Balloon Garden

This blog has been silent for far too long. While I’ve had many thoughts and topics I could have written about, one thing has been dominating my time for the last couple of months. I can finally announce the project: Balloon Garden.

I have worked with the Home Builders Association of St Louis for many years providing balloon entertainment at the St Charles Home Show. They have enjoyed the balloon creations and my interaction with the audience. I had proposed the possibility of entertaining at the St Louis Home & Garden Show at America’s Center. They wanted something different.

We started discussing balloon flowers and having large balloon sculptures at the show. From these discussions came an idea that excited everyone involved: Balloon Garden. What started as an idea of a small corner booth with some balloon flower bouquets quickly blossomed into a six-hundred square foot space filled with flowers, plants and everything you’d expect to see in a garden. And the entire garden will be made from balloons! The show organizers were thrilled with the concept and with of having one of the largest balloon installations every constructed in St. Louis at their Home and Garden Show.

Once the idea was accepted, the work began. Before the first balloon could be inflated, I had to put concepts to paper and prove that the whole thing could work. Not only did I have to convince the client, but I had to convince myself that what I knew was possible could actually be done.

I started sketching schemes and brainstorming plans. I wanted to fill six-hundred square feet with as much as I could. Certainly, balloon flowers would be everywhere. After all, this is the St. Louis Home & Garden Show. It will be February and attendees will be searching for early signs of Spring! But a bunch of balloon flowers would not be enough. I wanted Balloon Garden to fit with the other projects that would surround it. What do people think of when they picture the garden of their dreams? A wishing well. A fish pond. A decorative fountain. Ornamental landscaping. I would need to include all this and more.

Balloon Garden will be constructed during the early days of the St. Louis Home & Garden Show, (Feb 25-28, 2010), and will be open for tours on the last two days. The idea is to allow attendees view the construction process and to interact with the balloon artists. This is not an original concept on my part, but one that I am stealing from a good friend. I didn’t want Balloon Garden to simply be a static display of flowers. This will a space situated in the middle of the convention floor surrounded by a walkway on all four sides. Attendees will be able to not only watch the balloon-making but also be up close to the sculptures. During the tour hours, visitors will be engulfed by Balloon Garden.

As plans and details evolve, I will continue to promote the project. Thanks to social networking, I can reach many people, both ballooners and normal persons. I’m very excited by this project. And while it has taken over most of my time and thought process, I am most looking forward to inflating that first balloon.

Thad James
SAMMY J Ballon Creations
www.sammyjballoons.com

Balloon Holiday Season

What happened to October? Fall festivals, trade shows, birthdays, company events and so many Halloween parties!!! I’ve put away the ghosts and ghouls, finished making vampires and spiders and properly disposed of the rapidly decaying jack-o-lanterns. I’m still recovering from the sugar high off all the chocolate, marshmallows and nougat. (If only I knew what nougat was…)

As soon as I lose the Trick-or-Treat weight; I’ll be ready for turkey, stuffing, potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce. And of course: Pie.

But enough about my food obsession.

The holidays are a great time for balloon artists. And the holiday season for balloons lasts all year long. Every month there are plenty of things to celebrate and balloons can be made to fit the occasion.

Some great holiday opportunities for balloon creations:

January
Paul Revere’s birthday - horse and rider, church tower with lanterns, revolutionary flag
Benjamin Franklin’s birthday – kite being struck by lightning, $100 bill

February
Sub-planet Pluto discovered – build a solar system and discuss how Pluto was de-certified as a planet.
Mardi Gras – anything and everything in Purple, Green and Gold. The possibilities are endless

March
Dr. Suess’s birthday – a red and white top hat or a red fish and a blue fish
First Day of Spring – flowers, birds, more flowers, sun

April
Jazz Appreciation Month – trumpet, saxophone, trombone
Earth Day – Earth imprinted rounds used in centerpieces or hats or column toppers

May
Cinco de Mayo – all things green, white and red
Hillary and Norgay first to climb Everest – what a about a large, white-capped mountain?

June
Summer Solstice – Bouquet deliveries to your favorite Wiccan or Druid
Luzo-Brazilian Month – Celebrate the Brazilian/Portuguese cultures in your area


You get the idea.

