The Bright Balloon

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.
 
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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 
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On the Bright Side Apple | Patreon
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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 
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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 
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On the Bright Side Apple | Patreon
Join the Bright Balloon email list 
The Bright Balloon on YouTube

They said yes... now how much do you pay them? If you've ever DMed a balloon friend for help on a big job and then panicked in your group chat about what's fair, this episode is for you. I'm sharing real numbers and the one change I'm making to how I hire help from now on.
Hiring another balloon pro is one of the biggest mysteries in our industry. There's no standard day rate, no contract and usually just a handshake agreement. So in this free preview of the private feed On The Bright Side, I'm getting transparent about when I bring in subcontractors, how I find the right people and what I actually pay. 
I share stories from bringing in an expert rigger, inflating a 16 foot organic wall on site and the job where I wish I'd leaned on my crew more. I hope these experiences help make the process feel less mysterious.
 
In the UGlu Hotline, hear one listener's goal for sending personalized thank you cards to her clients.
 
Unlock three free bonus episodes! 
 
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Sales Sets
HI-FLOAT  
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 
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On the Bright Side Apple | Patreon
Join the Bright Balloon email list 
The Bright Balloon on YouTube

What if you could skip the whole balloon sustainability debate? Our guest in this episode does just that, and might be the first person to change my mind about how to actually implement practical sustainability efforts.
I'm chatting with Jen, owner of Wonderwall Event Co. in Maryland, and from the get-go, she made sustainability a core part of her business. Now, she has corporate clients looking past other decorators to hire her because of it.
She walks us through the branded pop and drop box she campaigned to get into her local library, the prepaid return mailers she leaves with corporate clients and how she weaves recycling into every piece of her marketing. She insists that the effort you put into sustainability practices has a lot of legs you might not have yet considered, so I hope this conversation sparks some fresh ideas for you, like it did for me!  
In the UGlu Hotline, hear how one balloon stuffer makes it easier on herself.
 
Unlock three free bonus episodes! 
 
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Sales Sets
HI-FLOAT  | @hifloat 
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 
@wonderwalleventco 
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On the Bright Side Apple | Patreon
Join the Bright Balloon email list 
The Bright Balloon on YouTube