Over the past seven years, Ryan and his wife Christine have scaled their balloon business into a full brick and mortar balloon bar in Sioux Falls, SD. They're succeeding in both retail sales and installation jobs, so I was really excited to have him on the podcast to hear more about their setup! He takes us through their awesome automation for bouquet sales... the size options, style options, delivery charges and the platform running it all. Then Ryan shares great tips for how to get started in the automated bouquet sales process:  keep it simple have the right tech remember the photos  If you've been listening to the podcast for a while you know I'm a huge fan of automation and streamlining, so this conversation was so motivating. Especially after he shares the sales numbers they've experienced since implementing! (And don't miss this week's tip on the UGlu Hotline about taking and recording measurements!)   RESOURCES MENTIONED: 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Mastermind &amp; BalloonCoach.com Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514‬ ____  Join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list  courses | templates | planner  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

Over the past seven years, Ryan and his wife Christine have scaled their balloon business into a full brick and mortar balloon bar in Sioux Falls, SD. They're succeeding in both retail sales and installation jobs, so I was really excited to have him on the podcast to hear more about their setup! He takes us through their awesome automation for bouquet sales... the size options, style options, delivery charges and the platform running it all. Then Ryan shares great tips for how to get started in the automated bouquet sales process: <ol> <li>keep it simple</li> <li>have the right tech</li> <li>remember the photos</li> </ol> If you've been listening to the podcast for a while you know I'm a huge fan of automation and streamlining, so this conversation was so motivating. Especially after he shares the sales numbers they've experienced since implementing! (And don't miss this week's tip on the UGlu Hotline about taking and recording measurements!) RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://www.protapes.com/uglu-removable-adhesive-glue" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">UGlu by Pro Tapes</a> (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Mastermind &amp; BalloonCoach.com</a> Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514‬ ____ <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join the book club</a> <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list</a> <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">courses</a> | <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">templates</a> | <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

154. Automating bouquet sales | Ryan of Queen City Balloons

This month's bonus episode is a little different since we didn't read a new book. Instead, we took a hiatus to actually implement what we've been learning! Listen in to hear about some actions I took after the latest book, Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. Join here!    Thanks to our sponsors!  17hats (get 50% off your 1st year)  Havin' a Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)   Balloon Suite  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% @ Havin' a Party with code BRIGHT) BalloonCoach.com 

This month's bonus episode is a little different since we didn't read a new book. Instead, we took a hiatus to actually implement what we've been learning! Listen in to hear about some actions I took after the latest book, Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join here!</a> Thanks to our sponsors!  <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">17hats</a> (get 50% off your 1st year)  <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' a Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)   <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://www.protapes.com/uglu-removable-adhesive-glue" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">UGlu by Pro Tapes</a> (save 5% @ Havin' a Party with code BRIGHT) <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">BalloonCoach.com</a>

Bonus Episode | Book Club Implementation

My friend Stephanie comes on the podcast for this episode and tells us all about fulfilling her dream of having a retail store. But even if retail doesn't interest you, listen in for some other great bits from our conversation that apply to all balloon business owners! We chat about:  cold calling and sales the mindset impact from being in Balloon Boss Mastermind how to search for and select a retail location (and a landlord) Balloon Planet inventory management and processes doing installations alongside having the retail space  It was so great to have Stephanie on the show, and she completely deserves all of the success she's creating. I know you'll feel uplifted after listening to her story and advice! Also, this week on the UGlu hotline I answer a question about the balloon walls made out of starpoint balloons and point you towards some artists who create them really, really well!   RESOURCES MENTIONED: 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Mastermind Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514‬ ____  Join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list  courses | templates | planner  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

My friend Stephanie comes on the podcast for this episode and tells us all about fulfilling her dream of having a retail store. But even if retail doesn't interest you, listen in for some other great bits from our conversation that apply to all balloon business owners! We chat about: <ul> <li>cold calling and sales</li> <li>the mindset impact from being in Balloon Boss Mastermind</li> <li>how to search for and select a retail location (and a landlord)</li> <li>Balloon Planet</li> <li>inventory management and processes</li> <li>doing installations alongside having the retail space</li> </ul> It was so great to have Stephanie on the show, and she completely deserves all of the success she's creating. I know you'll feel uplifted after listening to her story and advice! Also, this week on the UGlu hotline I answer a question about the balloon walls made out of starpoint balloons and point you towards some artists who create them really, really well! RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://www.protapes.com/uglu-removable-adhesive-glue" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">UGlu by Pro Tapes</a> (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Mastermind</a> Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514‬ ____ <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join the book club</a> <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list</a> <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">courses</a> | <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">templates</a> | <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

153. Retail dreams | Stephanie of Celebration Creations

Backsliding is the concept of getting new systems all set up, only to revert back to your old ways... I've been guilty of it - have you? In this episode I'm sharing some of the areas I've backslid in, and if they ring true with you, too, let's make it a goal to pay more attention to these going forward! Some money-related backslides for me include signing up for subscriptions I hardly use, sometimes spending too much on convenience, setting myself up for bank fees and almost always eating the cost of rush shipping instead of passing [at least some of] it onto the customer who ordered last minute. And as we all know as entrepreneurs, we work hard for that money! So letting it slip through the cracks can really hurt. Another thing that can occasionally get away from me is my balloon inventory. My custom color chart has been a tremendous help in keeping things in check but every now and then some other colors creep in and then I'm left with no way to use them again. The color chart also helps me keep my shop clean because everything has its spot... so many other things in my shop don't! I need to take the time to make homes for all those odds and ends so that it doesn't go from clean to a disaster zone in one weekend. A couple of tech-related backslides I’ve had are with my 17hats CRM and email marketing. 17hats does amazing things for me, but it does need to evolve with your business. New policies, updated workflows, etc... I need to get better about taking the time to make some small updates that reflect the new ways I do business. Email marketing... I love it and I strongly believe in it, but sometimes I just let life get in the way. This disappoints me because I know the kind of return on investment it gives me. Lastly, I find myself backsliding on my goals. I get distracted and forget what my focus for the year was supposed to be. It's actually kind of crazy how easy it is to forget your goals if you don't keep them in front of you. And this week’s question from the UGlu Hotline related perfectly to backsliding. I think we all fantasize about having a great pre-installation checklist, but it can be really hard to know where to start. I’m going to aim to make notes the next time I do each type of installation, then use those notes to create the nice color-coded manual I dream of.  So if after listening you're starting to feel bad about the areas you may have backslid in, just know that it was meant to be an encouraging episode for us to re-center on, shake off the cobwebs and find some areas of opportunity. You’ve got this!   RESOURCES MENTIONED: 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514‬ Custom Color Chart | Multi-Brand ____ Join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list  courses | templates | planner  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