I enjoy showing customers the possibility of balloon sculptures. I look for different ways to incorporate my love of balloons with special occasions that are not well known. It is a great way to expose customers to less well known celebrations as well as expand their thinking of what can be done with balloons.

Best of all; nobody in my neighborhood has ever seen a 13-foot tall Frankenstein!


Thad James

SAMMY J Balloon Creations

http://www.sammyjballoons.com/

“Balloon entertainment with a twist”

A DAY OFF

Last week, I saw my neighbor as we each let our respective dogs out for their respective business.

“Morning!”, he yelled.
“Morning”, I returned.
“You got any jobs today?” (He knows all too well about my balloon entertainment business. His kids get huge sculptures on their birthdays. And his association hires me for their annual tradeshow.)
“No, I don’t have any bookings today.”
“Yea, I took the day off too. Great to have a three-day weekend, isn’t it?”
“Sure.”

I thought about that for a while; a three-day weekend? I’ve got bookings Friday night, all day Saturday and most of Sunday. I’ve got to prep for the weekend’s jobs, send out contracts for future jobs, proposals to write to potential clients, emails to send to the people I met at the last networking event, signed contracts to log into the database, expense receipts to update in Quickbooks, revise my website, return phone messages. Plus, I wanted to work on three or four balloon designs that have been bouncing around my head.

A balloon decorator friend and I were discussing our backward lives. She made the observation that we are the only people who look forward to Mondays. Odd as that may sound to people in the “cubicle world”, Mondays are usually a day of rest after several days of driving, inflating, tying, twisting, setting up, breaking down, following Mapquest directions, entertaining audiences and dealing with clients. Who knew having so much fun could be so exhausting.

While our clients and customers see us making balloons and making people happy, nobody sees the ugly behind-the-scenes work that goes into making those beautiful balloons. This is true of most event-oriented businesses. We work hard so others can enjoy their happy occasions.

JAZZ AND BALLOONS

I look forward to the Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival every September. I have performed at the festival for eight consecutive years. While I don’t play sax or sing, I’m proud to be a featured artist. While, I don’t occupy space on the main stage; I always have an enthusiastic audience.

As a fan of jazz music, this is a great day for me. I get to make wonderful balloons, entertain my audience and listen to some fantastic music. The bands included the Dogtown Allstars, the Soulard Blues Band, the St Louis Jazz & Blues Revue and the Funky Butt Brass Band. While I didn't get to hear the Funky Butt Brass Band, Michael "Tunes" Brooks says their great. And that's good enough for me.

My own performance was interrupted several times by self-imposed “dance breaks” whenever the music moved me. Of course the crowd didn’t mind as they were usually tapping or snapping or head-bobbing to the beat anyway. Everyone was enjoying the great music and the cool vibe that moved through the air.

The Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival was founded in 2001 to promote music and culture in the Old Webster Groves Historic District. The festival has been a HUGE success over the years. The event started with a stage at the end of a street and four bands. Every year the festival has grown and now includes two stages on different streets, a kid’s area, food vendors, a jazz clinic, eleven bands and hundreds of music fans. By the late afternoon, the streets are full of folding chairs and blankets and families from miles around.

The organizers hire me to arrive early so I can get a good spot. Far enough from the stage to be able to entertain but close enough to hear every note. I get to listen to classics from the golden age of jazz, the funky rhythms of new age, the big bands, the sultry vocals, the percussion, the fat sax, the brassy horns.

This year, a light rain began to fall in the afternoon. Did the crowd scatter? Did the audience thin out? Not a chance. It was quite a sight seeing the umbrellas pop-up and start swaying to the beat.

Major congrats to the committee: Joe Rath, Jennifer Bellm, Dawn DeBlaze, Mary Chambers, and Katy Sommer. Of course, the biggest thanks to the hardest worker of all: Matt.

See you next year!


Thad James
SAMMY J Balloon Creations
www.sammyjballoons.com
“Balloon entertainment with a twist”

FOR APPEARANCE SAKE

A networking group I belong to holds a meeting for new members. This orientation is to inform them on the benefits of the group, the networking opportunities and the ways to benefit the member’s company by attending meetings. Because I’ve been an active member for many years, I am asked to speak to the new members about networking.

