The Bright Balloon

Balloons are cheap. A full calendar means you're making money. You don't have to be artistic to have a successful balloon business. These are some of the myths floating around the balloon industry… sometimes from our customers and sometimes in our own minds.

So in this interview with Heidy of Decor by Heidy, we're talking about how believing these myths are quietly holding your business back. Weather, education, hiring and sustainability are also on the table in this discussion that just might include a few hot takes.

In the UGlu Hotline, hear how one listener searches Instagram to see new balloon colors in real life.

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@decorbyheidy

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They said yes... now how much do you pay them? If you've ever DMed a balloon friend for help on a big job and then panicked in your group chat about what's fair, this episode is for you. I'm sharing real numbers and the one change I'm making to how I hire help from now on.

Hiring another balloon pro is one of the biggest mysteries in our industry. There's no standard day rate, no contract and usually just a handshake agreement. So in this free preview of the private feed On The Bright Side, I'm getting transparent about when I bring in subcontractors, how I find the right people and what I actually pay.

I share stories from bringing in an expert rigger, inflating a 16 foot organic wall on site and the job where I wish I'd leaned on my crew more. I hope these experiences help make the process feel less mysterious.

In the UGlu Hotline, hear one listener's goal for sending personalized thank you cards to her clients.

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What if you could skip the whole balloon sustainability debate? Our guest in this episode does just that, and might be the first person to change my mind about how to actually implement practical sustainability efforts.

I'm chatting with Jen, owner of Wonderwall Event Co. in Maryland, and from the get-go, she made sustainability a core part of her business. Now, she has corporate clients looking past other decorators to hire her because of it.

She walks us through the branded pop and drop box she campaigned to get into her local library, the prepaid return mailers she leaves with corporate clients and how she weaves recycling into every piece of her marketing. She insists that the effort you put into sustainability practices has a lot of legs you might not have yet considered, so I hope this conversation sparks some fresh ideas for you, like it did for me!

In the UGlu Hotline, hear how one balloon stuffer makes it easier on herself.

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@wonderwalleventco

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In 2024, Melody sold her van, sold her famous disco ball wall and told the whole internet she was done. She took several months off from designing anything for events. Then one day, a huge opportunity came her way, and now she's back... but the business she came back to looks almost nothing like the one she left.

Melody owns Feathered Fox Designs and is the original creator of the disco ball wall you have absolutely seen on Instagram. It was an old neck injury that made her stop entirely, but when CoverGirl asked her to help with an activation at Coachella she couldn't say no. But, she came back with new rules, new methods, more artistry and a lot less monotony.

We get into what it was actually like to stop, how she quotes her custom work now and a commission project she had for a client's home. If you've ever fantasized about being done, or you are quietly wondering what else you could sell besides balloons, you'll want to hear this one.

In the UGlu Hotline, hear how Erin is sure to get her gear back after every install.

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HI-FLOAT

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buildwiththeguild.com

Balloon Boss Summit

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DM @thebrightballoon on Instagram to ask a question or leave advice for the UGlu Hotline!

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@featheredfoxdesignsla

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Forty years, 3 generations and a product that has never been made more than five miles from where it started. HI-FLOAT is back on the podcast, this time represented by wife and husband duo Andrea and Philip, and we got into all of it: the wonderful family business story, working with a spouse, pricing and even a few tips and tricks for using their products.

Between them they have more than 50 years inside this industry, plus a bird's eye view most of us never get because they teach classes all over the country. They see hundreds of decorators price their work in real time, and find that most are undervaluing themselves. So listen in for the pricing math too many people skip and more things HI-FLOAT wish decorators knew.

In the UGlu Hotline, hear how one listener makes sure that her birthday bouquets always display the correct number.

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DM @thebrightballoon on Instagram to ask a question or leave advice for the UGlu Hotline!

2026 Bright Balloon Planner

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Ten years ago I didn't know how having a half dozen colors in my logo would actually limit my branding options. AI can absolutely help you avoid that mistake... but it can also walk you straight into it.

In this episode I'm joined once again by Courtney of Courtney Lynette Creative Co., and we're talking about AI and branding from a designer's point of view. Courtney builds websites and branding for a lot of balloon artists, so she knows exactly where this tends to go wrong.

We get into why AI is a brainstorming tool and not a finishing tool, how to train it so it stops handing you the same generic "pop" balloon template and the file type problem nobody warns you about until you try to blow your logo up for a van wrap. Courtney also explains why a logo is not a brand and how to bring AI inspiration to a professional without it being weird.

