Make a bundle as a balloon artist!
Got a creative side? Love to make kids smile? Combine the two and get paid to be a balloon artist! You’ll twist and sculpt balloons into everything from simple swords to fanciful hats—and earn $125 and up an hour. Best of all, it only takes about $50 to get your business up and running! Here’s how to get started:
✔ PERFECT YOUR SKILLS! The easiest way to learn balloon artistry? Check out free online tutorials, such as on Todd Anderson’s Youtube.com channel, Fascinating World of Random. “You can learn all the basic options in about two weeks,” says the Dayton, Ohio, balloon artist, who’s made as much as $600 working a festival just for tips! And don’t worry that you’re not artistic enough: “I’m not the greatest artist around, but the kids love my balloons anyway!” recommends Qualatex 260s— they’re sturdy and easy to twist. You can find them online at Amazon.com and ebay.com or at wholesalers such as The Balloon Room (Balloonroomonline.com). It’s also smart to invest in a quality pump: Anderson swears by his Filbert floor pump. It blows balloons quickly—“and in this business, time is money!” he says. ✔ SET YOUR PRICES AND GET GIGS! Check out balloon entertainers in your area to find out what they’re charging, then use the info to set your own prices per venue. For example, you may charge hourly for a party, work for tips or charge per balloon sculpture at a festival, or accept an hourly fee of $20 an hour plus tips to work at a family restaurant on a Friday or Saturday night. When you search out the competition, also take note of the sites they’re listed on. Gigsalad. com and Thumbtack.com are two of the top national websites, but you may find local sites, too. Also: Search for local festivals and call or visit family-friendly restaurants on off-hours. Ask if you can provide balloon entertainment during busy family dinner times.
✔ NAIL YOUR TOP 12!
Instead of waiting for tykes to tell you what kind of creation they want (and perhaps come up with something that’s not in your repertoire), present a list: “My basics include alligators, swords, flowers, dogs and crazy hats,” says Anderson. If kids are too little to read, hand the list to Mom and Dad to speed the line along.
Setting a party mood is as easy as adding inexpensive decorations inspired by Mexico: ✤ Mini cacti: Line up a few pre-potted miniature cactus plants on your table for a dash of Southwest style. For extra flair, tie a length of colorful ribbon around the mini pots. ✤ Paper luminarias: Also known as farolitos, these decorated paper candleholders add a glowing touch to Mexican celebrations—to make your own, just use a decorative paper punch (available at crafts stores) to create a design on a paper bag, then pop in a flameless battery-operated candle!