We were lucky to catch up with Rye Von recently and have shared our conversation below.
Rye, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
I started my journey as a full-time balloon artist in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to this leap of faith I worked as a social worker serving the City of Indianapolis. In the beginning it was difficult to generate the income needed to drive the business partly due to the pandemic and partly due to the fact that I was very novice. I decided to pivot and focus on home deliveries since people were unable to have parties to celebrate their momentous occasions. I did not have a lot of clients, but I remained consistent and pushed my business to anyone who would listen. As a result, and reward for that consistency I have since completed over 400 events using my own two hands and a bit of latex.
In 2021, I was able to open a shop inside Circle Center Mall and have been able to earn a full time living as a professional balloon artist.
In the beginning it certainly would have been helpful to have someone to assist me and bounce ideas off, but I think having to stand on my own two feet throughout this journey is the reason for my success.
Rye, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I began in 2017 as a hobby. I wanted to learn everything there was to know about balloon artistry and began practicing and investing more and more. In 2019 I decided to turn my hobby into a registered business and filed for my LLC. In 2020 I decided to quit my government job and pursue balloon decor full time. In 2021 I opened a workspace inside the downtown Circle Center mall in Indianapolis, Indiana. As of today, Art Haus Balloon Company is one of the top-rated balloon decor providers in the Indianapolis area. As a professional balloon artist, I specialize in luxury, corporate, and celebrity balloon decor.
I am most proud of the fact that I was able to turn my hobby into a full-time enterprise. As a single mother of two, It has not been an easy journey and I am proud of myself for always staying in the game even when it got tough. The thing that sets me apart from others is my persistent drive. I am fiercely competitive with myself, and I am always trying to outdo the last thing I did. This sets me apart because I am always hungry and eager to advance within my industry.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
In the beginning of my journey, I found myself homeless shortly after creating my business. To add insult to injury I found myself carless as well. Despite it being difficult to see the road, I continued to put one foot in front of the other and continue to step onto my life path. I can distinctly recall having to ride the public bus with my supplies to make it to my client’s events.
I remember not having enough clients to pay the bills, so I had to work a full-time corporate job. I used to work 100-120 hours a week so I would be able to buy materials to create decor and showcase my talent. It was, but it taught me that I could survive anything. It taught me that my success is completely up to me and that as long as I am consistently trying then everything would work out.
Have you ever had to pivot?
As I previously mentioned, when the Covid Pandemic first shut down the world I had just quit my job, I’m talking weeks apart, so you can imagine my surprise when my entire plan crumbled. Indianapolis mandated that all non-essential businesses had close which took away majority of my clientele. After considering how I could still help people celebrate their momentous occasions without leaving their homes I introduced my balloon delivery service and custom party products to the public. Taking the focus away from large scale pieces and focusing on more intimate arrangements turned out to be the exact move I needed to make at the time. It allowed me to stay in front of my audience and brighten their days using balloons during a really uncertain period for the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.arthausballooncompany.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/arthausballooncompanyllc
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/arthausballooncompany
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/ryevon
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/art-haus-balloon-company-indianapolis
Image Credits
Digital Dutchess Photography Natural Nerd Designs