Ever feel like you're leaving money on the table without even realizing it? In this episode, I'm breaking down eight ways I've found free money hiding in my balloon business; from credit card points to reusing balloons to rental items that practically print profit.

Whether you're just getting started or you've been in the game for years, these strategies can help you squeeze more juice out of the work you're already doing. Some are as simple as making a return you've been putting off, and others could literally set your kids up for retirement.

Let's find that free money!

In the UGlu Hotline, hear what one listener always has in her bag for attaching to backdrops.

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In this episode I am joined by Shelby who is the owner of Sunny Day Party Art and we are talking about self care and mental health. This was a great interview - a lot of relatable conversation, but also with helpful tips and practical strategies that Shelby is sharing… not as a therapist, but as a fellow balloon decorator, to deal with the stress that comes with this job.

We talk about parenthood, asking for help, the pressure we all face and much more. It was a vulnerable conversation that I know so many will relate to.

In the UGlu Hotline, hear one of the many advantages of making friends with your "competition".

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She went from making her first balloon mosaic with Party City balloons to decorating the Rogers Stadium for the World Series. And the strategy behind her growth? Simpler than you think.

In this live episode from the International Balloon Convention, I sat down with Ana Karina of AK Balloons. She is originally from Venezuela, now based in Toronto, Canada, and came to the balloon industry from the corporate world as an accountant.

After seven years in business, she now runs a balloon studio with a full team and counts major sports venues among her clients. In this episode, she shares how word of mouth and a simple daily outreach habit built her corporate client base; how she successfully outsourced social media; and why she believes you should never cut your marketing budget no matter what.

In the UGlu Hotline, hear what Erin of Young & Wild Balloon Co. does with her SOP docs!

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Ever wondered about the people behind the balloons you use every single day? This episode is one of those career-highlight conversations you don't want to miss.

I sat down with Leo and Marcela of Sempertex at the Sempertex International Balloon Convention in Orlando. Leo is the CEO and Marcela, the VP of Sales and Marketing. We talk about the incredible 87-year history of this family-owned company; from Leo's Austrian grandfather founding it in Colombia in 1938 to the bold decision to focus exclusively on natural latex balloons.

Leo and Marcela share how they hire for culture and values, why 65-70% of their team is women, how they work with 250 farming families in a crop substitution program and what the DUR recycled balloon initiative looks like. If you've ever wanted to feel more connected to the brands you depend on, this is the episode.

In the UGlu Hotline, hear how one listener searches Instagram to get a better feel of a color before trying it.

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If you run a balloon business by yourself, you might get to the point where you just can't do it all alone anymore, and that can be a very overwhelming place to be.

So I sat down with Jessica, the owner of Balloons by F&F, and we had a very honest conversation about hiring:

• Who to hire first,

• The little details about hiring that are easy to forget,

• What tools are helpful for tracking the work,

• Some of the mistakes we've made along the way,

• How to not get lost in the weeds when starting,

• A position to hire you maybe haven't thought of,

• And ultimately, what gets unlocked in your life and your business when you finally hire help.

I love talking about hiring because even though it's scary to start, there are so many right ways it can be done.

In the UGlu Hotline, hear why one listener sets a goal to send five hand-written thank you cards each month.

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@balloonsbyff

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If your phone's camera roll looks anything like mine, it's just thousands of pictures of balloons, mixed in with screenshots of inspiration, mixed in with photos of my family… and no strategy or organizational method to the madness.

So in this episode, I'm talking with Dionne, a professional photo manager. She owns Captured Memories Photo Solutions and we are both 17hats ambassadors.

She shares some really good insights about photo storage, including:

• backing up versus syncing your photos (and which option to actually choose)

• strategies for getting rid of all of the photo clutter

• why taking screenshots of your own photos compounds the problem

By the end of the episode you'll know what to do to put a system in place so that your camera roll can actually help you and your business, while keeping all those photos of your kids and pets cleanly separated.

And thank you to this month's presenting sponsor, Grow My Balloon Biz! Don't forget to check out Carolina's episode, which was the first one in May.

In the UGlu Hotline, hear a tip for stuffing balloons!

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What's actually working for balloon business marketing, and what's a waste of money? In this panel episode, I'm joined by Renisha of Chic Balloons and Alex of Blown Away Decor for a candid conversation about finding clients, spending wisely and what they'd tell someone just starting out.

You'll hear our discussion about each of these marketing methods:

• Word mouth and local Facebook groups
• Chamber of Commerce
• Paid advertising
• Vendor events and bridal expos
• Van wraps
• Printed goods
• Websites and social media

We also talk about how to get your first clients when you have no portfolio and why making what you want to sell is the fastest way to build that portfolio.

And thank you to this month's presenting sponsor, Grow My Balloon Biz!

In the UGlu Hotline, hear how one listener labels all of her equipment.

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blownawaydecor.com

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In this episode I'm joined by Jacqui, who has been in business for 33 years… so I think it's self-explanatory why I wanted to have her on the show. But you'll also hear about the very interesting work she did before balloons!

We are talking about how to build and sustain a business that long, how to keep a passion for balloons, the secret to continuing to make money year after year after year and what's so special about our industry.

Something that I also find really interesting about Jacqui is that she launched her business with a business partner who has since retired and now Jacqui is running the business solo with no intention to retire anytime soon. She also tells us how she had hand surgery and didn't have to turn down any work in the process of recovering!

There is so much insight from her experiences in this conversation… enjoy!

And thank you to this month's presenting sponsor, Grow My Balloon Biz.

In the UGlu Hotline, hear a tip about keeping your helium number balloons in the correct order for delivery, so they never look like a number they shouldn't.

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RESOURCES MENTIONED:

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Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% on orders $200+ with code PODCAST)

buildwiththeguild.com

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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