In this episode I'm sharing a list of things I constantly use and wholeheartedly recommend. Several of them were recommended to me by some friends at Balloon Boss Summit and have been enormously helpful in my balloon business!

First up, a paraffin wax hand spa and an anti-fatigue mat. I ordered these immediately upon recommendation from Diana, and they might not be in the need-to-have category, but wow, they are sure nice to have when you're inflating for hours on end. They're also great additions to your shop if you have employees who you want to keep comfortable and happy.

And on the practical end, let's talk rubber bands! I use two different sizes: #117a and #33 (thanks to Jenny for these recommendations!). The #117a size is pretty large and perfect for adding clusters into garlands. The #33 size is more of a "regular" size rubber band, but can still stretch over 16' balloons. I probably go through two boxes a month of each of these sizes!

Something I've splurged on is the Gimble. It stabilizes your phone while you're recording video and comes with a tripod, joystick controller and app. Which means you can get some awesome time lapse videos, horizontal panning across your entire installation and video effects.

Next up are a couple of exceptions to my own rule... tiny self-sealing foil balloons (here and here). I've used these in baby showers, birthday parties, etc. and really appreciate the time they can save me compared to heat-sealing balloons while installing on site.

Framework! I've gotten away from worrying about having the strongest, sturdiest framework possible, and have been experimenting with different options. I feel like I'm narrowing in on what works best and these chiara frames are so portable and inexpensive that I'm able to have multiple out at once.

This next item is something I discovered the hard way that I needed: replacement light sockets. I recently upgraded my inventory to include marquee light-up numbers and got in a bit of a pinch when a string of them went out one day. Thankfully, they're so easy to replace and now I'm better prepared for the next time it happens.

I'm also loving these shelf dividers to keep my balloon inventory tidy and really easily accessible. They're actually meant for closets and are clear, vertical dividers that I've stuck into my IKEA cubbies in order to utilize the whole space. I've been really surprised at how well they're holding up, too!

Finally, this business card plus rack card combo holder. This came in so handy when I started running my Grab and Go Garlands through the local grocery stores because it helps me have multiple materials on display at once. It holds my business card and garland instruction card.

I hope you find a couple of things in this list that will help your comfort, speed or ordering process, too! And listen to the end because I'm giving some details of what's ahead for the podcast and book club!

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

50% off your 1st year of 17hats

Balloon Suite

Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)

Balloon Boss Summit & BalloonCoach.com

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