Meet Amanda Nichols | Balloon Decor Artist

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

Hi Amanda, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Last Valentine’s day I gave birth to my daughter, Sage. After making a difficult decision regarding COVID, I decided not to return to my full time job. I am a person who enjoys being busy and creative, and had done a few balloon garlands in the past for friends and family; but now that I had some free time on my hands, I got to practice and perfect my craft. In September, after doing a few small events, I decided to leap into the entrepreneurial world and started Desert Sage Balloon Decor. As a businesswoman, just starting out, everything is done by me, with the help from my husband Lukas and our tiny boss Sage. Our passion and purpose is to help people create special memories, and we love being creative and working with our clients to make unique pieces of art for their event!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I absolutely love how personal I get to be; No two events are the same. I could be doing the same base garland every week, but there are going to be different colors, themes, locations, materials that have to be used and different ideas. Not having 2 events where I am bringing in the exact same product every time brings challenges. This is the case with every craft, there are challenges, but those make the event that much more special. When I am able to look at my creations at the end of the day and be proud of my work and know that my clients love it, it makes it all worth it. I love how many of my clients have told me that they only see that kind of stuff online. That is why I love what I do, making my clients events special means the world to me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love to hang out in the Scottsdale Quarter. The splash pad always has some kind of event that is kid and pet friendly going on during the weekends and you normally don’t have to spend anything or much to take part. If the weather is nice, then we are going to hike the White Tank Regional park. The views of Phoenix are just gorgeous, especially at night. But for food we are definitely hitting Ugly Tuna Sushi in Surprise. It is some of the best sushi in the valley, and will not be leaving without their OB roll!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Payton from PS I Love AZ runs some of the Valley’s biggest and best farmers markets. I reached out to her about wanting to do one arch for her, but she saw my potential and helped me take off. She helped to get me into multiple events where I could meet so many amazing clients in Phoenix. She also gave me some pointers on marketing, putting me in contact with other groups, and how to present myself in the best light in the early stages of starting a business in the Valley. Everyone who is starting out needs a Peyton!

Also, Rachel from Bubbly Balloon Co. on Youtube. She is THE goals of how Instagram perfect balloon art can be. On top of doing some irreplaceable tutorial videos, she responded to LOTS of private messages that I had in those early events. I have found most people in the balloon business are happy to share tips and tricks, but Rachel takes it to a whole new level.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desertsageballoondecor/

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

Image Credits
Junior Schroeder with JVXMEDIA (headshot only)