Speaker 1 1:45

Welcome back to another episode of the Hilltop Club Podcast. Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Miss Mabel Mendez. She's an accomplished entrepreneur and devoted mother. Mabel and her husband, Renee, okay. Are the founders of Deinflatable Events, a family fund, bounce house, and event rental company that has been transforming celebrations across the low country of South Carolina. They're driven by the joy and laughter of her own children, they embarked on a venture with the mission to create memorable experiences and energize and engage every event. They provide top quality inflatables, slides, games, and concessions paired with friendly, reliable services to ensure every event is hassle-free and full of fun. So whether you're planning a back backyard birthday party, field day, or church event, they are the people to go to. So thank you for being here today. How are you?

Speaker 2 2:41

Thank you for having me. Um it's a it's a pleasure being here. I'm a little nervous. No. Um, but I appreciate you guys having us um on your podcast today.

Speaker 1 2:53

No, we thank you, we appreciate you being here, and then especially with all the traffic going on today. You know, Charleston. The traffic here has just maximized times 10 over the past 10 years. So I don't even know how you guys go anywhere. There's a lot of implants for sure.

Speaker 2 3:09

Um, I am an implant. We came from New York, so I can't I'm adding to your traffic. I apologize. Okay, you're fine.

Speaker 6 3:18

You're fine. Now, did you come from in the city or out or surround the area?

Speaker 2 3:21

The city.

Speaker 6 3:21

Okay, what borough?

Speaker 2 3:23

Um, so as an ad as a child, I lived in in Manhattan. We grew up in Dykeman. Girl! Yes, but as an adult, I lived in the Bronx with my husband, and that's when we started our family.

Speaker 6 3:34

Awesome. I'm gonna say this just so make sure you get that mic that you're speaking into the mic, because I don't want to miss anything you're saying. If you need to, yeah, you turn it to yourself, pull it to yourself with it. Yeah, make sure you're comfortable.

Speaker 1 3:44

Um what made you actually come down to South Carolina?

Speaker 2 3:48

So it was just a different environment, right? Um, we're raising kids in New York is hectic. Um here they have uh so my my father's hus uh my father's no, my husband's father works here and lives here in Kershaw. So we ended up living uh living with him for a while. And my kids had so much grass to play in in New York. Unless you live upstate, you don't really see that. And so crime was going up, everything was going up in New York, and so we moved out here. Um it's not the same, it is definitely not the same. New York never sleeps, and so to come to sleep to come to Charlotte, um, everybody sleeps by like 10, 11, everybody's um city shut down, right?

Speaker 6 4:43

Like a city shuts down, like yeah, Charlotte shuts down at night.

Speaker 2 4:46

Yeah, so it was just the difference, right? Um, to raise our kids uh in a better environment. Yeah, not really. Not really good. Um, because I'm from Dominican Republic, and so we're we have that southern hospitality, just like you guys. So when I first moved down here, I I was raised in New York, so I don't have much of um back home uh exposure in DR. So when I went to DR, um it was the same thing. People walk next to by you and say good morning and just greet you, how you doing? And when I came out here, I'm like, babe, why are people waving or they waving?

Speaker 4 5:26

Oh, you better wave back.

Speaker 2 5:28

And so he, yes, and he was like, Mom, they they're saying hi. And so I was like, oh hi! Saying hi to everybody.

Speaker 1 5:38

So she knows a mutual friend, that's how we got connected. Um, Chantel. Oh stop, Chantel, she's awesome. So shout out to Gentle.

Speaker 6 5:46

Shout out, shout out, shout out to Chantel.

Speaker 2 5:49

Love you, and so I say, Oh my god. Um, I get so excited to say I have a doctor friend. Yes. So we have a doctor friend, and she's absolutely awesome. I um met her through work and we've had to collaborate on a few uh projects, and she's just amazing. I love her.

Speaker 1 6:08

Yeah. So tell us more about how did you start your business and how did you get into like event planning? Because it's essentially planning an event for someone.

