Hidden Gems: Meet Rilee Acrey of The Works Collective

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rilee Acrey.

Hi Rilee, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story really began in 2019 with a small idea that grew bigger than I ever expected. I started BalloonWorks as a one-woman operation, creating custom balloon installations out of my apartment and saying yes to every opportunity that let me bring a client’s vision to life. What started as a side hustle quickly transformed into a full-scale production company—within a few years we were building large-format installs for brands, traveling for events, and generating over half a million dollars in sales. BalloonWorks became my creative playground, but it also became the foundation that taught me how much I loved experiential design, fabrication, and the challenge of turning wild ideas into real-life moments.

In 2021, I opened The Works LA, a boutique event venue in Pasadena. It gave me a permanent home base—somewhere clients could dream, shoot, celebrate, and create. The venue allowed me to expand beyond balloons into full environments and brand experiences. It showed me that what clients really wanted wasn’t “decor”—they wanted a partner who could conceptualize, design, build, and execute an entire moment from start to finish.

That realization is what ultimately led to the evolution of my entire business. In 2025, I began rebranding and relaunching everything under one umbrella: The Works Collective. It’s the natural next chapter—an experiential creative agency and production house that merges fabrication, design, event execution, and immersive buildouts. We now produce everything from branded pop-ups to large-scale installations to custom props, working with major brands across the country. BalloonWorks still lives within the Collective as our balloon artistry division, and The Works LA remains our venue home, but together they form something much bigger.

Today, The Works Collective represents the full scope of what we do: turning ideas into experiences people remember. It’s been a journey of constant growth, experimentation, and reinvention—but every chapter built the foundation for where we are now.

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?
I don’t think entrepreneurship is ever a smooth road — and if it were, everyone would be doing it. Building something from nothing requires a level of resilience and self-belief that no one really prepares you for. There were seasons where I had to be my own cheerleader, my own biggest fan, and my own shoulder to cry on, often all in the same day. Running a creative business means constant problem-solving, nonstop pivots, and trusting yourself even when you’re exhausted or unsure.

I’ve dealt with everything from learning the financial side of business on the fly, to managing growing teams, to figuring out logistics for large-scale builds that had never been done before. There were moments of burnout, moments of fear, and moments where saying ‘yes’ meant working 18-hour days to make the impossible happen. But every challenge taught me something, strengthened my intuition, and expanded what I believed was possible for myself and my company.

At the end of the day, it really is all figureoutable. Every setback led to a breakthrough, every struggle pushed me into the next evolution, and every tough moment ultimately shaped The Works Collective into what it is today.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Works Collective?
The Works Collective is an experiential creative agency and production house that transforms ideas into immersive, story-driven moments. We design and build everything from branded environments and large-scale installations to pop-ups, custom props, event décor, and full event execution. What started as BalloonWorks, a balloon artistry company, has now evolved into a full-service creative partner for brands that want their events and activations to feel unforgettable.

We specialize in creating highly Instagrammable, emotionally engaging, visually iconic experiences — the kind that stop people in their tracks and get shared everywhere. Our clients come to us because they want something more than décor; they want a moment. A feeling. A memory. Something that becomes part of their brand story. Whether it’s a full buildout at a festival, a retail takeover, a large-scale corporate event, or a custom photo moment, we handle everything from concept to fabrication to installation.

What sets us apart is our ability to say “yes” to ideas that most people would call impossible. We’re known for our creativity, our commitment to quality, and our ability to execute with speed and precision — often building complex installations in under 45 minutes on-site. Our work blends artistry with engineering, design with strategy, and aesthetics with storytelling.

Brand-wise, I’m most proud of the evolution itself — taking BalloonWorks and The Works LA and expanding them into one unified, elevated brand that truly reflects the scale, impact, and ambition of the work we produce. The Works Collective represents not just what we do, but how we think: we exist at the intersection of creativity, culture, and connection. Everything is intentional. Everything is custom. Everything is an experience.

If there’s one thing I want readers to know, it’s that The Works Collective is the partner you call when you want to create something unforgettable. We thrive in the ‘what if,’ the ‘could we,’ and the ‘is this even possible’ — and we make those moments real.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
So many people deserve credit for where I am today. I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs — my grandpa, and especially my dad, who has owned a fence company for over 40 years. From day one, I learned what grit, discipline, and real work ethic looked like. I grew up knowing that you don’t always have to be the smartest person in the room, but you do have to be the hardest-working. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard, and I’ve always carried the belief that I would never be outworked. That foundation shaped everything about how I approach my business.

But beyond my family roots, I’ve been incredibly lucky to have friends, clients, and supporters who believed in me even when the vision felt wild. I have people who said yes to being an extra set of hands, who lifted me through the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship, and who constantly said my name in rooms I wasn’t in. That kind of advocacy is priceless. It’s one thing to know people — it’s another for people to know you, speak highly of you, and vouch for your character, your work, and your business. That truly changed the trajectory of The Works Collective.

I’ve had mentors who offered guidance when I didn’t know which decision to make. Clients who trusted me with big opportunities long before I felt “ready.” Friends who showed up to builds, painted backdrops with me at midnight, or simply reminded me to keep going. My family, who taught me resilience. My team, who brings my ideas to life day after day. And the countless supporters who have shared my work, recommended me, or opened doors I could have never opened alone.

Entrepreneurship can feel lonely, but I’ve never walked this journey alone. The Works Collective is built on an entire community of people who believed in the vision and cheered me on every step of the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theworkscollectiveco.com
• Instagram: theworkscollective