Backsliding is the concept of getting new systems all set up, only to revert back to your old ways... I've been guilty of it - have you? In this episode I'm sharing some of the areas I've backslid in, and if they ring true with you, too, let's make it a goal to pay more attention to these going forward! Some money-related backslides for me include signing up for subscriptions I hardly use, sometimes spending too much on convenience, setting myself up for bank fees and almost always eating the cost of rush shipping instead of passing [at least some of] it onto the customer who ordered last minute. And as we all know as entrepreneurs, we work hard for that money! So letting it slip through the cracks can really hurt. Another thing that can occasionally get away from me is my balloon inventory. My custom color chart has been a tremendous help in keeping things in check but every now and then some other colors creep in and then I'm left with no way to use them again. The color chart also helps me keep my shop clean because everything has its spot... so many other things in my shop don't! I need to take the time to make homes for all those odds and ends so that it doesn't go from clean to a disaster zone in one weekend. A couple of tech-related backslides I’ve had are with my 17hats CRM and email marketing. 17hats does amazing things for me, but it does need to evolve with your business. New policies, updated workflows, etc... I need to get better about taking the time to make some small updates that reflect the new ways I do business. Email marketing... I love it and I strongly believe in it, but sometimes I just let life get in the way. This disappoints me because I know the kind of return on investment it gives me. Lastly, I find myself backsliding on my goals. I get distracted and forget what my focus for the year was supposed to be. It's actually kind of crazy how easy it is to forget your goals if you don't keep them in front of you. And this week’s question from the UGlu Hotline related perfectly to backsliding. I think we all fantasize about having a great pre-installation checklist, but it can be really hard to know where to start. I’m going to aim to make notes the next time I do each type of installation, then use those notes to create the nice color-coded manual I dream of.  So if after listening you're starting to feel bad about the areas you may have backslid in, just know that it was meant to be an encouraging episode for us to re-center on, shake off the cobwebs and find some areas of opportunity. You’ve got this! RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://www.protapes.com/uglu-removable-adhesive-glue" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">UGlu by Pro Tapes</a> (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com</a> Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514‬ <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/courses/custom-color-chart-multi-brand" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Custom Color Chart | Multi-Brand</a> ____ <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join the book club</a> <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list</a> <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">courses</a> | <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">templates</a> | <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

152. Backslide

I've never done an episode like this before, but I'm excited to hear your results from joining in! I have a 24-hour sales challenge for you, with 7 strategies that work well for me to generate sales during the slower times. Strategy #1: check your inbox. This might mean your email inbox or maybe it's your 17hats / CRM system. Look for those jobs where you were communicating with a customer and things kind of fizzled out for one reason or another. Strategy #2: check your calendar to see what you were working on this time last year. I love doing a calendar audit to steadily keep jobs coming my way and to make sure the annual jobs get rebooked. Strategy #3: dig for your pumpkins. Yes, I'm talking about the Pumpkin Plan again! In this strategy, I want you to dig through your data to find your top customers so that you can give them your best energy and attention, and be ready and willing to help them with their next event. Strategy #4: send a newsletter. I'm a big believer in email marketing and feel like I make a sale every time I send a newsletter! It doesn't have to be fancy... in fact, I think the more personal, the better. More on this in a future episode, but I'm almost certain I booked my biggest job ever because of a newsletter. Strategy #5: send cold emails or DMs. This one is scary for me, but Rachel of How About Balloons gave a lot of great tips on how to do this in Episode 137. Strategy #6: post on social. And don't forget... post the things that you actually want to sell. We always want to share our most impressive work, but a lot of the time that work was actually pretty difficult to accomplish so it's not always a good idea to encourage more people to book similar jobs with you. Strategy #7: do some cash and carry options. This is a sales strategy in reverse... first you make the thing, and then you sell it. The idea is that you are making things incredibly convenient for the customer while also using up older inventory items. I hope this episode gives you a little boost in your sales... today! If you close a sale thanks to one of these strategies PLEASE send me a message so that I can celebrate with you!! (And this week on the UGlu Hotline we get an awesome tip for using UGlu Dashes with your foils - don't miss it!)    RESOURCES MENTIONED: 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514‬ Ep. 53 - Set It Up September | Calendar Audit Email Marketing for a Year | Canva Bundle 50% off your first year of Flodesk  Ep. 137 - Cold emailing | Rachel of How About Balloons  ____  Join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list  courses | templates | planner  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

I've never done an episode like this before, but I'm excited to hear your results from joining in! I have a 24-hour sales challenge for you, with 7 strategies that work well for me to generate sales during the slower times. Strategy #1: check your inbox. This might mean your email inbox or maybe it's your 17hats / CRM system. Look for those jobs where you were communicating with a customer and things kind of fizzled out for one reason or another. Strategy #2: check your calendar to see what you were working on this time last year. I love doing a calendar audit to steadily keep jobs coming my way and to make sure the annual jobs get rebooked. Strategy #3: dig for your pumpkins. Yes, I'm talking about the Pumpkin Plan again! In this strategy, I want you to dig through your data to find your top customers so that you can give them your best energy and attention, and be ready and willing to help them with their next event. Strategy #4: send a newsletter. I'm a big believer in email marketing and feel like I make a sale every time I send a newsletter! It doesn't have to be fancy... in fact, I think the more personal, the better. More on this in a future episode, but I'm almost certain I booked my biggest job ever because of a newsletter. Strategy #5: send cold emails or DMs. This one is scary for me, but Rachel of How About Balloons gave a lot of great tips on how to do this in Episode 137. Strategy #6: post on social. And don't forget... post the things that you actually want to sell. We always want to share our most impressive work, but a lot of the time that work was actually pretty difficult to accomplish so it's not always a good idea to encourage more people to book similar jobs with you. Strategy #7: do some cash and carry options. This is a sales strategy in reverse... first you make the thing, and then you sell it. The idea is that you are making things incredibly convenient for the customer while also using up older inventory items. I hope this episode gives you a little boost in your sales... today! If you close a sale thanks to one of these strategies PLEASE send me a message so that I can celebrate with you!! (And this week on the UGlu Hotline we get an awesome tip for using UGlu Dashes with your foils - don't miss it!)  RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://www.protapes.com/uglu-removable-adhesive-glue" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">UGlu by Pro Tapes</a> (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com</a> Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514‬ <a href="https://thebrightballoon.libsyn.com/53-set-it-up-september-calendar-audit" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 53</a> - Set It Up September | Calendar Audit <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/courses/email-marketing-for-a-year" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Email Marketing for a Year | Canva Bundle</a> <a href="https://flodesk.com/c/FTXNL5" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your first year of Flodesk</a> <a href="https://thebrightballoon.libsyn.com/rachel-how-about-balloons-cold-emailing" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 137</a> - Cold emailing | Rachel of How About Balloons  ____ <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join the book club</a> <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list</a> <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">courses</a> | <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">templates</a> | <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

