Rising Stars: Meet Steve Yarosko of Fullerton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Yarosko.

Hi Steve, 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?
For my 9th birthday, my father gave me a magic kit. Most kids play with the magic kit for a few weeks and lose interest. I never lost interest. I checked out every magic book in the library. I’ve been a magician ever since. An allied art to magic is balloon art. In my teenage years, a fellow magician taught me how to make a few one balloon animals. I started doing balloon animals as well as magic. When I got into college and then my career, magic and balloons took a back seat. I got married and started a family. However, I always did balloons here and there- Church harvest festivals and other events a couple times a year. I thought to myself, since I am doing these events, I should get more advanced with the balloons. I went on the Internet and learned balloons from there and bought some VHS tapes (that was the technology at the time). I started doing more advanced balloons. People started asking me to do their events. I realized I should make this is a real thing and started my official business in 2008. I created my own website and joined a site called “GigMasters” which connected entertainers with people looking to hire. I did my regular job during the week and balloons on the weekends. It’s been a blessing to be able to bring a smile and a little wonder to people. It really is why I continue to do this. The balloons enabled me to retire early from my day job. At this point, I am content to do my recurring events and not seek new business. I am in a blessed place to be able to not have to do this for the money but for the joy it brings to me and my clients.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has been a smooth road since balloons were never my main source of income. I let the balloon business grow organically. Any money I invested in the business came from the business. I never let anything bother me too much. If I had any problems, it was at events. Providing balloon art at fairs and events where you have a long line of people waiting for a balloon can be stressful. Ending the line when the event ends is the hardest part. I’ve had various strategies for doing this through the years, but at this point I just don’t do those events any more.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a balloon artist and magician. My favorite part of doing balloons is breaking through the expectations of what people think of when they think, “balloon animal.” Some times I am disappointed when someone asks me for a “dog” or “sword” because I have an idea of something more interesting to make for them. I consider the person I am making a balloon for part of my palette. If it’s a little girl wearing Hello Kitty shoes, I’ll ask her if I can make her a Hello Kitty bracelet. A pre-teen boy may get a hat with an alien sticking his tongue out at the world. I’ve been told I am patient and really good with the kids. I really try to interact and make a connection with them. I have a unique balloon bag and setup that sets me apart from other balloon twisters. At this point-age and experience sets me apart. I have certain designs honed through the years which I know will bring a smile to folks. Balloons have allowed me to do lots of interesting things. I’ve done music videos and have provided balloons for celebrities and some really interesting people. A local TV news program did a live remote segment from my house on my balloon art. Right now the thing I am most proud of is my mission trip last year to the Philippines. I trained a team of fellow missionaries to make some simple balloon animals. While we were providing food to the local villages we also handed out over 600 balloon animals to the kids. I was also blessed to be able to do six magic shows in various places such as orphanages and in schools.

What were you like growing up?
I was shy and socially awkward. I suffered from low self esteem. I think I got into magic to try to overcome that. I was terrible at sports. I was always more interested in art and science than sports.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://BigWindBalloon.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bigwindballoons/