Speaker 2 6:17

So um back when my son was a baby, uh two years old, maybe, um, I started working with a company called My House of Magic. And I started as an administrator. Um, it was supposed to be a temporary job just to get you um to the next job, right? And so I was there for a few years. I loved it. Um, and then I noticed that the clowns and magicians they were making more than me um just on in one day. Wow. So I said, yes, exactly, $100 an hour. What? Uh sign me up. And so um I star I told the owner, I became a um um office manager, and I was setting up the events, uh, all the equipment they were gonna need for the weekend. Sometimes we had inflatables, uh concessions, and I absolutely loved it. I my first uh costume character was Luigi, and so I dressed up on as Luigi one hot summer uh day, and I had so much fun. I said, Oh, nobody knows me in here. So, you know, he acted I acted a fool and the kids loved it, dancing and I loved it. And so um I that's where it my experience first, yeah, I first started, and then when we moved out here, my husband started working for a different company um doing inflatable uh inflatable rentals. And they have so they're out of Charlotte, they're called Bounceable Time. Okay, and they have so much more equipment than we do, and it's amazing. Um that's where that's our goal, right? To make it there and have a big warehouse and even uh potentially uh um an event rental space. Um, but then we were helping him, and we my husband was there for uh a year or so, and we just we love it. We love partying, we um setting up the kids, they're so easy to please. They are I do face painting and balloon animals with my business. So we wanted to do something we loved um have fun with and with our kids, give them something to do for the weekends. Um they probably can never get tired of jumping.

Speaker 4 8:45

No, no, she's gonna be able to do it.

Speaker 2 8:47

You would think they you would think they will have like a they don't want to clean it, and you know, oh they have so much fun cleaning it. Really? Really? Oh well, yeah. Well so we wash it with a hose and we had so much fun. How old are you? My youngest is 13, and my oldest is 17. He just turned 17 this month, and um he came out soaked out of the mouth. And so I I said, Are you and I have a video I said, are you working hard or hardly working? He's like, Mom, I'm working very hard cleaning these inflatables, and I love it, it gives us um something to do on the weekends as a family, yeah.

Speaker 1 9:30

It's about them entertaining, yeah.

Speaker 2 9:32

Because um a lot of kids nowadays get into mischief, right? Because they don't have nothing to do on the weekend or sports or yeah, whatnot. Constructive activities, and my kids, they're not sports kids, they're PlayStation kids. Ain't nothing wrong with it.

Speaker 5 9:51

Ain't nothing wrong with it.

Speaker 2 9:52

So to get them out of the house, um, making outside fun again, because since electric uh electric uh computers, right, yeah, the phones, nobody really goes outside and play anymore the way we used to, right? Uh the I I've played so many different like sports growing up, um, but we had that advantage in New York because we didn't pay for the different programs. Um, so here we work very late hours, so they weren't able to do um a lot of sports or get into it. So now that they're older, we want to keep them busy so they don't get into trouble.

Speaker 6 10:31

Yeah, that's a good thing.

Speaker 2 10:32

And give them something that they can continue growing um the rest of their life, right? If if they want to.

Speaker 6 10:41

Yeah, you're giving them I mean, it's a great gift to get to your child, to give them experience, both business-wise, just being with the family, learning the fun behind doing something and working on something yourself, having ownership and responsibility, but in a fun way where you get you know, you literally having fun cleaning up your materials like you get to do that, and so like moving forward, they're gonna take those uh lessons with them into life, and it's gonna help bolster their um their ability to be successful.

Speaker 2 11:07

Yes, sir.

Speaker 6 11:08

Which is awesome.

Speaker 2 11:08

So my my son is graduating now in um January. He's graduating early for 17 years old.

Speaker 6 11:14

Congratulations.

Speaker 2 11:15

What's cool is he too. He's in Stratford, okay. And so he's graduating, and I want to get him into an apprenticeship, you know, keep him busy.

Speaker 3 11:23

Yep.

Speaker 2 11:24

Um, so like that they can continue growing.

Speaker 4 11:26

Yeah.

Speaker 2 11:27

Yeah. And I I just graduated last month uh with my back. That's good. Um, yeah, it was it it was the last thing my father saw me do, so I went extra hard. Yeah. And I graduated uh Sum Lade at 3.0 uh 4.0 uh GPA. Go ahead. And so I I always try to lead by example and show them, listen, I had three jobs. I I was going to school, I was doing, I was being your mother. So if I could do it, you could do it.

