Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslye Cisneros-Diaz.
Leslye, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always liked doing crafty stuff, making centerpieces for family parties, decorating and trying pretty much anything I found on Pinterest, and I started doing balloon twisting at my day job as a pediatric dental assistant. So, I decided to start a business doing what I love, making balloon animals, creating unique custom decorations for parties, and then learned to do face painting to add to my services.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It was not a smooth road to start out, a lot of sleep was lost, and running around all day without eating until night time was my daily routine for a couple of months. I started business the summer of 2016 while I was working two jobs already. As you can probably imagine I was exhausted going from one job to the other, then throw in starting a business getting supplies, business cards, a website all set up, and of course going to parties every Saturday to actually face paint and balloon twist was definitely a struggle.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Cheeks Parties – what should we know?
We are a party entertainment and decoration company. We specialize in face painting and balloon twisting which is what we are best known for, but we also do custom party decorations (banners, centerpieces, candy bars, candy bags, invitations, photo frames/props). I am most proud of Cheeks Parties for being able to turn a birthday party into something special for every kid in attendance. What sets us apart from other companies in our industry is our affordable prices. I did a lot of research before starting this company on other companies prices for the same services and wanted to offer something more affordable for people who are on a budget and cannot spend hundreds of dollars on party entertainment after paying for a cake, venue, piñata, food, etc.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I was blessed with several people who helped in one way or another with the starting of Cheeks Parties. My mom was definitely my biggest cheerleader, she spread the word to anyone who would listen and offered advice every step of the way. My siblings were also a huge help in me learning face painting by sacrificing hours of their free time to be my models and let me try new designs on them, which is a big deal because they’re teenagers and would obviously like to spend their time doing other stuff like playing video games. Both of my dads were huge supporters in spreading the word and telling all their friends about Cheeks Parties to help get business when we first started, and my cousin who also has her own face painting company always helps me out when I have a big party and need an extra set of hands. Lastly, my boyfriend who is always willing to lend a helping hand whether it is coming to an event to help set up, spreading the word about Cheeks Parties, or offering words of encouragement when my schedule gets hectic and I’m pulling my hair out.
Pricing:
- Face Painting and Balloon twisting packages start at $60-1 hour, $85-1.5 hours, $100- 2 hours
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cheeksparties.wixsite.com/cheeksparties
- Phone: 469-866-9791
- Email: cheeksparties@gmail.com
- Instagram: @cheeksparties
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cheeksparties/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cheeks-parties-dallas
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