Everything Is Up a podcast that shines a light on the remarkable success stories of people around the world. Host Tammera Hollerich brings on guests to discuss their personal triumphs against the odds. This week, Tammera interviews Steven Jones, a small business owner, balloon decorator and convention producer. Steven shares his unique experience of being a middle-aged, twice-divorced single man that is always looking for the next opportunity. He talks about the importance of facing the realities of life and how his second marriage with the support of her family has been a blessing. Steven also highlights how water stations are transported with large trucks and how Fubu’s conventions and his event float was born. He also shares the effect of social media on the balloon decorating industry and his own trajectory of skyrocketed success when Amazon hired him in 2020. Steven expresses his pride in watching Tammera’s own successes and encourages others to make the most of their opportunities and talents.
Topics Discussed and Key Points:
-The Impact of Not Having a Child on Professor Lee's Life
-Exploring the Challenges of Being a Single Business Owner in Mid-Life
-The Efficiency of Water Station Delivery Systems
-Starting a New Business After Losing Two Conventions
-The Future of Balloon Decorating: Understanding the New Generation
-The Monetization of Social Media Sites
-The Lack of Art in Today's World
-"Understanding the Pros and Cons of Low Investment in the Blue Industry."
-Favorite Art Projects Created by a Guest
-Success During the COVID Pandemic: A Balloon Professional's Story
-The Impact of Hiring Steve Jones: A Balloon Artist on Amazon's Corporate Culture
-Celebrating Success: Steve Jones and the Everything is Up Podcast
Timestamps:
[00:04:28] The Impact of Not Having a Child on Professor Lee's Life
[00:08:11] Exploring the Challenges of Being a Single Business Owner in Mid-Life
[00:12:08] The Efficiency of Water Station Delivery Systems
[00:15:55] Starting a New Business After Losing Two Conventions
[00:19:44] The Future of Balloon Decorating: Understanding the New Generation
[00:23:50] The Monetization of Social Media Sites
[00:27:30] The Lack of Art in Today's World
[00:31:19] "Understanding the Pros and Cons of Low Investment in the Blue Industry."
[00:35:04] Favorite Art Projects Created by a Guest
[00:38:32] Success During the COVID Pandemic: A Balloon Professional's Story
[00:42:10] The Impact of Hiring Steve Jones: A Balloon Artist on Amazon's Corporate Culture
[00:46:47] Celebrating Success: Steve Jones and the Everything is Up Podcast
Notable Quotes:
"I did not expect to be where I am relationship wise or lack thereof at this age. And therefore, if I'm going to be completely honest, I have a tendency to throw myself into work, so I don't have to face the reality that I am alone."
"At the end of the day, you have to kind of focus on the fact that everything worked out the way it was posed to. You'll go crazy. And, yeah, and you just have to, I mean, it's all part of that acceptance. You just have to know, yes, there's plenty."
"Most men at my age are approaching retirement. If they're not already, like, get ready to walk out the door. I'm nowhere near that. I'm nowhere near that because, again, I own a small business and everything else, but at the same time, I'm not enjoying it. Right? So, I'm not about to just go do whatever."
"It wasn't, to be completely honest, you may have just got me on that day. But because they do I mean, they actually that that company supports the convention, which is float convention. The it wasn't, to be honest, it wasn't much, it really wasn't about the manufacturing issue. It was about representation.""
"You don't like it. Come up with something else."
"If I'm going to sell out, it's going to be to Steve Jones. It's not going to be to manufacture a company like that, that at the end of the day, you know, they don't have my best interest in heart."
"It's almost as if I wanted to say, you're going to have to jump onboard. Or you can stay antiquated in what you're doing."
"Had it not been for the organic way if we'd still be considered tacky and cheesy and blah blah blah.""
"It's been devalued to the point where it's like, okay, I'll even pay. And to me, it's the biggest slap in the face."
"It was an awareness. It was an awareness. And so, I am so ridiculously thrilled that I changed the corporate culture of 1 of the biggest companies in the world?""
Resources
Connect with Tammera Hollerich
Connect with Steven Jones
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0:01
Welcome to everything is up a podcast about the real life stories of people who have created extraordinary levels of success. These are conversations with people who are constantly striving to take things to the next level. And now, here's your host
0:21
Welcome to the everything is up podcast. I'm your host, Tamar hollinrake. And my guest tonight, all the way from St. Louis, Missouri via Seattle, Washington, is my dear friend, Stephen Jones. And I just want to welcome you tonight, Steven to the podcast. Thank you. I appreciate you taking out some time. I know you're super busy, and have been really busy the last couple of days.
0:46
Yeah, so Okay, so tell our audience a little bit about who Steven Jones is.
0:55
Wow, that's that's such a wow, that's very interesting.
1:00
Stephen Jones, speaking to myself in third person, quite daily. Don't do that. Now.
1:09
So basically, I am a
1:13
small business owner.
