The Bright Balloon

I'm sharing the details about my six figure installation! And one huge area where I dropped the ball.

I just loved hearing from Alexis in this episode, as she shares with us how she's created crowd-funded balloon installation events for the Title I schools in and around her community! Listen in to hear how you can replicate the idea in your area and become a part of the Loons' for Littles program.

Alexis takes us through:

• how you pitch the program to your clients, including timeline
• how it doesn't have to be money out of your pocket
• the creative and logistical freedom it comes with
• how it builds your portfolio
• ideas for recognizing the donors
• how good you will feel after installation!

If this is something you'd like to offer in your community, reach out to Alexis on Instagram (below) for guidance on which of your area schools the Loons' for Littles program is meant to support.

I can't wait to see this become a national event!

Then in the UGlu Hotline, we have a nice little tip for transporting framework in SUVs.

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Alexis - @lou_lou_balloons

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I feel like this week's guest, Lamar, and I have such similar businesses. He comes on the show to chat about finding balance as a small business owner, giving classic and organic decor each their own due, and my favorite part... his knack for branding in every aspect of his business.

We'll hear what great support he had when starting his business in college, we talk about the transition into balloons full time, (including all the transitions to the physical space of LaMarvelous Balloons over time) and then the challenges of further growth.

Then we talk about moving between classic and organic decor and how they can actually be similar builds when you keep a couple of artistic principles in mind: color and balance.

And I couldn't help but ask about his approach to branding. Hear about how he struggled with introducing himself as a balloon artist to eventually discovering that it was such a unique thing for him to embrace. I was also so inspired to hear about his fun naming process for his decor items!

Plus, let's give a big congrats to him for celebrating 10 years in the balloon industry!

Then in the UGlu Hotline, we get a neat little tip about using QR codes as business cards.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

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It was so exciting to hear how today's guests Alissa, Rachel and Aimee came together with their different skill sets to create their own line of modern and fun specialty foils! They each have their own balloon decorating businesses but as they got to know each other in their local area they realized how a team approach to this fun new business would benefit them all.

We'll hear about:

• the first foil that sparked the dream of Burst Party Co.
• how they found their manufacturer & how they distribute them
• the personality pieces that make their partnership go
• some of their best-selling and new designs
• more details about what it's like to run a product-based business

Then towards the end of our conversation you'll also hear about some of the super creative ways these foils can be incorporated into your jobs to offer very trendy designs to your customers in ways that DIY people likely can't.

I just know that you'll love hearing from these ladies about their endeavor and I hope that you'll consider supporting them as our fellow balloon artists!

And in the UGlu Hotline, we get another excellent reminder to build community over competition!

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

17hats (get 50% off your 1st year)

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Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514

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Burst Party Co. | @burstpartyco

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Get your notepad ready for this episode, because Megan comes back on the show to share with us some amazing tips for posting jobs and interviewing potential staff members.

We'll hear how she transitioned into balloon decor, what her team looks like, how she assigns tasks and how it all requires clear and upfront communication.

Not only that, but she takes us through the nuts and bolts of how to actually start the process of hiring... including exactly where she posts her jobs and why. She shares when you can expect the most applications, what job titles tend to attract the most applicants and some other preparation tips for the process.

Then I had to ask about the actual interviews, too! They always make me nervous, even as the interviewer. Megan delivers with her exact interview questions, the thought processes behind them, how she can read people's personalities based on how they tie a balloon AND another little test that took Facebook by storm not long ago!

This conversation really opened my eyes to new hiring strategies and I hope it helped you feel more comfortable about the process, too!

And in the UGlu Hotline, I share my thoughts on how many different services to offer customers.

Thank you to PremiumConwin for sponsoring our monthly "throwback" episode!

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

17hats (get 50% off your 1st year)

Balloon Suite

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

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Ep. 26 - Cold Outdoor Decor Tips with Megan Raysby

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2024 Glow Retreat

Let's face it... creating content is practically its own full-time job in our businesses, because it's endless! I know so many of us feel drained with the idea, and I couldn't agree more. So in this episode I'm going to be sharing how batching and cranking out content has changed my business, and why this will be the theme of the 2024 Glow Retreat!

Two things have recently changed my approach to creating content: a group coaching program and having a baby. Mainly, I've learned that with content creation you've got to focus on quantity over quality because sometimes your schedule is so unpredictable that you just have to take advantage of the windows of time that become available.

I'll share with you how I prepare for my sprints, why accountability is crucial to the process, and the results I've gotten from it.

And this leads me to the introduction of Glow Retreat 2024... what participants will leave with, when it's happening, the new location, what's included in registration and our amazing keynote speaker!

And in the UGlu Hotline, we get a nice tip about removing UGlu dots... by using UGlu dots!