Before the orientation began, I was introducing myself to new faces in the crowd. The makeup of the group was typical; insurance rep, remodeling guy, banking woman, etc. A wide variety of business types. And a variety of business dress. The main presenter is a financial advisor and always wears a suit. The banking woman wore a jacket and skirt. I typically wear nice pants and a logo-embroidered polo shirt.

As I was talking to a couple of people, a woman walked in the room. She approached our group and made her introductions. She is the area representative for a well-known cosmetics company, (I don’t mention the name of the company for good reason). The woman was dressed in baggy gym shorts, a wrinkled and stained T-shirt and cheap flip-flops. Here she was, attending a networking meeting full of potential customers wearing clothes suitable for hanging around the house.

More importantly, we didn’t just represent potential customers; we are her referral agents. The number one marketing use of networking groups is the “I know someone” aspect. The people you meet may be your future clients. But they talk to their customers and when the topic of your business comes up, you should be their first thought.

I know this works. I am the only balloon entertainer in my networking group. I am the BALLOON GUY! All other ballooners in my market are compared to me for people in my group. When the topics of “balloons” or “entertainment” or “balloon dress emails” are mentioned, my fellow members (over 450 of them) think of me first. That’s 450 business people talking to thousands of their customers with me on their mind. Now that’s marketing power.

But that’s not the topic of the day.

The first impression of the cosmetics lady was: gym shorts and T-shirt. It was difficult to listen to anything she had to say after that. She was very knowledgeable about the long history of her company. She was enthusiastic about her involvement with the company. She was proud to be a representative. My attention was drawn to that wrinkled, stained shirt.

No, I don’t wear a suit and tie when I attend networking events. I’m not in a “suit and tie” business. (I only own a couple of jackets and a few ties!) And I can usually be found in lounge-wear while I’m writing or practicing my stage acts. That’s in my home-office. But we were in a room a business people. I don’t wear my “entertainer outfits” when I attend business meetings. Those clothes are for performances. The remolding guy didn’t wear his tool belt. The doctor didn’t bring is sphygmomanometer. And the karate guy wasn’t wearing his Gi and Obi.

I have worked very hard to be known as “The Balloon Guy” in my networking groups. I am educated about balloon events, trends, conventions. I can build the most amazing balloon sculptures. And yes, I know most of the artists in those balloon-dress emails.

More importantly, I am a business person. I dress professionally when I’m at meetings. I can speak to issues affecting small companies. I address micro-business marketing ideas. I discuss articles from the recent business magazine. That gives me the respect of being a serious business person.

The cosmetics lady may attend other meetings and she may wear more appropriate clothes. It will take a long time before people forget her shorts and shirt first appearance.

So how do you present yourself? Is your appearance appropriate to the event? Do you wear a tuxedo to a bar-b-que pool party? Do you wear a tropical print shirt to a funeral? (I got to do this for a parrot-head friend as his last request. He would have smiled at the entire crowd in outrageous attire.)

We in the entertainment industry need to advance the idea that we are fun. Just make sure you dress the part.


Thad James
SAMMY J Balloon Creations
www.sammyjballoons.com
“Balloon entertainment with a twist”

So I met this guy....

I had the opportunity to hear Scott speak. Who is Scott? He is “The Nametag Guy”. You know those sticky name tags you get at meetings that you write your name on so people can say your name when they talk to you? Most of us can’t wait to rip off that nametag and throw it away as soon as we leave the meeting.

Well, Scott left a meeting with his nametag on and realized that people were friendlier with their nametags on. People were more approachable with their nametags on. So he didn’t take his off. That was over 3,200 days ago. Scott has been wearing a handwritten nametag ever since. Scott wears a nametag every day, everywhere and for every occasion. He wears one on his jacket, another one under his jacket on his shirt and another one under his shirt that he never takes off. (Nice tat!) This gets him noticed. This makes him unique.

But Scott is more than just a nametag.

He has spoken to thousands of people at hundreds of companies about dozens of topics. He has written countless articles on ways to increase sales, build better customers, out-perform your competition, and attract more business. Scott has a daily blog. He has written multiple books. He Tweets.

But you can learn about all this on his website, http://www.hellomynameisscott.com/.
Or on his blog, http://www.hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/
Or listen to his podcast. Or watch his YouTube videos. Or visit his MySpace page. Or his Squidoo page.