151. 24-hour sales challenge

Balloons are generally a profitable business, but there are always those traps where we overspend and let money slip through the cracks. In this episode I'm sharing the tools and strategies I believe contribute the most to my profitability. First, it's my actual balloon inventory. I've created a custom color chart that limits the number of choices available to my customers. This means I'm spending less time ordering, I pay way less in shipping, I can easily find the color I need and my inventory is far less likely to go bad.  This custom &amp; limited color chart has already been a game changer in my business, but I can also see how it'll continue to save me time if I decide to have my part-time employee purchase inventory in the future. Another part of my business that contributes to my profit is my 17hats CRM. Emails, invoices, workflows... so much of it either runs on autopilot or happens with just one click. In fact, Grab and Go Garland sales are entirely automatic through 17hats! So not only does it save me the cost of an admin assistant, it helps me to actually make money, too. Now let's talk about actual money management. You may have heard me mention Profit First in previous episodes. It's my cash flow system that essentially makes sure I take profit. Without a doubt, implementing this system has been a major part of my profitability. I'd say it's actually increased my confidence with money in general - mainly in my spending. I used to never know how much I could or should be spending, but now I know what the limits are and it keeps everything in check. I can't recommend the book and system enough! Finally, the last thing that has contributed to my profitability are my rental items. To be honest, I resisted them for a long time because I know it can be a slippery slope. But now I have a limited stock of rentals that I'm proud to say have almost all paid themselves off, meaning they're practically 100% profit at this point.  I've quickly realized that rentals are not only a good way to make money, but they're also great for installations because you know exactly what you're working with. If you feel like you're not making as much as you should in your balloon business, I have a recommended order of things to examine and implement so that you can find your way to profitability. (And speaking of rental items, in this episode from the UGlu Hotline we cover backdrops... which ones I have, whether I use customers' backdrops and a resource to create free-standing garlands.)    RESOURCES MENTIONED: 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com Call the UGlu Hotline- ‪(262) 221-8514‬ *For a limited time, callers will receive 100% off any download from The Bright Balloon Store Inventory System w/ Custom Color Chart | Multi-Brand  Ep. 51 - Set It Up September | Profit First  Ep. 80 - Profit First Revisited with Elizabeth Fiore  ____  Join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list  courses | templates | planner  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

Balloons are generally a profitable business, but there are always those traps where we overspend and let money slip through the cracks. In this episode I'm sharing the tools and strategies I believe contribute the most to my profitability. First, it's my actual balloon inventory. I've created a custom color chart that limits the number of choices available to my customers. This means I'm spending less time ordering, I pay way less in shipping, I can easily find the color I need and my inventory is far less likely to go bad.  This custom &amp; limited color chart has already been a game changer in my business, but I can also see how it'll continue to save me time if I decide to have my part-time employee purchase inventory in the future. Another part of my business that contributes to my profit is my 17hats CRM. Emails, invoices, workflows... so much of it either runs on autopilot or happens with just one click. In fact, Grab and Go Garland sales are entirely automatic through 17hats! So not only does it save me the cost of an admin assistant, it helps me to actually make money, too. Now let's talk about actual money management. You may have heard me mention Profit First in previous episodes. It's my cash flow system that essentially makes sure I take profit. Without a doubt, implementing this system has been a major part of my profitability. I'd say it's actually increased my confidence with money in general - mainly in my spending. I used to never know how much I could or should be spending, but now I know what the limits are and it keeps everything in check. I can't recommend the book and system enough! Finally, the last thing that has contributed to my profitability are my rental items. To be honest, I resisted them for a long time because I know it can be a slippery slope. But now I have a limited stock of rentals that I'm proud to say have almost all paid themselves off, meaning they're practically 100% profit at this point.  I've quickly realized that rentals are not only a good way to make money, but they're also great for installations because you know exactly what you're working with. If you feel like you're not making as much as you should in your balloon business, I have a recommended order of things to examine and implement so that you can find your way to profitability. (And speaking of rental items, in this episode from the UGlu Hotline we cover backdrops... which ones I have, whether I use customers' backdrops and a resource to create free-standing garlands.)  RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://www.protapes.com/uglu-removable-adhesive-glue" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">UGlu by Pro Tapes</a> (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com</a> Call the UGlu Hotline- ‪(262) 221-8514‬ *For a limited time, callers will receive 100% off any download from The Bright Balloon Store <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/courses/custom-color-chart-multi-brand" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Inventory System w/ Custom Color Chart | Multi-Brand</a> <a href="https://thebrightballoon.libsyn.com/51-set-it-up-september-profit-firts" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 51</a> - Set It Up September | Profit First  <a href="https://thebrightballoon.libsyn.com/80-profit-first-revisited-with-elizabeth-fiore" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 80</a> - Profit First Revisited with Elizabeth Fiore  ____ <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join the book club</a> <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">courses</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">templates</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

150. Finding Profit

Here's another bonus episode of what we've been learning and chatting about over in the Bright Balloon Book Club! Join here!  Last month, we read Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. This episode is a brief overview of the key takeaways!    Thanks to our sponsors!  17hats (get 50% off your 1st year)  Havin' a Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)   Balloon Suite  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% @ Havin' a Party with code BRIGHT) BalloonCoach.com 

Here's another bonus episode of what we've been learning and chatting about over in the Bright Balloon Book Club! <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join here!</a> Last month, we read Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. This episode is a brief overview of the key takeaways!  Thanks to our sponsors!  <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">17hats</a> (get 50% off your 1st year)  <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' a Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)   <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://www.protapes.com/uglu-removable-adhesive-glue" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">UGlu by Pro Tapes</a> (save 5% @ Havin' a Party with code BRIGHT) <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">BalloonCoach.com</a>

Bonus Episode | June Book of the Month

Alex and Ellie started their business doing lawn decorations, but after one balloon basics class they immediately fell in love with the limitless decor potential of balloons. Now, years later, they've basically become these jacks of all trades who can design practically anything! And they're giving back to the balloon community by hosting an upcoming networking event: Mimosas, Mocktails &amp; Mingling. It's meant to be a space for balloon business owners to reset their goals for the second half of the year, mingle and ask those business-related questions that there isn't always time for at technique classes. They announce two fun surprises about the event in the episode and have more up their sleeve as well... I can't wait to be there and would love to know if you're going, too! (Also in this episode from the UGlu Hotline, I'm sharing ideas on how to price marquees... which are largely thanks to Misti's awesome tips in episode 146!)   RESOURCES MENTIONED: 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com Call the UGlu Hotline- ‪(262) 221-8514‬ *For a limited time, callers will receive 100% off any download from The Bright Balloon Store Ep. 146 - Deliveries &amp; Pricing | Misti from Balloons by Misti  Mimosas, Mocktails &amp; Mingling: Networking for Balloon Professionals | info@pachaballoons.ca | balloonsbypacha    ____ Join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing - Join the Bright Balloon email list  planner | courses | templates @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

Alex and Ellie started their business doing lawn decorations, but after one balloon basics class they immediately fell in love with the limitless decor potential of balloons. Now, years later, they've basically become these jacks of all trades who can design practically anything! And they're giving back to the balloon community by hosting an upcoming networking event: Mimosas, Mocktails &amp; Mingling. It's meant to be a space for balloon business owners to reset their goals for the second half of the year, mingle and ask those business-related questions that there isn't always time for at technique classes. They announce two fun surprises about the event in the episode and have more up their sleeve as well... I can't wait to be there and would love to know if you're going, too! (Also in this episode from the UGlu Hotline, I'm sharing ideas on how to price marquees... which are largely thanks to Misti's awesome tips in episode 146!) RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://www.protapes.com/uglu-removable-adhesive-glue" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">UGlu by Pro Tapes</a> (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com</a> Call the UGlu Hotline- ‪(262) 221-8514‬ *For a limited time, callers will receive 100% off any download from The Bright Balloon Store <a href="https://thebrightballoon.libsyn.com/deliveries-and-pricing-with-misty-from-balloons-by-misty" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 146</a> - Deliveries &amp; Pricing | Misti from Balloons by Misti  <a href="https://pacha-balloon-creations.myshopify.com/products/mimosas-mocktails-mingling" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Mimosas, Mocktails &amp; Mingling: Networking for Balloon Professionals</a> | info@pachaballoons.ca | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/balloonsbypacha/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">balloonsbypacha</a> ____ <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join the book club</a> <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50 Ideas for Email Marketing</a> - Join the Bright Balloon email list  <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">courses</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">templates</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

