We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Aleah Farb a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Aleah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
Starting Sugar + Bubbles Co. has been the biggest risk I’ve taken in life so far, and I can guarantee that it’s not the last. It is a scary thought to think about leaving the arms of comfortability and job security with a normal 9-5 career, but eventually I got to a point where the idea of staying stagnant and not doing something creative was an even greater fear. The funny thing is, as soon as you accept your fears and no longer let them rule you, you discover that it doesn’t break you and instead your world opens up. You just have to learn to dance a different way.
As a business owner, you constantly have to be willing to pivot and be flexible because your business becomes a living, breathing entity that is constant and dynamic. Sometimes what you set your heart on as an owner turns out to not be what the customer wants, and you have to be willing to set aside your desires to deliver on what your clients are looking for and what trends are happening now.
One of my biggest check-in points that I’m constantly asking myself is “does this idea or job intimidate me?” and then I ask, “is it possible?”. 99.9% of the time, the answer to both of those questions is Yes. I always want to move toward what makes me initially nervous, because that is where growth happens. I wouldn’t be where I am today without accepting the opportunities for growth and challenging myself to overcome.
We shouldn’t be focused on the fear or how scary it is to take a risk. Rather, we should focus on climbing to the height that’s high enough for us to fly.
Aleah, 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?
Sugar + Bubbles Co. got its name as there are two distinct parts of the business. There’s the large-scale balloon decor side, the “bubbles”, and there’s the luxury picnics and sweets tables side, the “sugar”. Though don’t get me wrong, I love to bring together both sides of S+B Co. to create a truly stunning event, but I find most clients want one or the other.
I found out I had a talent for balloon decor quite by accident. I was helping a cousin of mine with her prom many years back and she had a friend who had some experience with balloons. The friend of hers showed us some simple tricks like how to tie a cluster together and how to link them up and I was blown away at how balloons didn’t need to look like a tacky thing in the corner of a room. They can give grand entrances, set the tone and the stage for the event by creating drama and anticipation as people are entering. They truly are such a “wow” factor. On the “sugar” side of things, I’ve always had an eye for design when it came to dessert tables and was the “go-to-gal” at family gatherings for putting a display together. Though, it wasn’t until after I completed a candy buffet table for a corporate Halloween event a few years ago that I began thinking of offering these services as so many people kept asking for my business card from that display. And I’m so glad I did because nothing goes better than sweets and balloons for parties!
Our luxury picnics are a relatively new offering and something very near and dear to my heart. I lost my grandmother, whom I was extremely close to, in 2023 and she was always putting tea parties together for us and close family friends. It was such a special and intimate gathering of loved ones, and I have so many wonderful memories of those afternoons. When she passed, I wanted to continue her legacy and keep creating beautiful spaces for not only my family and friends to come together in this special way, but to bring this to other people so they can make their own fabulous memories. There are so many reasons in life to get together with the people who matter most, so why not do so while enjoying delicious bites and being surrounded by opulence?
Sugar + Bubbles Co. is here to take away some of the stress in planning an event. I know, as most of us do, how extremely difficult it is to be the event host, planner, organizer, and day of coordinator – it’s an impossible job for a single person. S+B Co. takes on your vision for a dream picnic, stunning balloon decor, or a drool worthy dessert table and allows you to breathe a sigh of relief. We take each client’s inspiration, create a plan approved by the client, and deliver a jaw dropping display every time. Along the way, we send check-ins to our clients at various points to provide a quick update and make sure that the original plans for the event are moving forward. S+B Co. also collaborates with other vendors for your event which we view as something that is absolutely essential; especially for any large-scale celebration such as a wedding or large corporate event. This means we’re confirming details such as colors, fabrics, label fonts, etc. with the planner, the florist, the stationer, and any other vendor who is playing a vital role in your event’s design. This way we can ensure continuity and seamless, breathtaking decor.
It’s in these collaborations that I am most proud of with Sugar + Bubbles Co. The partnerships that we’ve created with local artisans who are the experts in their own industries is such an important aspect of what we do. One of the main pillars of Sugar + Bubbles Co. is Community. And this, for me, is to bring other small businesses up as Sugar + Bubbles Co. grows so we can be stronger together, reach more people, and provide the absolute best in quality and experience for our clients. This pillar of community is especially evident in S+B Co.’s luxury picnics and sweets tables as I source all of my desserts, charcuterie boards, and other yummy bites from locally owned small businesses who are masters at their craft. All of the businesses I partner with are personally vetted by me and guaranteed to blow our clients away in flavor and quality.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I’ve really had to work at unlearning that I can’t just buy inventory because I personally like it or think it’s beautiful. In running a business, it’s not about me but rather what the client wants for their event. So, I’ve had to teach myself to stop getting excited over things I see while shopping and wait until I know the client’s aesthetic. This is so hard to do because in shopping for other specific event decor it’s very easy to get caught up in other items that I come across and start dreaming up really amazing decor plans for an event that doesn’t exist. I think most business owners in the event industry have to overcome this in some way as we gravitated to this industry because of our love for creating beautiful things. Now, I’ve learned to take these as inspiration opportunities and bring a notepad and paper with me on shopping trips so I can sketch and write out these plans instead of buying them. This way, when the right client comes along with a similar vision, I can come to the table with these suggestions.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
I started Sugar + Bubbles Co. with no business loans or external capital. I used my personal financial reserves and credit to buy the items I needed to get started. I then started posting pictures of the balloon decor I was making and leaned heavily into networking. I know using my own money to start S+B Co. rather than getting a loan or a grant is controversial, and some may vehemently disagree on this strategy, but it’s what worked best for me and my family.
The initial capital required to start didn’t feel so large at the time, but just like renovating a house I should have planned for triple the estimated cost. There were so many unseen challenges in those first 6 months that my husband and I had to work hard to meet and overcome. We continued to work our day jobs and most of our left-over money after paying bills went back into the business. I was also fortunate enough to have received an investment from an angel investor to help reduce business related debt and free up funds to inject back into the business.
Raising a business definitely takes a lot and can take a toll on relationships as well as finances, but I’m grateful to the support I have in my husband and the entrepreneurial spirit I grew up with to have learned at a young age that “opportunities come dressed in overalls and look an awful lot like hard work”.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sugarandbubblesco.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sugar.and.bubblesco/profilecard/?igsh=MTVzYWhkYnhocmhiaA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/16C4wXXSZW/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Image Credits
Kelly Sloan, Valerie Blake, Jonathan Tung, Shannon Miller, Eva Waltz, Erin Aasland