158. Retreat recap + tribute

In this week's episode I'm chatting about my experience hosting my first ever Glow Retreat! I met awesome people, had a great time and learned a lot. I wanted it to be a space for balloon business owners to talk shop, because those are often my favorite moments and memories from conventions, and I think we all have something to teach, offer and share with one another. One thing that really helped with this was the diversity in the ways that the attendees run their business. Home-based, retail, e-commerce, Etsy... There were quite a few different business structures being represented and it made for some really high level and interesting conversation. I'm not even sure I could have hand-picked a better group! So many things went well, but when I reflected on the experience I did discover some things that would need changing. From group size, to the number of days, to content, to lodging and more... I'm giving an honest reflection on the experience and whether I would do it again.  I feel like the most room for improvement is with the topics that I facilitate. I really wanted to be sure participants left feeling like their money and time was well-spent, but I realized that it was too much for the timeframe we had. Because of this, I'm moving the content we covered into an online, 4-month group program: The Pumpkin Plan Accelerator! The Pumpkin Plan has made such an impact in my business that I recently became certified as Pumpkin Plan Strategist in order to help pass along the benefits of this approach to other balloon businesses. I give more details about the program in the episode, but the main purpose is to help you discover your best customers and attract more of them so that you can narrow in on what makes your business unique. I really can't recommend this process enough and am so excited about the idea of helping you find the sweet spot of your business! And this week in the UGlu Hotline, instead of the usual advice, we have a special tribute to Tommy of Balloons by Tommy, who many of you know is battling cancer. Words of support and encouragement came flooding in from across the country, and the segment has been dedicated to him... we love you, Tommy, and hope you get better soon!   RESOURCES MENTIONED: 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Mastermind & Summit   Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514‬ Business Sweet Spot Quiz  ____________________________ Join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list  courses | templates | planner  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube