We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mika Stutzman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Mika, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I’m not sure imposter syndrome ever fully goes away but rather, it comes and goes in waves. When you start out in a new career field, you fake it til’ you make it, and that’s exactly what I did when I started Harbor Balloons. I booked any client that came my way with any sort of balloon request.
I recently provided a balloon display for my very first paying client over two years ago. I showed up, caught up like we were old friends, and did my job.
When I finished and was saying my goodbyes, I said to her, “Did you know when I did your husband’s birthday party two years ago, you were my first real client?”
Her jaw dropped to the floor and she replied, “Are you for real? I had no idea!”
I walked away feeling great in that moment, because I knew my imposter syndrome – or personal pep talk on the way there – had worked then.
There have been many moments since that first balloon install where imposter syndrome has crept in on me. When it happens, I remind myself that my work is just as good as my favorite artists and my platform looks different for a variety of reasons. I can be happy for my fellow balloon artists because our lanes are different, and for that reason there should be no comparison and thus, no imposter syndrome.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
At Harbor Balloons, we provide organic balloon decor for any budget. If you’re wondering what “organic” refers to, it means I never create the same design twice. Sure, I have a technique when it comes to tying balloons and multiple methods for creating, but all of my on-site installations are never designed beforehand. I let my creativity flow at each location and thrive off of pure energy.
We offer DIY garland kits, grab and go options like helium bouquets and table stacks, delivery, and on-site installations that may include balloons only or balloons with rental props and backdrops. Think custom painted wooden arches with personalization, LED marquee numbers, sequin walls, and frames of all shapes and sizes. You can rent props such as a neon “Let’s Party” sign, rugs, and aerial fringe to elevate your party decor.
I understand balloon decor isn’t a necessity at a party or event; it’s more of a luxury. Many balloon artists even have that in their byline on social media: “Luxury Balloon Decor”. I want to be luxury but also budget-friendly, because these are the details that make an event exciting. It elevates the experience of the gathering and transforms a space, which helps people remember your special day!
Recently I took my team of me, myself, and I to a team of two! I now have a part-time assistant who is equally as excited about providing an experience through balloon decor as I am. Her background in teaching has proven to be very helpful when it comes to organization and correspondence. I look forward to a long, successful future with her at Harbor Balloons.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I think it’s important to seek knowledge of your industry in every crevice you possibly can. In my 2+ years of being in the balloon decor industry, I’ve paid for multiple memberships from fellow artists, listened to hundreds of podcast episodes, attended balloon trainings across the country, and have even helped out fellow artists with their work. It’s all about knowledge and experience.
A quality that has helped me do my job well is my self-discipline. I wake up early every day to have my “me” time, which has now been adjusted to include a few minutes of work, all before my family wakes up. I stay up late to ensure my task list for the next day isn’t unbearable. When times get hard (and they certainly do), I know I can trust that everything will be done, because I will not allow myself to fail. I will not allow myself to disappoint others in my work. Starting your own business is a grind that no one will understand unless they’ve done it themselves. Without discipline, there is no Harbor Balloons.
Speaking of grind, I believe you must have the drive to hustle your butt off. Hustle hard and never stop hustling. The greatest gift one can have is to be their own boss, and I am determined to never work for someone else again. The best way to improve on your hustle is to just. Keep. Going.
Always.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
The challenge I’m currently facing is learning to be a boss to my new assistant. How to teach her everything there is to know about balloons and my business but quicker than I had to learn. There are so many areas in which I could use an extra set of hands or an extra brain, but it’s overwhelming to know where to begin.
What we’ve learned to do is take it week by week since no two weeks are ever the same. Decor can go out any day of the week, so we’re implementing procedures that help us check out our schedule together on Sundays to see what needs to be done.
Most of my ideas for client designs come from fellow artists’ inspiration but with a twist, so learning to get my ideas out on paper and have it make sense is most definitely one of my biggest challenges! I believe it’s all a process and once we fully understand how each other works, we’ll create a flow that’s going to be unstoppable. I can already tell.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.harborballoons.com
- Instagram: /harborballoons
- Facebook: /harborballoons
- Other: TikTok: @harbor.balloons
Image Credits
Image Credit: Sara O’Callaghan
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
