BALLOON-ARTISTRY: A JOB THAT'S TOTALLY WORTH IT!

I guess I have to admit, I have a pretty good job. I mean, I am not rich by any any standard, but I'm not poor either. I have a great schedule too. Most of the time I am at work by 5 PM and I work until 9 PM. Now, some might say I work nights and weekends exclusively, but I really don't mind. I have all day to work on the things that matter to me, and I have four or five hours each night, dedicated to working in the balloon business. I work seven nights a week, but I also have lots of free time, so it's the best of both worlds. Finally, it's a happy business. Balloon-Artistry is one of those things that create an atmosphere of fun. People are deeply moved sometimes by my creations, and highly entertained by what I can do sometimes too. Over the years I have twisted balloons for a variety of special occasions. From birthday parties to funerals, Creative Inflation has done it all. Not bad for a company that originally started out doing odd balloon jobs for street festivals in the streets of Dallas 20 years ago. I had no idea that it was going to turn into the big deal that Creative Inflation is today. With multiple clients, three malls, countless birthday parties and events as well as fund-raising opportunities and non-profit charity events, Creative Inflation is willing to go and perform just about anywhere that Advanced-Balloon-Artistry fits it. I make a product and offer a service that not only makes people happy, but it also doubles as a pretty effective marketing mechanism too! Balloons are really good for getting peoples attention. Small businesses everywhere are catching on to the fact that my balloon-artistry is loved by everybody. Its appreciated by the young and the old. It's adored by adults and by children. By simply placing a balloon artist from Creative Inflation in front of a store inside of the mall, that small business increases foot-traffic significantly because everybody runs to see what that artist is really doing. Add to the fact that the balloon artistry that Creative Inflation makes is highly advanced and technically superior to other so called balloon-art in the industry and you will instantly begin to understand why it's such a good idea to contact Creative Inflation and ask how an artist can come be a part of the marketing efforts inside of your store. For more information about contracting an artist from Creative Inflation, call me on my new phone number (813) 812 - 2111 email: creativeinflation@gmail.com =RICK=

Money From Nothing, Laughs Are Free!

Twenty years. It's been twenty years since I started twisting balloons for fun. Eventually it became for profit, and more recently for survival. I've supported myself and my girlfriend, Julie for the last year solely by twisting balloons. Thats kind of a big deal when you really think about it. A full-time income from balloon-artistry is certainly not what I envisioned when I began this journey twenty years ago. I was twenty years old when I discovered twisting balloons. I saw someone at Dallas' West End Market Place make Bugs Bunny out of balloons and I was intrigued! "If I could make cartoon characters out of balloons, then I could really impress people," I reasoned. It seemed like a great way to get people's attention, win the affection of pretty girls everywhere and perhaps even be a great way to score free drinks and the occasional dinner at my favorit bar or restaurant. It was simply a skill I had to have. So I got started. At first I was lost. I was terribly clumsy and complely without direction. I wasn't an artist by any stretch of the imagination. I refused to give up though. The very first character I was able to create was Bugs Bunny. Someone named David Briggs told me to buy the book, "Captain Visual's Big Book Of Balloon Art" and study it closely. There was a page that showed how to make a rabbit that looked like Bugs Bunny. I practiced. Man did I practice! Eventually, I could do it. I actually learned how to make Bugs Bunny out of balloons. To this day it's one of my most requested characters. Next to Mickey Mouse and Dora The Explorer, Bugs Bunny is still a crowd favorite. Why? It's simple really. I mastered that character. Just like I've mastered many of the characters that I make on a daily basis. I work a shift in a mall or in a restaurant every night of the week, except for maybe Mondays, which I generally take as my night off. I am able to support myself and Julie and I predict that the money will continue to improve as I add other services to my quickly developing business concept. Creative Inflation will soon include along with balloon-artistry... -Face-Painting -Bounce-House Rentals -Custom Cupcakes, B-Day Cakes, Sandwhiches and other catered drinks and food items. -Character Models -Magicians -Stilt-Walkers -Event Photographers The list keeps growing every day. I will eventually own the most successful birthday-party and special event company in the nation. My vision is that I provide jobs for people just like me. People that needed a second chance, people who with a little bit of hope and someone to believe in them will be able to turn their lives into something meaningful. The ability to make a difference in the world sometimes only requires one thing. A skill that can be developed may take a little direction at first, but eventually it can turn into a cash generator and that changes lives! Thats my greates purpose. I create life-enhancement stratagies for people that may have lost their way for a minute. With a little bit of committment on their part and a lot of focus on my part, I can literally turn someone's life around and get them back on track again. Balloon-Artistry saved my life. It was the one thing that I could do during a paricularly dark period in my life that provided an income I could live on and a goal for me to wrap my brain around each day, in spite of the fact that I was broke, lonely, sick and confused. There was a moment when I was not sure if I was going to make it after my daughter and X-girlfriend disappeared. It was terrible, but I had something to put my heart into even though my world was falling apart all around me. Suddenly, my silly hobby of twisting balloons became a life line. I found that people would not only pay me to come to their homes and twist balloons for their son or daughter's birthday party, but that they actually LIKED me and WANTED me to be there in their homes with their kids and tell them my story. Through my balloon-artistry, I have made many friends and met many more people than I could have ever hoped to have met on my own. These days, CREATIVE INFLATION has grown from one guy with a bag of balloons that really wasn't sure of himself to several people learning to be better each day with different skillsets that eventually will lead to a full-service company concept that provides total-package, birthday party services and advanced entertainment-marketing for advertising and promotional purposes to bars, restaurants, in-line retail stores as well as for private parties and other special events. Everyone should take a look at CREATIVE INFLATION these days. It's really kind of a big deal. I never thought that my silly hobby of manipulating latex balloons into cartoon characters and other recongnizeable shapes would get so many people's attention, but it has. I also never imagined that my hobby would generate a full-time income while my girlfriend has been out of work, but it's become a full-blown career,(sorry for the pun) but it has and I am thankful for the fact that people like what we do. They pay me for this and that's a blessing like no other. Thanks for all the support and be ready for new things to come. We are just getting started again after the first twenty years. Expect even better things. God Bless. =RICK=

