Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 08:06:08 -0500
From: Royal Sorell <psorell@star.net>
To: FlBalloon@aol.com
Subject: Re: Hyatt Pricing



FlBalloon@aol.com wrote:

> I think your post is very inappropriate first of all.  I am VERY serious
> about my balloon business, but I am  homebased. But with 3 kids, 2 of them
> being disabled, it makes it very difficult to be able to attend. The rates
> are outrageous for someone like me.  I have friends that live in Chicago
> where I might be able to stay, but it's a catch 22 though, if I don't stay at
> the Hyatt, I don't get to participate in a certain event. ALOT of us REALLY
> are MOM and POP businesses, so calling everyone a complainer is really not
> nice.

I disagree with you and agree with the Bells.

You may think you can't raise prices, because no one will buy your balloons if
you do.  That thinking has kept many balloon businesses fom IBAC (or the All
Star Review or Ballooniversity ...) and from reaching their full potential.  You
have to look at any of thesse educational experiences as an investment, not as a
just an expence.  Do you invest in balloon inflators? Bow or Sand Weight
Machines? Regulators? QBN or other educational tapes or books?  Its a catch 22
in the other direction - if you don't re-invest some of your earnings, your
business may fail.

You do need to build the cost of education into your overhead because if you
don't, your work will never progress and your customers will get bored with your
designs.  And if you can bring them new designs each year, you can raise your
prices even more for thise fabulous designs.  Competing at these industry events
or volunteering with competitiors or one of the designs staff for the parties
will give you more insight, experience, skills and make you a better Balloon
Artist.

Yes we are all Mom & Pop operations.  I am the only person responsible for my
business, my husband's business won't support me, I have no retirement income,
disability, SSI, alimony, child support - nothing but me and my talent, drive,
and ambition to make me and my business succeed.  I need to go to IBAC, All Star
Review, and any classes my QBN chapter and distributor make available.

Most people I know who have jobs working for others or for big companies have
time off (called vacations) where they go skiing, to DisneyWorls, cruises etc
and have a grand time.  All I get to do is go to Chicago  in the winter or
lovely New Jersey in November and learn.  Those are my vacations and that is the
sacrifice I make in order that my business succeed and I can put food on the
table and pay the heating bills.

I went to IBAC for the first time in 1995, and will go every year no matter
what.  This year I even had to throw away my first airplane ticket in because of
a ver big corporate customer who wanted me to do a job for them on March 1st..
You do what you have to in order to get there.   Don't give up

Patty Sorell CBA
Balloon Designs with a Twist