Is there anyplace this guy isn’t? Well, no. And that’s one of his main points (and he has a lot of great points). If you’re everywhere, there is no room for your competition to be anywhere. If everyone is visiting your website, they’re not viewing someone else’s. If everyone is reading your blog, they’re not looking at anybody else’s. If everyone is wondering what you will do next, they’re not thinking about your competition.

If you have the unique angle on your business, great. But if nobody knows about it, so what? You have to be noticed and you have to let people know that you’re being noticed. And being noticed by people means being in front of people. Networking works. Period. Scott stresses this in many of his writings. And he proves it by speaking to groups, being interviewed on TV, newspaper articles, magazine covers. He gets people talking about what he’s talking about.

Hey, that’s what this article is about! You’re reading about me noticing Scott!!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get the word out about how exceptional I am.

Thad James
SAMMY J Balloon Creations
http://www.sammyjballoons.com/
Balloon entertainment with a twist

A New Cake Every Week

A local restaurant, Maggie’s Lunchbox, hired me to make a balloon cake to promote their customized event cakes. The owner wanted something unique that would start a conversation about their offerings. Not only did they get a lot of interest in their baked goods, but I’ve received many compliments on my creations.

The first sculpture was so popular that the restaurant wants a different cake every week. The only criterion is that the sculptures be eye-catching and distinctive. I’m thrilled by the challenge of creating a new and unique design for them every Monday. I’ve already got weeks of ideas in my head. Colors and designs and shapes and weaves…..

More importantly, I’ve already received a couple of bookings from the sculptures.

So, what marketing plan did I put in to place to obtain this steady gig? Postcards? cold-calling? Coupons? Door-to-door offers? No. It would have been difficult to walk in to a breakfast/lunch restaurant and sell them on the idea of balloons. This never would have turned into a weekly “restaurant gig”. They’re not open for dinner, they get very few families and they don’t offer a kid’s menu. And since they just recently opened, they’ve had dozens of sales reps come in the door with great “marketing ideas” and “advertising opportunities”.

So how did I get me foot in the door?

I met the owner at a networking event hosted by the local Chamber of Commerce. I’ve been a member for several years and I got in the habit of bringing a different sculpture to every meeting, (read the July 1 blog). The event was a picnic and I created a hamburger and french fries on a plate. We began talking about the range of balloon sculptures and hatched the idea of promoting their custom event cakes using balloon cakes. They get business from customers asking about the balloons and I get business from people eating at the restaurant.

A win-win.

I can’t stress the importance of showing people what I do. I can explain balloon sculpture to them all I want, but nothing beats seeing something never seen before. But more importantly, I got a steady job by thinking differently about balloon art and getting a client to see the potential of increasing her profit.

If you’re in the area, stop by and see this week’s balloon dessert:

Maggie’s Lunchbox
867 Horan Dr
Fenton MO 63026

Let Kari or Ben know how much you like the balloons. And have one of Ben’s fresh baked cookies. You deserve it.


Thad James
SAMMY J Balloon Creations
“Balloon entertainment with a twist!”

Motorcycle Dude

This Motorcycle Dude was created for a Fenton Area Chamber of Commerce Member Luncheon as an attendence prize. So many people asked about it, I thought I answer some of the questions.

How did you come up with the idea?
Like so many things, inspiration comes from many sources. I have a facsination with motorcycles, so I like playing with diffferent designs. Many elements were lifted from the DVDs of Stretch the Balloon Dude. The "rider" was taught by Ralph Dewey for his motorcycle. I made some minor adjustments.

How many balloons did you use?

That's the question all Balloon Twisters get. I never keep track. Suppose I should. About thirty balloons total.

How long did it take?

A little over two hours because I was designing as I built it. There's always a process of trial and error. If I made it again it would take about an hour and fifteen minutes.

The motorcycle is three-feet long and over twenty-eight inches tall to the top of the rider. The frame is made mostly of 360's, the rider's body is 260's and the rear wheel is a 16" Geo. The gastank is a gold Link-O-Loon. The rider's head is two 6" blush hearts for the head and chin. The cheeks and nose are a 360 with a pinch twist in the back of the head to hold everything in place. The eyebrows are made from a 160 that also acts as the neck. The shirt and pants are made with a two-balloon flat weave.

