Balloon Team Promotions a Grand Terrace, Inland Empire Staple

For nearly 30 years, longtime Grand Terrace residents John and Jan Bledsoe have been creating masterpieces out of balloons, creating a well-known name for themselves and their company, Balloon Team Promotions, as one of the pioneers of the balloon decorating industry, which was in its infancy when the company was born in 1985. Twenty-nine years ago, in January 1985, when John came home to his wife with a $250 check from Tom Bell Chevrolet in Redlands, it was quite a surprise. When she found out it was because he had sold them on the idea of using balloons to attract attention to the company, Jan was astounded. “He brought them 25 three-foot balloons filled with helium that he said they could put on their lot and they loved it,” said Jan. “The next thing we knew, they were telling other car dealerships about us.” Shortly before the infant business’s first account with Tom Bell Chevrolet, John brought home 25 small helium tanks to sell at the couple’s Grand Terrace gift shop, shared Jan. “We had balloons outside our gift shop and we were selling them over-the-counter in the gift shop,” said John. “That was the spark, having the balloons at our shop. I went to Tom Bell Chevrolet and that was our first account with three-foot balloons.” Word spread quickly and before the couple knew it, the demand for balloon decorating grew and the couple was receiving phone calls from companies of all sizes, including retail giants like Nordstrom, Sears and J.C. Penny, along with various Inland Empire-area housing development companies and car lots. Jan and John sold their small gift shop to dedicate themselves to their new balloon business. Before the mid-1980s, shared Jan, companies rarely, if ever, used balloon signage to attract attention. Having been in the industry since its beginnings has afforded Balloon Team Promotions opportunities to work with a plethora of companies and organizations, and even teach outdoor and interior balloon decorating to others who were interested in beginning their own businesses. At one point, Balloon Team Promotions was chosen as the largest consumer of 3-foot balloons in the country by Qualatex Balloon Manufacturers, who were at one time the largest balloon manufacturer in the world, and were brought in as a major authority for the development, formulation and design of Qualatex’s newest products. “We were able to help set the benchmark for the type of latex [used in balloons] and the electronic charge used [in balloon manufacturing]. That’s pretty exciting, considering that we were a small company from a [small town],” said Jan. Though she admitted that in the first few years of the business, they were “scoffed at as outdoor decorators,” there was change coming for the company after the tragedy of the World Trade Center attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. “After that the attitude changed. No one was throwing these big, lavish indoor parties anymore, but people wanted red, white and blue everywhere outside,” said Jan. “They wanted to get people out there again, and living life.” Through the years, Balloon Team Promotions has created balloon designs and decorations for groups like KB Homes, the University of California at Riverside, Burrtec Waste, the City of Fontana and the couple’s hometown of Grand Terrace, to name a few. “I have met so many people in this business who are genuine gems in the world,” said Jan. “I treasure my relationships with these people more than you can imagine.” One of those relationships the couple forged was with National Orange Show Events Center Director of Catering and Special Events Derrick Vasquez, who has partnered with Balloon Team Promotions for over a decade. He has been in the event-planning business for nearly 30 years. “What I enjoy is that they’re both so creative and they always add a unique touch,” said Vasquez. “They create sculpted [items] and it opens up people’s eyes to what balloons can do.” Vasquez said he has worked with the company in events of all sizes, ranging from birthday parties to fundraisers. “The creativity and uniqueness are there. Those are hard to find, and for an event planner, when you can find someone that good, you realize they’re thinking, too, and you’re not the one doing all the work. It’s a good relationship we have.” Though the business is changing, Jan says she and her husband plan to remain in business, even through the economic ups and downs. She said, “It’s been a fantastic journey. I’ve loved it since the beginning.” John’s advice to running a successful business? “Determination, innovation in design and your product, awareness of the ever-changing market, altering your business to make it coordinate with trends, and making sure your customer is always happy,” he said.