Steps to Reduce Balloon Business Burnout

Joette Giardina

Mentor. Motivator. Speaker.

Meet Jolena Simoneau and learn steps to reduce balloon business burnout and how she balances her business and family.

Share with us who you are and where you are from.

Hello! I am Jolena Simoneau and I own Sun & Moon Balloon Design based out of Frederick, Maryland.

When did you start your balloon business ?

I started my business in July 2022

Why did you start your balloon biz?

I started my business as a side hustle to earn extra income and quickly realized I wanted to do it full-time.

Did you have a time in your business that you started to experience burn out ?

Many times! I think it’s natural for entrepreneurs in every industry to experience burnout. When I started my business my daughters were 1 and 3 years old and I had zero clue what I was doing. I taught myself from YouTube videos and through trial and error and realized I needed more professional training if I was going to be confident in growing my business. Along the path to finding what I needed I had to juggle co-managing a household with two toddlers and another job.

What changes did you make in your business and why?

Initially I realized I needed to simplify my process. I needed a CRM to handle inquiries and automated as much as possible. I also decided to have a Color Chart and order minimum. I outgrew my small room quickly and my mother in-law generously allowed me to take over half of her unused basement to work out of. I moved my inventory there and was able to get organized and set up more efficiently. When it was still too much to juggle I realized I needed to hire someone to help me and started to figure out how to do that.

How has hiring an inflator changed your life?

Having someone to inflate has been a game changer. I am always present in the workshop since it is a private residence, which has made training and follow-up easy. I bring my laptop and while my assistant inflates I work on administrative tasks or take meetings. She also assists me on some installs – having extra hands doing the physical labor has given me more energy at the end of the day and allowed me to be more present for my girls when I get home.

What things do you do to protect time for your family now?

One of the hardest things to do is say no to a potential job, but I decide what to open and close more easily. For example, my busiest months are May and October and my husband knows that I don’t plan anything family/social those weekends to keep them open for jobs. In steady months I try to block off 2-4 weekend days a month so we can do a day trip or outing. Deciding when to take longer trips happens several months ahead of time so I can block it off. It isn’t a perfect system, but we are getting better at communicating and balancing.

What words of wisdom would you like to share with other balloon business owners with children ?

It is okay to get help and lean on your tribe. No one wants to and admittedly, I am the worst about it. But it is such a weight off when you do have help. Hire out where you reasonably can: a part-time inflator, having a CRM, having someone do social media if you hate it – so many tasks can be off your plate if needed. We are also lucky to live close to my mother in-law and she will often take the girls for a couple hours here and there. It gives my husband a break from solo parenting which is helpful because the event industry can be tough on the entire family dynamic and everyone gets burnt out from it.

What other story, situation or experience would you like to share with other parents facing burnout in their balloon biz?

One thing that eventually hit me was realizing that “busy” doesn’t always mean “successful.” I was saying yes to everything—custom installs, donation and sponsorship requests, last-minute orders—because I thought that’s what growth looked like. But behind the scenes, I was missing meaningful time with my kids, losing interest in things I used to enjoy, and burning out fast.

The turning point came when my oldest daughter started kindergarten. I felt like I was missing key moments of her childhood. That was a wake-up call—I had built a business that didn’t align with the life I truly wanted. So I made intentional changes: I raised my minimums, streamlined my services, stopped doing sponsorship exchanges, and launched Grab & Go options that let me serve my clients without sacrificing my family. I had to draw a hard line in the sand—for my mental health and for the life I want to live.

I’m not perfect at it, but here’s what I’d tell any balloon parent facing burnout: You are allowed to build a business that works for you and your family. You do not have to please everyone, and you absolutely deserve to set boundaries that protect the life you want.

Thanks Jolena for sharing how you have carved time into your scheule to focus on your family. If you have a story you would like to share about your balloon business email Joette@ballooncoach.com