Starting a balloon business can be exciting, creative, and profitable—but having the right tools, supplies, and information from the start will make your journey much smoother. Whether you're a beginning balloon artist looking to create stunning balloon decor for events or offer balloon deliveries, this week, we focus on the essentials: latex balloons and balloon inflators.
1. Balloons-Variety is key for beginning Balloon artist-with control
Your business revolves around balloons, so stock up on high-quality ones in different sizes. As a beginning balloon artist, start with a mix of:
Latex balloons (Decomex, Prima, Kalisan, Tuftex, or Sempertex brands are great choices) as they all offer balloons in one color and all different sizes which is key.
When I started ballooning, Qualatex was the go-to brand everybody would push upon me. However, during COVID-19 and with the balloon shortage, I think many artists, like myself, started exploring other brands of balloons, stopped following trends, and started using what worked for them and their bottom line. I employ you to do the same.
Foil balloons for added variety and longevity
I wouldn't go crazy with the foil balloons starting out, unless adding many foils to your set-ups will be part of your ecstatic. Maybe a few starbursts and numbers for bouquets, but I would say learn more about the different types of foils and how to incorporate them before stocking up on them.
Different sizes (5-inch, 11-inch,12-inch, 16-inch, 24-inch, 36-inch)
So, if you want to make those Instagram-worthy Balloon garlands, then you need different sizes of balloons to bring depth. Now, depending on the brand of balloons you choose to go with will determine the sizes you use. For instance, Prima, Tuftex, and Sempertex standard-size balloons are 11, 16, or 17 & 34 inches, while Kalisan and Decomex standard sizes are 12, 18 & 26 inches, and for me, it makes a big difference. I love a 12-inch balloon because it is easier on the hands and more stretchy. For depth, 5 inches is non-negotiable; you must add a few bigger balloons for dimension. With the brand I use, I use 5, 12 & 26-inch balloons; those 26-inch balloons will come in handy for your garlands, and you can use them as toppers for your columns. I rarely personally use 36-inch balloons.
Classic and trendy colors (which way should you go as a beginning Balloon artist
This is a big one for cost reasons and storage reasons. Being a balloon artist, you will get excited about every new balloon color you see that hits the market. With so many new players in the latex balloon game, you will probably see a new color every few months. With the popularity of social media, your customers will send you all these pretty colors they see online. You will have a decision to make
Some of the gorgeous balloon colors to choose from Storage issues- So a standard Garland usually uses at least 2-4 colors, right? So, if you have a client that orders a standard 14 ft garland, you will not use a whole bag of one color. Now, do that repeatedly with multiple bags of balloons, and those balloons start to pile up fast. I know you're saying well, I'll have them left over for another job. Yes and No. I had a corporate client with a very special golden yellow for their branding, and I ordered many bags; they sat in my office for about 2-years before I ever had another order that needed those colors. So what is the solution? Create your color chart based on the brands that you use and present that to your clients upon them placing their order; I guarantee they will pick a color close enough to theirs, and life will go
on.
Cost- As already stated, purchasing one bag of standard color balloons can cost you between $12-$20 depending on the brand you use, but that's only for your 11 or 12 inches, so you still need your 5 inches and 18 or 24 inches. (Becuase like I said, having different sizes in the same color is key to a nice set-up) and every brand of red is not the same. Not even every white brand will sometimes look the same. The solution is the same as stated above. Narrow down a color chart that works for you and present that to clients. Now, I'm not saying I don't ever play with the pretty colors, but definitely make sure the client's budget matches.
2. Balloon Inflators (Electric and Manual)
Blowing up balloons by mouth isn’t an option for a professional! Investing in good inflators will save time and energy:
Electric Balloon Inflators – A must-have for fast inflation. Now, if you have been dabbling in the social media balloon world, you may have seen that at one point there was a debate about the $15 pink balloon pump from Amazon. Some professional artists claimed that using this pump meant you weren’t a real professional. What’s my opinion? The hell with those artists! Don’t drink the Kool-Aid. Many top balloon influencers endorse certain brands because they are paid ambassadors. As for myself, I drank the Kool-Aid in the beginning, and now I have $3,000 in professional balloon pumps that I’m not using—while my $100 pump is the one I reach for every day. So, my advice? Start with whatever pump works for you, and research before making big purchases on those expensive pumps. The exception to this rule is if somehow your business takes off with a lot of Classic decor, you may need to go ahead and invest. We will discuss classic and organic decor in the next blog.
Manual Hand Pump – Keep a good hand pump in your tool kit. While you won’t use these pumps to inflate an entire job, they are handy. For instance, if you don't have one of the more expensive machines, you probably won’t be able to inflate 260s, but a good hand pump will get the job done. It’s also great for inflating foil balloons. I had an outdoor job once where I had to inflate half the balloons with a hand pump due to no electricity—so I always kept one on hand for unforeseen circumstances.
Practice Tip for Week 1:
Spend time experimenting with different sizes and colors of latex balloons. Get comfortable inflating balloons to the right size, tying them efficiently, and understanding how different colors complement each other in balloon decor.
Next week, we’ll discuss classic vs. organic decor and explore balloon sizes as an alternative to purchasing an expensive balloon pump! Stay tuned as we continue building your beginning balloon artist starter kit!