149. Mingling and networking | Alex & Ellie of Pacha Balloons

When Tisha started her business, she initially set out to create and curate Insta-worthy party ideas for DIY moms, but, as she describes, balloons quickly chose her as the specific type of party decor to lean into.   Now, she's built her business up to include three part-time employees helping with inflating, install and admin work. She largely serves those looking for the over-the-top birthday parties for their kids, but, being in Las Vegas, she also gets a lot of business from bachelorette parties in the big hotels... which just may need to become its own episode! Tisha and I also chat about the Balloon Esteem community she's building, which was sparked by Tisha's great relationships built with other vendors and other local balloon businesses. She wants to flip the script on worrying about competition and find a way for all balloon artists to lean into their craft and their superpowers while supporting one another along the way. Balloon Esteem communities have since popped up in Texas, Ohio, California and Alaska... with more on the way! They're all about low-stress, happy vibes for balloon artists who really get what each other experience day in and day out. Plus, they're starting to do some really cool charity events as well.  We chat some more about how to properly share the information learned through investments in classes, conventions, etc., and I love and appreciate her approach of pointing people in the right direction and acknowledging the original creator. This was such a fun and light episode that proves, once again, how much having a community helps! (The episode also kicks off with a great question from the UGlu Hotline about itemizing invoices, and I share my middle ground approach for billing my customers that I feel keeps things easy and leaves me some design wiggle room, too.)   RESOURCES MENTIONED: 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com FLOAT the Convention 2024  Call the UGlu Hotline- ‪(262) 221-8514‬ *For a limited time, callers will receive 100% off any download from The Bright Balloon Store @balloonesteem    ____   Join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list  planner | courses | templates  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

When Tisha started her business, she initially set out to create and curate Insta-worthy party ideas for DIY moms, but, as she describes, balloons quickly chose her as the specific type of party decor to lean into.   Now, she's built her business up to include three part-time employees helping with inflating, install and admin work. She largely serves those looking for the over-the-top birthday parties for their kids, but, being in Las Vegas, she also gets a lot of business from bachelorette parties in the big hotels... which just may need to become its own episode! Tisha and I also chat about the Balloon Esteem community she's building, which was sparked by Tisha's great relationships built with other vendors and other local balloon businesses. She wants to flip the script on worrying about competition and find a way for all balloon artists to lean into their craft and their superpowers while supporting one another along the way. Balloon Esteem communities have since popped up in Texas, Ohio, California and Alaska... with more on the way! They're all about low-stress, happy vibes for balloon artists who really get what each other experience day in and day out. Plus, they're starting to do some really cool charity events as well.  We chat some more about how to properly share the information learned through investments in classes, conventions, etc., and I love and appreciate her approach of pointing people in the right direction and acknowledging the original creator. This was such a fun and light episode that proves, once again, how much having a community helps! (The episode also kicks off with a great question from the UGlu Hotline about itemizing invoices, and I share my middle ground approach for billing my customers that I feel keeps things easy and leaves me some design wiggle room, too.) RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://www.protapes.com/uglu-removable-adhesive-glue" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">UGlu by Pro Tapes</a> (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com</a> <a href="https://floatconvention.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">FLOAT the Convention 2024</a> Call the UGlu Hotline- ‪(262) 221-8514‬ *For a limited time, callers will receive 100% off any download from The Bright Balloon Store <a href="https://www.instagram.com/balloonesteem/?hl=en" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@balloonesteem</a> ____ <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join the book club</a> <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">courses</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">templates</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

148. Building a balloon community | Tisha of Little Party Girl Co. & Balloon Esteem

Flavia started her company in 2018 and has seen incredible growth ever since. Now with a fleet of vans, multiple employees and a booming business that services both the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. metros, Flavia has built her company into a thriving machine that I loved learning more about.   She takes us through:  the progression of the hires she made some awesome &amp; unexpected things that came up from making those hires her new role now that she has a team some crazy (and somewhat unreal) van experiences she's had  (Seriously, you've got to listen in to hear what she's been through!)   As we wrap up the interview, I ask Flavia what her best advice is for getting started on hiring. And she delivers with some well thought out practices she's implemented with her own employees. Even though I don't think I'm meant to own a business in the same way she does, I'm encouraged by her advice to keep inching forward in terms of delegating pieces of my business.   Thanks, Flavia, for coming on the show and sharing your experiences!     RESOURCES MENTIONED: 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com FLOAT the Convention 2024  Call the UGlu Hotline- ‪(262) 221-8514‬ *The first 10 callers will receive 100% off any download from The Bright Balloon Store @partistryballoons    ____  Join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list  planner | courses | templates  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

Flavia started her company in 2018 and has seen incredible growth ever since. Now with a fleet of vans, multiple employees and a booming business that services both the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. metros, Flavia has built her company into a thriving machine that I loved learning more about. She takes us through: <ul> <li>the progression of the hires she made</li> <li>some awesome &amp; unexpected things that came up from making those hires</li> <li>her new role now that she has a team</li> <li>some crazy (and somewhat unreal) van experiences she's had</li> </ul> (Seriously, you've got to listen in to hear what she's been through!) As we wrap up the interview, I ask Flavia what her best advice is for getting started on hiring. And she delivers with some well thought out practices she's implemented with her own employees. Even though I don't think I'm meant to own a business in the same way she does, I'm encouraged by her advice to keep inching forward in terms of delegating pieces of my business. Thanks, Flavia, for coming on the show and sharing your experiences! RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://www.protapes.com/uglu-removable-adhesive-glue" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">UGlu by Pro Tapes</a> (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com</a> <a href="https://floatconvention.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">FLOAT the Convention 2024</a> Call the UGlu Hotline- ‪(262) 221-8514‬ *The first 10 callers will receive 100% off any download from The Bright Balloon Store <a href="https://www.instagram.com/partistryballoons/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@partistryballoons</a> ____ <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join the book club</a> <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">courses</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">templates</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

147. [Work] van life | Flavia of Partistry Balloons

Welcome to The Bright Balloon, a podcast where Sara Meyer shares bright ideas for your balloon business! I want you to make more money, eliminate stress and learn along with me as we grow our creative businesses together! Welcome to The Bright Balloon

My friend Misti of Balloons by Misti has developed a super unique tier system that gives her designer choice every single time. It gave me several light bulb moments that I can't wait to implement into my business and I know you'll find at least one takeaway from this episode as well! Misti shares with us the details of how she developed her unique pricing structure that keeps it all as simple as possible. In a nutshell, she figures out the pricing for her components and builds upon that. And what I love about it is that it's a brilliant way for her as the designer to keep herself in check... because we all know how easy it is to keep adding more and more in order to get the design "just right". And you've got to listen in for some great examples in the way she communicates with her customers... from expectations, to trust and turning down jobs, Misti shares some great language that's professional and kind while helping her keep her boundaries. We go on to talk about the pros and cons of different booking processes, ways to interpret what our customers really want and her signature delivery goody that she includes with every order. It seems like she has 1,000 great ideas and reasons for using her balloon tags and it's definitely inspired me to start using them, too.   RESOURCES MENTIONED: 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com FLOAT the Convention  Balloontags.com Call the UGlu Hotline - ‪(262) 221-8514‬ *The first 10 callers will receive 100% off any download from The Bright Balloon Store ____   50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list &amp; be entered to win registration to FLOAT 2024  Join the book club planner | courses | templates  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

