Community Highlights: Meet Chelsea Konyndyk of Grand Rapids Storks

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Konyndyk.

Hi Chelsea, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory. 
In 2021, we brought our daughter home to the most adorable “Welcome Home Emilia” sign my boys had decorated and put in the yard. It was the sweetest little note to come home to; it warmed our hearts. A few months later, when my sister and her husband welcomed their first baby, my niece, I wanted to create a warm welcome home for them as well. I couldn’t help but think of those classic photos of the proud parents standing next to their stork sign announcing the tiny bundle of joy in their arms. So, I searched, high and low, for somewhere I could get a cute stork sign for them quick enough to put in their yard before they arrived home. However, my search brought me to The Stork Lady; with no options for rentals nearby, I started looking into their business options to see if I could be the one to bring the opportunity to life here in Grand Rapids. I sat down with my husband, presented my idea, numbers, and goals, and we decided to take the leap and start our very own stork rental business in Grand Rapids! 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Having minimal experience in business, it’s definitely been a learning curve. I think advertising has been my biggest hurdle. In efforts to keep costs low to keep our prices affordable, I have been trying to use social media ads, Google ads, and word of mouth. It may take more time this way to “catch on,” but I like the more organic and personalized approach. 

We’ve been impressed with Grand Rapids Storks & Co., but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Grand Rapids Storks & Co. specializes in stork sign rentals to celebrate birth announcements, adoption announcements, baby showers, and gender reveals. Our stork signs are 6 feet tall and hold a personalized bundle in their beaks announcing the newest arrival. These personalized bundles, with baby’s name and birth stats (often weight, length, and birthdate), are left with the family as a keepsake–the perfect decoration for baby’s nursery or door. Though there are other yard sign rental companies in the Grand Rapids area, we are the only one to offer next-day delivery/install, as well as the simplicity of the classic and timeless stork announcement. In addition to celebrating the newest bundle of joy to the family, we also have signs to celebrate the siblings and fur-siblings. We also strive to give back to organizations in the area who are helping children and moms experiencing hardships. We have donated around 10% of our profits to organizations such as Foster the Family Grand Rapids and Grace’s Table. We just love having the opportunity to help make the first “welcome home” for the families so memorable! I get giddy every time we get an order, knowing how special it is to welcome home a new baby, for the parents but also for everyone involved–siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends–it’s a joy! 

What’s next?
Ideally, we would love to grow–we are an affiliate of the Stork Lady who also has signs for birthdays and other milestones, such as giant cupcakes and flamingos. However, since the pandemic, they have paused production on making all other signs other than the storks, so we are eagerly awaiting for those to come back into productions to help celebrate other big life milestones! 

Pricing:

• 7-day stork rental is $85, and that includes delivery, install, pick up, and the personalized bundle
• All sibling signs and pet signs are an addition $25
• $8 for messages printed on the back of the bundle
• $20 for up to 10 miles beyond our delivery range

Contact Info:

• Website: www.grstorks.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/gr_storksandco
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GRStorksandCo

Image Credits
Konyndyk Photography