Speaker 6 11:59

It's easy work for you.

Speaker 2 12:00

Well, no, it wasn't easy for you.

Speaker 6 12:02

What I'm saying is it's for them. Showing them, yes, showing them that this is gonna be easy, yes. It's gonna be easy work for you, yes.

Speaker 2 12:08

Where did you major in? Business administration focused in HR.

Speaker 6 12:12

Awesome, awesome, awesome. That makes sense. Come on, you're gonna use it. You're gonna need it, yeah. And uh just just speaking again, just on your business and and what you all do, um, and I was just looking at your website. That's what I was looking at the website, just looking at it and how you all have it set up. Um, and I know our platform, part of it is built on just giving tips of the trade, uh, background, understanding what's going on so that we as um individuals can make better decisions. And if we want to do something, we see somebody and that is out there doing it successfully, like how do you get it that way? And I think this is one of the questions that will always come up for business folk, etc. How does your website look so good? Who does your website? Who has it set up like this?

Speaker 2 12:56

So I um I used to work for a graphics company a long, long time ago, and I know a few graphic designers, and so I use that to my advantage. Alex, um, he's in the Bronx. He is a great graphic designer. And if you go all the way to the bottom of my page, you probably see his link there. He's amazing. He does a really great job, yes. Okay.

Speaker 6 13:24

Awesome, awesome. Well, because I'm telling you, that's a big part of business, and for anybody trying to get a brand out is your marketing and advertising, something to catch people's eyes to bring them in so that that way they can trust you. First of all, know you're legitimate. Because when you look at this site, I know you're legitimate. I know I can trust that you're gonna bring whatever um I see and that I re may request from you. Um, and then the the amounts of things that you do offer to folks, you're gonna want to make sure that it can be backed up and be um legitimate. Um, because if not, I'll I'll tell you this one thing. I just know um with entrepreneurs and with folks who are doing business, one of the things that hurts a lot of folks is your ability to promote yourself in a professional way. Yes, how important is that for you? That's all about it. How important is that for you? And also, since we were talking about your kids, how do you teach your kids the importance of presentation?

Speaker 2 14:11

So I have them create um, well, record, do little recordings during events. Oh wow. Um, so like that, or pictures, so like that, always thinking about the content, right? Because I post three or try to post three a day.

Speaker 4 14:27

Okay.

Speaker 2 14:27

Um, it gets hard thinking about the different contents to put up for the day, but um is a good challenge to have. Um with every event, we are always coaching our kids. Uh, my get my oldest, we're teaching him how to roll the inflatable because there's a science to everything, right? And it's funny because we have a 40-foot obstacle, and he can roll that up and fold it up very easily, but our smaller titanium he kind of struggles with. And so today, um, I just came from an event at the farmer's market. Um, I rolled up the the titanium, and I'm like, look, son. He was he was like, um, behind all that makeup, you're a really mad. You're a really you're a really mad, you're a really strong, you know, like I was strong, yes. And so um, we joke around a lot, um, try to keep it fun for them.

Speaker 3 15:28

Yeah.

Speaker 2 15:28

Um, because if you're not loving what you're doing, you're not doing something right. Because you want you want to do what you love. And so we love helping people.

Speaker 6 15:41

You are not lying. Y'all, I'm gonna tell you this. When we got here today, and mind you, I'm she's gracious, so gracious. We was running late, there's some traffic going on instead of football game stuff going on, right? And we're bringing the things in. She asked me, said, Hey, how can I help? Can I bring can I carry something upstairs? I'm like, Well, you're a kissing, you don't need to carry anything. She's like, No, I'm gonna carry something upstairs. I was like, okay, so I can answer something. She really cares. I said, hey, she ain't joking. She just came from working, she warmed up, she's ready to help. So this is like, it's literal, she's not lying. This is really her behavior, her action, how she handles herself. How does that then fall into everything else that you do? Like your real want to help and assist people and with what you do, and how do you transpose that into your children?

