- Once I have taken this
training course, how much money do I need to really get started?
- Why can't I learn the
balloon business on my own just by buy those balloon videos?
- What benefit is there
in me taking this course with you instead of looking for resources on the
net and trying to do it myself?
- What
happens if I get home after I take the classes and I forget how to do
something?
- Once
I complete this course, will I know everything I need to start my business?
- Can I do
this part time and keep my regular job?
- What about
class size and how much time do we work during the week?
- Where can I stay while training and what airport do I
go to?
- Do I really need a yellow page display ad when first
starting out? They are very expensive?
- Do you have any restrictions?
- I am excited!!! Tell me
what I need to do to enroll in your classes.......
- What can I expect to
learn from your classes?
- After this training, is
there any need for further balloon classes?
- What do I need to bring
with me?
- Give me some idea of
what the classes are like?
- When is the next
available class?
- How do I make payment
for the course?
I would say about $600 minimum. Others have started
for less; others, more. Remember, if you have to put down a deposit on a
business phone, that will be an additional cost
to be included in your start up costs. I provide an itemized list of the
necessities and where to purchase them at the best wholesale price ! ( I buy
nothing retail!)
You can, but at a price. Time and Money.
Balloon videos are great if you already have a foundation, a knowledge, of how
everything works. And if you already know you are doing the technique correctly.
They are really geared for the intermediate balloon artist to teach new
techniques and “another” way of doing things. They don't teach you how to
operate your whole business for a profit and they don't teach you the
common pitfalls and mistakes you can make. Experience passed down does
that, and that saves you money, embarrassment, and time.
You need to learn (by doing) hands on techniques AND practice with an
instructor so you can do the basics correctly. It has been my experience that
time spent learning it right instead of trial and error does two things. It
saves time in the long run and your credibility/reputation is not damaged. I’ll
give you an example. Making a helium balloon arch sounds simple. But to the
untrained person, who just figured it out, their arch may have small gaps
between the clusters (that is only one of the many problems). Unfortunately if
you are making a simple mistake there is no one popping out of the video showing
you what you just did wrong. If you are going
to compete with the established guys in your yellow pages for the same business,
your work has to look perfect and professional. If you were the only one in your
“village” doing this, well then, it would not be a big deal since the
customer would not know any better. If you want to make money, learn it right,
know how to fix the problems and be professional. The money will come!
3.What benefit is there in me taking this course
with you instead of looking for resources on the net and trying to do it myself?
The benefit is to learn every facet of the
business and where to buy your supplies at wholesale prices and do it right.
The cost of your tuition, lodging, airfare and food will be covered by the money
you save purchasing wholesale product--- the money you save in making the right
decisions on setting up your business---and the money you save in client
satisfaction in doing the job perfectly. This translates into more
business. I cannot stress this enough. In all parts of life, your best bet
is finding something that works and copy it. Let me give you a
personal example: Being very artistic and somewhat savvy on the computer,
I decided to build this web page by going the hunt and peck method on the web to
"get it for free". I searched for free artwork, free backgrounds, etc. I
spent HOURS searching and playing. I took a stab at it and after I was 1/2
finished I decided that it just did not compare with other peoples sites.
I came up with the conclusion I could not do it and enlisted the help of a semi
expensive program that made it all come together. In the long
run...it was worth it. Wish I had done that in the first place! What
you save in learning it right from someone with experience, is well worth the money spent on the front end.
4.
What happens if I get home after I take the classes
and I forget how to do something?
Hopefully that will not happen because you will be taking home
a wonderfully complete training manual. And, because I make you replicate
everything we do, (hands on training) it is a known fact that you will remember
it. But if that does happen, email/phone
support from me is always available to you. By the way, you do have to
pass a basic skills test or you are not leaving the class!
There is a
professional balloon artist networking organization which is also a great
support group and supplies you with great new ideas and answers to any kind of
questions. These people have been around for many, many years and are a
wealth of information. When you join this organization along with your
membership you receive your own webpage on their server where you can promote
your own business. They have several templates and all you have to do is
upload your information and your photos! Quite Wonderful!
5. Once I complete this course, will I know everything
I need to start my business?
Absolutely! The only thing you have to find out how to do on
your own is the laws of your state and the state sales tax. I can tell you where
to find that information. Every state is different.
6. Can I do this part time and keep my regular job?
If you want to do only part-time decorating, this is a simple task
because most parties/events are evenings and weekends. You can make appointments
with your clients after work to discuss their decoration needs. It can be a
perfect home base business. You can see your tax accountant for specific write
offs in your home. You will, however, come to that fork in the road when you become so well
known, you have to decide whether or not to make it a full time ambition. (Trust
me ---it happens!)
