We were lucky to catch up with Alexandra Johnson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Alexandra thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

At balloons by Aj, it is our mission to provide exceptional balloon displays and decor. We want to go above and beyond to deliver balloons that elevate and match the decor of any special occasion. Our goal is to show that balloons can be elegant and beautiful outside of just birthday parties.

Alexandra, 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?

For those who don’t know me, my name is Alex Johnson, which is where AJ comes from in Balloons by AJ. I have always loved crafting, enjoyed decorating, and hosting events in our home.
Going on four years now, I have designed my daughters and other family members birthday parties and balloon decor. With time, those designs have gotten better and and my craft improved. After pregnancy with our second child, I decided while home with our little one that I wanted to take a deep dive into my creative space and balloons seemed simple enough for me to get my hands wet. I wasn’t sure how much business I would get or if people would even be interested in my services but since January, the outcome has surpassed my original expectations.
When someone comes across Balloons by AJ I hope that they see that my particular style stands out. Working with me you’ll see that my balloons aren’t the average primary colors that you typically see. When it comes to my styling, my balloons come in custom colors that are full and they shine like you’ve never seen. Many people will inquire with balloon stylist only to tell themselves “I’m not spending that much money on Balloons”. Well, I want potential clients to choose my services because they know that its worth every penny. I take my time in finding the perfect blends of colors, props, and add ons to help bring their vision to life x 10.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I am striving for Balloons by AJ to become more than just balloons. As I mentioned before, I have always loved styling and hosting my own parties. Being a balloon stylist and having background in events at previous jobs has allowed me to see the possibilities of what an event can be. With the right client, I hope soon enough I am able to have my first complete styled event by Balloons by AJ.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Relationships, word of mouth, and surprisingly Facebook. I have learned that relationships can form mountains if you treat and mold those relationships right. How you treat people when you interact with them, the quality of service that you give, and the quality of products you sell, all play a roll in how your business will thrive. My primary focus as a new business owner has been the relationships I am developing with the many people I meet or encounter day to day. I read a book called “Relationships First” by Emily Frisella and it really spiked my value in the relationships that I have. Starting from the moment a potential client submits to my inquiry form and after the invoice is sent, exceptional service leads to word of mouth advertising which goes way further than an ad you had to pay for.

Another strategy that’s come handy has been utilizing facebook. Ive joined so many groups here in St. Louis Missouri that most of my traction and viewings have been through people referring me under other peoples post or reposting my post because they loved a display. A modern day form of “word of mouth”. Now I’m not saying that Facebook just automatically works because I’m posting pictures of my displays, you have to put in the work! Had it not been for the relationships that I’ve made and the type of person I am people could easily not repost my work or refer me to anyone which is why again I say relationships matter.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balloonsbyaj/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083666141733