The Bright Balloon

In this interview we'll hear about what it's like to stop providing balloon decor. Melody announced on Instagram a while back that she was no longer going to be doing installations, and in fact was beginning to count down the days to her last one.  She tells us how she was having her best year ever, in terms of sales and the clients she was working with, but behind the scenes was struggling physic...

In this episode I'm interviewing someone who has been in balloons for the same amount of time as me… it's my husband! Someone on Instagram had suggested the idea and we rolled with it. After all, he's had a front row seat to Wisconsin Balloon Decor (and all my business ideas) from the very beginning so it was fun to have him share his experience. And since the idea originated on Instagram, I went...

Max has been all over my Instagram lately so I was so happy to chat with him in this episode about some of the ways he aims to stand out from the crowd… including how he is starting to become a one-stop shop!  His fascination with balloons started when he was young and the store he would visit became an early inspiration for him. Then he came back to balloons for entertainment as times got tough…...

This week's episode is a little different because it's another group interview - this time with the ladies of the mastermind I'm in. If you've been listening to the bonus episodes you have probably heard a little bit about the idea of a mastermind, and today, we're sharing everything about ours! You'll get the name of the book that inspired it all, how Tiffany (Confetti Castle) determined who to i...

Have you seen the massive sorority balloon installs from Arkansas? Well this episode's guest is Maggie of Presley Paige and she and her team are the ones behind so many of these mind-blowing jobs. She also has a retail store that you'll hear about! I learned so much from this interview and know that you'll pick up some gems as well. Her business actually started as a retail shop and over time they...

In the final installment of our month of interviews curated by BalloonCoach.com, we're hearing from Dori of Total Party. There's a good chance that if you've been a part of any online training in our industry, you know Dori because she's so generous with her knowledge and experience and she loves to learn! She tells us about the party business she had as a teenager and how her experience with proj...

In our third of curated interviews from The Balloon Coach, we're hearing from Sheena of Dream Big Balloons. Sheena has done so much to take her business education into her own hands, and as you'll hear, it was often before she felt "ready". But wow, has it paid off!  We'll hear about how balloons brought joy back into her life, how she has more than 10x'ed her business from two years ago and many...

This week we have another guest curated by BalloonCoach.com, and it's Allyson from Pop Studio Balloons in Connecticut! She tells us all about how she started Pop Studio Balloons as a side hustle and has since taken herself and her husband full-time in the business. More importantly, though, she shares with us how they've intentionally built the business in a way that works for their life.  Hear ab...

In this first of four episodes sponsored by Balloon Coach in September, we hear from the Balloon Coach herself, Joette. We have an honest conversation about what she would have done differently knowing what she knows now.  She's actually one of the few in our industry who has purchased a balloon business, grew it and later sold it. So it's very interesting to hear about all these phases of busines...

We've never had an episode like this one! Jordanne from Julep Publicity comes on the show to tell us all about one marketing aspect I know almost nothing about. She talks about how publicity works, plus what actual resources we can explore to get other people to amplify our businesses. It gave me so many lightbulb moments! Jordanne breaks down for us how and where publicity fits in the umbrella of...

I met Chrissy at the 2023 Glow Retreat and think I can speak for everyone who was in the room when I say we were shocked at the scale of her business… she is the #1 Etsy seller for balloon garlands! She also does installations, has become almost a mini distributor and has a team by her side that she manages. As we get to talking you'll hear how the same exact Pinterest image that was an inspiratio...

Ifrah has made a big impact on my business over the past few months, specifically in terms of my branding and my website. So I knew I had to bring her on the show to share her photo shoot planning process! Before we dive in, we'll hear about how Ifrah's business blossomed to the point where she decided to leave her job she otherwise loved. She even hopes to return to it after she's grown Wowlloons...