7. What about class size and how much time do we work
during the week?
I now "try" to keep the group very small. I
used to teach a one-on-one class that took 5-7 days when I lived in NJ. The down
side to that is the student was not able to do any big jobs for experience and
get those great pictures for their sales portfolio. When you have 4 or more
people, the students learn how to direct and distribute the work to his staff,
see how production is accomplished, and ends up with beautiful portfolio
pictures of work he/she (they) have actually done. Big jobs make big money! If
you can show it- you can sell it. The perfect class size
is 8 students, but it can be as large as 12 students. More than that is
too much!
Time in class:
There is now a
new and improved
schedule. All classes will be starting at 10 am on
Sunday and 9 am Monday thru
Saturday.
They will all end between 5-6 pm unless we decide
amongst ourselves to keep going on a project. Last day
of class we end at 1 pm.
When booking your flight, make sure you have 2 hours to
sit at our airport before your departure time. They
really mean it!!! If you must leave before the
class is schedule to be over, you must find your own
transportation from class to airport.
What really happens in a class?
We work 9-5 in class and then dinners and talk after class. You have my
Undivided attention. If someone is not getting a technique in class, we
work on it that night. If there is no catching up to be done, we
work out a make-believe event. We start by designing what the client wants
and pricing it. Then we work on scheduling your calendar as to when you
should do everything, ordering the product, how many helpers to hire, what pre
work can be done and then every imaginable thing you have to do down to getting
lunch there during the job. (again, you don't learn this on a video!)
We usually work in teams so you can take home the scenario and save it for when
you can use it for one of your customers. Very useful! This is no
light weight class! Oh, I do give you a night off to rest whether you want
it or not! And yes, you get a certificate! Evenings there is nothing
scheduled, you get to watch balloon videos back in your rooms. That way
you don't have to buy them all.
8. Where can I stay while training and what airport do
I go to?
You need to fly into Tampa International
Airport (TPA). We are actually 10 minutes away from the Tampa Airport. No
need for a car rental unless you want to add a few days to see the sights. Book
an extra day for the beach, Busch Gardens or a quick trip to Disney (1 hr away).
See the Accommodations page for suggestions on where to stay. See the link for Travelocity for hotel and airfare deals. South West
and Jet Blue has some great deals to Tampa. I pick up/drop off students from the
Homestead Studio Suites during class time if you don't want to rent a car.
If you book you hotel somewhere else than the Homestead, know that you need a
car rental to get to class. You have to get yourself from the airport to the
Hotel.
9. Do I really need a yellow page display ad when first
starting out? They are very expensive!
I can teach you how to place an ad the size of a business card
and not pay the $250/mo Ma Bell would charge you for the same size display
ad. More savings to you! In the Tampa market I am only paying $69/mo for a nice
sizable ad. That savings alone over the period of a year will pay
price of all your instruction!
10. Do you have any restrictions?
Yes, two. Anyone from the State of Florida or going into business in
the State of Florida, has to sign a non-compete
agreement. That means you cannot open up a business within 1 1/2 hours driving time
from my business in Tampa, Florida. The reason for this is I share all my
business materials, marketing strategies, pictures, etc with you and I cannot
have someone in the next town using my pictures in their portfolio to sell their
business. This only makes sense. If you sign the non-compete agreement and
you do end up in my back yard, I can sue you. It is only right to make this
disclaimer up front. Therefore I
do not teach people living in the towns close to me. How silly of me to
teach my competitors?! My lawyer says, THERE ARE NO LONGER ANY EXCEPTIONS!
Also, I don’t speak any foreign languages. You need to have a decent
command of the English language to be able to keep up with the class. (This is
most important for the other students in the class.) I have found that one
person who cannot comprehend what I am saying slows down the learning process
for the rest, and we do not get the whole course of study finished. For those who
may need an interpreter, special classes times would be happily arranged.
11.
I am excited!!! Tell me what I need to do to enroll
in your classes.......
First: Qualify your need for starting a
new business in your present area. Go to your yellow pages and see what your
competition will be. If you live in a metropolitan area where there
are 4 pages, front and back, of balloon companies, then you might want to
reconsider this profession OR consider moving elsewhere! I honestly don’t want
to train someone and then find out the main reason that they didn’t succeed was
because the market was already flooded. My training of students is limited to
only a few classes a year. That is all the time I
can give up. I want to make sure the students I do teach will flourish and you
are not wasting your time!
Second:
Fill out the Enrollment application
and tell me when you want to take the class. I will return your email and
let you know if it is available. Sometimes we find classes totally booked,
but due to human interactions, someone will have to change their scheduled date-
and then there suddenly is an opening. If you are interest in a "first
available"- let me know.
