Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Jara.
Hi Ashley, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It all started for me with a birthday party. I’m a very creative & artistic person. I just love creating and I’m very much a DIY person.
And as a mother of three, it really begins to be more of the idea that I’ll save more money if I do it myself. (Which isn’t always true)
Planning parties & trying to do everything yourself is probably the most stressful experience ever, but throw in a third party who’s job it is to actually help you but instead ruins the day. Well that’s how my small business began.
I had a horrible experience and from that experience came the idea that “Hey, I can do this.” Not only am I going to do this but I’m going to help any Mama or DIY person out there that I can.
Now I’m the owner & operator of Empire Balloons LLC. I provide affordable quality luxury balloon decor for any type of event. If your budget still can not fit in my services than I also teach classes. And I’m no gatekeeper! In my classes, I provide you all the info you need not only to create and build luxurious balloon decor but with the knowledge to begin your own business if you wanted.
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?
There will always be struggles, that’s how we learn lessons and grow.
A big lesson was knowing your worth and charging correctly. In the balloon industry, there are many big influences. Social media is covered in high-end celebrity events. Everyone wants the wow factor, but they want to pay Amazon prices because it’s “just balloons.” But it’s not, there is a lot of time and energy that goes into that final look. Believe it or not good quality balloons are expensive. Setting a standard for yourself & your business and not wavering from it is hard. You just have to continue to build on your skill and eventually, the right clients will come.
Another lesson is that you can’t expect your friends and family to support your business or ideas. Because 90% of the time, they won’t. And if they don’t, you can’t take it personally. That was a big struggle for me in the beginning. Starting a business and you think “oh my family will book me, my friends will share my page.” When they don’t, you get disappointed, a little discouraged. But I’ve learned to really appreciate the family & friends who have stuck by me since the beginning. I’ve made many new relationships throughout the years, some of my biggest supporters now were once strangers who messaged me on IG. Other small business owners have became my friends and it’s nice. It’s nice to be able to support each other, talk shop and help one another achieve our goals.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a Balloon stylist. I create luxury balloon decor for events that won’t break your bank. I also teach several classes a month on different styles of balloon decor.
Last year 2021, I opened my first storefront location where I teach my classes. I am able to meet with clients and I also help other small businesses or individuals find the supplies they need for their events.
I also like to host Pop- Up shops to bring small businesses together and to help bring them new customers and business.
What does success mean to you?
I define success by how much I’ve grown. And I don’t mean my Instagram following but my skill, knowledge, my personal growth.
If you don’t continue to grow, you can’t continue to succeed. – Tabatha Coffey
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.empireballoons.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/empireballoon?utm_medium=copy_link
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empireballoonsllc/
