Meet Melissa Acedo | Event Planner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa Acedo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Balloon Glamm started in my home on my son’s second birthday. Once I realized how much joy I received from creating my vision and bringing it to life for his birthday party, I knew party decorating was something I wanted to do for my family and friends to bring joy to their parties, so I started to help with parties whenever I could. From the first time I thought of Balloon Glamm as a full time business, I knew it would not be sustainable to work my current full time job, keep up with my toddler, and to continue event planning only on weekend. The decision was very difficult, but when I realized that pushing Balloon Glamm and having it succeed was my only option, the choice was very easy. Risking my 9-5 job in finance and jumping feet first into Balloon Glamm was the best decision I could have ever made for my family and myself. I thought the security of a full time job was the best thing for us as a family, because it’s all I’d ever known since I started working in high school, however Balloon Glamm has opened up a completely new world for me. I am now able to spend more time with my family than I ever could before and have a very rewarding business at the same time. Had I not taken the risk to quit my full time job and dedicate myself to growing Balloon Glamm, I would still be working at a finance job feeling tied down day to day.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Event planning came a lot easier than I would have ever imagined. Once I started to work with clients and creating themes for their events that exceeded their expectations, it became so much more fun for me. To be able to hear what a client wants to transform their venue or home into, and then work with them step by step through every detail to ensure that they have the event that they envisioned. As the owner of Balloon Glamm I’m involved from the moment they contact me to the end of their event. I love that I’m able to provide a full experience for the client and make these special occasions less stressful for them. I love that I’m able to see their event themes come to life and change the entire space into their own creation. Balloon Glamm has had a wonderful clientele base that all started from word of mouth and has expanded through social media. The biggest thing I’ve learned from owning my own business is to have patience and roll with the punches. Events are affected by schedules, weather and a million other things, I have learned to be flexible and adapt to all different circumstances. I love giving my clients the confidence that they are being taken care of and that my work is a direct reflection of my passion.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would love to take them to Joya Spa at Omni Scottsdale resort for a day of pampering and relaxation with views of the mountains. A few of my favorite brunch spots that are a must are Morning Glory Cafe, Hash Kitchen, Bevy Uptown, the Lola, and The Henry. For a fun experience to dine I would take them to Toca Madera, Mama Por Dios, The Compass, The Mexicano for dinner, these would be all great place for live music and entertainment. A great outdoor activity that I love would be horseback riding along South Mountain early in the morning. For some fun, if they were up for it, I would take them on a hot air balloon in North Phoenix! For some winding down, the Japanese Friendship Garden in the middle of the city. Uptown Farmer’s market would be a great place to show them a taste of the city and to support small business owners.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My sister Falicidy has been a huge impact in my life in every way. Falicidy is owner to her own business, she was a huge help in getting Balloon Glamm to go from an idea to a full time endeavor. She has always pushed me and helped guide me when I wanted to pursue event planning and knew all the steps to take to help create my business. She has always been my cheerleader and one of my biggest supporters along with my husband. My husband was great with supporting my vision and helping get Balloon Glamm off the ground when I was unsure if this was the right step for my family.

Instagram: @balloonglamm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/balloonglamm