Conversations with Esther Yao

Today we’d like to introduce you to Esther Yao. They and their team shared their story with us below:

At the heel of the Pandemic, Grace + Glow Balloons birthed out of two mothers’ desire to bring joy and radiance to celebrate their kids’ major life moments and their school’s events. Suzy Gunn and Esther Yao met while volunteering at their school’s Parent Association. They both have three young children. The youngest in both families are both “pandemic kids” who had their first birthday parties with friends and family standing far away or driving by holding signs. Out of a mother’s desperation to still celebrate her baby’s first birthday, Suzy looked to YouTube to learn how to tie her first balloon garland for her pandemic baby’s milestone birthday.

When the children were finally allowed to return to school for in-person instruction, Suzy and Esther could not wait to bring some excitement back on campus, and nothing speaks for excitement to children than balloons! For the school’s first post-pandemic dance-a-thon, Suzy and Esther covered the dance floor with balloons while children giggled and screamed. Laughter had once again filled the campus. Suzy and Esther knew, after that event, that a simple decor of balloons could brighten up the room and change the atmosphere.

From then, they started offering their balloon styling service to both public and private schools in the greater San Gabriel Valley area, brightening up one kid’s face at a time in the post-pandemic world. In April 2023, Grace + Glow Balloons was formally established to offer even more services to private events. Suzy and Esther’s balloon creations had graced the events of fundraisers, picnics, dance shows, birthday parties, baby showers, conferences, and more. Grace + Glow Balloons’ mission is to bless and brighten all of its clients’ special moments.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For the most part, our experiences have been positive. We have had very gracious and grateful clients that gave us freedom and space with our creativity. The one major struggle that we have had is the unpredictability of weather for outdoor events. Balloons’ major nemeses are wind and heat. When events are outdoors, we cannot always guarantee that the balloons will maintain their shape for a long period of time. It is also hard to guarantee that the structure won’t fall over on windy days. So, the ability to think quickly on our feet to combat weather has been the most challenging part of the job.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We do balloon styling, which is different from party balloon artists that make cute and fun animal balloons. We mostly provide decor, such as photo backdrops, garlands, and stage presence. Our most recent famous work was making a Christmas tree with balloons for a school’s Christmas performance. Another epic project was a glow-in-the-dark vacation Bible School that lasted a whole week. We did more than balloons, but decor for the entire church building, such as black light, cutouts, and backdrop.

What sets us apart is that we are extremely personable and flexible. Every design is customized to the client’s physical space, theme, and budget. No event is too small for Grace + Glow Balloons.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
The sound of “WHOOOOAAAA” when clients first see our finished design.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grace.and.glow.balloons/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094908519594