The Bright Balloon Bright Balloon Book Club

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
‬Balloon Boss Mastermind & Summit  
PremiumConwin
2024 Bright Balloon Business Planner 
ALOFT (save $10 with code BRIGHT)
The Balloon Guild (save 20% with code WeLoveSara20) 
Ep. 80 - Profit First Revisited with Elizabeth Fiore
Strategy Call with Elizabeth 
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A big thank you to my friend Ashley of Pink Flamingo Party Co. who came on the show for this episode all about the ins and outs of retail. This is something I know almost nothing about, so it was really insightful to get more details about not just retail, but also staffing, training and adding inventory. We will also hear how she fought the proposed balloon ban that happened in her state!
The Pink Flamingo Party Co. started as a luxury retail shop and transitioned into offering DIY kits before also becoming event decorators. Ashley tells us how she finds and selects their stock, manages staff to cover both the store and the installation jobs, then offers some considerations for those thinking about opening their own retail shop. 
As we transition into chatting about hiring and the positions she has on her team, you'll hear how it's been a learning experience for her, what kinds of things she makes staffing decisions on and her approach towards non-compete agreements. 
Then, don't miss her story about what it was like to have the threat of a balloon ban in her state! You'll hear the specific actions she took and how she made her case to keep the industry alive in her local area.
Plus in the UGlu Hotline, we've got another reminder to build community over competition. 
 
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
‬Balloon Boss Mastermind & Summit  
PremiumConwin 
2024 Bright Balloon Business Planner 
ALOFT (save $10 with code BRIGHT)
The Balloon Guild (save 20% with code WeLoveSara20) 
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Join the book club 
50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list 
courses | templates | planner 
@thebrightballoon 
The Bright Balloon on YouTube

Today I'm talking about how I used my updated product photos to update my websiet, but in the process I remade my entire site! This tip saved me so much time and money and gave my website a total face lift!

Today I'm sharing with you a change that I never thought I would make in my business! I'm increasing the number of times I make contact with my customers, and I'll tell you how... what led to this decision... and why I think it's going to change my business.
If you've been listening for a while you know that I am all about efficiency, so the idea of getting on the phone with more customers is a bit unusual for me. However, I'm feeling like bad customer service is almost everywhere you turn lately, so I want to be a refreshing surprise of great customer service when people contact me!
One thing that has hugely helped free up some time and energy to do this is having a virtual assistant handle much of the sales for me. It's amazing, but does have me wanting to make my own connection with the customer before arriving at the event. I'll share with you exactly when and how I'm starting to do this, plus the other unexpected benefits that have come up since implementing these new touch points.
They include:
a phone call after each new booking a text before delivery confirming colors before inflation a casual call before the event that includes a possible upsell I'm also modifying a couple of touch points that I already had in place: the thank you after the event and the follow-up to rebook.
Listen in to hear the specifics of what I'm doing and saying, and what inspired me to make these upgrades to my customer experience so that I can stand out by providing unparalleled customer service!
From the UGlu Hotline, we get a tip about how to get quality balloons in a pinch for those last-minute parties.
 
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
‬Balloon Boss Mastermind & Summit  
PremiumConwin 
2024 Bright Balloon Business Planner 
ALOFT (save $10 with code BRIGHT)
The Balloon Guild (save 20% with code WeLoveSara20) 
- - - -
Join the book club 
50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list 
courses | templates | planner 
@thebrightballoon 
The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

This episode is a little different because I'm chatting with someone who works for a balloon company... but not the owner. Heather, who supports Tiffany at the Confetti Castle, comes on the show to give us some tips about keeping your assistants and employees happy while best utilizing their skills.
We'll hear about the range of administrative duties she takes care of on any given day, and how doing some hands-on work first helped her feel comfortable with taking on more responsibility for Confetti Castle.
When we move on to talk about what motivates her as an employee, we chat about the balance and boundaries needed when working with close friends... and how they can shift over time. Then Heather shares the types of things, which aren't necessarily money-related, that keep her happy in her role.
Finally, we get some good tips for exactly how to start with the idea of hiring an assistant, including:
creating a list of tasks you want to offload sharing the list in the interview process sharing information and access releasing control I hope this episode helps you gain some clarity and confidence in the idea of hiring some help if you know you need it!
Then in the UGlu Hotline, there's a nice tip for utilizing rubber bands in our installations.
 
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
‬Balloon Boss Mastermind & Summit  
PremiumConwin 
2024 Bright Balloon Business Planner 
ALOFT (save $10 with code BRIGHT)
The Balloon Guild (save 20% with code WeLoveSara20) 
- - - -
Join the book club 
50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list 
courses | templates | planner 
@thebrightballoon 
The Bright Balloon on YouTube 

I completed my product photoshoot and I'm sharing what I got right, and where I went wrong.