1:16
I'm a balloon decorator. I'm a convention producer. I am a
1:22
you're obviously going to edit stuff that I fuck up on? Yes.
1:27
I am. Because I know about our nights and it's really fun.
1:32
I am
1:35
god what the I've never been asked that question before.
1:40
So your son, the Okay. All right. Yeah, there you go. Okay. Yes, that's fine. Yes. Obviously, yes, I exist. Therefore I am someone's child. Yes, that is very true.
1:49
I am a middle aged, single guy twice divorced.
1:57
always on the lookout to paraphrase Jeff Goldblum, always on the lookout for the next x Mrs. Jones.
2:03
Just kidding. Always applied in there. Yeah, it's always. Yeah, I mean, I hate to say it, but I am pretty much consumed by work.
2:13
So it's very, most of I would say 98% of my existence revolves around the various projects and efforts that I'm involved in. Yeah. And sometimes that's taxing on entrepreneurs. And our work life balance sometimes is either work or life, but no ballot sometimes. Well, to be very honest, I did not expect to be where I am relationship wise, or lack thereof at this age. And therefore I have a tendency, if I'm going to be completely honest, I have a tendency to throw myself into work, so I don't have to face the reality that I am alone.
2:54
Yeah. And that is, yeah, I'm starting this off. Really inspirationally is fantastic. Because that's the reality. Right? So sometimes, it's just easier to be absorbed. Rather than feel that pain of the loneliness. I know you have a business partner. I do. Yes. And I love Alexa. She's amazing. And she's just amazing. And at one point, I would have thought the two of you too, would have been together. Like that was kind of my I'm like, that's how that's going to end. But I know that it's such a good professional relationship. Yes, that that's not really on that radar for either one of you. But it still doesn't fill that void. No, no, yeah, at this age, when you're in that middle aged. Yeah, part of it was the fact too, that I had really hoped that by now I would have been a father. In fact, that is the
3:53
that is the single deepest regret I have in my life. Because I've had
3:59
we had both marriages, I had an opportunity. But I honestly felt like the relationship was so unstable, that it wasn't fair. To bring a child into that. Yeah. And you know, you can sense those things when you're in that relationship. Yeah. And it's just it's one of those things where
4:21
you think to yourself, but you know, this might be my only chance or whatever, and then you realize that's just an incredibly selfish decision. And, and yeah, I you know, I just, yeah, I do I deeply regret not having a child but when you look at the when you look at the circumstances in which they were
4:42
adult, yeah. Well, I've had a lot of guests on the show that I know are, you know, they've got grown children now. And they, they will say they feel like they sacrificed a lot of time. Yeah. Because they were entrepreneurs. And because
5:00
Today, we're constantly trying to build that future for that next generation. Right. And so there's that regret too, which is really interesting. When because, you know, I don't have kids, I did raise my niece for a few years. And that's a challenge and not, you know, there's that half of me that goes, I'm glad I didn't have kids in this day and age. Yeah. And there's that regret of a, you know, was I wasn't being self absorbed working, because I wanted to build that career. And, you know, there are sacrifices that entrepreneurs and business owners make, that, you know, people look at us and go, well, she's got everything, or he's, he's rolling in the dough. And, you know, they're so successful. And they don't realize, you know, that old adage of the picture that you see with the iceberg and 95% of its that sacrifices below the surface, surface. And all anybody sees is that beautiful little iceberg. tip of it at the top right. And that is so true. Yeah. It really is. And, and I started to think to myself, sometimes well, had I had I been a father, had I been these other situations, I may not be where I am now. professionally. Exactly. And as such, in that regard, you look at it, you go, okay, you know what, then,
6:27
at the end of the day, you have to kind of focus on the fact that everything worked out the way it was supposed to. Oh, you'll go crazy. And yeah, and you just have to I mean, it's all part of that acceptance, you just have to, you know, yes, there's plenty. I mean, I'm very fortunate though, in my, in my second marriage, my, her family really liked me.
6:48
The rare exception. And, and I have been absolutely adopted into that family. So
6:58
you know, it's not like, I
7:04
I have an extended family now that I didn't have before. And I feel like that's incredible. Were you guys married? Six years. Yeah. But what had happened is right after we got after, Oh, it wasn't that we weren't reengaged I don't even know if we were engaged it.
7:20
But her adult niece found herself in a situation where she had to evacuate where she was living very quickly. And, and of course, my my, at the time, girlfriend slash soon to be fiance, because it was
7:35
mentioned to me, she goes, I'm gonna have to move them here. I have to I have to take them in, I have to help them. And I said, Of course you do. Yeah, that's just Yes, absolutely. It's what you have to do. And she was looking for me for support, you know, to help with all that and everything. And so, you know, this, this family of the adult niece and her three daughters, you suddenly find themselves in Seattle with knowing no one in their entire lives uprooted.
