expenses for optional in-person training at headquarters must be covered by the franchisee.
2. Mandatory Training Calls
   Following the completion of the online training, a mandatory training call is required to review the materials and ensure understanding. Additional follow-up calls may be scheduled at the franchisor's discretion to support the training process.
3. On-the-Job Training
   Franchisees are required to perform practical tasks, such as installing and removing yard greetings based on the online instruction, to simulate real-world scenarios. Support during this phase is available through telephone or video conferencing.

Territory Protection

Card My Yard grants its franchisees a "Protected Area" where no other Card My Yard business will be authorized during the term of the franchise agreement. The Protected Area is typically defined by one or more contiguous zip codes with a population of at least 30,000 and is determined based on factors like population density and proximity to customer bases.

Franchisees must operate only within their designated Protected Area and cannot solicit or accept orders from consumers outside of it.

However, Card My Yard retains significant rights that limit the exclusivity of this protection. The franchisor may still operate or license others to operate outside the Protected Area and use alternative distribution methods like the internet to reach customers, even if that impacts a franchisee’s business.