I always enjoy creating new designs. Its one of the best parts of my business.

Thad James

SAMMY J Balloon Creations

http://www.sammyjballoons.com/

A great day at the fair!

I had a wonderful time at the Jefferson County Fair today. This is the fourth year that SAMMY J Balloon Creations has been invited to entertain on Kid's Day at the fair. While the entertainment budget was cut, the organizer was determined to keep balloon twisting on the schedule. For the last three years, a national touring magician did two 1-hour shows. This year, a local magician was hired for one 45-minute show. Previously, all the kid games included prizes for all participants. This year the games were just for fun. The only constant is the balloon twister.

This added a little more pressure on me to be the main attraction. There were even more people sitting in the shade of the tent watching the balloon guy have fun with the kids and adults. What a great time! Many fair-goers were happy to see the balloon guy again this year. And I was happy that the organizer understands the positive attraction of my balloon sculptures and entertainment.

Thanks to the staff of the Jefferson County Fairgrounds and the organizers of the Jefferson County Fair. See you next year!


Thad James
SAMMY J Balloon Creations

Giving It Away for Free

A recent discussion about "freebies" allowed me to examine my own policies. Of course, my thinking has changed over the years. Influenced by my experiences and by many wise sages of the balloon world. There seem to be two extreme schools of thought.

On one side: Those that never give away any balloons. Don't work for free for any reason. This would diminish the artist's value, destroy the chance to get paid for future events and plant a seed in people's mind that "balloons are just free".

On the other side: Balloons bring joy to everyone, so everyone should get a balloon. Take balloons with you wherever you go and make something for everyone you meet. This spreads the joy of balloons, expands your potential customer base and is a lot of fun.

I believe most ballooners are somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. But finding a comfortable compromise can be tricky. I have always run my ballooning as a business. Whether, as I first started, I was a part-timer or later when I became a full-time company. I learned from those that came before me to handle the business as a professional. While I don't always have a bag of balloons on my shoulder and I don't sit at the park just making balloons for fun, I have discovered some very strategic ways to promote my business providing "free samples".

When I first joined my Chamber of Commerce, I didn't have a lot of money for advertisements or sponsorships. But each meeting/luncheon/event offered the opportunity for promotion. The Chamber had a table that allowed members to display business cards, flyers or coupons. I brought a balloon sculpture with a stack of business cards. I spent the entire meeting talking about balloons, twisting, entertaining and the services I offered. At the end of the meeting, I offered the sculpture to be given away as an attendance prize. To this day, my sculptures are highly sought after prizes, discussed for months afterward and have brought be a significant amount of business.
I have created a buzz about my business with a unique "freebie". Nobody is discussing the coupons from the local pizzeria. They make take one, but people are not pointing at the pizza guy and saying "That's the guy who makes pizza". The insurance agent gives away an umbrella at every monthly membership luncheon. It may be a good way to promote the agency but next month nobody will talk about who won the umbrella. Many people will discuss who took home the giant balloon penguin family sculpture.

Connie Iden-Monds, one of the smartest business minds period, offered an excellent promotional idea a few years ago at Twist & Shout. She talked about using her non-balloon corporate friends as marketing tools. She would call several contacts at large offices and told them she would be delivering large balloons sculptures to their offices on a certain day. She asked her friends to leave the sculpture at the reception desk for as long a possible. A stack of business cards accompanied each sculpture. Once the friend picked up the sculpture, they were asked to place it somewhere very conspicuous: lunchroom, meeting room, coffee machine or just leave it at the front desk. Somewhere that a lot of co-workers and customers would see it. Of course, the business cards stayed with the sculpture. The deliveries were made early in the morning for the most impact.

I will always support organizations that are important to me. Some people write donations. My donation is one of time and talent. I offer the most unique of support: balloon entertainment. The organization gets extraordinary balloon creations for their event. I get to know that I supported a great non-profit. The added benefit of promoting my business is a bonus. Potential customers get to see me in action and they know I have a heart by supporting the same group that they do.

Of course, I must balance the "non-profit" work with the "profit" work. I get two or three calls a week asking for my "support" or a "donation of time" for a "really good cause". I don't doubt they have a good cause, I can't donate to all of them. Even if it would mean "excellent exposure" and an "opportunity to give away my cards". (These are commonly used words used by non-profit event organizers) I don't blame them for trying. Their job is to call anybody and everybody who will help make their event a success.