8:01
And so for a very, I would say, for a year or two, I was the closest thing they had to a father. And so I did get to experience some of that, you know, in that regard, and it was really, really, I would never trade those moments ever.
8:16
And if that's the closest I ever came, then I'm thankful to have those moments. That's nice. Yeah, so being single.
8:24
And I've been married for 25. So it's hard for me, right. But when I put myself mentally, you know, all relationships like, we fight, you know, we disagree. And I thought, maybe I don't need to be in here, right? All in my head. Of course. Oh, yeah, we all do that. But then I start thinking,
8:47
I don't want to have to date. I don't want to have to go on dating apps. I don't want to have to do this swipe left, swipe right, whatever that is that everybody talks about? What are your feelings on this, this dating world that's out there now?
9:02
You know, I didn't realize how challenging it was going to be. I mean, I already knew that dating in general is challenging. But
9:11
being a professional balloon decorator
9:15
adds a whole new spin.
9:18
Because what I well first of all, like I said, I'm 54 Most men at my age, are approaching retirement, if they're not already, like getting ready to walk out the door.
9:34
I'm nowhere near that. I'm nowhere near that because again, I own a small business and everything else but at the same time. I'm not. I enjoy it. Right? So I'm not about to just go do whatever. And the so most of the women that are age appropriate,
9:53
are looking for someone that's ready to take four and five day weekends and travel every day of the drop.
10:00
hat mahbubani Like, sorry, I've got a mitzvah Saturday, you have a good time.
10:05
And then
10:08
well, in that balloon world is erotic. Oh, it's mercy of the event here. Yeah, that's right. There's, there's no like, Oh, I'm so sorry, I have these 10,000 balloons to blow up. And it's going to take me about 10 hours. And I'll call you and when you don't answer your phone, and
10:30
relationships take work. They take effort. Absolutely, yeah. And so as we don't have that effort to give, because, you know, these, you know, events, at the level, you do things, right, because you're not doing little events. Most of the time. I know you work with the Seattle Seahawks. And I know that you work with Amazon corporate, and you have some really big clients, and fortunate that we're in a market that has, I know, you've done some work for Microsoft, and yeah, we Yeah. Microsoft is actually our, our biggest client. But then again, Microsoft is so big, I would argue they're the biggest client of several companies in Seattle. Because, you know, there's a lot but we, we work almost exclusively with their catering department. Yeah. And so we get all I mean, the Amazon campus had, or I'm sorry, not, excuse me, the Microsoft campus has
11:26
got, I want to say 120 buildings on the campus itself. And they pre COVID, pre COVID, they would host 200 events a day. Now, keep in mind and event with the catering department is anywhere where food is served. So if they're setting up, you know, and then then on top of that they have cafes, and coffee stands and everything else throughout the campus. What's even more amazing about it is all of the food and beverage provided on the Microsoft campus is produced in one kitchen. Wow. Not the cafes and stuff. But the catered events, like literally like water stations, water stations are literally all done at one central location, and they throw them in a big old truck and drive them around campus and drop them off. It's insane. Wow, it's crazy. I mean, it's it's amazing. So but But what I'm saying is, once we you know, we I mean, we, I mean, we even have badge Access Now overall, which is fantastic. So we can let them hear really
12:29
well, and especially for the planners, because now they don't have to meet us there. You know what I mean? It's like we can let ourselves in at 4am and set the decor or whatever and, and be gone. So that's really nice. But yeah, I mean, there's there's,
12:44
there's a lot. Well, so there's this evolution that I have seen over the years. We've known each other since the early 2000s, when we were both very young in the industry.
12:54
And the audience knows I have a blimp company in the Dallas area. And so but it's interesting, because I know you started as a twister. Yes. And a twister in the balloon world, guys are the ones that make the animals Correct. Which is the other Center, which is the other side effect of when you're chatting with someone on the dating app, and then they find out you're a balloon person. They instinctively think you're a clown. Oh, true. Yeah. And it doesn't matter. And it doesn't matter that that's not even close to what you do that you're now oh, he's a clown, or he's a guy that makes goofy animals or kids parties. And next. And that happens a lot. Really? Yes. So from from this Twister, you go to the decorating site. And now you've gone to convention producer of probably what I would call at this point, the industry's leading balloon educational conference, both for beginners intermediate. And on the that advanced level, more of the master side. It's much more of the intermediate to master side. Yeah, it really is. And it was something that you had you and I actually had this really brief conversation on the phone one day years ago, you were talking about
14:19
doing balloon videos. Yep. Right. And one to put together a convention that wasn't any one specific manufacturer because all of us that have been in the industry for any length of time. There are so many manufacturers that make the lens people don't realize that either I don't think and we kind of all felt like we were being strong armed by one particular manufacturer and you are so irritated that day over this one particular manufacturer being this Goliath really in the room that you were like, taking this on, and I remember thinking to myself, bless you
15:00
Thank you, because I thought you were literally David against Goliath. Like, I really did think that I yeah, I still feel that way. Sometimes it's the year, it wasn't to be completely honest, you may have just caught me on a bad day.
