The Bright Balloon

I don't necessarily have a strong all-or-nothing approach to charity work, but I do have some strategies in place to help me stay aligned with both my values and my business goals.

In this episode, I'll share five ideas for how to work with charities, non-profits, schools, etc. when they ask for free decor. I'll let you know which one is my clear favorite, but no matter which one you try I strongly suggest you set up an email template that is ready to go when you get the requests.

That way, it should be easier to remove the emotion from the request and it'll help you stay within your own boundaries while still sounding professional and gracious.

What approach do you think you'll take?

TIMESTAMPS:

04:49 - commit to one charity annually

08:03 - trade for sponsorships

09:54 - donate your labor and time only

11:39 - have a standard donation item

16:36 - donate a percentage of their purchase

20:01 - things to avoid

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

BalloonCoach.com

Havin' A Party Wholesale

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The LASER Focused Solopreneur

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Sometimes you're truly not available. Sometimes you just don't want to work with that client or color scheme. And sometimes you fear you're on the brink of burnout.

There are quite a few reasons why we might need to turn down a job, but saying no is often easier said than done.

In this episode I'll share with you some of the strategies and messaging I've put in place to confidently and gracefully say no when needed.

I really hope it will allow you to do the same!

TIMESTAMPS:

04:20 - My favorite new way to make decisions

07:00 - "not available" message

08:21 - offer something else

10:13 - staying within your limits

13:22 - a one word change in my "available" email

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Email templates

Havin' A Party Wholesale

Asset Lab

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The LASER Focused Solopreneur

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Whether you're a 17hats user, you use another CRM or you simply want to learn more about what to look for in your first CRM, listen in to this episode jam-packed with automation and customization tips.

Nicole is the one who helped me refresh my 17hats account and she joins us again to share 7 of her favorite features of the platform.

After this chat, I've already gone back into my account and made some exciting updates. Take a listen, pick one to take action on and let us know what you chose!

TIMESTAMPS:

05:00 - building a quote

06:55 - workflows from choices

08:56 - multiple calendars

11:56 - custom fields

15:17 - to-do's

18:50 - Zapier connection

21:59 - project tags

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

17 Features of 17hats

BalloonCoach.com

Havin' A Party Wholesale

17hats CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Tool

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@thebrightballoon

The LASER Focused Solopreneur

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Make Time, by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky, is FULL of amazing quick tips (82 of them!) that you can use and try to work towards more efficient and fulfilling days.

In this episode, I'll let you know some of the things from the book that stood out to me, as well as which strategies I'm going to start using in my business and life.

I like to think of Make Time like a recipe book - I loved how I was able to skip around to different sections without missing anything, yet I came away with so many great, practical ideas.

I'd really love for you to grab a copy and let me know which strategies feel right for you in your business!

Last thing - if you're in the Patreon, I'm thinking about trying something and I explain it more at the end of the episode... I'd love your feedback!

TIMESTAMPS:

5:00 - framing your day

6:40 - their take on LASER

8:35 - the "infinity pool"

11:00 - maintaining your energy

13:00 - which strategies I'll be implementing

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

The LASER-Focused Solopreneur

Make Time

BalloonCoach.com

Havin' A Party Wholesale

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Haley's adventure with balloons started when she added the service into her non-profit event planning, and as word spread about her skills, friends and family started reaching out for balloon requests.

Before she knew it, (and with a ton of confidence and savvy decisions) she became THE place in Spokane to provide balloons. Now, not only are her and her husband both self-employed, they've also gone on to employ several people as well.

Through the process, she's learned how to navigate the health insurance world on her own. From COBRA to HSAs to health care consultants, Haley shares some great advice on where to look when you don't have a full-time job supplying them to you.

We also talk about retirement planning, finances, branding and how to make some hard decisions. No matter where you're at with your business or what your plans might be for growth, I know you'll find some advice from this episode.

TIMESTAMPS:

5:06 – Haley's entry point into balloons

10:15 – when she brought in her employees

14:30 – what it's actually like to be self-employed

18:00 – how she approached purchasing health insurance

20:30 – thinking about retirement

25:00 – how she pays herself from her business

31:30 - knowing your brand

37:33 - advice for those afraid to move forward

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

The LASER-Focused Solopreneur

Asset Lab

Havin' A Party Wholesale

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People commonly ask me how I find the time to run my balloon business by myself, alongside my full-time job. And while I used to just take it as a compliment and go on with my day, I began to realize that those comments and questions were rooted in burnout.

