Connie Ligus is the Chief Creative Officer and Owner of Yellow Rose Paint Party. Painting has been her lifelong joy, evolving from a personal retreat to Yellow Rose Paint Party – a mobile paint extravaganza rolling through Texas and beyond. She’s blending art, laughter, and (sometimes) a bit of spilled wine to create unforgettable moments. Balancing roles as a mom, wife, and independent business owner, she’s turned her passion into a company. Read on to learn more about Connie and Yellow Rose Paint Party in her Cohort story.
How did you come up with your business concept? What inspired you to start your own business?
I would create get-togethers with other military spouses to get to know people every time we changed duty stations. I would host paint parties as a way of getting to know people and for fellowship. At my last duty station I would create events for the mother’s group I was a part of Mom’s night out. The ladies enjoyed it so much that when we moved to Denton I did the same thing with the Mother’s group I joined here. The ladies here were so encouraging and said that I was good at guiding people and making them feel relaxed so they could have fun.
What’s your background? Could you tell us how each of these disciplines emerge in your work?
Photo by Juniper Saint Butcher
I have always been a creative person and found this to be my outlet to help with the stress and anxiety of life, it helps me to decompress. Having been a military spouse for over 20 years moving and volunteering has allowed me the ability to meet new people from all walks of life at every duty station. I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit which came in handy for fund raising and starting several different businesses through out the years. Not to mention my education in Business management, which helps!
What led you to take Yellow Rose Paint Party from an idea to pursuing it as a business?
Being creative is in my DNA. For as long as I can remember this has always been my outlet. It brings me peace, and joy, and is my therapy. Since it brings me such joy I wanted to share this with others. I love to see people be creative even if it is out of their comfort zone. I started doing paint parties with my girlfriends as a Mom's night in! It bloomed into a wonderful opportunity to share my creative gift that budded into the Yellow Rose Paint Party. Being from Texas and a Yellow Rose, I've created the mobile paint party business that gives me the flexibility to continue to be a mother and wife to my amazing family while still being an independent business owner.
How did you find your way into the creative industry?
I came across a reel on Facebook for a group that teaches you how to host and to teach paint parties as a business. I thought to myself that this was perfect because it was something that I was already doing.
What’s your favorite thing about your workspace?
As a creative person, I can describe my workspace as organized chaos. I know where things are even if you come in a think that things are a mess. I know that there is a method to my creative madness. I have a desk where I do most of my admin and meetings. I also have a large desk dedicated to painting where I have cameras set up from different angles to be able to do virtual paint party sessions or when I go live on my various social media platforms. It has all the painting supplies I need at arm's reach. I have a packing station where I can pack paint kits for shipping. I would say that in the future I look to have a studio outside of my home but for now my work space works for my current needs. It also helps to be able to have a workspace at Stoke where I don’t feel that there are more interruptions than I would have at home.
Do you have a personal and/or professional motto or mantra that you call upon during tough times? What is it and what does it mean to you?
I have several things that inspire me on a daily basis. “Creative takes courage” by Henri Matisse For me it means that you have to get out of your comfort zone in order to be creative in whatever you do whether it’s painting, or whatever your creative outlet is. Don’t be afraid to explore!
When times are rough I remember Romans 8:18 “The pain that you've been feeling can’t compare to the Joy that’s coming.” or “This too shall pass.”
How do you pick back up on it when perhaps feeling uninspired?
I try to search for the good stuff when I feel like things are going bad or not the way I had hoped they would. I paint to clear my head or to think through things to see if I can find a solution or a better option.
What have you gained so far from being a part of the AccelerateHER cohort?
I have gained new friendships and perspectives. I love seeing how we are all unique in our perspective fields and offer insight to each other and encouragement that only other entrepreneurs can understand.
Name a woman, past or present, whom you admire or look up to. Why?
This is a difficult question to answer. There are so many women that I admire and look up to but there is one person I can honestly say who has impacted so many areas of my life.
My mentor and best friend Thea Jung, whom I met in 2004. she was the FRG (Family Readiness Group) Leader for my husband’s unit in GA. If it hadn’t been for Thea I don’t think I would have survived my first deployment. She has an optimistic view of life with a dose of honesty and I value that. Since our meeting, we have watched each other's children grow and have been a support for whatever life has thrown our way. She gave encouragement when I went back to school to gain my Associate's and then ten years later when I decided to go back and receive my Bachelor's in Business. She was my mentor when I needed guidance as a volunteer in the FRG at every unit since too, long after she had moved on to other duty stations. To say the least, I’m very proud to have her in my life as a friend, a mentor, and a sister.