I’ve felt my business grow over the past couple of years, but there have also been some life changes that kind of made things feel a little out of whack. So in this episode, I share how I’m trimming the “fluff” and tuning up my business by going back to the basics!

This process is actually inspired by my previous time as a 6th grade art teacher. So much of what we would cover was foundational principles. And I always found that without them, troubleshooting becomes much more difficult. So, I took this mindset and applied it to my garlands, framework, clutter, inventory, product offerings and finances.

In some cases, I had introduced too many variables to the task. In others, I just didn’t even notice the buildup. And in one scenario, the changes were a little bit out of my control. Listen in to hear what changes I made to my recipes and offerings, the bags I use at install, what I’ve committed to never using again, some good advice I got about retraining and my next step in this process.

So far, I now have less clutter, more efficiency, better consistency and more reliable profit margins. Plus, another resource for you!

And from the UGlu Hotline, we have a tip for always having your contact info readily available.

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Travis and I purchased our marquee letters from the same vendor at about the same time, and in this episode we share our thoughts about the upsides and downsides of owning marquees.

We start with all the good things about our marquees, including:

• How they help us land more corporate and convention jobs
• How they’re a good anchor for balloons & serve multiple decor purposes
• Why they’re an easy sale that can help you break even pretty quickly
• How you can actually charge per day for the rental
• That there’s no franchising involved
• How there’s virtually no prep time needed

Then we cover the downsides with complete honesty. Here’s where this part of the conversation took us:

• The physical labor involved
• Electricity needs
• Transporting them
• Needing to return for pick up
• Troubleshooting on site
• Inventory tracking

If you’re in the spot where you’re considering adding marquees to your offerings, this will be a good, honest episode for you to hear!

And in the UGlu Hotline, we get some tips for transporting our framework so that it can be easily put back together onsite.

Thank you to PremiumConwin for sponsoring our monthly "throwback" episode!

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Ep. 145 - Local networking with Travis Green

@squeakballoondecor

My guest in this episode is very familiar with the balloon industry and has become hugely helpful to me as I've needed graphic design elements in my business. Emily of The Party Method helps event decorators fulfill their customers' requests with custom backdrops and other printed products!

In our chat you'll hear about Emily's background and how she was introduced to the balloon community. She also shares a bit of her experience with branding and what is included in her brand toolkit before we dive into her insanely robust pool of images that are available to match the themes we're decorating for.

When we talk about the jobs we've worked on together, you'll hear how efficiently she and her third-party printer can get your orders in process. These products are such a great addition to our balloon decor... not only because of how well they print, but because they give that extra bit of texture to the display, too.

And it doesn't stop there! Listen in to hear what kinds of digital and apparel assets she can provide as well. Emily has been a great partner of mine and I know she'll be able to help you, too.

Then in the UGlu Hotline, we have a tip for the balloon stuffers!

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thepartymethod.co | @theparty.method

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I felt like we were overdue for an episode about AI, so in this one I'm sharing how I've used it, where to find it, and how it can help your business... including something that has been a total game-changer for me!

To be honest, I kind of feel like AI is becoming a bit of a buzz word that doesn't always apply as advertised. What I consider real AI is a tool like Chat GPT - the one I use most often. I've started using it as my new search, and have enjoyed brainstorming with it and fine-tuning it to my style and personality.

Listen in for the real time results when I ask Chat GPT how I can use AI in my balloon business!

From that list, I share the specific ways I'm actively utilizing it:

• asking it how it can help me
• generating ideas and getting the ball rolling
• proofreading / re-writing
• emails to clients in a certain tone
• content creation

Then at the end of the episode, I'm sharing about the idea I heard from Amy Porterfield to use AI when creating SOPs. Doing it has kind of blown my mind and just might blow your mind, too! It's made me excited to document more and more of my processes so they are finally out of my own head.

I hope this episode has helped you understand what artificial intelligence can do and how it can impact your business!

And in the UGlu Hotline, we have a tip for connecting tricky foils.

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In this interview I'm chatting with Alexis, the founder of Fanfaire, about her new platform aimed to help us sell our balloon decor options by bringing designs to life. It was really exciting to learn about her product and how it came to be!

You'll hear about her background in both tech and balloons, then she'll dive into Fanfaire's digital storefront and how it aims to be an end-to-end solution. She tells us about the color palette available, the level of customization the platform is capable of and what the client communication looks like.

Then we also hear about how businesses control their pricing matrix in the platform and how it's transparent to the customer as they build their order. Finally, we wrap up with what the Fanfaire onboarding process actually looks like and how it can be incorporated into your existing website.

And from the UGlu Hotline, there's a tip for transporting our framework!

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Fanfaire Demo | @fanfaire.io

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Karin comes on the show to tell us about how she manages her balloon jobs, a large rental inventory and her flight attendant job... that she has no intention of leaving. I've loved Karin's spirit and energy since I met her at Balloon Wonderland, so it was so nice to have her on the show!

Hear how the rental side of her business quickly led to balloons, which quickly grew into a sizable company that she and her partner run alongside their full-time jobs! We'll get to know how she strategically schedules her work, how she actually makes it all happen while spending so much time in the air and what they're planning for the future.

We also get into the nitty gritty about tracking all the rental items, chat about industry events, hear about her Adopt a Grandmother campaign and of course touch on her amazing reels!

Then in the UGlu Hotline, there's a nice tip for utilizing QR codes.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

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Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514

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@k_jrentals

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Let me tell you something... when you have a 5-digit tax bill at the end of the year - even after paying quarterly taxes - that is a really good time to lean on professionals to help you configure your financial setup! Today's guest, Elizabeth from Fiore Accounting & Tax Services, helped me do just that, and then some.

Listen in for the details of:

• all the services their team provides
• what S Corp actually means
• how much I owed after 2022
• how we changed my business to an S Corp election
• the advantages and disadvantages of S Corp
• payroll and Profit First as an S Corp
• who should consider making the switch as well
• how the decision depends on your individual circumstances, and even business goals

I always love having Elizabeth on the show because she explains confusing financial matters so well. She and her team have been such a help to me over the years and I know that even if you're not considering S Corp status you'll get some great financial insights in this episode!

And in the UGlu Hotline, we get a nice tip about blending your clamps and clips in with your decor.

Thank you to PremiumConwin for sponsoring our monthly "throwback" episode!

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

17hats (get 50% off your 1st year)

Balloon Suite

Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)

UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)

Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514

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Ep. 80 - Profit First Revisited with Elizabeth Fiore

Strategy Call with Elizabeth

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