In this episode, we're talking about one of my favorite topics: outsourcing your admin work to a virtual assistant. I'm interviewing Nicole, who is my virtual assistant.

She's also the owner of Let Nicole Help, and she offers many other services but for me, she primarily helps with sales. She is my client-facing, invoice-sending admin genius who has freed me up from computer work so that I can focus on the part of my business that I really like, which is getting new business and doing installations.

We are getting into the nitty gritty about how we met, how we started, the clunky figuring-it-out stage we went through and our recommendations of how you can onboard your own virtual assistant.

You'll also hear us talk through a process improvement we discovered we should make while recording!

And one more shout out to this month's presenting sponsor - Betallic!

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RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Sales Sets

Betallic

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)

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2026 Bright Balloon Planner

@letnicolehelp | www.assetassign.app

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This was such a fun and inspiring interview. If you've ever felt stuck "just" doing balloons… wondering what's next, how to grow and how to start saying yes to bigger, more creative opportunities… you're going to love this conversation! I'm chatting with Lizeth and Oscar of Mom's Kloset.

They're a husband and wife team based in Atlanta who started with a bag of balloons and have grown into full-scale fabrications and custom builds. I am such a huge fan of these two and what they create; honestly, I was fangirling during this interview.

We recorded live at the International Balloon Convention and we talk about:

• how they made the transition from balloons into full-on fabrication

• how they figure things out when they're doing something for the first time

• what they would actually recommend you start adding to your business if you want to grow outside of balloons.

It's one of those conversations that really pushes you to think bigger, but in a way that still feels doable. And a huge thank you to this month's presenting sponsor, Betallic!

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RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Sales Sets

Betallic

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

@moms_klosetballoons

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This episode is a little bit different, but in a way that I think you're really going to enjoy. If you've ever felt confused about the brands that you're using in your business and wondering what's going on behind the scenes in the industry, you're not alone.

Most of us are just in our own businesses doing the work and not really sure what's happening in the bigger picture. But in this episode, I'm bringing you behind the curtain with Andrea and Barry from Betallic. This was recorded live at the International Balloon Convention, and we talked about the connection between Betallic and Sempertex.

If that's ever confused you, they explain that relationship, plus what's changed in the industry over time and how they're thinking about supporting balloon decorators moving forward. It's a really insightful behind the scenes conversation, and I think it will give you a lot more clarity and confidence in the brands that you're using to run your business.

Episodes this month are sponsored by Betallic! Be sure to check out the Betallic Balloon Club and mark your calendars for IBC in October 2026 in Miami, Florida.

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RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Sales Sets

Betallic

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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If you are someone who has either grown out of your home-based studio, or you don't even have a spot for a home-based studio, this episode is full of tips for you! I am talking with Heidy of Decor by Heidy about opening a brick and mortar store and some of the choices she made along the way that finally got her to her beautiful store located in Florida.

She also shares a really smart idea about outsourcing deliveries and how it's helped the installation side of her business, too.

And I'm excited that this month kicks off a new sponsorship and a new partnership with Betallic, who chose Heidy as their guest! Betallic is known around the world for high-quality foil and latex balloons, and for supporting the balloon community through education and inspiration.

If you're looking to grow your skills, be sure to check out Betallic Balloon Club, an online community where you can subscribe for monthly classes (including Heidy's!), learn new balloon recipes and connect with balloon artists from all over the world. Plus, mark your calendars for the IBC event happening October 20-22, 2026, in Miami, Florida.

In the UGlu Hotline, hear one listener's tip for finding what colors are comparable across brands.

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RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Sales Sets

Betallic

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

@balloonboutiquebyheidy

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In this episode, we are talking about something I both love and deeply struggle with: organization.

If you're a creative entrepreneur, especially in the balloon world, you probably have a space full of color, sizes, bins, tools, samples, etc. (And let's be honest… at least one drawer of shame!)

So I invited Tammy to the show. She is a professional organizer who pivoted from interior design into full time organization. And she's built an entire business helping people get their homes, offices, closets and pantries functioning beautifully.