Whether you're starting from zero or your branding just feels a little stale, Courtney has some tips for what to do next.

In the UGlu Hotline, hear how one listener asks for critical feedback from her customers, so the negative comments never reach Google.

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HI-FLOAT

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buildwiththeguild.com

Balloon Boss Summit

UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% on orders $200+ at Havin' A Party with code PODCAST)

DM @thebrightballoon on Instagram to ask a question or leave advice for the UGlu Hotline!

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Courtney Lynette Creative Co.

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Ever gone down a rabbit hole trying to figure out when the next balloon training is happening? Same. Turns out one of our own spotted that gap and decided to build the fix herself.

Dori of Total Party returns to the podcast and this time we're live at the International Balloon Convention. First up in the conversation: balloonindustrycalendar.com, the free resource she created to put every balloon training, class, seminar and conference in one searchable place. Seriously, go bookmark it through the link below.

Then we switched gears to the MBP (Master Balloon Profesional) Sempertex certification that was offered for the first time in the US at IBC, making Dori one of the first to take it here. She walks us through how it compares to the old CBA, what the test actually involves and her honest advice if you're thinking about getting certified. Whether you're brand new or a total OG, this conversation has something you need to know about.

In the UGlu Hotline, hear a fun tip about what to look for during back to school time.

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buildwiththeguild.com

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DM @thebrightballoon on Instagram to ask a question or leave advice for the UGlu Hotline!

2026 Bright Balloon Planner

balloonindustrycalendar.com

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Have you seen the massive sorority balloon installs from Arkansas? Well this episode is a re-release with Maggie of Presley Paige and she and her team are the ones behind so many of these mind-blowing jobs. We chatted two years ago and this episode is still one of our favorites so we are releasing it once again! 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 added balloon decor services because of all the customer requests. Hear about how she learned technique and why her team was so crucial as they grew quickly.

Then we dive into the sorority installs that went viral for her in 2022. If you haven't seen them, check out her Instagram to see entire mansions dripping with balloons! She also shares with us a really unique way that she was able to do these incredible installations for sororities with smaller budgets, plus how she uses them as marketing.

Maggie goes on to share more about her corporate and private jobs, what actual tools they use for the huge installations, some additional things she's started doing to help her manage bid day work and the amazing benefits she's able to offer her team.

But you've also gotta hear how she positioned herself to be debt-free from the get-go! Huge kudos to everything Maggie has done to dream, establish and build a very cool business.

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Some people find one thing they're good at and settle in. Chris keeps building new roads. He's a Sydney-based balloon business owner who's also the creator of Balloon Pro, a world-traveling organics teacher and a consultant and judge on the TV show Blow Up.

In this episode we talk about how he went from balloon artist to industry innovator, and what that journey actually looked like up close. Chris shares why he treats every idea as something worth testing, and what his failures have taught him. He also gets into how he built a team he trusts enough to leave for five weeks while filming, plus his honest take on where AI helps balloon design and where it never will. If you've ever wondered whether your business could become something more than a single balloon job, this conversation is for you.

In the UGlu Hotline, hear a great tip for creating a balloon ceiling install without helium.

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Sales Sets

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buildwiththeguild.com

UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% on orders $200+ at Havin' A Party with code PODCAST)

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2026 Bright Balloon Planner

balloonpro.co

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Jill built the largest retail balloon shop in North America... then walked away from it on her own terms. If you have ever wondered how someone actually retires from a balloon business, this is the conversation. We get into why most retail shops go under, what "processed out" really means and a calendar trick that might change how you plan your entire year.

Jill pulls back the curtain on what separates a retail shop that survives from one that sinks. And hint: it's not talent. We talk about pricing like you are already in the store, the real cost of your first employee and why you cannot sell a business that only lives in your head. Jill also shares the business books that shaped her and the strategy business she launched, Fable and Firm. If you have big dreams for your balloon business but no exit plan, this one is for you.

In the UGlu Hotline, hear how one listener finds comparable colors across brands.

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RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Sales Sets

Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% on orders $200+ with code PODCAST)

buildwiththeguild.com

UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% on orders $200+ at Havin' A Party with code PODCAST)

DM @thebrightballoon on Instagram to ask a question or leave advice for the UGlu Hotline!

2026 Bright Balloon Planner

@fableandfirm

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