This is a business and the bills can't be paid with balloon sculptures. Or can they? Maybe I should try to send the electric company a woven bucket truck next to a utility pole....



Thad James
SAMMY J Balloon Creations

My Biggest Influences

A couple weeks ago, I was meeting with a potential client discussing their event over lunch. I learned everything about the event and the client's expectations for balloon entertainment. He then asked me about my balloon business. Why did I start? Who were my influences? That go me to thinking about the people and events that have shaped my balloon career.

I started making balloons about ten years ago when I wanted to be the "cool uncle" to my nephew, Cody. I was in a book store when I found "Captain Visual's Big Book of Balloons". This book taught me how to inflate a balloon, how much to inflate, how to tie a knot, how to twist and fold and pinch. It turns out that buying the Big Book of Balloons was the first of many very important events in my first decade of balloon entertainment.

The single most important and longest lasting influence has been Balloon HQ. This website was launch by Larry Moss, (more on him later), as a way to bring together balloon artists from around the world using a relatively new invention: the Internet. I read BHQ multiple times every day. I enjoy the pictures and the comments and the articles. Visit the website to be blown away! Through Balloon HQ, I discovered many people and events that have continued to inspire me over the years.

Ken Stillman - The first famous balloon twister I ever met. He is the nicest person in the world and has invented some of the greatest balloon techniques ever, not the least of which is the Hitchhiker Hat. Ken's original works include the 7-Stem Balloon Bouquet, Hitchhiker Hats, Cartoon Balloon Encyclopedia, Super Heroes and Fantasy Princesses. Ken's work is not about a single creation but rather a system that incorporates a base design that can be adapted to dozens of possibilities. Ken has always opened my eyes to the possibilities of balloons and entertainment.

Mark Verge - Even though he is Canadian, Mark has influenced the way I see balloon sculptures. He was one of the first artists to use larger balloons. While we were playing with 260's, Mark was building bigger stuff out of 350's. When many people began experimenting with three-inch balloons, Mark was already a master with 646 and 660 sizes. His unique view of the art has inspired me to re-think, re-examine and re-build.

Twist & Shout - My introduction to balloon conventions was the first Twist & Shout in 2000. A couple hundred balloon twisters from around the world crammed into a hotel north of Boston, MA. I don't think I was able to breath for the three days I was there. I attend Twist & Shout every year and I'm never disappointed. I learn about balloons, business, marketing, showmanship, entertaining and I get to reacquaint with some really great friends.

Larry Moss - I am proud to know Larry. One of the most innovative, creative, entertaining, intelligent and awe-inspiring members of the balloon community. If you have inflated a balloon, you owe something to Larry. You can see Larry's skill in the world's largest balloon sculpture, the first piloted flying latex sculpture and the all-balloon larger-than-life Balloon Manor. I am honored and thrilled to be a member of the Balloon Manor crew.

Balloon Manor - Speaking of Balloon Manor; I was a crew member on the very first Balloon Manor in 2004. This experience was the greatest single balloon adventure of my life. We were young! We were inspired! We created from our imaginations! We were wild and crazy! The subsequent Balloon Manors have been fantastic and awesome. The future Balloon Manors will continue to grow and be bigger than previous versions. Of everything I have done and will do with this art form, the first balloon haunted house will always hold a special place in my heart.

John & Johnna Perry - They invited me to my first balloon jam and talked me into entering my first balloon sculpture contest. I WON! (I still have the balloon-print coffee mug.) John and I once worked an event together, side-by-side. It was at that moment that I realized the definition of symbioses. John & Johnna have been fantastic friends, wonderful inspirations, great information sources, excellent roommates, conduits to the famous and owners of cool cars.


Over the years, I have met and worked with many talented artists; Ralph D, David G, Jill S, Randy J, Royal, Pat D, Stretch, Don C, Laura D/C, Suzanne L, Donna W, Bob K, Suzanne H, Brian A, Connie I-M and too many others to list. I have been to conventions, balloon jams, classes and seminars. I have twisted balloons side-by-side with hundreds of twisters. I can safely say that each encounter has added something to my life's repertoire. I appreciate every opportunity to interact with other balloon-mind folk. This community is the most sharing, caring group I can imagine. If I've ever met you: Thanks, you have touched and influenced me. If not, we should get together and twist!