Today's episode is about an unfortunate situation. Rachael of It's Your Day Balloons had a vendor relationship go south and we hear what happened, why and how she was able to learn from the experience. I appreciate her coming on the show to tell her story and I know there is a lesson for us all in it. Before we dive into the relationship gone south, you'll also get to hear how she transitioned int...

You may know Jesy for the very cool way she combines her floral and balloon artistry. And in this episode, you'll hear more about that creation process, plus mindset shifts, some tangible things you can do to reach your goals and how she's fallen in love with teaching in our industry. Jesy offers a nice reminder that everyone has to start somewhere, and to not compare yourself to people at another...

Jeff is one of the new owners of the company that creates the most valuable tool in my toolkit: my magnets! I had the pleasure of meeting him briefly at FLOAT and was happy that he could come on the show to tell us more about how he and his business partner made their way into the balloon community through Clik-Clik. I loved his openness and honesty and it was really a delightful conversation! You...

Back by popular demand is Courtney of Courtney Lynette Creative Co! And this time, we're chatting about her website services and how she can help your business take root with a permanent internet home that doesn't rely on social media. Websites are her bread and butter service, and the event industry is her sweet spot. With a history working in events, she knows how to create websites that are fun...

I've felt my business grow over the past couple of years, but there have also been some life changes that kind of made things feel a little out of whack. So in this episode, I share how I'm trimming the "fluff" and tuning up my business by going back to the basics! This process is actually inspired by my previous time as a 6th grade art teacher. So much of what we would cover was foundational prin...

Travis and I purchased our marquee letters from the same vendor at about the same time, and in this episode we share our thoughts about the upsides and downsides of owning marquees. We start with all the good things about our marquees, including: How they help us land more corporate and convention jobs How they're a good anchor for balloons & serve multiple decor purposes Why they're an easy sale...

My guest in this episode is very familiar with the balloon industry and has become hugely helpful to me as I've needed graphic design elements in my business. Emily of The Party Method helps event decorators fulfill their customers' requests with custom backdrops and other printed products! In our chat you'll hear about Emily's background and how she was introduced to the balloon community. She al...

I felt like we were overdue for an episode about AI, so in this one I'm sharing how I've used it, where to find it, and how it can help your business... including something that has been a total game-changer for me! To be honest, I kind of feel like AI is becoming a bit of a buzz word that doesn't always apply as advertised. What I consider real AI is a tool like Chat GPT - the one I use most ofte...

In this interview I'm chatting with Alexis, the founder of Fanfaire, about her new platform aimed to help us sell our balloon decor options by bringing designs to life. It was really exciting to learn about her product and how it came to be! You'll hear about her background in both tech and balloons, then she'll dive into Fanfaire's digital storefront and how it aims to be an end-to-end solution....

Karin comes on the show to tell us about how she manages her balloon jobs, a large rental inventory and her flight attendant job... that she has no intention of leaving. I've loved Karin's spirit and energy since I met her at Balloon Wonderland, so it was so nice to have her on the show! Hear how the rental side of her business quickly led to balloons, which quickly grew into a sizable company tha...

Let me tell you something... when you have a 5-digit tax bill at the end of the year - even after paying quarterly taxes - that is a really good time to lean on professionals to help you configure your financial setup! Today's guest, Elizabeth from Fiore Accounting & Tax Services, helped me do just that, and then some. Listen in for the details of: all the services their team provides what S Corp...

A big thank you to my friend Ashley of Pink Flamingo Party Co. who came on the show for this episode all about the ins and outs of retail. This is something I know almost nothing about, so it was really insightful to get more details about not just retail, but also staffing, training and adding inventory. We will also hear how she fought the proposed balloon ban that happened in her state! The Pin...

Today I'm sharing with you a change that I never thought I would make in my business! I'm increasing the number of times I make contact with my customers, and I'll tell you how... what led to this decision... and why I think it's going to change my business. If you've been listening for a while you know that I am all about efficiency, so the idea of getting on the phone with more customers is a bi...