We connected through 17hats, the CRM we both use behind the scenes to run our businesses, and I was excited to have her come on the show to share her knowledge. I wasn't expecting how much balloon and organization services have in common!

We're talking about systems, labeling, kids, clutter, inventory, overwhelm, junk drawers, and how organizing one tiny space can actually change your entire workflow.

So if you are like me and you have projects that you know you need to get done before the busy season hits, hopefully this episode gives you some tips and sparks a little bit of motivation to get your balloon space (or just your living space) a little bit more organized.

And thanks once again to this month's presenting sponsor, Tuftex!

In the UGlu Hotline, hear one listener's tip for what to bring to site visits.

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RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Sales Sets

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

@simpleorganization

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This episode is a group panel discussion, and we're diving into something that I think is one of the biggest hidden struggles of running a balloon business: mental health.

As a decorator, no one really prepares you for the constant juggling, the inquiries that never stop, the pressure to perform, the comparison on Instagram, the late nights before installs and that creeping feeling of burnout that can hit even when your sales are going well.

So I've invited three decorators: Travis, Nicole and Crystal, to have an honest conversation about what this actually looks like in real life. We're talking about boundaries, burnout, comparison and practical ways to protect your energy while still growing your business.

I truly hope it helps to open the conversation and gives you some practical tips for improving your own mental health.

And thanks once again to this month's presenting sponsor, Tuftex!

In the UGlu Hotline, hear a tip for adhering UGlu to foils.

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RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Sales Sets

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

@sorella.sorella.collective | @squeakballoondecor | @lilliansavenue

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In this episode, we are discussing the power of a product photo shoot. I went into a photo shoot with the goal of getting good photos… I had no idea how much it was going to revamp my entire business!

It's a replay from the bonus channel, On The Bright Side, where I have 300+ more solo episodes. And it's so fun listening back because when I recorded this a year and a half ago, I hoped it would make a difference in my business. But now I can confidently say it completely revived my booking system and then some.

What came from this photo shoot was so much more than pretty photos. It was a streamlined booking system. It was a clear website.It was clarity for my entire team and most importantly, my customers.

They're my recipe guides hanging on the walls in my shop. They're the photos still on my website today. Plus, they're the product thumbnails on my invoices. They're everywhere. And it's really cool to hear where this shift originally started.

I'm walking you through exactly why and how I set up a product photo shoot. And because I saw the tremendous impact of clean product photos in my business, I created a product called Sales Sets.

They are stock photos of balloon products, exactly what I'm talking about in this episode, but I've made them available to you. So if you want to skip the photo shoot process but still get the benefits I'm describing in this episode, check for the link below.

A quick note, when you hear me referencing my newborn, she's two now. I did not secretly have another baby.

And thanks once again to this month's presenting sponsor, Tuftex!

In the UGlu Hotline, hear a tip for using UGlu on foils.

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RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Sales Sets

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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In this episode, we are talking about a marquee secret that might make you rethink everything. I'm talking with Jenna from Festive & Flair, and when she told me she made her own marquees, I fully assumed we were headed into DIY disposable territory. And then I went to her website and I zoomed way in and thought, there is no way she made these. I have to have her on the podcast.

Her marquees are lightweight, clean, reusable, professional-looking marquee letters made out of foam. Yes, foam… but not what you're thinking. And she is breaking down exactly how she does it, how much it costs and why it's one of the easiest upsells you can add to your business without dropping $15-20k upfront.

Plus, in the second half of this episode, we get into her "friendor" strategy (basically, networking done right) where she becomes a connector for the entire event and gets paid for it.

It's a fabulous episode that I think is going to give a lot of people a new option when it comes to bringing in marquees as part of your inventory.

And thanks once again to this month's presenting sponsor, Tuftex!

In the UGlu Hotline, hear one listener's tip for covering your framing.

Unlock three free bonus episodes!

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Sales Sets

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

Festive & Flair Lighted Marquee Tutorial | @festiveandflair

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