15:16
But because they do, I mean, they actually that that company supports the Convention, which is float, the float convention.
15:24
The it wasn't to be honest, it wasn't much, it really wasn't about the manufacturing issue. It was about representation.
15:35
Then the course of when there were three different conventions at the time for balloon decorators, with regard to entertainers, the twisters, there were all kinds of opportunity. I mean, you had there were multiple conventions, you had local jams, where they get together and teach there were all kinds of traveling instructors and everything else. But for at the time and the decorator world, there really wasn't there were three different events. And in one year, two of them went under two of them shut down.
16:00
I back probably no, but university. University was one of them every year to every five, correct, right, which is practically shutting down, right. And then because when you lose the regularity of that nature, then it's just doesn't that now it's basically just the anniversary celebration.
16:18
And then there was another one called the IBA, which was a association of folks that that never really took off to begin with. The only event left was produced by a gentleman that a lot of us had
16:31
very bad relationships with like he was just it there was there was almost no integrity and what he was doing. And I was really bothered by this. And I, I said this, this guy can't be the voice of our industry. He can't, it's just not. He's unethical. He's disreputable. He's associate, he can't be the voice. And I remember once it i Back Back then, which was of course, the International blood arts convention for many years ago.
17:01
I remember chatting with somebody, I was like, this is like my second one or something a second or third one that was very green. And I walked into final night and I said, Oh, no big surprise, a balloon drop, you know, that kind of thing. Like some stupid, arrogant kid. And this guy turned around and looked at me dead in the face, I'll never forget, it looked at me dead, the face goes, you don't like it come up with something else. And that's exactly what I thought of when I realized that that was the situation we were in.
17:28
And so I decided, Okay, I'm gonna put my money where my mouth is, and float was born. That's, yeah, that's impressive, you know, float.
17:39
From my experience as a delegate, and coming and immersing in that. I'm a big, personal and professional development girl, the audience knows this about me. i It's, you have to invest in your your growth, but you're not going to grow your business, your team yourself without this education. And float, for me, personally, was really that place that I felt at home, I felt like I belonged. I felt like I was learning. And that is the key. And I think that's why I float to the convention has grown so much over the years is because it's the value that you put your heart into to bring it and bring it with a vengeance. Well, I've always said it's FUBU. You know, it's for us by us. And, and even though along the way, so, you know, we've had growing pains and what have you and we've made, you know, bad decisions or whatever. It's always at the end of the day, it it's, it's produced by a decorator for other decorators. Because again, when you when you when you go to a convention that is sponsored by say a manufacturer, just one of them.
19:02
It's about product. Absolutely. And don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that they're paying for it. Right, they're flipping the bill so they can be can be anything they want. But again, it's not about you as the decorator, it's about them moving product. And
19:21
while I you know my attitude has always been that there's multiple tools in our toolbox. And every tool in my toolbox is not the same brand. Some of them are you know, I might get some at Home Depot I might get some at Lowe's I might get some at Sears store if there's still any left anymore you know there's there's all kinds of places that you get tools from it's and it's whatever tool best fits the job. And so, and again in dealing with learning from from experience that the manufacturers
19:51
in it,
19:55
they
19:57
they develop relationships, of course for their own reasons and a lot
20:00
Have those relationships again or to move product. So I didn't want to, from this point forward, I vowed that I would never sell my soul to another manufacturer, I'd sell it to myself. And so if I'm going to, you know, if I'm going to if I'm going to sell out, it's going to be to Steve Jones, it's not going to be to, to a manufacturer or a company like that, that at the end of the day,
20:24
you know, they don't have my best interest in heart. No, that's true. And again, I, I know so many balloon people, and I know what they're struggling with and what they're suffering from. And it's like, this is how I can give back. Yeah, that's, so this is a perfect segue to my next question, because you are that
20:45
connector, right? Between the balloon decorator artists that's out here in the day to day trenches, and the education that they need to grow their business. But what does Steve Jones do? For his professional and personal development, outside of the float convention?
21:11
Oh, that's a good question. Not a lot.
21:14
No, I, most of most of my knowledge comes from my connections with other balloon people.
21:22
You know, and let's be honest, once you reach a certain level, in this industry, going to conventions is far more about networking than anything else. I hate to say it, I'm a terrible reader. I always joke about people not reading emails and stuff, but you know, they have articles now. Yeah, and that's and that I, that is something that I really do need to look into.
21:43
I don't
21:46
you know, I am so consumed by what I'm doing. And to be honest with you, I think it's showing, because as I'm aging, and as you know, you have this new generation of balloon people coming in, whose when I first started, every single balloon person's goal was to be full time. It was like, This is gonna be my career, this is what I want to do, I want to die doing this, blah, blah, blah, the new generation doesn't want that necessarily. The new generation is looking for, it's like the Uber culture, right? They want to work when they want to work. For them. It's not necessarily about a career choice, as much as it is just add additional income and additional income stream, right, it's also to some degree of platform for them to become an influencer, which you know, is at the end of the day is is you can't deny that anymore. No, as a possible income source. So people have different motivations now than I used to have or that I have.