Finally...... you have to send a check,
money order, or pay by paypal if you are going to use your credit card, to hold your space. This deposit is
non-refundable, but if you have to reschedule your class, you are free to do so
up to 21 days before the scheduled class not lose
your "seat deposit". Less than 21 days you will have to put down a new deposit to hold a seat again. NO
EXCEPTIONS All Deposits are used for the rent of the building we are having
classes in-so they are spoken for.
Once you have in your deposit, you will receive a link
to the forms to fill out, what to bring, what will be happening in the class etc
The research begins and you will be working on all the info you need to acquire
to start up your new business. This may take you several days and a ton of
phone calls, but you will be coming to class with all the info I need to help
you set up your business. (And you thought I was kidding when I said you
would walk out the door doing balloons!) Students with fully paid tuition can
receive their training manuals early. More info on that on the homework
link you get once your deposit is in. ****If you pay your full tuition, request
and receive your training manual, and then do not come to the training session,
you DO NOT get any tuition reimbursement. You may come to a different
session but there are no refunds once you receive your training manual.
12.
What can I expect to learn from your classes?
A short cut to success!
There is much to be said for been there and done that and now
I know better how to do it. To be able to cut 2 or 3 years off of getting your
business going and growing is a Godsend. A seasoned veteran with 24 years of
teaching experience to show the best and fastest ways of doing things will
propel you way ahead of all the others. Accumulating all the resources of 20
years, knowing the short cuts, and how to save money is worth its weight in gold.
The training cost FAR outweighs the money you will save by not making the
mistakes, doing it quicker, buying it cheaper, and enabling your business to grow rapidly. (I only
wish this were available to me when I started out.) Again, In ANY BUSINESS VENTURE if
you can copy the pattern of someone else's success, that only makes sense. Don’t
do it all yourself if there is already a proven way out there. Learn their basic
operation and then put you own flair to it to make it your own.
13.
After this training, is there any need for further
balloon classes?
You bet there is!!! This business changes all the time and new
ideas are out there for the taking. Plan on attending at least one balloon
convention a year to learn more balloon ideas. (Conventions usually cost me
about $1000+ for four days--that is the class fee, airfare and hotel and
food) You will find networking with
other balloon companies around the country is also wonderful thing. Even after 25+
years I still go to conventions. Usually I end up teaching or helping the people
who are running the event. It always happens that I work with another balloon
artist who has found a better technique for doing something I do everyday. If
you find just one thing you have learned from these conventions, it is worth the
trip! One year my friend, Linda Bruce, taught how to do a centerpiece that I thought
had great potential. I came back and sold this centerpiece (with my own
variations) 175 times! Its now my favorite.
Trade magazines will also be a necessity to keep current and get new ideas.
You will find yourself waiting at the mailbox for each new issue!
14.What do I need to bring with me?
Comfortable clothes that fit our climate, a well-rested body, a desire to
learn, a sense of humor, and a lot of pencils! It has been also suggested to
bring your vitamins! Since this is non-stop, it is a good idea not to “frenzy
yourself out” before coming and that you do not arrive here tired. Although
your training manual is quite concise and you do not have to write everything
down, you will be making notes to yourself.
A good camera to take pictures is also necessary. If you do not have one,
borrow one. The wider the lens the better for taking pictures of entire room
balloon decor. You can also get copies from my camera. Graduates
also may have pictures of work done by other classes for your own portfolio.
You will need extra space in your suitcase or any empty bag for the plane
for the trip home. You will receive software, catalogues, and magazines to take
with you so you can order stock right away!
15.
Give me some idea of what the classes are like?
In the beginning we will be going over basics
on starting your business and the mechanics of accomplishing this. Then we will
move on to learning about helium, balloons, and all the hands-on training.
(making balloon sculptures, large dance
floor decor, etc) Then on to the tricks of advertising, making your own portfolio and
logos, and a whole lot more. The class
outline lists many topics but not
everything in the training manual is listed on this outline. It is quite
in-depth.
16.
When
is
the next available class?
Two
months
in advance is a good
estimate right now. There could always be a last minute
cancellation that may be available. Note on your
application "first available" if you wish to be notified
of last minute openings.
See Home page for the list
of scheduled classes.
17. How do I make payment
for the course?
The old fashion way of a check, snail mail
works--- as well as Master Card and Visa ONLY thru Paypal. You can use Pay Pal
to put a deposit of $200 to hold your place, which is non-refundable. If
you have to change your date, and give a minimum of 21 day notice, you can apply
your deposit to another class time. *When you move to another class seminar
with a previously paid deposit and do not use it the second time you reschedule, you totally
loose your deposit. Balance is be paid before class using
paypal credit card OR money order, cash when you get here.. (deposits are used
for the rental of our building)
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