Speaker 2 16:22

So I grew up in a hardworking, um, family-oriented um home. My my parents always send care packages back home. Oh wow, my father, he's so funny. It was so funny. God rest his soul. He he um he would go downtown and he would buy all the jewelry that can fit on him and different rings. He'll come back with different rings on each hand, and we were like medium, low in uh medium income. It wasn't like we had it, right? Um, but he would go downtown and go shopping, um, and he would bring these things to DR. And when he came back, he came back empty-handed. He handed it out, like he gifted this to the people in DR, right? Um, shoes, clothes, everything you can think of. My father was very giving and caring. And so growing up, and my mom too, growing up, seeing that, I mean, how can you be any different, right? Um, and so I I take that and I teach my kids, and you know, when you're raising kids is very hard. Yeah, and there's been a few people who tell me, Oh, you've done a good job, really? I have.

Speaker 3 17:49

So can you elaborate?

Speaker 2 17:50

And so they tell me, Oh, your kids are such gentlemen, and this and that. And at first it was like really my kids, you know. Um, and even my sister and and her um fiance, he's like, uh, yeah, you did a good job with them kids, you know. They they're not, they don't have um any uh malice. They my neighbor um she said, Oh, your kids are so wonderful. They every time they see me, they'll help me with groceries or whatever. And she actually hired my son to take care of her dogs. Well, she was gone for and she has like three dogs, and I've always told my kids what my mom told me if you're gonna do something, do it right, or don't do anything at all. Yeah, and so he was taking care of them, and they had um potted in the in the um cage, and so he cleaned up the whole thing, cleaned outside, like I guess she found her apart her house very tidy, and she she loved it, and that's how I am. And my husband, oh my husband, if he's probably OCD. He is he is awesome, he keeps me grounded for sure, always reminding me, he's my biggest critic and my biggest supporter, and so yeah, it it's we're we're always talking. Always gotta talk to your kids. Yes, yes. Um, tell them and and show them examples, right? Because if you just tell them, oh, you shouldn't do this.

Speaker 6 19:33

Does it mean anything without anything?

Speaker 2 19:36

What's going on? Um just just different little things like that. And we try to I grew up in a very um strict household.

Speaker 6 19:47

Okay.

Speaker 2 19:48

Um lockdown, you know, you can't go out of nowhere. Um if you go out, it has to be with your cousin or your sister, like somebody always had to be around.

Speaker 3 19:58

Yeah.

Speaker 2 19:58

And so we've tried to give them a little bit um more freedom so they can decide for themselves and just try to guide them, right? Um, tell them, hey, you shouldn't do this. But essentially we let them decide because they're 13 now and six, seventeen.

Speaker 3 20:17

Yeah.

Speaker 2 20:17

Um, so they're they're growing little little grown people, little time flies. It definitely flies when you're having fun. And so 17 and 13, I felt like it was just yesterday. Um, it's a lot of fun, fun times. Um my mom, so my mom, she was here for my graduation last month, and um, I'm kind of correcting Dylan. I'm like, hey, don't do that. And he's just joking, he's a jokester, he's a big jokester. So he don't take like nothing too seriously unless I'm like, hey, I'm serious. Like and even at that, sometimes he's still joking, and it makes it kind of challenging to scold him if he's joking. I I'm I am very easily to laugh. And so my mom is like, you can correct him and start laughing. Why not? I think it's funny. I'm still telling him what's right and wrong, but if it's funny, why not laugh and show them, you know, like okay, yeah. You we it could be funny, but it can also be serious, right?

Speaker 6 21:26

So we try um to tell them the different ways of going about things, a different style of of parenting than from the previous generation, though.

Speaker 2 21:37

Right. Yeah, because so I used to have you make that six because growing up I had to even ask for permission to make a call. Like, hey mom, can I make a phone call? Who are you calling? My friend, before the talk? I'm a child, then you know, so it it was they don't have they haven't he's had a phone since he's like seven years old. Totally different world, yeah. Yeah, and um they're spoiled, um super spoiled because they're the only grandkids on my mother-in-law's side. That ain't your fault.

Speaker 6 22:12

That ain't your fault though. That's their fault.

Speaker 2 22:14

No, um, I I mean, maybe. Like golf kids spoiled, sometimes it because you can stop it, right? You can so my mother-in-law sends um care packages for them, like maybe once a month less, because sometimes it goes for a while without sending, and then she'll send like three or four at a time. Bombardment of spoils food, candy, cookies, anything they ask her for.