22:49
And so for my generation, it's a little bit challenging to understand the new folks. But that is kind of, I mean, that's our future. It is, and had this whole conversation on a panel earlier today
23:03
in an education seminars over both in, and it's just
23:09
so so my biggest thing right now, or my new direction is to better understand this new generation of balloon people.
23:18
Because as was clearly evident at this at this conference, there's a lot of hostility right now between old and the new. And hear that Yeah, and it's and it's,
23:30
you know, the truth of matter is, both sides have very valid points. I mean, you're, you know, as, as a seasoned veteran, you know, when I first started doing balloons, we had AOL dial up.
23:43
You know, we didn't have you know, there was no social media, there was nothing like that. We never had the opportunities,
23:49
just at a fingertips to generate revenue, like they do now. But so many of the social media sites are monetized now, yeah. We just didn't have those opportunities that and so for us. And for a lot of blue people, it's very frustrating because they see the financial levels that it took them 10 years or 15 years to achieve. And these guys are doing now. And because they have the advantages of the other things that we didn't have, but that's every industry. Oh, absolutely. And and see, and that's the thing, it's not I mean, it's not just balloons, it's like my, my, my second wife was a Karaoke Host. And she had, you know, her industry had the exact same problem. Prior to, I don't know, 2005 or 2000, or whatever. You know, the only way you could get music was through legally licensed CDs. And you could subscribe to monthly services where you would get more music for less, but you were still, you know, the guy would show up at 26 cases of CDs and I've got all the music you could ever want, blah, blah, blah. And then some 20 year old walks in with a with a laptop,
24:54
and with legally downloaded music that he can purchase with licensing agreements.
25:00
for a fraction of the price this guy had, and he's livid up and down. Because this that blah, blah, blah, because he made all this investment. And now these kids are doing it. And I just, it is what it is. I mean, that's what that's what happens. Well, it's part of it's part of this technology growth that is happening, whether we jump on board or not, right. And I earlier today, I didn't jump into the conversation, because it was not going to go anywhere good. Anyway, if we had kind of continued down that path, generously stopped it, but
25:41
the technology is going to go with or without us. So it's almost as if I wanted to say you're going to have to jump on board. Or you can stay antiquated in what you're doing. And there's, you know, there's nothing wrong with that either. Right there. We talked a little bit about, you know, building relationships and knowing your customers and things like that today. And
26:08
there's the generation that's coming up that we need to come up because at some point, like I told you earlier, I'm not going to work time hydrate. Yeah. Right. The balloon industry and decorating is a lot of work. It's a lot more work than most people think. Yes, absolutely. Concrete bases that are doubled. 16. By 16. You're standing on your feet for 678 hours straight blowing stuff up. And oh, yeah, people don't. Yeah, people always think it's gonna be fun and easy work. And then they find like, two weeks later, they're like, this sucks. Yeah, this is a lot. It's a lot of hours.
26:45
But we need them to come into the industry. And I'm really refreshed, that they're bringing some of this stuff with them. It has just been a little bit more difficult, like you said, because
26:59
we are the pioneers in this industry. Right? We are what really started like, well, the industry actually started and what the like the industry so yeah, I wouldn't say that I we've definitely benefited from the pioneers. And to be honest, you know, the pioneers, the founder, like our founders, they actually, were probably more successful. Because when you look at I mean, Dear God, you know, people like wind Bell and, and,
27:30
and Treb hunting, and there's several names I can't think of right now. And I apologize for that. But several dramatically big names that Bill McFadden is was trying to think of these guys. I mean, these guys, were getting orders for 25 $30,000 jobs gives gifts and chips, customers.
27:48
I mean, these guys were getting orders in, you know, six figure orders in some cases. And some of them are so getting back in the 80s. Right. That's a tremendous amount of money. I mean, I remember, they were also blowing 1000s and 1000s. Oh, yeah. Well, so are we.
28:07
Yeah, but at the same time, yes. And but they it seemed like when when the balloon decor industry was, was brand new.
28:16
People were far more eager to, to,
28:22
to invest in it. And then at some point, like every other industry when when it became oversaturated, when it became overdone, and the price was driven down, then suddenly it was Blizzard, cheap balloons are tacky. And that's why I get really upset with people that oh my god, organic balloons, blah, blah, blah, blah. I'm like, had it not been for the organic wave, we'd still be considered tacky and cheesy and blah, blah, blah. So you can't eat. You may not like it. Because it's because veterans see it as it's just easy work. You know, it's it's it doesn't require any investment in material. It doesn't require any investment of education. It's just you blow up a bunch of balloons, you tie them together, and oh my god, look, it's art.