So I decided I wanted to share everything I know about running a business efficiently. The Laser Focused Solopreneur is a video course that will walk you through several topics in each of the main ideas below:

L - limit

A - automate

S - standardize

E - eliminate

R - refine

Consider this course a filter that you can run your decisions through to make sure that they are working for you, your business and your life.

I sincerely hope that it will help you eliminate burnout and regain the excitement and freedom that you deserve!

TIMESTAMPS:

06:17 - what the course is & the three main sections

07:50 - how the course name came about

09:06 - preview of the "Limit" idea

14:04 - the investment

17:25 - why this course is a GPS for your business

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

The LASER-Focused Solopreneur

Leave a review on the podcast wherever you're listening to enter the drawing for a balloon decor bag & apron from Lilly of The Creative Heart Studio! Drawing is March 4th ('22).

Havin' A Party Wholesale

BalloonCoach.com

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I think we're all guilty of the comparison trap at times - I know I certainly am. "Look how well they're doing already when I've been doing this for years"... "There's no way I could ever make as many sales as them"... "Why is it so easy for them and not me?"...we've ALL been there! So in this episode, I'll talk about six different areas of business where we tend to compare ourselves, and then help you think through some things that you might be missing when all you see are the Instagram highlights. I really hope that this episode will help you shift your focus to the things that you want to accomplish in your business that will make you feel proud.

TIMESTAMPS:

06:52 - finances: sales and debt

09:52 - staffing

11:13 - the long-term plan of a business

12:20 - what's happening behind the scenes

13:52 - booked up and busy

17:08 - how businesses get started

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Havin' A Party Wholesale

Asset Lab

The LASER-Focused Solopreneur

Leave a review on the podcast wherever you're listening to enter the drawing for a balloon decor bag & apron from Lilly of The Creative Heart Studio! Drawing is March 4th ('22).

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@thebrightballoon

This episode is unlike many episodes we've had before in that it is an honest conversation about the challenges we face as business owners. The pivots, the decisions, the long hours and the struggle... Amy and I talk about it all.

I really appreciate her candid comments about everything she's gone through in her business. From running a huge retail location, having employees on payroll, hitting multiple six-figures in sales to dialing back on hours, employees and availability.

If you find yourself struggling with what direction you want to take in your business, hearing about Amy's path might very well give you some clarity (maybe even courage) on where to go next.

TIMESTAMPS:

4:30 - How Amy got started with balloons in 2009

8:05 - How payroll costs affected her business, and the shift she made as a result

13:05 - Her long-term plan

19:30 - Brainstorming a possible transition out of the former retail shop

25:10 - Recommended resources for self-reflection

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Havin' A Party Wholesale

BalloonCoach.com

Amy's YouTube Diary: My Balloon Shop Life

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You've probably heard me talk about automation before, and what a huge difference it's made in my business. Well, I like to think of batching as the root of automation. So in this episode, I'm covering 3 areas where I batch tasks in my balloon business, Wisconsin Balloon Decor. From content, to inventory, to client communication... I'm sharing with you exactly how and when I batch each aspect. I'll also share whose systems I've adapted and tell you about the decisions and limitations I've implemented along the way to get to this place. I hope you'll grab one tip from this episode and take a look at your own business to see if you can make any small improvements! (I'm also so excited that my course, The Laser-Focused Solopreneur, is coming together, and inside, I'll be demonstrating these exact processes... stay tuned!)

TIMESTAMPS:

03:06 - batching your content (social media, newsletters, etc.)

11:13 - batching your ordering & inventory

17:54 - batching your client communication

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Havin' A Party Wholesale

Asset Lab

17hats

Later.com, Canva.com

Episode 34: The Creative Heart Studio with Lilly Jimenez

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This book by Denise Duffield-Thomas really connected with me. In fact, I love everything she puts out.

Not only do I love the business mindset she encourages, but the book has tons of practical tips (like what to say in awkward pricing conversations, for example). She also does such a good job of connecting your home life with your business life, which I find so unique, and so valuable as a solopreneur.

In this episode, I'll describe some of my key takeaways, including how I'm implementing her "Keyless Life" approach, money decisions (both professional and personal), how to keep forward focus and how (and why) to believe in yourself as a business owner.

I believe this book has something in it for everybody, and I can't recommend it enough. Listen in to hear how it might help you!

TIMESTAMPS:

01:55 - why I abandoned my January read & who it is for instead

06:08 - how moving on from my January read helped me set my direction for my balloon business and The Bright Balloon Podcast

10:30 - "The Keyless Life"

15:13 - the money chapter

17:20 - the marketing chapter

24:17 - the sentimental chapter

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Chillpreneur, by Denise Duffield-Thomas

BalloonCoach.com

Havin' A Party Wholesale

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@thebrightballoon