My friend Misti of Balloons by Misti has developed a super unique tier system that gives her designer choice every single time. It gave me several light bulb moments that I can't wait to implement into my business and I know you'll find at least one takeaway from this episode as well! Misti shares with us the details of how she developed her unique pricing structure that keeps it all as simple as possible. In a nutshell, she figures out the pricing for her components and builds upon that. And what I love about it is that it's a brilliant way for her as the designer to keep herself in check... because we all know how easy it is to keep adding more and more in order to get the design "just right". And you've got to listen in for some great examples in the way she communicates with her customers... from expectations, to trust and turning down jobs, Misti shares some great language that's professional and kind while helping her keep her boundaries. We go on to talk about the pros and cons of different booking processes, ways to interpret what our customers really want and her signature delivery goody that she includes with every order. It seems like she has 1,000 great ideas and reasons for using her balloon tags and it's definitely inspired me to start using them, too. RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)<a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a> <a href="https://www.protapes.com/uglu-removable-adhesive-glue" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">UGlu by Pro Tapes</a> (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com</a> <a href="https://floatconvention.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">FLOAT the Convention</a> <a href="Balloontags.com" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloontags.com</a> Call the UGlu Hotline - ‪(262) 221-8514‬ *The first 10 callers will receive 100% off any download from The Bright Balloon Store ____ <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list</a> &amp; be entered to win registration to FLOAT 2024  <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join the book club</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">courses</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">templates</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

146. Deliveries & Pricing | Misti from Balloons by Misti

Travis Green

This week I'm chatting with Travis Green of Squeek Balloon &amp; Decor about networking! So many great tips and action steps! RESOURCES MENTIONED: 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  UGlu by Pro tapes Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com  FLOAT the Convention Call the UGlu Hotline- ‪(262) 221-8514‬ *The first 10 callers will receive 100% off any download from The Bright Balloon Store ____  Join the book club  Join the Bright Balloon email list and enter to win a FREE FLOAT ticket   planner | courses | templates  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

This week I'm chatting with Travis Green of Squeek Balloon &amp; Decor about networking! So many great tips and action steps! RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://www.protapes.com/uglu-removable-adhesive-glue" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">UGlu by Pro tapes</a> <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com</a> <a href="https://floatconvention.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FLOAT the Convention</a> Call the UGlu Hotline- ‪(262) 221-8514‬ *The first 10 callers will receive 100% off any download from The Bright Balloon Store ____ <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join the book club</a> <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join the Bright Balloon email list</a> and enter to win a FREE FLOAT ticket   <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">courses</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">templates</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

145. Local Networking with Travis Green

Here's another bonus episode of what we've been learning and chatting about over in the Bright Balloon Book Club! Join here!  Last month, we read Goals by Zig Ziglar. This episode is a brief overview of the key takeaways!    Thanks to our sponsors!  17hats (get 50% off your 1st year)  Havin' a Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Suite  BalloonCoach.com 

Here's another bonus episode of what we've been learning and chatting about over in the Bright Balloon Book Club! <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join here!</a> Last month, we read Goals by Zig Ziglar. This episode is a brief overview of the key takeaways!  Thanks to our sponsors!  17hats (<a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">get 50% off your 1st year</a>)  <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' a Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">BalloonCoach.com</a>

Bonus Episode | May Book of the Month

It seems like it happens every year, right? Some of the goals you've set for yourself at the beginning of the year kind of fade away, either because you've forgotten about them or because you've lost interest in pursuing them. Well I'm here to say that it's OK to reevaluate your goals and shift them as needed! In this episode, I'm reviewing the 2023 goals I set for myself and sharing how they're going. These original goals included:  to set better boundaries make more by working less recycling $250,000 in sales  I had set the goal of establishing boundaries because I felt like I was on the brink of burnout. Always answering emails and messages, recording interviews at all hours of different days... I knew something needed changing. And now I'm proud to say that I've fully implemented a better process for scheduling podcast interviews, thanks to (you guessed it) 17hats.  It's been so crucial to setting those boundaries and has got me thinking about how I can use the online scheduling function for my balloon business, too.  Another mini-goal within the boundaries goal was to quit my job. And thankfully I was able to accomplish this far earlier than I anticipated. In fact, looking back... I know it gave me the space to make so much progress in my other goals, too. My next major goal was to make more by working less. Last year I felt like I worked so much, and to be honest I wasn't interested in feeling that way again. The mini-goals included here were actually pretty fun, too! I've learned how to make money using credit card points, streamline and outsource my Grab &amp; Go Garlands and more. And while I'm feeling good about the start of my credit card journey I'm realizing that I'm far short of my Grab &amp; Go goal. So this episode has been the perfect reminder to get back to those action steps I laid out for myself! Moving on to my recycling goal... another thing that had me a little burnt out last year was constant content creation for the podcast. I knew I needed to find a way to reuse and reutilize what was already available. Not only to give myself some time back, but also to better serve any newer listeners who may not have heard some of the amazing interviews of past episodes. This recycling goal includes action steps like scheduling and sharing more on Instagram, utilizing the new blog on thebrightballoon.com website and finding a way to automate turning each podcast into more content.  Some of these have come easier than others and they're all definitely still a work in progress. In some cases, I've accepted that "done" is better than "perfect" and that has been hugely helpful. Finally, my $250,000 goal... I think I'm going to make it! After I quit my job, something changed. I'm getting new jobs, I'm getting bigger jobs and I'm now able to put more energy into my "big pumpkins".  I love, love, LOVE the pumpkin concept by Mike Michalowicz and know that it's made a huge difference for me and my business. That's why I'm absolutely thrilled to say I'll be getting certified to teach and help implement these concepts with you, my listeners!!  My "pumpkins" keep me on track in remembering my priorities. They give me clarity and focus. And because I've done the work to identify who my ideal clients are, I can now identify one as soon as they hit my inbox.  I cannot wait for what's ahead with this certification - stay tuned! That wraps up the progress on my goals, but I always love hearing yours, too! Let me know how things are going for you so far in 2023!     RESOURCES MENTIONED: 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com Ep. 117 - My 2023 goals  2023 Bright Balloon Business Planner  Ep. 132 - I quit my job  Ep. 121 - Grab &amp; Go Outsourcing  Ep. 101 - Pumpkin Planning Your Balloon Business  ____  Join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list planner | courses | templates  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