29:07
And I think that's I think that's that's the problem that a lot of veterans have, because
29:12
so many of the newer, younger artists
29:19
naivete to a degree, right? Are they consider themselves artists, and anybody that came before them is kind of your you don't really get it. You're kind of the old school you're, you know, you're the dinosaur. Now that's not everyone of course. Right.
29:36
And, but but there's plenty out there that that take that attitude, and that's and that's to some degree where the veterans get upset.
29:45
But again,
29:48
you know, well, then veterans like Keno, who truly probably I would say, is an artist. Oh, without question. Yeah, he is fantastic. Who builds the
30:00
is incredible. Yes, right? Is Art? Oh, without question. Yeah. And so I think that you're right. So that's where some of the veterans are like, you want to see art.
30:14
But see, I would argue that very few people are creating art or decorators. No, very few decorators are creating art, building fat and God rest his soul is the one that because I was talking to him one day when I was much, much younger, and he was still with us. And and I said, I am so excited, so thrilled that people hire me to make art. And he laughed at me. And he said, Do you really think you're making art? And I said, No.
30:45
And he said, he said, Steven, if you were making art, you could make whatever the hell you wanted. And they would pay you for it.
30:53
Oh, yeah. And I said, Okay. And he said, your artistic, you are working in artistry. But you're not creating art. You're a decorator. Yeah. And even and even with the stylists today, there are several stylists out there that that their clauses Oh, no, you don't tell me what I'm making. I'm making what I make. And therefore they think that considers them an artist. But the truth of the matter is, no, that's still not it. Because you're still being brought in to decorate for an event, the client is still going to tell you what color palette to work with, the client is still going to have these parameters, and it's going to go here and this. So you're really not creating art you are, you're creating decor. I'm not suggesting it can't be artistic. That's beautiful way to put it. And you know, as our audience listens to this, and it there will be some veterans and there will be some of these newer that will end up listening to this podcast that hopefully will hear what you're actually saying. Because it's not that we're saying you aren't artistic. Right. Right, and that you don't work in artistry. That's beautifully put, right? Because it is but the reality is, we have been brought in to decorate a venue.
32:15
And that's interesting. So is there anything about this industry that you're in? That just bugs the fire out of you?
32:27
Yeah,
32:29
several things actually.
32:32
I've said it 1000 times the biggest advantage to our industry is also its biggest disadvantage. And that is that debts almost minimal to no investment to get started. entry points. So very low entry point. And now again, had there been a high entry point I may not be in this field, though, I said the same. Because when we joined when we you know, at the time that we at the time that my first wife and I started the business together, you really just needed 100 bucks and a helium tank.
33:01
No, again in 1995. That was a lot. It was a lot but it was more money than than most.
33:11
Now you need an Etsy account. Yeah. Oh, and maybe an Amazon blow. We're in a vagabond? That's I mean, that's it. I mean, that's what I'm saying. Because you don't there's no investment and because there's no investment. They also don't necessarily necessarily I'm not saying everybody, but a lot of them don't necessarily feel an obligation as a member of the industry, because and when you look at you every stinking thing you could ever want to learn how to make because on YouTube. And so literally everything is is to me, but I'm sorry, you know, here's my answer.
33:47
My firm answer the three most annoying words I hear in the balloon industry today is I'll even pay
33:58
even pay because what happens is you get people that go on the, you know, like Facebook groups or whatever. I'm trying to find a recipe of this and bla bla bla bla bla bla bla, could someone point me in the right direction, I'll even pay to get that recipe correct. And to me, it's like, no, you should be offering that from the from day one. That you because again, you're trying to take that information and make money with it.
34:23
Why are you so graciously agreeing that I might actually even reimburse you for the time and energy that you put into it. And, and because information is so easily available now. It's been devalued to the point where it's like, okay, I'll even pay. And it to me, it's the biggest slap in the face. You hear these people that you know, they they're in the different groups and they're, you know, basically forgive the expression swinging their dicks around like, you know, there. I'll take that over. I'm gonna do that again. Knock out the mice do not and I'll tell you how.
35:00
because it's real, like, I prefer that we keep this real. And so, and they talk a lot of trash about how, you know, they strongarm, the client or somebody tried to get something for free or whatever, and blah, blah, blah. Now, how do you how stupid they think I am, blah, blah, blah, then they turn around, do the exact same thing. And it's just like,
35:20
okay, yeah, you know, your work is absolutely beautiful. And some of the pieces that you have created, I think, by my favorite of everything you've created, well, there's two, the dragons that the Blue and Red Dragons that were in an Amazon really that was one of your favorite one of my favorite. Wow. Okay, because it was unique client hated them. Really? Yes. Isn't that interesting? Client hated them? They were one of my favorites. And then of course, the life size elephants in the field. Those are Yeah, those with the Star Wars, the walker Walker. Yeah, that was massive. And amazing. Yeah, it was fun. It was.
