440. She quit balloons then came back different
The Bright Balloon
In 2024, Melody sold her van, sold her famous disco ball wall and told the whole internet she was done. She took several months off from designing anything for events. Then one day, a huge opportunity came her way, and now she’s back... but the business she came back to looks almost nothing like the one she left. Melody owns Feathered Fox Designs and is the original creator of the disco ball wall you have absolutely seen on Instagram. It was an old neck injury that made her stop entirely, but when CoverGirl asked her to help with an activation at Coachella she couldn’t say no. But, she...
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439. What the HI-FLOAT family sees that you don't
The Bright Balloon
Forty years, 3 generations and a product that has never been made more than five miles from where it started. HI-FLOAT is back on the podcast, this time represented by wife and husband duo Andrea and Philip, and we got into all of it: the wonderful family business story, working with a spouse, pricing and even a few tips and tricks for using their products. Between them they have more than 50 years inside this industry, plus a bird's eye view most of us never get because they teach classes all over the country. They see hundreds of decorators price their work in real time, and find that most...
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438. AI building your brand: dos and don’ts
The Bright Balloon
Ten years ago I didn’t know how having a half dozen colors in my logo would actually limit my branding options. AI can absolutely help you avoid that mistake... but it can also walk you straight into it. In this episode I’m joined once again by Courtney of Courtney Lynette Creative Co., and we're talking about AI and branding from a designer's point of view. Courtney builds websites and branding for a lot of balloon artists, so she knows exactly where this tends to go wrong. We get into why AI is a brainstorming tool and not a finishing tool, how to train it so it stops handing you...
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437. One website that lists every balloon event
The Bright Balloon
Ever gone down a rabbit hole trying to figure out when the next balloon training is happening? Same. Turns out one of our own spotted that gap and decided to build the fix herself. Dori of Total Party returns to the podcast and this time we're live at the International Balloon Convention. First up in the conversation: balloonindustrycalendar.com, the free resource she created to put every balloon training, class, seminar and conference in one searchable place. Seriously, go bookmark it through the link below. Then we switched gears to the MBP (Master Balloon Profesional) Sempertex...
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Bid Day Insanity with Maggie from Presley Paige | Re-Release
The Bright Balloon
Have you seen the massive sorority balloon installs from Arkansas? Well this episode is a re-release with Maggie of Presley Paige and she and her team are the ones behind so many of these mind-blowing jobs. We chatted two years ago and this episode is still one of our favorites so we are releasing it once again! She also has a retail store that you’ll hear about! I learned so much from this interview and know that you’ll pick up some gems as well. Her business actually started as a retail shop and over time they added balloon decor services because of all the customer requests. Hear...
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435. Balloon artist to industry innovator
The Bright Balloon
Some people find one thing they're good at and settle in. Chris keeps building new roads. He’s a Sydney-based balloon business owner who's also the creator of Balloon Pro, a world-traveling organics teacher and a consultant and judge on the TV show Blow Up. In this episode we talk about how he went from balloon artist to industry innovator, and what that journey actually looked like up close. Chris shares why he treats every idea as something worth testing, and what his failures have taught him. He also gets into how he built a team he trusts enough to leave for five weeks while...
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434. How to build a balloon business you can actually leave
The Bright Balloon
Jill built the largest retail balloon shop in North America... then walked away from it on her own terms. If you have ever wondered how someone actually retires from a balloon business, this is the conversation. We get into why most retail shops go under, what "processed out" really means and a calendar trick that might change how you plan your entire year. Jill pulls back the curtain on what separates a retail shop that survives from one that sinks. And hint: it’s not talent. We talk about pricing like you are already in the store, the real cost of your first employee and why you cannot...
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433. The building-sized balloon install that took over a whole town
The Bright Balloon
What if a random idea at a balloon class turned into a full building-sized install that had an entire town stopping traffic to take photos? That's exactly what happened for Jodie of Pop by Posh Party Designs and Event Space. She pulled off a massive collaborative flamingo install in Leominster, Massachusetts, with 14 other balloon pros. Not only that, but she also scored two brand sponsorships, a free crane, donated meals and front-page press coverage. And in this episode, we hear all about it! It’s another great example of how local "competitors" can become your closest balloon besties, and...
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432. Give back without going broke; a marketing masterclass
The Bright Balloon
What if your next big marketing win came from a rainy day you almost skipped? Tashonda of The Balloon Parlor got her face on a Cincinnati city bus for free... then gave half the space away to her community. This episode is a masterclass in generous, low-cost marketing. Tashonda has been in business for about six years, works corporate and private events and sits on the board of her local Chamber of Commerce. She shares exactly how she won a free bus wrap through a holiday toy drive, why she filled that bus with other businesses and nonprofits instead of just herself and how those partnerships...
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431. The AI tricks every balloon pro should steal
The Bright Balloon
I'll be honest; I've spent months calling my ChatGPT dumb. It ignores me, promises spreadsheets it never makes and generally acts like it went to a different school than everyone else's. Then I talked to my friend Lenor... and realized the dummy in that situation might be me. In this episode I catch up with my longtime balloon buddy Lenor of Lights Camera Selfies / Elevate Your Skills, who runs balloons and photo booths out of Hollywood, Florida, and has quietly turned AI into her most reliable assistant. She's not a tech person shouting at you to optimize your life; she's a one-woman show who...
info_outlineIn 2024, Melody sold her van, sold her famous disco ball wall and told the whole internet she was done. She took several months off from designing anything for events. Then one day, a huge opportunity came her way, and now she’s back... but the business she came back to looks almost nothing like the one she left.
Melody owns Feathered Fox Designs and is the original creator of the disco ball wall you have absolutely seen on Instagram. It was an old neck injury that made her stop entirely, but when CoverGirl asked her to help with an activation at Coachella she couldn’t say no. But, she came back with new rules, new methods, more artistry and a lot less monotony.
We get into what it was actually like to stop, how she quotes her custom work now and a commission project she had for a client's home. If you’ve ever fantasized about being done, or you are quietly wondering what else you could sell besides balloons, you’ll want to hear this one.
In the UGlu Hotline, hear how Erin is sure to get her gear back after every install.
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