Last Three Months Of The 2013 Year!

I guess it's true what they say. Time sure seems to fly by fast when you're working and having fun! I suppose if you're really having fun, then time flies by even faster, or at least it feels like it does anyway. Regardless, whatever type of work you are doing,you want it to be your very best, both for yourself and for your clients. Here at Creative Inflation, we always strive to do our very best work, and now we would like to be able to teach some of you, our loyal fans to do the same kind of balloon artistry that we do! We are proud to announce that Creative Inflation will begin teaching the fine art of both Balloon-Artistry as well as Face-Painting here in the Tampa Bay area. You can learn how to twist balloons and paint faces for either fun or ultimately for profit. Seminar hours and class times are to be announced, but the Tampa Public Library System is kind enough to offer to let Rick teach people how to do this very special kind of work. Its your opportunity to learn a new skill. I will keep you informed as we get closer to our start dates and hopefully we can get ready for the holliday season in 2013. =RICK=

WOW! This is my 4th year in Florida! This is literally my fourth year to operate Creative Inflation in the Sunshine State. It's been a blast and I have some of the best customers in the world! I just wanted to write an update real fast and let people know where I will be performing this year. If you have seen my shows before, then you know that it's usually a pretty sure thing to look for me at your local area shopping mall. This year I will be performing at the following locations......

-Citrus Park Mall inside Johnny Rockets Resturaunt at the Food Court inside the mall.

-Picture People Portrait Studio inside Brandon Town Center right in front of the Food Court.

-Pink Berry Yougurt Company inside Westshore Plaza next to Maggiano's and PF Changs.

-Gold Pro's Gold Buyers inside Citrus Park Mall on select Sunday's.

Whiskey Joes Bar and Grill on Ben T. Davis Beach Hwy 60 towards Clearwater in TAMPA.
(This is sure to be a new favorite! Great food, on the water, Drinks for all! Live Music every Friday and Saturday and Sunday nights, and the best waitstaff in the world. You don't want to miss this one!)

Look for more announcements coming soon. This is our year to SHINE and I am sure you are going to really love some of the big changes that are coming your way. We will be expanding this year, hiring artists, and doing training sessions throughout Florida to help develop some of the up and coming talent that is ready to hit the scene. If you see me somewhere and you want to get in the game, then holler at me, drop me a note, or just walk up and say what's on your mind. At
CREATIVE INFLATION we just want to work with the best and hang with the rest.
Let me know if you are ready to perform!

=RICK THE BALLOON GUY=

Glorified Cupcakes Now Available!