Speaker 3 22:44

Yeah.

Speaker 2 22:45

And so when um I I told my mother-in-law, say you didn't allow my kids to be poor the way they were supposed to be.

Speaker 22:53

You didn't allow them to struggle.

Speaker 2 22:57

And so they um they've been very blessed to have, you know, the grandparents they have. Because my mother's my son called my mom talking about I need um something for his bicycle. He never asks her for anything. She sent it on the spot. I'm like, you don't even do that for me. Uh uh as an adult. Oh Lord. She questions me. What do you need it for? What do you mean? She's still in that parent mode. Are you gonna lend it to me or not? Like you don't need to know what it is for.

Speaker 6 23:25

Yeah.

Speaker 2 23:26

So, but it's fun.

Speaker 6 23:27

That's an interesting position to be in, though, isn't it?

Speaker 2 23:30

Yeah, like at the girl you see the dynamics change and then you just need to wait until you become a grandma. Grandma. And I'm gonna be then.

Speaker 6 23:37

You're gonna be worse. That's okay. Like that dynamic change, and um just watching it from the parents to the to the children, because that's why I can't wait to have children, because I want to see how to. Parents treat each other is different, right? Um, but to tie this in, and I just want to get back into to the business part of it as well, your your family experience, experience of of the importance of family, because you seem like you have a really high um level of importance attached to family and how it works into what you're doing in business, and you all watching this being done saying, you know what, we want to do this for ourselves. Did you when it was planned that you want to move forward with doing the inflatable business, was it was part of the pull or attraction to the fact that it was so oriented around families and children and having fun in a clean way?

Speaker 2 24:23

Yes, that yes, you you said it perfectly. Um so I did my husband's been on me about because I'm also a business consultant with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Oh, we need a talk. Okay, all right. And that's how I met Chantelle.

Speaker 6 24:39

All right, that makes sense.

Speaker 2 24:41

So um I was working helping entrepreneurs, small businesses put their business plan, and he's like, Where's ours?

Speaker 6 24:49

You help everybody else, yeah.

Speaker 2 24:51

Where's ours? What are we doing? We need to um have our own business, um, just having our own.

Speaker 5 25:02

Yeah, putting it to use, your your skill, putting it to use for you.

Speaker 2 25:06

Right, right. And um, so for uh Valentine's Day, I surprised him with the registration of the business. And so he was so excited because he wouldn't move otherwise, right? Like um, he was dependent on me since I'm I have the business degree and the business experience. And so for Valentine's Day, I surprised him with the registration of the business, and then shortly after we ended up uh ordering all the equipment, and so then we got that in August.

Speaker 6 25:37

Now, how did you I gotta ask this question? I love the steps. I love the steps. I'm gonna catch it before you move too quick. Now, how do you get the equipment? This inflatable stuff has to be expensive.

Speaker 2 25:47

It is, it is very expensive. Um so with the resources I have with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, um, I linked up with Community Works.

Speaker 5 25:59

Awesome, okay.

Speaker 2 26:00

And so they were able to provide us with a loan for the inflatables.

Speaker 3 26:04

Awesome.

Speaker 2 26:05

Um, and then we ordered the inflatables from China. Okay. So, tariffs, yeah.

Speaker 6 26:12

See, this is what people need to know. This is the good stuff, yes.

Speaker 2 26:16

Um, so we um it takes 45 days because they make it from scratch. Um the inflatable. Yes. Okay and so um, yeah, from scratch, like I'm cooking. Um is made to order, and so um we ordered them. It takes 45 days for them to make them and 45 days for them to ship them. So around that time, it was like we have tariffs, no tariffs, yes, tariffs, go down, go up, what is it gonna be? So um we actually got lucky, and um it wasn't that bad. It wasn't that bad. Um, and so yeah, it was it was amazing actually. We got very lucky, and I feel like God is always looking out for us too. Um, I have so many different testaments that you know he's he's been in very active in our life. So that too.

Speaker 1 27:11

How did you know what color or style to order? Because I I've watched this video where this girl ordered an inflatable and she she ordered all white, and she was like she spent most of the time cleaning all the stuff off of it. So she didn't gain any money, no profit, because it took her more time to clean it.

