Buggy Lane Balloons

Name: Cheryl Becker
Position: Business Owner
Website: www.etsy.com.au/shop/buggylaneballoons
Location: Darwin, NT, Australia

I help clients bring their ideas/visions to life in creating custom made balloon garlands / decorations for their special event. I work with them right from their first query through to after the event, in making sure the colours, sizes and vision is what they require. Event range from anything from birthday parties, to bridal showers, to weddings and anything in between.

What products/services do you offer?

Balloon Garlands
Bespoke design balloon garlands to any length required. I have sizes that a client can come pick up themselves from me or, I go to your event to set up.

Balloon Decorations
Other balloon decorations are available, such as table centerpieces, table runners, flowers, single balloons and so on.

Backdrop Hire
A number of stands / backdrops are available for hire. These can either be picked up by the client or I can go to the event to set up. Options available to hire standalone if the client wants to DIY or of course, packaged with a balloon garland.

Other Event Pieces
I have a number of other pieces which may compliment your event such as chairs, glass jars and wine buckets with stands available for hire.

Why did you start your business and how long have you been running it?

I started running a business because I found something that I loved to do and knew that I could help others by doing what I love for them. I have been running for only 6 months and it all came to fruition while decorating for my daughters 2nd birthday.
She is a balloon fanatic, and we get to have lots of fun over making things with balloons. There is nothing better than doing something you love, with someone you love.

What struggles do you think most businesses face in your industry and what would you say they need to do to overcome them?

Self-Education
The industry balloon artists/decorators are in is ever changing. There are always new styles that come “in” and older styles that fluctuate in popularity. It can be hard to face that you don’t know absolutely everything and that you need to consistently learn and educate yourself on how to create certain visions.
There is so much out there that until you start having clients engage with you, you don’t know what it is that most people are looking for or what is going to be popular. I think that continual education and development is key to success and also re-education on the same styles. People are coming up with ways to do things simpler and faster all the time which can benefit you in the long run.

Costs
It can be difficult to be satisfied with the way products/services are costed because really, the way a customer looks at things is at the end product. Majority of the time this is a bunch of balloons, perhaps with a backdrop.
Balloons are an easy everyday party commodity which customers see in shops all the time. What they don’t see by hiring somebody to set up balloons for them is the amount of time spent blowing up balloons, sizing them correctly to fit, stringing and putting them together, and the further hour or two it can take to set them up so they look like they have been effortlessly placed on a wall or stand. This is not to mention the visual art of ensuring colours mix well with what the customer requires.
Being realistic as well as valuing your skills can help you feel comfortable with your prices. Don’t feel discouraged if somebody doesn’t book you because they “don’t want to spend that much on balloons”. Like I said, a customer will see balloons – but not all that goes on behind it. There is a reason they are looking for somebody else to do it.

Environmental Issues
Environmental concern is something of our time. We all need to be conscious about the environment and the impact that our business product has.
Continual customer education is total key to overcoming this. Before I started out in this business I had absolutely no idea that all latex balloons are biodegradable. I would suggest you thoroughly research your product because there is a lot that you will find.
The majority of consumers out there will not see balloons as environmentally friendly – this is evident through social media. As a business, promote the research you find about balloons – you’ll not only surprise yourself but will likely surprise your customers – in a positive manner.

What has been your greatest accomplishment?

Honestly, my greatest accomplishment within 6 months is simply being booked by paying clients including another business. When I started out, I just wanted to build a portfolio and offered to help my friends with their events without charge. Once I started promoting myself you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as the first paid booking came in 3 months later.

What has been your biggest ‘fail’ so far?

Having been a total newbie to the industry, in hindsight I should have undertaken more education about balloon products that customers may look for. I got way too excited in having perfected garlands that I forgot about other things – and when queries came in about centerpieces decorations or standalone decorations, I was scrambling to educate myself in a timely manner.

I definitely don’t think I jumped into it too quickly – but more initial research would have enhanced my knowledge from the outset.

What do you love most about your business?

• Making clients happy with my creations
• Learning new ways to do things
• Spending time with my daughter who LOVES when we are making magic with balloons

What do you find most challenging?

Although I’ve grown up with technology and know inside out how to use it personally, when it comes to business I struggle with a lot of concepts. Social media is the biggest as trends change continuously and how to promote can be difficult when trying to gauge the right audience.

How do you promote your business (please include as many details as you can)?

At this stage I used Facebook and Instagram (social media). I also have an Etsy website which I promote through my socials.
I have joined industry groups and also supplier groups so that suppliers are aware of how I use their products, in turn promoting what I do with them.

What business skills do you have (eg. graphic design, customer service)?

• Fast learner
• Writing
• Easy to work with
• Desire to continuously educate myself within the industry

What software did you/your designer use to create your website (eg. WordPress, Wix)?

So far I have only decided to create an Etsy shop. Further down the track I definitely would like to engage with somebody to help create my perfect website.

What are some of your favourite business tools and apps?

• Dropbox for sharing files and images
• Canva for creating social media posts and individual Etsy listings
• Pixabay for sourcing images and photos

What do you like about your website and what’s not working for you?

I like that it is super easy to see what products I have on offer. The downside is that, in order not to confuse delivery fees (as they are based on location), I can only promote items that are for “pick up” /hire from me only. So – my shop doesn’t let me show what I can do when I come to install at an event site and I have to promote this separately.

What lessons have you learnt during your time as an entrepreneur?

The biggest thing I have learnt is not to underestimate the amount of time you need to put into your business.

This might sound simple, but there’s so much behind doing what you love to making a business tick. I’ve had to plan out and allocate my time by categorising what I’m doing; for example, one day might be for just working on templates (invoices, menus, pricing) and another day might be dedicated to self-promotion such as planning out what products should be promoted and at what time of year (weddings, Christmas etc).

What key tips for success in business would you like to share with others?

• Continuously learn! Education is key to ensuring you are up to date with latest trends and processes.
• Make lists and plans – this will help you in making sure you use your time effectively.
• Automate what you can, such as responses to queries and appointment schedules.

What is the one thing that you want everyone to take away from this post?

I would encourage that the key learning from this post is to be confident in yourself and in your abilities. You aren’t always going to have the customer say yes – and that’s OK. Having to continuously learn also doesn’t mean you don’t know anything – this is an ever-changing industry and keeping up with current trends is key to building your skills and services that you can offer.