Juju Photography
I am loving today’s Meet a Mom interview! After reading about her strong faith and love for jamming Christian music in the car, I think her and I could be fast friends! Vanessa Zuniga is the mama owner of CL Designs, TX. Vanessa started her business during the pandemic when her son was about to be born and she knew she needed more flexibility with her career. She took a big leap in Faith and began CL Designs, TX (named after her son Carson Luis). CL Designs, TX offers marquee letter rentals, balloon décor/garlands, backdrop rentals, and also custom builds that are made to sell. Vanessa makes stunning designs that will wow guests at any event! Vanessa’s inspiration started with her son’s birth, but God is what she believes sets her business apart from others. She puts God first in everything that she does including her business 🤍.
Keep on reading to check out Vanessa’s Meet a Mom interview – learn more about CL Designs, TX, mom life, and her future dreams for her business.
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in the North Houston area?
I am originally here from Houston Texas and I have lived here my entire life! Honestly I love Texas so I could not imagine living anywhere else haha!
How many kiddos do you have and how old are they?
For now I only have one kiddo and he just turned one year old. Watching him grow and no longer be a baby is totally a bittersweet moment. It is exciting for us to see him learn new things and to be excited about everything this world has to offer.
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What are your favorite local things to do? (with kiddos or just for mom!)
My favorite THING to do is workout when I have the time now of course. Working out is definitely a HUGE stress reliever for me and as a matter of fact I love working out so much I didn’t stop working out until I was 38 weeks pregnant!! I know crazy right but that is just one thing I love doing for myself.
As hard as it is to find the time, what’s something you do just for yourself?
I wake up and thank God. My faith and relationship with God is something for just myself. As I just mentioned I wake up and thank God. Everyday I think of 3 reasons (or more) to be thankful for. As simple as it is to say “thank you” & to be grateful I find myself sometimes being so busy during the day that it is hard to find the time to do something so simple. This is something that I have learned to remember to do so my day can be a little bit more graceful.
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One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
Mhmmm one thing people would be surprised to know about me is that I love to jam out to Christian music! If it is not Cocomelon playing in the car it is Christian music! My son enjoys listening to me sing at the top of my lungs (well at least I hope so!).
What’s the best mom advice you have ever been given (or your own advice to mamas out there)?
“You will only know what it feels like until you become a Mother.” My sister has always been a huge inspiration to me and has always been there for me through some tough times. Never in a million years would I think that by her telling me this I would now as a first time Mom realise everything my mom did for us. My mom is truly a SUPER WOMAN. Not once do I remember her complaining about cooking, cleaning, running after us, teaching us, etc and now I know and feel everything she felt when we were itty bitty babies because I now have my own son to raise. Moral of the story ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR MOM.. she will always be right lol and one day you will know what it is like to walk in her shoes!
Tell us about CL Designs, TX! When did you begin this business and what services and/or products do you offer?
It all started when I would help out my sister design/decorate my niece/nephews birthday parties. Many people always complimented the decor and said we should go into the business of party planning. We both knew it was NOT EASY to plan a party so we never pursued it. Fast forward 2 years I had finally found a stable job in a local school district and shortly after I found out I was pregnant. My due date was August 27th which for many school districts is around the same time kids go back to school so I knew I was not going to be able to go back to work as I did not have the money to pay for daycare or have someone watch my son. So I did as many other people did during the pandemic and became a small business owner! CL Designs, TX was created and named after my son Carson Luis (hence the CL). I knew I needed a job where I could control my own hours and the days I worked so having my own small business is what worked best for our family! Here at CL Designs, TX we offer Marquee letter rentals, Balloon decor/garlands, Backdrop rentals, and also Custom builds that are made to sell.
What was the inspiration behind opening your own party supply/rental business?
Our son Carson Luis. Carson was the inspiration behind our business. We needed a job for me that was going to be ABSOLUTELY super duper flexible since I had to take care of a newborn baby and also bring in some income. Carson is what set this business venture in motion so we could be able to buy him all the toys he wanted haha.
What do you think sets your business apart from other balloon arch / party rental businesses out there?
God comes first. Our business would not have the success it has if it was not for our faith in Him. When you have a business of course the number one goal is to make money which is important to us but what is more important is that we exceed your expectations and get to know you and your family in the process! We have absolutely met some amazing people in this industry not only other businesses but clients as well!!
What did you do before starting your own business (or still do if you still work outside of CL Designs, TX)?
Before starting my own business I worked for a school district and also a child care center at a gym. I did resign my position with the school district but I was able to return to the child care center now with my own kid. Honestly I do enjoy working with kiddos. Also it is beneficial for Carson to join me and have interaction with other kids his age!
What has been the most rewarding thing about owning your own business?
The most rewarding thing about owning your own business is being able to make my own schedule! With all the doctor visits and dentist appointments in the first year of a baby I definitely needed to be able to take lots of days off so it is nice not having to ask for permission to leave your job on certain days!
How do you balance owning your business and being a mama?
To be completely honest, balancing being a small business owner and a first time mom is still something I am working on. A lot of the time Carson does take up 110% of my time lol so I find myself lacking on my social media and other aspects of the business. Although I am not completely well balanced I have to give credit to my whole family and Carson’s Dad for helping me raise Carson and for babysitting him during installs because with them my business would be nothing.
What are your future plans and dreams for CL Designs, TX? Any deals, sales, or events North Houston Mom can be on the lookout for?
Our dream for CL Designs, TX is for it to one day be both my boyfriend and I’s main source of income. We have big plans and dreams for our little business. You guys can definitely be on the lookout for a possible event happening in the fall along with a big giveaway once we reach 1K followers on Instagram!
Make sure to follow CL Designs, TX on Instagram:
Instagram: @CLDesignsTX