We recently connected with Lola Tangle and have shared our conversation below.

Lola, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I love being an artist. I couldn’t possibly be anything other than a creative, with or without this creative business. But am I happy?

No. I’m mostly just tired.

I tell myself this is just a season. But the leaves never seem to change all the way here.

I never imagined that having my dream job would also mean I would have so many other jobs. I wasn’t entirely naive; I anticipated quite a few more. BUT NOT THIS MANY.

I routinely work 7 days a week. I’m the creative, yes. But I’m also the boss, the accountant, the mediator. I’m doing payroll, HR, IT, social media, marketing, customer service, inventory. I’m the scheduler, photographer, videographer, web developer, web designer, graphic designer, installer, fabricator, driver, planner.

It’s compounded by the fact that I’ve maintained an additional full time job on top of this for the entirety of the 6 years that I’ve officially been in business. I always fantasized what it would be like to finally quit that job. Not out of hostility or rage, but because I feel so secure in my “own thing” that I was able to hire out all of those jobs I didn’t feel like doing to maintain and grow the business while simultaneously paying myself a healthy salary and I just didn’t need the other job anymore. But, instead, I am being let go from that job that I’ve held for nearly 2 decades and I am not financially ready to make that leap. It doesn’t feel good like I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. It feels like a rug being pulled out from under me. I’d always treated the rug as though it were mine, but it was not. I’ve always known but had somehow dodged the reality that there is no guarantee in even a “regular” job. Not even if you’ve excelled at it. And not even if you’ve been there years and years and used to think you’d either own it all eventually or move on to the next big thing with grace and ease.

So now I’m at a crossroads. On one hand, I can take this opportunity to lean all the way into my business. I wonder if I was able to turn something that started with me alone in my house working into the night…
into someone in my house sitting on the floor inflating balloons with me…
into several people expanding into my dining room and sitting at a table…
into a second sister-company and garage turned warehouse and then…
into a brick and mortar commercial space and then…
into a store and more employees and a six figure business all while working that full time job…
if maybe this extra time would free me up to turn this into a seven-figure business–one where I actually consistently pay myself and not just everyone else. One where I just do one job (or maybe three! I’d take three!) and I have people who do the rest. What if that happened? Would I be happy then?

But on the other hand, what if I took this as a sign–a sign that I tried really hard for 6 years to be everything to everyone but I didn’t quite have what it takes.
And now it’s time to go sit at a desk and stay in my lane.
And take weekends off.
And use all my vacation days.
Leave work at work.
Go to happy hour.
Bring cups (and only cups) to the holiday party.
Sleep at night.
Would that “failure” actually look a whole lot like happiness?

I’m not sure. I know I could never be anything other than a creative at my core, but maybe it doesn’t have to be my job. Or maybe it should be my only job. Or maybe I should get a new job. Or maybe it should be my only job. Or maybe I should get a new job. Or maybe it should be my only job.

Or maybe I should get a new job.

Or maybe it should be my only job.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Lola Tangle and I own Tangled Balloons and Alpha-Lit Annapolis.

My specialty is detail-oriented and creative balloon and marquee installations, with an emphasis on the creativity. My clients don’t come to me because they’ve shopped around and I’m the cheapest. They aren’t looking for basic. They come to me because they want a design that people talk about for years to come and that they’ve never seen anywhere else before. Nothing fuels me quite like seeing a vision come to life.

I am most proud when someone familiar with my work sees it out in the wild and can tell by looking that it’s mine. I want my clients to have that same feeling of pride when my work is at their events. I want people to know that they care about art and creativity and small business and I always hope they get to say, “You’re right it’s a Tangled Balloons original, thank you so much for noticing.”

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Words matter. In regards to art, I wish society could reframe some common talking points.

I see a lot of:
“I’m looking for someone that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.”
“I’m looking for someone reasonably priced.”
“I want someone that doesn’t break the bank.”
“They’re too expensive”

I’ve been clawing my way out of the gutter my whole life so I fully understand a budget, and especially a small one. But how much are your arms and legs worth exactly? What does reasonable mean? To whom? Show me what your bank account looks like and I’ll tell you if I can break it. Give me your login.

What if, instead, when searching out a creative we said things like:
“My budget is $[X] and I’m looking for [this]. What vendors are within my budget?”
“What is the current market rate for [this service]?”
“I’m actually looking for subpar work as that’s what I’m willing to pay for; please send recommendations accordingly.”
“That pricing makes sense for that level of creativity, skill, and service, but I can’t afford it right now.”

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

AI.

I know a lot of creatives will disagree and feel like AI is here to take all of our jobs. I have concerns, sure. But I’m not using AI to make art and (so far) AI can’t make the art I’m making. I’m using AI to do everything else so I can make more art.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tangledballoons.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tangledballoons_lola
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tangledballoons
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lola-tangle/

Image Credits

Jennifer Casey Photography (for lead photo–all others are Lola’s)