Speaker 2 27:28

You know, that's interesting because I was thinking about getting that one, the old one. The white open, yeah. Um, because it's used a lot for weddings or C16s, and um, it looks very nice. Um we didn't get that one. Um, my husband, he he's a warehouse supervisor, so he does the logistics. He knows so yeah, so he picked, we thought we were gonna get all the inflatables um at the same time, like early uh midsummer. So majority of our inflatables are wet slides.

Speaker 3 28:07

Okay.

Speaker 2 28:08

Uh we do have a few inflatables that can be either wet or dry. And we also have the option of doing a plate like a ball pin. Okay. Um if they don't want water. Right.

Speaker 5 28:23

Smart.

Speaker 2 28:24

So um yeah, he he has a very good selection of inflatables, and I give him all the credit because I did uh try to get it from the US, so we don't have to pay tariffs, but it did not make any sense. Um just with we have a dunk tank, just with our dunk tank, um we were it was like uh a thousand dollars and change where we got it from, and out here it was like five thousand. So just with that, it made all the difference. I didn't have to do any more research or anything, yeah. So, and um he knew the company because of his uh time at Adbounceable time.

Speaker 6 29:06

Okay, so it mattered his past experience and your past experience experience came together and made a beautiful baby.

Speaker 2 29:13

Correct.

Speaker 6 29:14

Basically what we're seeing, like really.

Speaker 2 29:16

So, my experience with my house of magic um as a face painter, I was a clown. So, do you do all the face painting? Yes, I do face painting. Okay, um I do balloon animals as well. Oh, cool. That's what I wanted is who does the balloon animals? Um, I'm teaching my kids till they do one or two, um, there they learn the dog, the heart. It's easy ones. Um, not saying that I'm sophisticated balloon twister, because I'm not. I I the original basic balloon animals, but the kids love it. That's it. The kids love it, and so they're so easy to please. Yeah. Um I did a collaboration with Neo Hero Foundation.

Speaker 4 29:59

Yeah.

Speaker 2 29:59

Um, and there was a little girl who asked me for a ladybug. There are ways, there are the there are correct ways of making a ladybug. There definitely is, but I did not know that way at that time. And so I made a balloon and I said, Does it look like it? She said, Yes. And I said, Do you mind that it has like a stick? It was some extra. Uh I said, a stick, so you can, and she was walking around with her ladybug, and it was like going like this. And so she she loved it, and she told everybody it was a ladybug, and that's that's what we look for, right? That's what we do, that's why we do this. To see the faces, the smiles. I had a little boy um in the um in the farmers market who asked me to make him a Pikachu paint face, uh, face paint. And I did not I did it was mud kit or mud pit something. And it was it was a very elaborate face painting. Um and so I did it, and he had this surprise face. Love it. Love it. I love to see that. Um and I try to perfect be perfectionist and uh perfect my face painting skills, and that's why I do like the free events and whatever. Um, but to see his face, you know, yeah, the respect. It was yes, it was amazing. Wait, so you guys do free events to like attract more people? So the farmer's market is a free event. I also do in-kind events. Um so like that, like churches, you know, um nonprofit organization that's part of my business plan giving back to the community.

Speaker 6 31:49

I am on say that one more time. It's part of your business plan. Yes, sir.

Speaker 2 31:53

It's it's it's part of my business plan to give back to the community. So I am also on the board for Palmetto Sherm, a Society of Human Resource Management.

Speaker 4 32:02

Oh wow.

Speaker 2 32:03

And I do outreach. Okay. Community outreach. And is it amazing. It's amazing to give back. Why not?

Speaker 4 32:10

Yeah.

Speaker 2 32:10

Um, you don't know what people are going through in their personal life. Like Chantel, she just posted something like that, right? All you have to do is give them a little grace.

Speaker 3 32:17

Yeah.

Speaker 2 32:18

And that's that's all I try to do.

Speaker 1 32:21

So, what type of events are you looking to like do in the future?