It seems like it happens every year, right? Some of the goals you've set for yourself at the beginning of the year kind of fade away, either because you've forgotten about them or because you've lost interest in pursuing them. Well I'm here to say that it's OK to reevaluate your goals and shift them as needed! In this episode, I'm reviewing the 2023 goals I set for myself and sharing how they're going. These original goals included: <ul> <li>to set better boundaries</li> <li>make more by working less</li> <li>recycling</li> <li>$250,000 in sales</li> </ul> I had set the goal of establishing boundaries because I felt like I was on the brink of burnout. Always answering emails and messages, recording interviews at all hours of different days... I knew something needed changing. And now I'm proud to say that I've fully implemented a better process for scheduling podcast interviews, thanks to (you guessed it) 17hats.  It's been so crucial to setting those boundaries and has got me thinking about how I can use the online scheduling function for my balloon business, too.  Another mini-goal within the boundaries goal was to quit my job. And thankfully I was able to accomplish this far earlier than I anticipated. In fact, looking back... I know it gave me the space to make so much progress in my other goals, too. My next major goal was to make more by working less. Last year I felt like I worked so much, and to be honest I wasn't interested in feeling that way again. The mini-goals included here were actually pretty fun, too! I've learned how to make money using credit card points, streamline and outsource my Grab &amp; Go Garlands and more. And while I'm feeling good about the start of my credit card journey I'm realizing that I'm far short of my Grab &amp; Go goal. So this episode has been the perfect reminder to get back to those action steps I laid out for myself! Moving on to my recycling goal... another thing that had me a little burnt out last year was constant content creation for the podcast. I knew I needed to find a way to reuse and reutilize what was already available. Not only to give myself some time back, but also to better serve any newer listeners who may not have heard some of the amazing interviews of past episodes. This recycling goal includes action steps like scheduling and sharing more on Instagram, utilizing the new blog on <a href="http://thebrightballoon.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">thebrightballoon.com</a> website and finding a way to automate turning each podcast into more content.  Some of these have come easier than others and they're all definitely still a work in progress. In some cases, I've accepted that "done" is better than "perfect" and that has been hugely helpful. Finally, my $250,000 goal... I think I'm going to make it! After I quit my job, something changed. I'm getting new jobs, I'm getting bigger jobs and I'm now able to put more energy into my "big pumpkins".  I love, love, LOVE the pumpkin concept by Mike Michalowicz and know that it's made a huge difference for me and my business. That's why I'm absolutely thrilled to say I'll be getting certified to teach and help implement these concepts with you, my listeners!!  My "pumpkins" keep me on track in remembering my priorities. They give me clarity and focus. And because I've done the work to identify who my ideal clients are, I can now identify one as soon as they hit my inbox.  I cannot wait for what's ahead with this certification - stay tuned! That wraps up the progress on my goals, but I always love hearing yours, too! Let me know how things are going for you so far in 2023! RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com</a> <a href="https://thebrightballoon.libsyn.com/126-2023-goals" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 117</a> - My 2023 goals  <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bright-Balloon-Business-Planner/dp/B09MFBL3C4" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">2023 Bright Balloon Business Planner</a> <a href="https://thebrightballoon.libsyn.com/i-quit-my-job" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 132</a> - I quit my job  <a href="https://thebrightballoon.libsyn.com/13-grab-and-go-outsourcing" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 121</a> - Grab &amp; Go Outsourcing  <a href="https://thebrightballoon.libsyn.com/101-pumpkin-planning-your-balloon-business" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 101</a> - Pumpkin Planning Your Balloon Business  ____ <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join the book club</a> <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">courses</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">templates</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

144. Goal check-in

I've always lived in organized chaos - are you the same?! But what I'm beginning to notice is that the organized parts of my life (like my actual balloon storage) are making the less organized parts of my life really stand out... and sometimes in a painful way. I've decided I need to find a more consistent and systematic decluttering process, not only for the physical, but for the mental and digital stuff of life, too. And while I'm not as concerned about the appearance of the physical clutter, I am seeing ways that it's hurting my functionality. Bit by bit, I've been losing floor space to work in. And I'm seeing how it's not only annoying to not be able to find things, but it's costing me time (and therefore money) and is also becoming somewhat hazardous. If you need some motivation to start your own decluttering process, I'll share (again) some thoughts of Denise Duffield-Thomas. She says that it's hard to attract larger jobs if deep down, you don't feel like you can actually fulfill them. And this is exactly what keeps me motivated to follow through with my decluttering. In the episode I also share a couple of more practical tactics I'm using to help me declutter my inventory and free up shop space... things like tracking the types of bases I use most, better storing my centerpieces, etc. Moving on to the mental and digital decluttering... this can really get out of hand if you let it! I'm so thankful that 17hats takes care of organizing all of my customer files, but some other things that I'm focused on decluttering digitally are:  email &amp; newsletters my computer desktop social media Dropbox / Google Drive phone apps  As you listen you'll hear how excited I get about decluttering this digital stuff, because it's cleared up that much mental energy for me. I can't recommend it enough! Stay tuned on Instagram as I share the progress in my shop decluttering! And I hope this episode gives you that "permission" to finally get rid of some of those things you know you should have!     RESOURCES MENTIONED: 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com Ep. 142 - Convention Experiences | Steven of FLOAT &amp; Balloon Designers  Ep. 102 -  Product Development | Lilly from The Creative Heart Studio  ____  Support the show / join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list planner | courses | templates  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

I've always lived in organized chaos - are you the same?! But what I'm beginning to notice is that the organized parts of my life (like my actual balloon storage) are making the less organized parts of my life really stand out... and sometimes in a painful way. I've decided I need to find a more consistent and systematic decluttering process, not only for the physical, but for the mental and digital stuff of life, too. And while I'm not as concerned about the appearance of the physical clutter, I am seeing ways that it's hurting my functionality. Bit by bit, I've been losing floor space to work in. And I'm seeing how it's not only annoying to not be able to find things, but it's costing me time (and therefore money) and is also becoming somewhat hazardous. If you need some motivation to start your own decluttering process, I'll share (again) some thoughts of Denise Duffield-Thomas. She says that it's hard to attract larger jobs if deep down, you don't feel like you can actually fulfill them. And this is exactly what keeps me motivated to follow through with my decluttering. In the episode I also share a couple of more practical tactics I'm using to help me declutter my inventory and free up shop space... things like tracking the types of bases I use most, better storing my centerpieces, etc. Moving on to the mental and digital decluttering... this can really get out of hand if you let it! I'm so thankful that 17hats takes care of organizing all of my customer files, but some other things that I'm focused on decluttering digitally are: <ul> <li>email &amp; newsletters</li> <li>my computer desktop</li> <li>social media</li> <li>Dropbox / Google Drive</li> <li>phone apps</li> </ul> As you listen you'll hear how excited I get about decluttering this digital stuff, because it's cleared up that much mental energy for me. I can't recommend it enough! Stay tuned on Instagram as I share the progress in my shop decluttering! And I hope this episode gives you that "permission" to finally get rid of some of those things you know you should have! RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com</a> <a href="https://thebrightballoon.libsyn.com/float-and-giveaway" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 142</a> - Convention Experiences | Steven of FLOAT &amp; Balloon Designers  <a href="https://thebrightballoon.libsyn.com/product-development" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 102</a> -  Product Development | Lilly from The Creative Heart Studio  ____ <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Support the show / join the book club</a> <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner | courses | templates</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

