We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sandy Murad a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Sandy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later?

I started my business in 2020 during COVID, at a time when my life looked completely different. I was working two emotionally heavy roles as a CYW with the TDSB supporting special-needs youth, and at 360° Kids through the Hope Program. My entire career was rooted in compassion and service, and that part of me never changed. I still work as a CYW today for the TDSB. I never left my full-time job because I genuinely love what I do.

My shift into entrepreneurship wasn’t something I planned. I made a balloon garland for a friend truly the ugliest one ever and somehow that imperfect beginning became the spark. My close friend told her friend, “Sandy does décor,” and suddenly I had my first real client. She asked me for things I had never done before, but something in me said, “Say yes. You’ll figure it out.” And I did. I spent the next two weeks teaching myself everything from scratch. That moment showed me that courage can come long before confidence.

Transitioning from youth work into entrepreneurship felt like stepping into a completely different world. There are similarities like empathy, patience, problem-solving but the differences were huge. In business, you’re suddenly the decision-maker, the marketer, the accountant, the creative director, and the problem-solver all at once. I had no business background, and there were many moments where I doubted myself or wondered if I belonged in this space.

But community made all the difference. My friends who were already business owners poured so much knowledge into me, and connecting with other creative designers helped me grow faster than I ever expected. Along the way, I realized I didn’t have to choose between who I was and who I was becoming. I could merge them. The patience, emotional understanding, and grounded presence I developed as a CYW became the foundation of my business. I reassure clients, guide them through stressful moments, and hold space for their vision the same way I hold space for the youth I support. That human-centered approach became my biggest strength.

If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t start sooner or later. I truly believe I started at the perfect moment. Any earlier, fear might have held me back. The only thing I wish I had more of in the beginning was business knowledge, but even that became part of the journey. Every challenge taught me something I needed to learn.

Looking back, the timing unfolded exactly the way it was meant to.

Sandy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Sandy, and I’m the founder of Ellevate Decor Inc., a Toronto-based event design company specializing in balloon décor, luxury backdrops, faux floral installations, and full event styling. My journey into this industry was completely unplanned. In 2020, during COVID, I made a balloon garland for a friend truly the ugliest one ever and from that moment, someone casually said, “Sandy does décor.” That simple sentence opened a door I didn’t even know existed for me. Looking back, I know God used that moment to guide me into a new chapter of my life.

Before and even now I worked full-time as a CYW with the TDSB supporting special-needs youth. I never left that job because I genuinely love it. My background in youth work shaped everything about the way I run my business. Patience, empathy, problem-solving, emotional understanding all of those qualities became the foundation of Ellevate Decor. I don’t separate who I am from what I do. Whether I’m supporting a student in the classroom or working with a client who’s feeling overwhelmed before their engagement or baby shower, I show up with the same heart, the same calmness, and the same compassion.

Ellevate Decor now offers a wide range of services including balloon garlands, backdrop designs, floral installations, baby showers, engagements, corporate events, kids’ parties, and full event styling. I also teach a hands-on balloon course that includes not only the creative skills but also the business side contracts, pricing, branding, and how to build a sustainable décor company. I created this course because I remember how difficult it was to learn everything alone. Teaching other aspiring decorators has become one of the biggest blessings of my journey.

This year, I celebrated five years in business, and although it sounds cliché, I’m truly proud of what I’ve built. From where I started to where I am now, it feels surreal sometimes. I’m grateful that I took that leap of faith in 2020, because God has continuously shown me how far I can go when I trust His timing. It means so much to know that people choose me to create the designs for their special and intimate moments. My work becomes part of their memories and milestones that’s something I’ll never take for granted.

The main problem I solve for clients is stress. Events can be overwhelming, emotional, and high-pressure. People want someone who truly listens, understands their vision, reassures them, and shows up with professionalism and heart. What sets me apart is my human-centered approach, a mix of my CYW background and my faith. Clients constantly tell me that my calming energy and presence make the process easier. That isn’t something I take credit for alone; that’s God working through me.

I’m proud of the community that has formed around Ellevate Decor, the clients who trust me, the creatives who poured knowledge into me, and the students who learned from me and built their own businesses. Balancing a full-time CYW career while growing a successful décor company hasn’t been easy, but it’s been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life.

What I want people to know about me and my brand is simple:
I truly care. Your event is not “just another booking.” I treat every project with attention, intention, and the same love I would give to my own family. Ellevate Decor is built on compassion, creativity, and faith and a belief that transforming a space can transform a moment.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn and one that shaped me both personally and professionally was believing I had to do everything on my own. In the beginning, I felt this pressure to prove myself. I wanted to show that I could manage every booking, every challenge, every detail without needing help. Coming from the youth work field, where you often feel responsible for holding everything together, that mindset naturally followed me into entrepreneurship.

But balancing a full-time CYW job while learning the business side, designing, sourcing, installing, and communicating with clients became a lot. I was pouring so much of myself into both roles without realizing how heavy it all was.

There came a point where I realized I was stretching myself too thin. I was grateful for every opportunity, but I could feel how much I was carrying on my own. Once I allowed myself to receive help, everything shifted. Friends in business shared guidance. Other designers poured knowledge into me. My family and friends supported me in ways I didn’t even know I needed, from helping with setups to doing pickups and deliveries when I was overwhelmed.

Unlearning the “do it all alone” mentality made me a better business owner. Accepting help didn’t make me any less capable, it gave me room to grow, breathe, and create. It reminded me that faith isn’t just about trusting God with big leaps, but also trusting the support He sends along the way.

Now, I run my business knowing that community, humility, and collaboration are strengths, not signs of weakness. That realization changed everything for me.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

When I first started my creative journey, I really wish there had been a clear list of reliable industry resources. I had no idea where to buy quality florals, which balloon vendors were worth investing in, where to source backdrops, or which business tools decorators actually use day-to-day. There wasn’t a guidebook or a centralized place to learn any of that everything was trial and error.

I spent a lot of time researching, testing different suppliers, and figuring out what worked and what didn’t. Looking back, having access to a simple, well-organized list of vendors and business resources like florals, balloons, backdrops, materials, contracts, pricing tools would have saved me so much time and unnecessary stress in the beginning.

Because of that experience, I now include these resources in the balloon course I teach. I wanted to create the kind of support I wish I had when I started, something that gives new decorators clarity, structure, and confidence instead of feeling overwhelmed or lost. Sharing those resources has become one of the most meaningful parts of teaching, because I know firsthand how hard it is to build everything from scratch.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: ellevate.decor
• Other: TIK TOK : Ellevate.decor

  email: Ellevatedecorinc@gmail.com