We were lucky to catch up with Jasmine Franklin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jasmine, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

Hi there! My goodness it feels so good to be back in front of H-Towns readers! Let’s press rewind for a minute and go back in time. We all know the saying, if I knew what I know now I would X, Y and Z, and that statement couldn’t be any far from the truth let me tell you. But, when we start envisioning that grand idea and tack it on our vision board, let’s be honest we get so eager to jump right into it that we dive in headfirst. The most important thing I would do differently is RESEARCH! in my Aretha Franklin voice. Before launching any business endeavor let google and Instagram become your best friend. Research what’s selling, the prices, what products are of best quality, what props are being used, and in my case, what are potential clients booking. When I launched Balloon Chic, I didn’t take the time to investigate trending products and props which in the end set Balloon Chic back as I wasn’t providing the top trending items people were looking for or let’s say booking for events. That lapse placed Balloon Chic in second and it seemed as if I was playing catch up in my field. When you’re entering into the entrepreneur world you should be so knowledgeable on your product that you fit right on it and after studying other companies and taking notes, you should be able to surpass them. Let the other businesses be your teacher, and you the student should be able to succeed, not in the same way but BETTER.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

Hi there! my name is Jasmine, I am a 33-year-old mother who is the owner of Balloon Chic and now the visionary and designer for my new endeavor Save the Date Acrylic Studio. I personalize and design 3D images on 3 feet jumbo balloons and now create beautiful unique signage and acrylic items for weddings, birthdays, and so much more! My mission is enhancing your events with personalized items you get to design yourself!

There is nothing more that I love than getting the opportunity to CREATE. Every client and item I’m blessed to design is not just personal for my clients but also personal for me. I adore the stories and fun laughs that are shared with me and it’s truly an honor to celebrate with them. All in when you enter into Balloon Chic or Save the Date Acrylic Studio you some way somehow become family and even it’s for a moment, I’m grateful for being allowed me into my client’s lives, while the share their special moments with me and allowing me to transform those moments into something beautiful for them to enjoy. It’s something magical about walking in your purpose, and this is something I truly adore. Every design is uniquely created with love as we work together to make your dream and vision for your event come true, and I fulfill mine.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I remember when I first got started, I would spend an endless amount of money purchasing ads on social media to get more exposure. Now, there’s nothing wrong with ads but a little secret that I learned is that there can also be success without spending additional money. Clients love to see YOU and want to get to know YOU. Start recording and documenting your progress. Creating reels is a big one. People love behind the scenes content, so don’t shy away from the camera. One thing I invested in was having a videographer capture a day in the life of Balloon Chic, from start to finish. And in my video, I was able to showcase what I’m about, educate my clients on my full design process while at the same time introduce myself to potential clients. So, while it may be great to purchase ads for some, that extra content is what draws clients into your world.

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 learned quickly that every event is not going to be perfect! and yes clients will change their minds…more than once. There was an instance where a client booked a balloon garland for an event, mockup designs were approved, and we were all set for the install. I always advise my clients I am only one call away and available any time they need. So, we did keep in contact where she wanted to change her balloon colors more than once, even after the balloons she initially wanted were purchased. When I arrived for the install, my client immediately changed her mind about where to set up the garland and didn’t have the rental props. She advised she would have to attach the balloons and my balloons were already predesigned and blown up to fit the props that were to be there. I had to remind myself this is what I’m here for and this is what I do best. I took all the balloons apart and started from scratch and built the design she desired at that moment. Things happen, clients will change their minds and it is our duty to make their vision come to life. But to also protect yourself and your time as you may be booked for another event the same day. Set policies in tack and make sure your clients agree to your terms and conditions and most importantly set a deadline to when designs cannot be changed. Doing so protects your business along with setting realistic client expectations. Sometimes giving your clients too much freedom and too many options can cause a snag in the overall process.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theballoonchic.com
• Instagram: @theballoonchic @savethedateacrylics