The Bright Balloon

You saw another balloon artist post a gorgeous install for a client you've been dreaming about. Now you're wondering... can you reach out, or is that poaching? Let's settle it. Carolina is back on the podcast! She works exclusively with corporate clients, and she lands most of them with outreach. We get into the real difference between pitching and poaching, why nobody actually owns a client and what to do when a client comes to you after years with someone else. We also talk about undercutting, being friends with your competitors and why so many big corporate clients want a backup balloon artist. If you've ever held back on outreach because it felt icky, this one's for you. Unlock three free bonus episodes!    RESOURCES MENTIONED: Grow My Balloon Biz  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% on orders $200+ with code PODCAST) buildwiththeguild.com 417. Building momentum with corporate clients 360. The Cold Email That Got Her $8K in Balloons @balloonelement  - - - - Sales Sets On the Bright Side Apple | Patreon Join the Bright Balloon email list  The Bright Balloon on YouTube  2026 Bright Balloon Planner 

Handshake agreements feel fine... right up until someone asks what time they were supposed to arrive or how much you said you'd pay them. In Part 2 of my conversation with Ashley of The Balloon Lab, we dug into the behind-the-scenes logistics of a bid day install with 25 people, including out-of-town pros she had mostly never met. She shares the offer letters she sent to hired artists, why she chose a travel stipend over booking flights and how she handled lodging, meals and shifts for her team.  She also opens up about her temporary warehouse, the ladder and lift puzzles at each house and what she's changing next year. If you ever bring in help for a big build, her systems are worth borrowing.   In the UGlu Hotline, hear one listener's tip for stuffing balloons.   Unlock three free bonus episodes!    RESOURCES MENTIONED: Sales Sets Betallic  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% on orders $200+ with code PODCAST) buildwiththeguild.com Balloon Boss Summit  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% on orders $200+ at Havin' A Party with code PODCAST)  DM @thebrightballoon on Instagram to ask a question or leave advice for the UGlu Hotline! 2026 Bright Balloon Planner  @balloonlaboxford  - - - - On the Bright Side Apple | Patreon Join the Bright Balloon email list  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

Eleven sorority houses, 30-foot columns and an overnight install with the whole campus watching on Instagram. So how does a balloon business even get a foot in that door? This week I'm talking with Ashley, owner of The Balloon Lab. Her team decorated four sorority houses for bid day this year, and she's sharing how she got there: the jumbo foil heart outreach that put her in front of every house on campus, calendar deposits that lock in next year, pricing inside each sorority's budget and why her mock-ups only happen after a house books.  We also talk about how her business runs day-to-day outside of Bid season, and how she's structured and motivated her team with responsibilities they can grow into. This is part 1 of an awesome conversation - stay tuned for part 2 next week!   In the UGlu Hotline, hear how printed and laminated SOPs around your shop can be hugely helpful.   Unlock three free bonus episodes!    RESOURCES MENTIONED: Sales Sets Betallic  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% on orders $200+ with code PODCAST) buildwiththeguild.com Balloon Boss Summit  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% on orders $200+ at Havin' A Party with code PODCAST)  DM @thebrightballoon on Instagram to ask a question or leave advice for the UGlu Hotline! 2026 Bright Balloon Planner  @balloonlaboxford  - - - - On the Bright Side Apple | Patreon Join the Bright Balloon email list  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

What if your next backdrop was one you never had to return for? This week's guest turned custom signage into the biggest part of her business... and now she's making it easy for the rest of us to lean into custom prints, too. I'm so excited to introduce you to Chelsa of Custom Sign Sisters in Indianapolis. She started out with yard sign rentals alongside her sister and kept saying yes to new client requests until her business became something completely custom. Listen to her blow my mind as we talk about the kinds of things she's made using all sorts of materials, her Print + Ship offer using Canva and how quickly it shows up at your door, cut and ready. Consider her your new translator with the print shop you've always wanted to have in your back pocket.   In the UGlu Hotline, hear why one listener always makes friends with their local "competitors".   Unlock three free bonus episodes!    RESOURCES MENTIONED: Sales Sets Betallic  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% on orders $200+ with code PODCAST) buildwiththeguild.com Balloon Boss Summit  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% on orders $200+ at Havin' A Party with code PODCAST)  DM @thebrightballoon on Instagram to ask a question or leave advice for the UGlu Hotline! 2026 Bright Balloon Planner  customsignsisters.com | @customsignsistersindy  - - - - On the Bright Side Apple | Patreon Join the Bright Balloon email list  The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

Balloons are cheap. A full calendar means you're making money. You don't have to be artistic to have a successful balloon business. These are some of the myths floating around the balloon industry… sometimes from our customers and sometimes in our own minds.  So in this interview with Heidy of Decor by Heidy, we're talking about how believing these myths are quietly holding your business back. Weather, education, hiring and sustainability are also on the table in this discussion that just might include a few hot takes.   In the UGlu Hotline, hear how one listener searches Instagram to see new balloon colors in real life.   Unlock three free bonus episodes!    RESOURCES MENTIONED: Sales Sets Betallic  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% on orders $200+ with code PODCAST) buildwiththeguild.com Balloon Boss Summit UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% on orders $200+ at Havin' A Party with code PODCAST)  DM @thebrightballoon on Instagram to ask a question or leave advice for the UGlu Hotline! 2026 Bright Balloon Planner  @decorbyheidy  - - - - On the Bright Side Apple | Patreon Join the Bright Balloon email list  The Bright Balloon on YouTube