We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ahzahdeh Neshat a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Ahzahdeh with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
Hands down, my work ethic is inspired by my mom. She was constantly going above and beyond for us as kids, making each little celebration seem like the biggest thing in the whole world. We always had fun gifts or crafts to do for random holidays, she was constantly looking for new things to do, and on our birthdays she made sure we felt like the most important people ever. She was so selfless in all that she did, and looking back— I truly never thanked her enough.
For my business now, I am always thinking of what she would do in any situation. Would she go the extra mile for this customer? What would she think if she had to choose between saying yes to an order or just sitting around all day? What new ideas would she be coming up with for any holiday or event?
Usually people get told they’re like their parents and cringe— but I’m truly honored when anyone tells me I remind them of my mom.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m a balloon artist that loves to create and make art that brings joy! I started this journey by making some Pinterest-worthy parties for my own daughter, and suddenly I realized that I could do this for a living. I have always wanted to do something in an artistic sense, and being able to create different art every weekend always keeps my creative wheels turning.
Even though I try to keep my “business” brain on, I always approach each event as if it were my own. I bring each party to the next level with extravagant balloon and party decorations. My goal for every install is making someone walk in and say “Wow!”
I’m most excited about our Liane Neshat Small Business Balloon Initiative, which I started in remembrance of my mother— my biggest supporter and a true lover of all small businesses. We provide free balloons to small businesses in the LA area, and so far we’ve made some incredible connections and spread a little bit of joy throughout the area.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Running a small business is hard work, and most of the time we are very severely underrated in just how much we pour everything into our business. Having confidence, even in the face of absolute failure, has kept me going so far. There have been so many times where an event just went horribly wrong in every way possible, but I didn’t let it stop me from trying again. And again. And again.
Having friends in the industry has also kept my sanity. Being able to have a friend to vent to over a difficult customer, or someone that can assist you in a pinch, has saved me countless times. I’ve lost count of how my times I’ve picked up the phone just to talk to a friendor after an event that made me almost want to quit, or to see if they can help me out when I thought I ordered enough balloons and most definitely did not.
Acknowledging that there is always room for improvement will always make you better with each day. Taking classes, watching videos on new techniques, doing setups with friends to get photos of our work, asking friends for advice— it’s all made me the artist I am today. And I know that I will always have something to learn, and something to pass down to my customers.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
I’m a huge believer in self-care, in whatever way that means to you. To me, I love to have monthly massages and facials scheduled after a heavy weekend of events, to decompress and take care of “me” before work kicks in again. I also love to read, so I’ll set aside time each evening to read a few chapters instead of scrolling on my phone — in which I usually end up on my business Instagram profile, and start judging myself against other vendors. It’s important to have a balance between work and true time on just myself.
I also love to order a slice of Magnolia Bakery’s white cake with chocolate buttercream on Sunday evenings as a sort of “Congratulations, you made it through another week” treat. Even the little things deserve to be celebrated, and making it through each week is a true thing to celebrate! One week, I skipped the cake and my daughter asked me why I hadn’t ordered the cake, since I deserved a cake for working so hard. It showed me that even the little things I do rub off on her, and hopefully she grows up knowing that her hard work should be celebrated!
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.confettiandsprinkles.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/confettiandsprinkles
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/confettiandsprinklesparties
Image Credits
Alyssa Hunter Photography