143. Clutter & Chaos

In this episode I'm chatting with Steven Jones, the Executive Director of FLOAT, a convention that is very near and dear to my heart. That's why I'm so excited to announce a FLOAT registration giveaway!! Listen in to hear all of the details... the winner will be announced June 19! ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE!   If you're not familiar with this convention, this interview is going to be a great introduction; and if you're a FLOAT veteran, tune in for some behind the scenes scoops that definitely surprised me.   I really appreciated Steven's honesty about not only running the convention but also his own balloon business, Balloon Designers in the Seattle area, for over 20 years.   We chat about things like:  industry changes industry mainstays Balloon Town the development and challenges of FLOAT the uniqueness of FLOAT    Steven even flatters me by recalling my incredible experience of being named the 2019 FLOAT Designer of the Year. We also go on to talk about some of the unique competitions that have taken place at the convention over the years, and what new event is in place for the 2024 convention. Truly, I think FLOAT is a special convention that you should try to go to if at all possible. Don't forget to enter for your chance at free registration / getting your registration reimbursed!   RESOURCES MENTIONED: 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com Ep. 36 Part Two: Balloon Conventions: FLOAT  FLOAT Convention Website | Facebook Group  ____  Support the show / join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list  planner | courses | templates  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

In this episode I'm chatting with Steven Jones, the Executive Director of FLOAT, a convention that is very near and dear to my heart. That's why I'm so excited to announce a FLOAT registration giveaway!! Listen in to hear all of the details... the winner will be announced June 19! <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/6462dfbb8c07c88f2e3a7d6d" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE!</a> If you're not familiar with this convention, this interview is going to be a great introduction; and if you're a FLOAT veteran, tune in for some behind the scenes scoops that definitely surprised me. I really appreciated Steven's honesty about not only running the convention but also his own balloon business, Balloon Designers in the Seattle area, for over 20 years. We chat about things like: <ul> <li>industry changes</li> <li>industry mainstays</li> <li>Balloon Town</li> <li>the development and challenges of FLOAT</li> <li>the uniqueness of FLOAT</li> </ul> Steven even flatters me by recalling my incredible experience of being named the 2019 FLOAT Designer of the Year. We also go on to talk about some of the unique competitions that have taken place at the convention over the years, and what new event is in place for the 2024 convention. Truly, I think FLOAT is a special convention that you should try to go to if at all possible. Don't forget to enter for your chance at free registration / getting your registration reimbursed! RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com</a> <a href="https://thebrightballoon.libsyn.com/36-part-two-balloon-conventions-float" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 36</a> Part Two: Balloon Conventions: FLOAT  FLOAT Convention <a href="https://floatconvention.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FLOAT2022/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a> ____ <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Support the show / join the book club</a> <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">courses</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">templates</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

142. Convention Experiences | Steven of FLOAT & Balloon Designers

Today I'm discussoing how to book big jobs, and more importantly, now to re-book them for reliable, consistant money!  Register for my in-person "Impressive Installations" class here How to find large jobs How to charge and consider additional expenses How to pitch and what my proposals look like How to secure annual bookings and the importance of following up   RESOURCES MENTIONED: Pricing Guide Menu  Color Chart 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  / 17hats Bootcamp  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com   ____  Support the show / join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list  planner | courses | templates  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

Today I'm discussoing how to book big jobs, and more importantly, now to re-book them for reliable, consistant money! <a href="https://us.qualatex.com/en-us/events/impressive-installations-sara-meyer-cba/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Register for my in-person "Impressive Installations" class here</a> How to find large jobs How to charge and consider additional expenses How to pitch and what my proposals look like How to secure annual bookings and the importance of following up RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/courses/garland-pricing-guide-template" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Pricing Guide Menu</a> <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/courses/custom-color-chart-multi-brand" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Color Chart</a> <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a>  / <a href="https://bootcamp.17hats.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">17hats Bootcamp</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com</a> ____ <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Support the show / join the book club</a> <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">courses</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">templates</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

141. Booking BIG Jobs

Here's another bonus episode of what we've been learning and chatting about over in the Bright Balloon Book Club! Join here! Last month, we read The Passion Economy by Adam Davidson. This episode is a brief overview of the key takeaways!    Thanks to our sponsors!  17hats (get 50% off your 1st year) Havin' a Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT) Balloon Suite BalloonCoach.com

Here's another bonus episode of what we've been learning and chatting about over in the Bright Balloon Book Club! <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Join here!</a> Last month, we read The Passion Economy by Adam Davidson. This episode is a brief overview of the key takeaways!  Thanks to our sponsors!  <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">17hats</a> (get 50% off your 1st year) <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' a Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT) <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">BalloonCoach.com</a>

Bonus Episode | April Book of the Month

In this episode we're checking in with three previous guests, plus I'll give an update on how things are going since quitting my full-time job nearly two months ago... some of which are great and some that I didn't really anticipate... First up is Tinesha, who may not have realized what an impact she had on me in our first interview. She said, "everything you want is on the other side of fear" and little did she know, that day my husband and I were looking at the house we have since bought that has also allowed me to have my balloon shop! Tinesha sends in a note to let us know how her business has changed and she's got another new motto she shares, too. Then we hear from Alissa, who actually won her shop space not long before the first interview. She lets us know if she stayed in the space after her free year was up, plus the cool new things they're incorporating into their business. Alissa was such a treat to interview and then I got to work with her at the Big Balloon Build, too! If you're pursuing retail space be sure to check out her unique story. Finally, we hear again from Hayley who talked about self-employment in her previous interview. Needless to say, this interview had an incredible impact on me, too. The tips she gave absolutely sparked the thought that going full-time with balloons was possible. She lets us know what's up with their shop, their operations and their employees. As for me, I feel like I've settled into my new normal after quitting my full-time job. But that hasn't been without some challenges, like:  not feeling like I have any more time in my day turning into a bit of a workaholic locking down the health insurance  But onto the happier side... I've not had an ounce of regret in my decision. In fact, as I look back I see how insecure I really was in that position and I feel like I got out at the right time. Now I get to schedule my health, podcast interviews and site visits whenever I want! All in all, I wouldn't say it's been an easy change, but it's absolutely an awesome one.     RESOURCES MENTIONED: Ep. 32 - Everything you want is on the other side of fear | An interview with Tinesha from Mbellish Events @mbellishballoons_bg  Ep. 85 - Pop-up shops | Alissa from Twee Partees  @tweepartees  Ep. 74 - Self-Employment | Hayley from Pop! Balloon Bar &amp; Party  @pop.balloonbar  Ep. 132 - I quit my job  50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com   ____  Support the show / join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list  planner | courses | templates  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