Speaker 2 32:26

Um, all kinds of events, uh, birthday parties, church events. I've um been in communication with a few churches um that would like to potentially have um book us for next year. So we did a um we did an ad through Cumulus Media where um the customer can get a a gift certificate, a $300 gift certificate for $150. And so they've been like advertising us on the just to get the the uh purchase. And this gentleman booked us last week for um a balloon, uh balloon animals. It was a two hours of balloon animals, and he had a credit left. And so I told him, you know, you st you still have a credit with us. And he was like, Yeah, it's fine. I don't think we're gonna um be able to use it by next year. Although he wanted to book us for next year or talk about booking us for next year. Um I said, no, it'll last you till next year. It's a year credit, you you're good. And he was so happy. Um, we try to get there a little earlier and not just leave at the time, oh, it's two o'clock, the party's over. Let's go. No, so I try to stay back a little bit, you know, latecomers, yeah. Just make sure that we don't just rush out of there, right? Because that's not what we're trying to do. Um, we're trying to create experiences, memories, and just make outside fun again.

Speaker 4 34:03

Yay.

Speaker 1 34:04

It was something you said earlier, um, and it made me think of a hashtag. Um, it was like time. You said something about time.

Speaker 2 34:14

Making outside fun again, yeah. One bounce at a time. Yeah.

Speaker 6 34:19

That should be if you put that on the slogan. Yes. Um materials.

Speaker 2 34:24

That is our slogan. Making outside fun again, one bounce at a time. Okay. Yes.

Speaker 6 34:29

Now, I know um that we gotta get ready to wrap up, but I do want to um, just for folks who are listening, because obviously they're listening just to understand your experience and where you've been to, etc. But obviously, I love that y'all's pay y'all's websites, nice. You have a great frequently asked questions section. And one of the things I think is very important because we're gonna ask you this anyway, just lead into this, and obviously that's why we have this camera over here pointing at you. But if you could tell people like just like basic information that so that it can just know about like how long is a simple rental period. Um, if they do decide to book you, do you have a deposit uh requirement? And then um I like this one because you have it set. What if it rains on the day of their event? What occurs?

Speaker 2 35:11

So when I confirm the event, um let's say on on Saturday, seven days prior to your event, I will send out an email with all the details. And then that Thursday, uh, if it's on a Saturday, two days before your event, I will call and confirm. I will also check the weather and let you know what the weather's looking like for that weekend. Um, we had an event uh two weeks ago. It was raining outside. But you know, Charleston rain. Yeah, it stops, it goes, it stops. And so I called her and I said, Hey, it's going, it looks like it's going to rain. Um, would you like to reschedule? Because although it's the customer's responsibility to let us know, I'm not gonna put that on them. They're going around crazy, booking things right. So for them to remember that too, right? So I try to make it as easy as possible. Um, so I called her, I let her know the weather. She still wanted the inflatable because Charleston wore it stops and goes.

Speaker 3 36:12

Yeah.

Speaker 2 36:12

And she was actually able to use it while it was it was a wet, um, it was a titanium, it was a wet inflatable. And so drizzle, light, light drizzle, she can use it since it's a wet inflatable. And so she was able to do just that. However, if it gets windy and heart rain and thunder, then safety um concerns concerns, right? Uh, so we don't uh try not to open them up. Uh I've had I've gone to the farmer's market where um it was raining and so we just had to shut down the whole inflatable and just do face fancy and balloon animals because that I also do at the farmer's market.

Speaker 6 36:50

It's good pivot, yeah.

Speaker 2 36:52

Um, so that's what we offer, and we also have concessions and so to have and I talked to her, I said we have other days we can reschedule you, or if you want to switch it up, we have options. We're people pleasing, so we try to work with any budget, um within reason, right? Um, because I know there was this lady who wanted two of our biggest inflatables for like six hundred dollars, and I gave her different ideas like hey, you can get the certificate for 150, and that will give you 300. And then, you know, you have the difference from and then you can be nice of you to meet. It came out to like 500, and I said, okay, and then we uh add-ons uh with I'm sorry, so it came out to like six something, I don't remember quite well, but we were gonna meet her at where my you know what I mean?

Speaker 5 37:44

Like the B, yeah. Right.

Speaker 2 37:46

Um but I couldn't just give you, you know, the two biggest ones um for 600. We were gonna find workarounds around it if possible. Um, if it's on a Sunday, we can lower it because not a lot of people party on Saturdays. Um during the week, too, we can give you a rate for that. We're about to um put out a sale for the winter, $100 off. Wow. Um you can book it now for the summer. Um so just trying to make a name for ourselves and um just let everybody know that we're here to help, you know?

