Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaun Jones.
Hi Shaun, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
My name is Shaun Jones founder and owner of the Yox2 Reptiles store. I came from PG County, Maryland last year August 2020. During my time here I immediately started strategizing about how I would make a living here in a new state to support my family.
Then I started rehoming/selling reptiles straight out of my living room the next month. The process was definitely hard to find reptile distributors but it had to be done. I made that happen and I got started. The next thing you know I figured I’d advertise on social media to get my name out there and soon enough my name started to travel through Texas.
Keep in mind I had zero knowledge about selling and shipping reptiles before I came to Texas so everything that I’ve learned this past year has been hands-on experience and pointers from other reptile enthusiasts I later found on social media.
So then, I started getting in all types of exotics and advertising on social media, while also attending reptile expos meeting more new people. Then came my first store on Franklin ave which was pretty much like an office building with different suites in it. This was in February 2021. In June, I moved out and relocated into my own bldg which is just the next building over from the old one, so that actually made it easy for my customers to locate me again.
Fast forward to the present day, I’m now offering an amazing experience to families and others who are new to discovering my store. We carry a wide range of animals and merchandise.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
No, it has not been smooth. Of course, I knew what I signed up for but still it’s had its up and downs for sure. Here are a few struggles I went through in the beginning.
* Finding reptile distributors/breeders.
* Getting customer’s attention because there are 2 other reptile stores that the Waco community was used to before I came here and opened up shop so I had to really step up and prove myself.
* Becoming a ball python breeder.
* Saving money.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My background was pretty much just working at FedEx for 10 years in which my last year at work was 2020. Also, in that time period, I established my first business and that is YOx2 Apparel.
Yox2 (pronounced as YOYO) is an acronym that stands for ” Your Only Young Once ” your x 2 = YOYO. I created and trademarked this company in 2015. So, with me being a designer and making my own clothing and my experience with FedEx it helps with shipping reptiles across the states to customers and making company merch for my store.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I use Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube daily for my business. Also, I love Netflix animal documentaries.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @yox2reptilestore
- Facebook: Yox2 Reptile Store
- Youtube: Yox2 Reptiles