I just want to take a minute to update all you cool crazy kids! Creative Inflation is now offering custom baked, gourmet specialty, themed cupcakes with whipped butter cream icing and delicious filling in 25 fantastic flavors from Glorified Cupcakes Company in Tampa. Pedro is the owner and does a FANTASTIC job of making some of the best cupcakes in the world. Let me know if you need light catering for a party or special event because not only can we now offer the very best Cup Cakes on the planet, but we can also provide Cuban Sandwich Platters, Wraps, Salads and drinks as well as cookies too. Light catering for special Occasions is just one more thing we do to make your event the best event you've ever hosted.

Check out the website and call me for discount pricing
http://www.glorifiedcupcakes.com/
=RICK=

February 2012

Hi everyone! I know you are probably wondering what we are doing this time of year at Creative Inflation. Well I just wanted to post a quick note and let you know that I have partnered with Jonathan Fudge and the
Your Total Entertainment team to bring you the very best in Novelty Entertainment here in the Bay Area. We now provide entertainers for all types of special events. We offer Advanced Balloon-Artists, Face-Painters and Glitter-Artists, Magicians, Stilt-Walkers, Fire-Spinners, Mermaids, Caricature-Artists and much, much more! Stay tuned for more announcements about the partnership between Creative Inflation and Your Total Entertainment. Mean while in other news...

I would like to officially welcome Pink Berry Yogurt as a full time client. We have been invited to entertain at the Pink Berry Yogurt inside Westshore Plaza on days where we are not working special events. Look for myself or for Jonathan at the Westshore location most weekends and even some weeknights. Currently we are working with Johnny Rockets inside Citrus Park Mall too as well as Vallarta's Mexican Restaurants in several locations. We appreciate our clients and we are always willing to do whatever it takes to bring them business!

As usual, if you would like to book us for one of your parties or special events, just give me a call or send me an email. My phone number is (813) 817-3591 or you can call Jonathan Fudge at (813) 310-5900.

Check out WWW.YOURTOTALENTERTAINMENT.COM for more information. Thanks. Talk Soon!

=RICK=

THREE POINTS ON PRICING

It is once again time to celebrate the things we are thankful for during the 2011 Holiday Season. It's November and I have been working like a mad man, trying to bring advanced balloon-artistry to all the people who have requested entertainment services in the Tampa Bay Area. Normally this time of year I am very busy and this year is no exception. It's always nice to be invited to do a party, but it's particularly nice to be invited into somebody's home. I want to take a minute to comment on the phenomenon that is In-Home Balloon-Artistry Parties. When a client contacts me about doing an event in their home, I am always careful to ask three things. First, I have to know what their budget is. If they are way off in their assumptions of what I will do a party for, then I try to educate them on the reasons for my pricing. I also have to know what else they are expecting other than advanced balloon-artistry. If a client has unrealistic expectations of how much entertainment they can afford, it is my responsibility to educate them on what things cost. If they still don't get it, then I have to pass and move on. Not every party is my party and sometimes there is a better artist out there who is a better fit for the event at hand. I learned this after working in the industry for several years. Sometimes, it's just not right for me to accept an event. Understanding this, allows me to protect my time and only take the events that are right for me. In the beginning we think we need to say "yes" to every event that comes along. We don't. and we are better off in the long run, pacing ourselves so that we don't burn-out along the way. The holidays are particularly suspect in this regard because of the volume of calls we receive asking us to do parties for a hundred dollars. The average price Creative Inflation charges for appearing at an event is somewhere around $300.00, depending on how many kids are there and how far we have to travel. I do not charge by the hour, instead, opting to charge by the event. It's more work this way, and I work longer hours, but the customers are equally more satisfied and we end up with more repeat business this way. It's one thing if it's a charitable organization and you can fit it in your schedule, but it's another thing entirely if you are working for a private party that simply doesn't understand what your services cost. Be fair and educate your clients. It took you years, if not DECADES to master your art-form. Clients are paying you for the mastery of your skills, not for the balloons. As an artist, there is a standard which requires you be the master of your art-form. That's why we can command such high prices. When you are the best, you should be paid like you are the best. That's how the business works, and that's how I have come to understand it. Finally I always ask what theme the party should have. Then, I look at what they say and I create characters that fit the theme of that particular party. Do yourself a favor and learn the entire series of characters in each television show. That way you can do themed parties and people will expect to pay more. Why? because again, this is a business and when you are the only one in the area that can do this type of work, you are instantly elevated to expert level and experts get paid higher fees.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Creative Inflation, FLORIDA! We hope to see you at one of our events very soon!

=RICK=