In this episode we're checking in with three previous guests, plus I'll give an update on how things are going since quitting my full-time job nearly two months ago... some of which are great and some that I didn't really anticipate... First up is Tinesha, who may not have realized what an impact she had on me in our first interview. She said, "everything you want is on the other side of fear" and little did she know, that day my husband and I were looking at the house we have since bought that has also allowed me to have my balloon shop! Tinesha sends in a note to let us know how her business has changed and she's got another new motto she shares, too. Then we hear from Alissa, who actually won her shop space not long before the first interview. She lets us know if she stayed in the space after her free year was up, plus the cool new things they're incorporating into their business. Alissa was such a treat to interview and then I got to work with her at the Big Balloon Build, too! If you're pursuing retail space be sure to check out her unique story. Finally, we hear again from Hayley who talked about self-employment in her previous interview. Needless to say, this interview had an incredible impact on me, too. The tips she gave absolutely sparked the thought that going full-time with balloons was possible. She lets us know what's up with their shop, their operations and their employees. As for me, I feel like I've settled into my new normal after quitting my full-time job. But that hasn't been without some challenges, like: <ul> <li>not feeling like I have any more time in my day</li> <li>turning into a bit of a workaholic</li> <li>locking down the health insurance</li> </ul> But onto the happier side... I've not had an ounce of regret in my decision. In fact, as I look back I see how insecure I really was in that position and I feel like I got out at the right time. Now I get to schedule my health, podcast interviews and site visits whenever I want! All in all, I wouldn't say it's been an easy change, but it's absolutely an awesome one. RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/podcast/episode/e867063e/32-everything-you-want-is-on-the-other-side-of-fear-or-an-interview-with-tinesha-from-mbellish-events" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 32</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/podcast/episode/e867063e/32-everything-you-want-is-on-the-other-side-of-fear-or-an-interview-with-tinesha-from-mbellish-events" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">- Everything you want is on the other side of fear</a> | An interview with Tinesha from Mbellish Events <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mbellishballoons_bg/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@mbellishballoons_bg</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/podcast/episode/320aca8b/85-pop-up-shops-or-alissa-from-twee-partees" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 85</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/podcast/episode/320aca8b/85-pop-up-shops-or-alissa-from-twee-partees" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">- Pop-up shops</a> | Alissa from Twee Partees  <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tweepartees/?hl=en" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@tweepartees</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/podcast/episode/1f0f0ca8/74-self-employment-or-hayley-from-pop-balloon-bar-and-party" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 74</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/podcast/episode/1f0f0ca8/74-self-employment-or-hayley-from-pop-balloon-bar-and-party" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">- Self-Employment</a> | Hayley from Pop! Balloon Bar &amp; Party  <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pop.balloonbar/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@pop.balloonbar</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/podcast/episode/46af8302/132-i-quit-my-job" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Ep. 132</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/podcast/episode/46af8302/132-i-quit-my-job" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">- I quit my job </a> <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com</a> ____ <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Support the show / join the book club</a> <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">courses</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">templates</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

140. Episode of updates

Today I want to share with you two concepts I learned from Denise Duffield-Thomas in her book Chill and Prosper, and they address how we can get past convincing ourselves that we aren't ready for the next step.   First is procrastibranding, where we tell ourselves that we can't: buy business cards because we don't have a website yet; or advertise for the next season because we haven't decided on our sales packages. There are so many ways that we can convince ourselves not to move forward!  Instead, lean in on her second concept of placeholder marketing that will help you take some action. I actually just went through this procrastibranding - placeholder marketing situation with my Glow Retreat!   I kept feeling like the website had to be more built out, I needed more Instagram posts, I needed a better schedule, etc. but I was just too excited to announce it that I went for it anyway and was so delighted when it sold out on the first day. (Thanks again to everyone who signed up - I'm so incredibly excited to see you there!)   After I saw that happen it opened my eyes to some areas I've been procrastibranding in my balloon business, too. Things like:  marketing the new props I get marketing for graduation season moving some things around on my website    And I'll tell you, once you start rolling with your placeholder marketing and discovering that you can succeed with it, those decision-making powers start to trickle out into the rest of your business, too!  So, what do you do from here? First, know that everything is temporary. You can change it when the time comes. And your "placeholder" marketing might just do the job! Chances are, nobody will be looking that closely at your logo or your business card, etc.   Force yourself to take some action now so that you have the opportunity to improve them later. You won't make much money in your business if you're stuck in non-action.   What are some other ways we procrastinate in our businesses?  Maybe you avoid putting systems like pricing guides or color charts in place, that you know will help your customers, but are afraid will box you in. That was me for so long but once I created these items I couldn't believe the difference in how much more quickly I was able to book my jobs. I'm also certain that the color chart has saved me tons of money because I don't need to chase every new color that comes on the market.   As you're listening and discover something that you've also been avoiding, I hope this episode motivates you to take action on at least one thing… today! Let me know! What are you taking action on next?   RESOURCES MENTIONED: Pricing Guide Menu  Color Chart 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  / 17hats Bootcamp  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com   ____  Support the show / join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list  planner | courses | templates  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

Today I want to share with you two concepts I learned from Denise Duffield-Thomas in her book Chill and Prosper, and they address how we can get past convincing ourselves that we aren't ready for the next step. First is procrastibranding, where we tell ourselves that we can't: buy business cards because we don't have a website yet; or advertise for the next season because we haven't decided on our sales packages. There are so many ways that we can convince ourselves not to move forward! Instead, lean in on her second concept of placeholder marketing that will help you take some action. I actually just went through this procrastibranding - placeholder marketing situation with my Glow Retreat! I kept feeling like the website had to be more built out, I needed more Instagram posts, I needed a better schedule, etc. but I was just too excited to announce it that I went for it anyway and was so delighted when it sold out on the first day. (Thanks again to everyone who signed up - I'm so incredibly excited to see you there!) After I saw that happen it opened my eyes to some areas I've been procrastibranding in my balloon business, too. Things like: <ul> <li>marketing the new props I get</li> <li>marketing for graduation season</li> <li>moving some things around on my website</li> </ul> And I'll tell you, once you start rolling with your placeholder marketing and discovering that you can succeed with it, those decision-making powers start to trickle out into the rest of your business, too! So, what do you do from here? First, know that everything is temporary. You can change it when the time comes. And your "placeholder" marketing might just do the job! Chances are, nobody will be looking that closely at your logo or your business card, etc. Force yourself to take some action now so that you have the opportunity to improve them later. You won't make much money in your business if you're stuck in non-action. What are some other ways we procrastinate in our businesses? Maybe you avoid putting systems like pricing guides or color charts in place, that you know will help your customers, but are afraid will box you in. That was me for so long but once I created these items I couldn't believe the difference in how much more quickly I was able to book my jobs. I'm also certain that the color chart has saved me tons of money because I don't need to chase every new color that comes on the market. As you're listening and discover something that you've also been avoiding, I hope this episode motivates you to take action on at least one thing… today! Let me know! What are you taking action on next? RESOURCES MENTIONED: <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/courses/garland-pricing-guide-template" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Pricing Guide Menu</a> <a href="https://the-bright-balloon.thinkific.com/courses/custom-color-chart-multi-brand" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Color Chart</a> <a href="https://referrals.17hats.com/card/xszdhzgnxk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50% off your 1st year of 17hats</a>  / <a href="https://bootcamp.17hats.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">17hats Bootcamp</a> <a href="https://www.balloonsuite.com/brightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Suite</a> <a href="https://havinaparty.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Havin' A Party Wholesale</a> (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  <a href="https://lddy.no/wbdm" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Balloon Boss Summit &amp; BalloonCoach.com</a> ____ <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thebrightballoon" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Support the show / join the book club</a> <a href="https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63a9f373d4043cac46b33618" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list</a> <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">planner</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">courses</a> | <a href="https://www.thebrightballoon.com/courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">templates</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrightballoon/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@thebrightballoon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Mf3Io34HDadoQbDnxc39Q/videos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Bright Balloon on YouTube</a>

139. Procrastibranding and placeholder marketing

Welcome to The Bright Balloon, a podcast where Sara Meyer shares bright ideas for your balloon business! I want you to make more money, eliminate stress and learn along with me as we grow our creative businesses together! Welcome to The Bright Balloon

The Bright Balloon

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