We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Linda Dyson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Linda, appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us a story about a time you failed?
Often, the greatest growth and most significant victories emerge following setbacks. In my instances, failures serve as valuable lessons that helped shape my balloon journey along the way. I quickly learned a crucial lesson: which is avoiding direct sunlight for balloons during outdoor events. This lesson became apparent when I created a pirate-themed balloon arch project on one of the hottest days in July. In North Carolina July is one of the hottest months of the summer, The client requested an early morning setup for an afternoon party that started at 3:00 PM. The set up was quick and beautiful, unfortunately when the party guest arrived the balloons started popping three by three. As you can imagine, this was embarrassing not only for my client but for balloons by Linda as well. However, even though this particular job presented numerous challenges that I have conquered .It truly has an enduring lessons that I will never forget. In the greatest growth of this failure I discovered firsthand the detrimental effects of direct sunlight on balloons, and I have gained insights on how to prevent that from happening again. Also,I have learned that the selection of colors, balloon brands, and sizes of balloons for outdoor events matter. Drawing from this experience, I now host webinars to share these insights, aiming to equip fellow balloon artists with the knowledge to prevent balloon mishaps during client engagements.
Linda, 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?
Well, my name is Linda Dyson, I am a God fearing woman who loves the Lord. I am a wife and a mother of two beautiful girls. I am a balloon architect, and I am the owner of Balloons By Linda. One fun fact about me is I have always been all about family and friends showing love towards one another. Which is why I love creating balloons for special events. I’ve noticed that balloons make everyone happy, smile and confident. Balloons also add value to your event. I mean What’s a party without balloons?
How it all started, I’m glad you asked! Let me start off with I actually didn’t know there was a such thing as balloon garlands, balloon columns and balloon arch structures. I only knew balloon artist to create balloon animals and flowers etc. God revealed this hidden talents within me in a dream one night. When I woke up I was shocked and couldn’t shake the dream, I could remember details on how to build structures and tie balloons. I was just fascinated by the dream and I thought it was cool.
A few weeks later my niece was having a baby shower, and the balloon architect that was going to do her balloons had an emergency and was unable to go her balloon columns.
They dropped off the equipment and balloons, at this point I was like oh wow this is so cool. I just had a dream I could do this and the opportunity for me to try it fell right into my hands. I begin to put the columns together and it was a piece of cake, just like my dream. My niece was happy and so was I. It was so personal to me because the Lord had prepared me for this day in a dream weeks ago and when it came I was ready and willing. Which changed my entire perspective. I begin to practice,practice,practice. And now I create Balloon circle arches, heart arches, square arches, garlands, and so much more. I will forever be grateful for this hidden talent that is no longer hidden. It has birth Balloon’s by Linda.
Balloons by Linda’s vision creates custom balloons that expand and reflect the inspiration and passions of our clients. We strive to exceed expectations by surpassing the average quality of balloon décor.
We provide balloon services for corporate, private, or charity events, whether it is a special occasion or holiday celebration. We go above and beyond expectations by using creativity and strategic planning. Our goal is to help take the stress off of your shoulders by helping bring your ideas and vision to life.
Corporate events may consist of Gala’s, Holiday Parties, Conferences, Team building activities, Networking events, Open house events, or any gathering that is organized by businesses or corporations for business focus.
Private events may consist of different social events such as Birthday parties, baby showers, wedding showers, weddings, Anniversary’s, Engagement, Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties, networking events,Family reunions, retirement parties and graduation parties and much more.
Charity events may consist of church events, fundraisers, Run-a Thon, Walk-a-Thon, Basketball tournaments, or any event.
We create Balloon garlands, Balloon Columns, Balloon Circle arches, Balloon Square arches, Balloon Heart Arches, Balloon questions marks for reveal parties, We create table toppers, and much more.
What sets us apart from other balloon businesses,
Balloons by Linda stands out from the competition in several key ways.
We prioritize continuous learning and improvement, drawing from our own experiences and industry insights to offer exceptional service. As mentioned previously we truly emphasize the importance of understanding the importance of balloon handling, such as the impact of environmental factors like sunlight, temperatures, and indoor/outdoor space to ensure our clients that there event will be flawless.
Balloons by Linda will focus on you and your event. Even though we may have multiple events in the same month our clients will never see or feel it. We want you to be happy on your special event and feel the love on your event with our balloon decor.
We provide high-quality balloon installations and also offer guidance and support throughout the planning process. Our personalized approach makes each clients event special and custom to their liking through our free consultation.
Furthermore, our dedication to education sets us apart. We regularly host webinars and workshops to share our expertise with aspiring balloon artists. By empowering others with the knowledge and skills that we have learn along the way to succeed.
We would like you to know you can follow us on instagram _BalloonsbyLinda, Facebook Balloons by Linda, Email [email protected], website is currently under construction BalloonsbyLinda.com
Have you ever had to pivot?
We firmly believe in the importance of always being prepared, and one of our key recommendations is to inflate your balloons before arriving at the venue. This proactive approach can be instrumental in ensuring smooth event setup, as exampled by a past experiences we encountered.
During an event where the setup time was scheduled for two hours, so we planned our preparations. However, upon arrival at the venue, we faced an unforeseen challenge – no one was permitted entry at the designated arrival time, resulting in an hour-long delay. Consequently, our setup window was drastically reduced from two hours to just a little under one hour.
Thankfully, due to our proactive approach of pre-inflating balloons and organizing table toppers in advance, we were able to swiftly adapt to the situation. Despite the time constraints, we efficiently completed the setup, happily and confidently knowing we will get the setup completed.
Through this experience we learned the importance of preparedness in the event industry. By taking proactive measures such as pre-inflating balloons and organizing materials in advance, we gracefully uphold our commitment to delivering exceptional service, regardless of the challenges encountered.
Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?
This event setup presented one of the most intense challenges we’ve ever encountered. Our client had planned a pool party and envisioned a stunning balloon arch positioned outdoors, near the pool – an perfect setting for such an occasion. However, the weather had other plans for us that day.
A sudden thunderstorm came out of no where. While we did anticipate some rain, the intensity took us by surprise. Despite the downpour, the client was insistent on keeping the balloon structure outside. As we assembled the arch in the midst of the rain, it thundered really loud, and lightning struck just ten feet away from where I stood. That was a scary moment.
Thankfully, everyone was safe. Although the thunder and the lightning stopped, the rain persisted. Undeterred, we pressed on, determined to fulfill our commitment. Despite the weather conditions we completed the arch.
As soon as the arch was in place, the rain stopped and guests began to arrive. The completion of the arch, against all odds, shows our perseverance and dedication to our client. It was undeniably a close call, but the satisfaction of overcoming the challenge made it all the more rewarding. This experience serves as a testament to our resilience and unwavering commitment to delivering excellence, even in the face of unexpected challenges.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.balloonsbylinda.com
- Instagram: _BalloonsbyLinda
- Facebook: BalloonsByLinda