36:06
The elephants are one of my favorites. Stunning work. It was it was it was just fun. And again, like you said outside and, and just, and ironically enough, a mile down the street from our shop. The family that that hired us to do that was just down the street, in the middle of a field and in the middle of the field. I mean, they've got the that'd be they own a massive, my part of the of Washington State, people in the early days could get a lot of land relatively inexpensively and they just build on it. And that I mean, these guys have like 5060 acres, I think, right there.
36:40
That was one of my favorites.
36:42
The Walker I yeah, I the Walker was one of those pieces that I wasn't paid to make. That was a that was a the, again, literally like a mile and a half from the shop.
36:57
There was a there's a YouTube influencer. And another couple guys in the area started a they wanted to start their own.
37:08
Like, like, sci fi swapmeet kind of thing. And because it was right down the street. And because you know, it was it was very convenient. And again, you're talking about a YouTube influencer and everything else. So I was like, hey, you know what, yeah, let's do this. And it was fun. And it was it was a nice bill that was huge. Like, it was huge. It was I think it was 15 feet at its highest point. It was a big piece acid and, and to scale. Yeah. perfectly proportioned to scale. I mean, it was just one of my favorite beautiful pieces. i In retrospect, I would have done a few things differently to make it a little cleaner, and make it look a little more realistic compared to the actual piece. But yeah, I was really happy with it. That brings a very interesting point. Because we are our own worst critic. Yeah, we look at pieces. And, of course, I've only seen it in pictures. I didn't get to see it up close. But I thought it was flawless. And I'm sure anybody else looking at it did not pick it apart. Like no, of course not. No. And when you looked at it, and when you looked at when you walked in that room, you go to the front entrance, and that's there's booth this booth and then standing above the booths are this is this at the back of the room, that everybody just was like losing their stuff over. But my my personal career high was the the Chuck Taylor.
38:31
Okay, so this is the this is exactly how I wanted to close our interview tonight. Because you are this.
38:40
I don't know that in 20 years. I've seen you in anything but a tequila, right, right ever. And a few times, but not many. I was gonna say maybe when you were in a suit emceeing one of the conventions, but I wouldn't put I wouldn't bet money on that. I'd have thought you would add them on underneath you. So that's just me that you did.
39:01
Was it for Amazon? Yeah, it was. So 2020
39:07
was a terrible year for so many people because of the COVID.
39:12
But I hate to say it, it was one of my best as far as my, as far as as far as Steve Jones Blim professional was, it was one of my best years. It was the year we started 1 million bubbles. It was the year we did we created. We created the adoptive grandparent program. It was it was just it was you know, kind of bootleg by someone else. But but we're the ones that kind of launched it.
39:36
We,
39:38
you know, float. We'd had a record year for the convention that year right before COVID. Thank God. Two weeks. Yeah, yeah. And then, but then what happened was in August of 2020, we got a call from a local Amazon fulfillment center, who they're like we're having this contest. We've partnered with Zappos
40:00
We need we're launching this line, this promotion within the company that we want our employees to own work wear safety shoes and that kind of thing that went viral across the country and every fulfillments. Right, well.
40:15
So what they wanted to do is they said, We want you to make a work shoe. And I said, Okay, sure. And then they went back and forth. And I quoted him a rough price. And, and they were like, Okay, this sounds good. I said, but But let me ask you this. I said, these, these work, shoes are all kind of boring. They're all like, you know, they're all look the same. They're not. They just kind of blame me. But so which one do you want me to make? And then they got back to me. And they said, Well, we really don't care. Oh, I said that door. I said, really? They said, Yeah, it just has to be a tennis shoe. It has to be it has to be a tennis shoe. That's all we care about. And I said, really? And they said yes. And I said, so I can make any damage to you? And they were like, yes. And I said, so I can make Chuck Taylor Congress. Hi, top all star. And they were like, That's a tentative? And I said, Yes, it was. And so that was, I mean, we were paid to make it. I mean, that's, that's, that's where I mark things off my bucket list. Because I can make anything I want to make.
41:21
It's when I get paid to make it is when it's now it's off the list, right? And,
41:27
and so I spent about two or three days during the heat of COVID, when we weren't doing a ton of work. And I built that shoe. And I did the install. And what happened was Amazon, the Amazon facilities wherever have their own internal message boards and this kind of thing. And they posted their entry, which was my shoe.
41:54
And within about 48 hours, I was getting emails from people literally around the world. Like, Dear God, my client just sent How do I make this right? I was one of them. And, and
42:10
what? And up until that point, most of the Amazon locations if they hired balloon people at all, they brought them in to do bouquets or the occasional garland or basic arches or something like that. And
42:26
organic right. And the budgets weren't that big.