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

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Balloon Suite

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

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Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514

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2024 Glow Retreat

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Dolly & Eddie of Delloons almost need no introduction. So many of us follow their great creations on social media and today, they come on the show to tell us what it's like to work in their business together as a couple, and all about the rebranding process they went through. The good, the bad and the ugly, they share a lot of insightful and relatable things about their journey that you don't want to miss.

We get to hear about how their business brought them back together, what kind of position they hired for first, how Eddie has recently joined Dolly full time in the business and how they made the decision that Dolly could leave her job to expand the business in the first place. They also share how they've set boundaries around their work together to make sure they're able to keep focus on the job at hand - important for not just couples, but colleagues, too!

When we get to chatting about the rebrand, we'll hear why the change was needed and how many Instagram followers they had when they decided to make the change. They share a great tip in terms of rebranding on Instagram, how they shared the news with their customers and how sales went after the change. They had a very intentional approach to the rebrand and it clearly worked!

Some other things from our conversation include:

• what type of decor is one of their most consistent sellers
• their philosophy around teaching & humanizing their brand
• the little things that add up
• customer service
• email marketing

It was so nice having these two on the show!

And in the UGlu Hotline, I answer a question about my preferred tools for outdoor installs.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

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Balloon Suite

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

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Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514

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@delloons

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This interview is with... me! I had the honor of being a guest on the HatsOff podcast, hosted by Amanda Rae of 17hats, and this episode features that conversation. It was really fun to tell my story and share a bit about the balloon industry on their platform!

Of course we also talk about workflows and nitty-gritty process details, too... everything from "building the plane as you fly it", to business milestones and maturity, to documenting processes.

Amanda Rae is a brilliant and encouraging leader and it was really neat to discover a couple of things we have in common: being former art teachers and obsessed with The Pumpkin Plan!

Listen in to hear all this and more on mindset, comparison, values and what I would do differently if starting over today.

In the UGlu Hotline this week, I share my thoughts on how broad to go with the offerings you make available on your website.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

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Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514

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Buckle in, because this episode is going to blow you away! Brittany helps creative businesses get legally legit, and beyond her 1-on-1 services she also has downloadable agreement resources specifically designed for balloon businesses! I was so impressed by Brittany and I just know that you're going to get a ton of value from this episode and her templates.

We get to hear about her path to the creative and balloon industry and how she has filled a gap for us in terms of legal protection. She details for us what types of things should be covered in an agreement, like:

• who is involved
• what the deliverables are
• when installation and strike happen
• payment and cancellation terms
• and specific language about money collected up front

I also ask Brittany about legalities for online businesses, and protecting downloadable and digital resources. Again, she had tons of tips around copyright, trademarks and more.

It's evident that Brittany knows her stuff and I already can't wait to have her on the show again!

From the UGlu Hotline, we get a cool tip for anyone stuffing balloons!

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

17hats (get 50% off your 1st year)

Balloon Suite

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

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Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514

‬Balloon Boss Mastermind & Summit

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2024 Bright Balloon Business Planner

ALOFT (save $10 with code BRIGHT)

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Balloon Artist Agreement

Website Legal Bundle

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It's hard to believe that it's been over two years since we last heard Tiffany on the podcast! So needless to say, she has a lot of updates about Confetti Castle's expansions to their staff and offerings. And it was so nice to hear how she's done it while outsourcing, meaning she's been able to grow the business without having to put more in her own workload.

Before we talk about the financial considerations around adding marquees into the business, we also talk about what kinds of sales can cover expenses, raising prices and renting vs. buying space.

Then Tiffany and I realized some of the same struggles that can happen when working at the mercy of other marquee providers and she shares with us some of the financial analysis she did to determine that marquees should become a part of her business, too. She also had a great idea about how to work marquees into donation requests!

Our conversation about staffing and outsourcing was really interesting, too. We talk about micromanaging vs. giving people autonomy, finding ways to save time and identifying which tasks will turn into the most profit - for both the business owners and employees.

Then we wrap up with some thoughts around exit plans, which I've recognized as something not talked about in our industry enough.

Thanks so much to Tiffany for coming back on to share more of her experience and wisdom!

And in the UGlu Hotline, I answer a question about working in environments with a lot of static.

Thank you to PremiumConwin for sponsoring our monthly "throwback" episode!

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

17hats (get 50% off your 1st year)

Balloon Suite

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

UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% at Havin' A Party with code BRIGHT)

Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514

‬Balloon Boss Mastermind & Summit

PremiumConwin

2024 Bright Balloon Business Planner

ALOFT (save $10 with code BRIGHT)

The Balloon Guild (save 20% with code WeLoveSara20)

@confetticastle

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