Today we’d like to introduce you to Jill Heaton.
Hi Jill, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
After getting married and moving to Northern Minnesota, there was not a lot of jobs. I looked around the area and decided to open a business as a balloon designer. I took a life insurance policy, cashed it in and purchased all needed materials. Within just a couple months, I was extremely busy. I moved it out of my home into a small office building. With Winter setting in we decided to spend a less cold winter back in Connecticut. We paused the business in Minnesota and I opened up a second location in 1991 in Connecticut. I was extremely busy with large bar and bat mitzvah’s and as It grew, more and more customers were requesting florals. I quickly signed up for floral school and got two part-time jobs in two different style floral shops. That is where I spent a year learning the mechanics of design. We decided to move back to MN and I moved the business into a storefront, finally having the best of both worlds. Balloons and Florals.
As time went on, my younger sister was diagnosed with stage III Ovarian cancer. It was time to move back to CT to help family. In 1999, we were permanently back in CT. I moved the business back into the home, and worked full time in Corporate America and continued with balloons and florals for mostly weddings, bar and bat miztvah’. No more deliveries After by children graduated high school and decided to attend college and Florida, it was time to move again. So upon my Kids graduating College, we built a house and we moved, along with Moving the business one last time. I rebranded myself, did a ton of style shoot along with networking with great wedding vendors. We built a studio in our home and my husband built a walk-in cooler to keep all the flowers fresh. I now cater mostly to florals because it became more of a passion. I continue to do balloons for small events when hired, but I prefer to include florals when doing that. I have now grown my business in Central Florida. I travel a good portion of the state for Wedding and Larger Scale Events. I do travel to CT, MN and VA for large-scale weddings. We love Florida and this is now my home and I am growing weekly with my business here. It is much easier to work in a state all year and not have to worry about winters any longer.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The business was always great in MN and CT. I did not have to worry about competition. But it was also a different time when I began. Balloons were just taking off as the go to decor for events. I was in areas where it was not prominent. Moving to Florida and opening here has been the biggest struggle. Florida is such a huge destination area and there there is a huge saturation of even wedding event professional here. It becomes a lot of competition in every part of the wedding industry. So I have to make myself different to stand out.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a floral designer, I became educated in the artistry of working with flowers when I was in my early 20’s. I have been creating Floral and Balloon decor for over 25 years. I am very transparent and will help anyone who might need assistance even when they do not hire us. I think it is very important to be a honest businesswomen. In the long run it will help the business grow and be more successful. What sets us different is we customize for every bride and no two are alike with their dream vision. So we partner with a fabricator local to us, and will have anything built. We try to do designs that other’s are not doing. That is our brand, honesty and customization. It is who I am. I have been published in several magazines over the past few years and that is one of my proud moments.
How do you think about happiness?
Flowers make me happy, Cooking and entertaining make me happy. And my favorite holiday is Halloween. It scares me but I love the creativeness that comes with building a set in my yard. When I can come up with a design and have that bride willing to let me do my thing it makes me very happy.
Pricing:
- $2500-$3500 is our minimum
Contact Info:
- Email: jill@jillheatoneventdecor.com
- Website: www.jillheatoneventdecor.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jillheatoneventdecor
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/jillheatoneventdecor
Image Credits
Dreamscape Photography, Chris Gillyard Photography, Alexis pratt photography, Tracy Townsend photography and Devon Tabor Photography
