Momma-Palooza 2023 Highlights

Gabrielle Jones - Just Between Friends Northwest Houston

gabriellejones@jbfsale.com

Momma-Palooza is a yearly event where moms from all walks of life come together for an exciting day of

laughter, fun, entertainment, and to find unique resources that we all need. Momma-Palooza 2023 had

over 500 in attendance. We couldn't have done this without our absolutely AMAZING vendors!!!  We are 

grateful for their attendance, hard work, and promotion of the event. We hope to see them all next year.

Every month, we will be publishing a blog highlighting the vendors, speakers, staff, and volunteers of Momma-Palooza. Introducing... Gabriella Jones with Just Between Friends North Houston .

Tell us a little it about what you do.

I own Just Between Friends Northwest Houston. We host HUGE kid's consignment sales twice a year for families to earn & save more. Local families are able to sell all of their kid's outgrown items in ONE spot at ONE time as well as being able to shop and save 50-90% off retail for their entire family from preemie all the way to juniors. We sell more than clothing including shoes, toys, books, educational materials, games, puzzles, baby essentials & equipment, maternity clothing, children's furniture & décor, sports equipment, outdoor toys, and everything in between! Our upcoming sale is October 20-22 at Grand Parkway Sports.

Tell us what makes your business different.

Sellers are able to set their own prices for their items with guides to help along the way. I have a really strong focus on Item Quality & Item Safety. We dedicate two days to check all items that our sellers bring to the sale. Our Safety & Recall specialist will check items to make sure they are not included in any recalls and are safe for our shoppers and their families. During this time we also inspect to make sure all items are clean, free of holes & tears, not excessively worn, all parts & pieces are complete, items are in working condition and ready for the next family to use, as well as being current and priced appropriately.

Tell us about a hardship you had to overcome.

Learning the legal and financial part of being a business owner was a big struggle. I was a stay at home mom with a marketing background so learning all aspects of setting up and running a business was new for me - and not my strongest skill. I knew I needed help and was able to work with local mom bosses that were experts in their field. They helped me get my business set up and running as well as translating the legal and financial jargon so I could understand it better.

Tell us how you manage to juggle work life balance.

To be honest, I'm still figuring that part out! I will say that my husband and mom are my biggest support and help me to juggle everything so I don't have to choose between being a mom or being a business owner. I had mom guilt a LOT during the first 6 months of starting my business because I was traveling more and working very LONG hours for days in a row leading up to our first sale. After that, my goal was to delegate with my team so I can be more present at home without constantly checking emails or messages. It's still give-and-take but I'm making small strides to figure out what that perfect balance!

Tell us what the future of your business looks like. 

My future for JBF Northwest Houston looks successful when we are a household name in our Spring, Klein, Tomball and Cypress communities. About half of the families I met at Momma-Palooza had never heard or participated at a JBF sale, while the other half had. JBF has been in our Houston area for over 16 years and even though we had over 1,500 families shop & sell with us in Spring 2023, we have not even scratched the surface of reaching every family in Northwest Houston. In the past we've relied heavily on social media and digital marketing to spread the word but from previous marketing experience, I know we can achieve a successful future by getting out and involved in our community. Getting back to the basics you know?

Tell us about your family.

My husband, Zeke and I met on an awkward blind date that was set up by a mutual friend. It turned into a very funny story of how we met that I always love to share. We've been together for 7 years, and married for 5. We have two sweet but rowdy kids together. My daughter, Parker, is 3 and loves swimming and always tells us to "check out my new trick!". She is way smarter than we are and always has me laughing with the crazy things she says. Our son, Jace turned 1 in March and suddenly switched from being my sweet and calm cuddle bug into the energizer bunny! That boy now only has two modes: hurricane or tornado! I grew up in the Spring/Klein area and we currently live in Tomball. I love this area and knew this is where I wanted to put our roots down and raise our family.

If you could give 1 piece of advise to another business owner, what would it be?

Without a doubt, find a mentor! I have been very fortunate to have worked with some amazing mentors throughout my working career. I still keep in touch with previous mentors including two that were from a former position I held 13 years ago. I will add that a mentor can be someone in your field and doesn't have to necessarily be a "business coach". My current mentor is a fellow JBF owner in the Houston area. She has been my biggest supporter and quickly became one of my closest friends. It made a huge difference being able to consult and brainstorm with someone that has experience or is in the same field as you which I consider to be one of my biggest assets as a business owner.