Speaker 6 38:26

And give you a good time outside with with family and friends in a nice safe environment. It's gonna be I'm just I'm not gonna lie, this is a very, a very good business idea, and it's something that is necessary in the community.

Speaker 2 38:38

Um we um I have a friend who or I have a friend who does inflatables um about two and a half hours away from here. And a couple years ago, I was working for a company that was doing a family day event uh for our employees, and so I gave everything to this friend to do. Um, so I was doing face painting. I I didn't look at the inflatables, you know, but my husband's like these inflatables were dirty, were this, were that. Um, he didn't put nothing down, safety, no, no sandbags, no stakes, and so you have to be very, very, very careful. Um, I mean, there's times that there's not heavy wind, so it's not really needed, but still do it the way tool to be safe. Um and so that also motivated us to do it and to do it the right way. Yeah. Um, so our customers get safe, clean fun. Yeah. And so my husband can be very particular, especially with the cleaning. He's very tidy, and so he had a lot to say about you know the inflatable.

Speaker 6 39:54

That you're gonna do it right, you're gonna do it safely, and you're gonna be clean about it. Like, that's that in itself will make me want to hire you.

Speaker 1 40:02

And we work for any budget. Yes, exactly. Don't forget that there we're any budget. So, how do people find you are on social media, our website?

Speaker 2 40:11

So, yes, we um we have Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn, the inflatable events um or the inflatable events L L C. Um, we have our website, the inflatableevents.com, and it's D. Just the letter D, not T-H-E. Um, and the reason behind that, all my kids' names are with the D is Dylan Dominic, and then my fur babies are Dream and Dottie. So um it's a whole thing behind that. The fourth letter of the alphabet. I was born April, um, my husband was born July 4th, and so the four is like following us in everything. Um, the fourth day uh of Christ, like it's it's just you know, a big and so we I shared that too as part of my content just to give a little backstory as to where the came from. Yeah, because I know people are gonna ask.

Speaker 6 41:12

But that works out well, it works out well. Um, like she said, obviously gave the information you need. Is there anything that you would like to tell our audience or anybody that's listening right now um before we do sign off so that they can either follow you in tighter or if you want to, something that you just want them to know before we leave?

Speaker 2 41:30

Yeah, um, if you guys follow us on social media, um call us 803-729-7471. We're always willing to talk and help you uh plan your event. I have a lot of resources, event planners, and people that I collaborate with that can also help uh with your event or um with just anything you guys need, really, because I'm also a business consultant. So if you guys need any any help or assistance with that, um, or if you just want to talk, call me. Please love it. You're not really the call. Was that Kevin Hart said? Was it Kevin Hart? Um you got the wrong number. Call me back. We'll figure this out today.

Speaker 1 42:20

Well, thank you so much. We appreciate you for being here.

Speaker 6 42:24

I will say that. We always like to sign off like this and so it's gonna be good, but I forgot, man. I forgot at the beginning, but I gotta shout out Lynx Recording Studios. This is where we're recording at today. Um, it is available on Peerspace for use. If you would like to, please go to Peerspace.com. You can search Lynx Recording Studios. It will come up. We're here on Old Trolley Road, uh Suite 200, actually 1668 Old Trolley Road, Suite 202 in Somerville, South Carolina. Phone number is gonna be 843-771-0016. If you do want to call in, um, but please feel free access, go check it out on the website. Um, very nice uh place to come and do podcasts. Multiple rooms. Multiple rooms, yes, that you can use. Equipment is here for use as well. So if you don't have your own, it'll be here for you. Um, outside of that, I do want to sign off from the Hilltop Club Podcast. This is DJ and what?

Speaker 1 43:10

Tamaya. Mike in the background, and our esteemed guests.

Speaker 2 43:14

Mabel Mendez.

Speaker 6 43:16

Excellent. We thank you so much for joining us today. We appreciate your patience. Thank you for helping me carry stuff upstairs. And until the next time, please tell somebody next to them that you love them and you cherish them. And we will see you on the next episode. Peace.