42:31
Suddenly,
42:34
everyone in this company
42:38
recognize the power of the sculpture work. Yes. And, and what spawned from that was now you had
42:50
it wasn't just the shoe. Now it's what can you make this? Can you make this? Can you make this can you make this? There was an awareness, it was an awareness. And and so I am so ridiculously thrilled. Well, I should say I'm yeah, I'm ridiculously thrilled that I changed the corporate culture of one of the biggest companies in the world.
43:16
That that is really powerful. And you did do that. We we benefited from it? Well, that's what I was gonna say too, is that the biggest honor?
43:29
The biggest honor was at a time when not one single American corporation was spending money on balloon decor. This one was this one was and we spawned that. And and I know
43:45
Amazon probably saved hundreds of small balloon businesses, I can tell you, Amazon played a very big part in our existence. Yep. During that time. Absolutely. And we were so grateful. I mean, we were, you know, it and it is to the individuals like you who took that and said, I'm willing to give that back and really make that impact to actually, one put our industry on the map in a corporate culture, right that that was big, but to be so generous with the other artists who were calling. Like I said, I was one of them like Jones Oh my Lord, what are you done?
44:37
I got a lot of those. Like, what have you got? No, but it was amazing. And it shows to your character, a lot to your character, how much you love and you care about our industry in this balloon world, and
44:56
I just want to say thank you because it
45:00
it. We've known each other a long time. And I know who Steve Jones is, I wanted the world to know who Steve Johnson is outside of our industry, because you have made such a positive impact that your legacy will be left in this industry. Sadly, though, well, first of all you thank you isn't completely unnecessary. But I but I appreciate it.
45:30
Sadly, though, the concept of a legacy in this industry is almost an oxymoron. Because our industry has such a short memory, because we turn over so much.
45:44
And I, you know, it's funny, because I was going, I
45:50
that that was actually that was a thing for me, because I was like, up until 2020, I felt like I the only thing, my biggest personal stroke, because I'm insecure, like every other damn creative person, right? I got my own moments and everything else. And the problem, is they Right, exactly. My problem is the only thing that I think that I would be remembered for was float.
46:11
And for me, that was a problem. Because I wasn't a producer first, I was a balloon person first. And I felt like, wow, I didn't, you know, my work really hasn't made an impact, you know, to a point might be surprised, well, I, August of 2020. Actually, like I said, the whole year of 2020. Really, the mural outside my shop for that spot, 1 million bubbles was still to this day, one of my favorite pieces, not because of the finished piece, but because of the message that it was sending.
46:47
You know, there was there was just there was so much but, and I was also very grateful, because and I swear to God, I'm not trying to sit here and praise me sing my own praises. But when when COVID hit step chat had just started, which was that that float based, weekly show, and I remember thinking to myself, What the hell am I gonna talk about for two years while we wait for the next convention? Well, guess what? COVID hit.
47:16
And
47:18
so many of my friends and colleagues,
47:22
when they were told to shut down, they lost their minds. And I mean, they lost their identity. Because they identified themselves like early, okay, earlier today, when you asked me, you know, what are you? And I couldn't hardly answer that question. Right, exactly. And you're like, what your son, you're this, okay? Okay, I get you're right, you're right. And I was actually saying that same thing to other people, because I was very fortunate.
47:50
I'm a balloon person told to shut down. But I'm also an event producer.
47:55
So I have the ability to just simply go, Okay, now I'm identifying as a producer, I'm gonna pivot. And I took this role of leadership. And try I mean, I, I, I swear to God, I started trying to be
48:11
the, the, the warm dad, kind of like, everything's gonna be okay. We just got to stick together and get through this. And I was, so in that regard. I was very lucky that I could, because because if I didn't have that, if I hadn't been that person, I don't know where I would have been during all that. Yeah, that that, is that impact, right, that you're like, Well, you know, I was having trouble identifying, you know, that legacy that with float, but it's bigger than that. And that's, that's what I wanted you to see is your impact, not only as, you know, the artistry in the balloon medium that we use that you bring to the table that you have brought to this table. But it's also the producer of the show, but it's the leadership and you know, the podcast. Yeah, my podcast name is everything is up. And it is that leadership that up that brought me to you to go, Hey, I really want you on the show. That impact will go much farther than you think.
49:20
And
49:22
I'm grateful. I'm grateful that we're friends. Yeah. And I really, you know, can't tell you, I have watched you grow. I'm so proud. Like, I'm proud to know you. I'm proud to be able to say I'm your friend. But that leadership quality is the impact that you're going to leave and that legacy. And I I might disagree with you a little bit about that turnover and what short memory we have, because there are people that have been before us that we have not forgotten. No, that's true.
50:00
That's very true, and you're going to be one of them. You will be right there at the elite top. When that day comes, you will be remembered. Well, it's good to know. Well, and I just want to thank you so much. Yeah. Sharing who Steve is and spending a little bit of time with me this evening here in St. Louis, Missouri, via Texas and Seattle. But everyone, Steven Jones from balloon designers and the float convention out of Seattle, Washington. Thank you again, Steve. Thank you. Appreciate it.
50:33
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