Thad James
SAMMY J Balloon Creations

Micro Business

I've been a member of my local Chamber of Commerce for nearly four years. Meeting representatives from different sized companies and various industries has been very interesting. I've belonged of different committees, worked on various projects and was elected to the Board of Directors. Currently, I'm Second Vice President. Early on, I notice that many businesses didn't fit into the categories of "small, medium, large" companies.

The sponsorship levels were divided by number of employees. The "small" business category was for companies with 50 or fewer employees. I have one employee: ME. Many of my fellow businesses were in the same situation. Five or fewer total employees.

I am a Microbusiness. I fit most of the criteria: Sole proprietorship, less than five employees, service business with little inventory and I started my business out of a love for what I do. There are dozens of definitions for what constitutes a "microbusiness", but there are also dozens of online resources. I can list of few but Google will make this job easier. (Some GREAT resources for microbuisnesses)

Whether we are entertainers, plumbers, massage therapists, dog walkers; microbusiness owners are similar in many ways. Marketing, budgeting, selling, paperwork, correspondence. And of course doing the actual work, which is why we do what we do!

Above all, the entrepreneurial spirit lives in us. We want to answer the questions, solve the problems, invent the ideas and smile with pride at the surceases.

By the way, my Chamber of Commerce created a new sponsorship category for microbuisness members. I am proud to be the first Committed Member!


Thad James
Owner, operator and chief bottle washer
SAMMY J Balloon Creations

A wide and varied weekend

As I prepared for this weekend's work, I realized the Job Sheets included entertaining at a company picnic, decorating for a high school prom and twisting at a trade show booth. Each job requires a completely different mindset, approach, preparation and execution.


While I'm thrilled to be able to handle a variety of events, it has taken years to develop the ability to switch hats for so many different tasks. Each of these clients required different techniques to sell and each has different expectations of my talents.


The company picnic expects a fun-loving, wise-cracking balloon guy who jokes with the employee's children while impressing everyone with great creations. Since this is a re-book event for last few years, the client knows what to expect. The kids look forward to the balloon entertainment every year. I just have to be hilarious, engaging, creative and fun. But only for a few hours.


The trade show client hired me to bring new customers to his booth and entice them to listen to his pitch, take a brochure or even sign up for his service. The client gets the advantage of having a unique draw for his booth that the other exhibitors can't match. I have to not only be entertaining and creative but I have the added benefit of a tangible result: more potential customers drawn to the client's booth without the bottleneck of a long line. I have no doubt I can bring traffic to the booth. I understand the power of the balloon. I had to sell the client on the idea and now I have to deliver. (No problem!)


The high school prom committee contacted me months ago to discuss their prom decorations. This was after they saw my decor for a dinner/auction. They thought the idea of balloons at their prom would be very unique. I met with the committee, emailed bids, received proposals, mailed a contract. The clients (committee) expect the most beautiful, unique ballroom that will inspire memories for a life time. Quite a bit of pressure for a bunch of air-filled bags of latex.


Juggling the different jobs is easy. I have the confidence to entertain the kids, bring in customers and enthrall the prom dates. Managing the different expectations takes a lot of work and finesse. But it makes for a very interesting and tiring weekend.

My first BLOG

So, I'm a little behind the times. I have started this Web Log as a way of cataloging some of my thoughts about my balloon business, some of my balloon jobs, balloon people I know, balloon events I attend and all things balloon in my life.

Some of these postings will be of interest to some people. Other posts will be of little interest to some people. My only promise is that I will always be as honest as possible. The thoughts and ideas I write about will reflect my opinions, my experiences, my reflections. Sometimes I will have a lot to say. Sometimes, very little. I will try to write as often as possible or when circumstances warrant a posting. Who knows; some pictures may be needed to explain a particular concept.

Of course, comments are welcome. (But I won't publish criticisms. I'll read them, but nobody else will...) If you enjoy any of this, let me know. If you don't, that's fine. I'll keep writing as long as I have something to say.

Thad James
SAMMY J Balloon Creations