We recently connected with Britini Baker and have shared our conversation below.
Britini , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?
Surprisingly enough, I received my first client when I decorated for my cousin’s wedding. At the time, I hadn’t started Blown Away Designs yet. See I’ve always been crafty and I was decorating her wedding on the pure grounds of us just being family. A guest at her wedding really loved what I did and she wanted me to decorate for her wedding as well. I agreed and it took off from there. 6 years ago, you wouldn’t have convinced me that I would own a balloon design and rental business.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
Well I’m a Houston native, born and raised! I have had a career in education for 11 years now and I’m currently working on my masters. I’m a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. I love creating and building things with my hands but also love enjoying being at home while watching tv. I never had plans of being a business owner but it just naturally happened. What was once a creative outlet, has now become an added blessing.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The best source of new clients for me is referrals! Simply word of mouth! Every job I do is a new advertisement for me. I always try to make sure I give my clients the best product and professionalism. You never know who they know and if you make a good impression, they are most likely to keep you in mind when someone they know needs your services. Even if the service didn’t go exactly as planned, make sure you’re accommodating and accountable. That too, goes a long way as well.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
When you’re a business owner, you may feel like you have to do it all! When that happens, you may experience burn out and that happened to me this past year. I was juggling so much in my business, personal life, and career, that I really had to pivot! The work that was being put out was not to my standards and I was losing my joy within my business. So I decided to take an extended break from Blown Away Designs. I didn’t take any bookings for an entire month. This gave me time to reorganize my life and take some of the pressures off of me. Now we have a new business model and are slowly easing back into a new routine and management style.
Contact Info:
- Website: blownawaydesigns.com
- Instagram: blownawaydesigns
- Facebook: Blown Away Designs