Today we’d like to introduce you to LaDonna Graham.
Hi LaDonna, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Eleven years ago, my oldest son was turning one. As we all know, a child’s first birthday is one of the most memorable moments of their life. At the time my son had a favorite cartoon that he loved, so I decided to center his first birthday party around this theme. Little did I know, party supplies were not readily available for this particular theme, so what’s a mom to do? I went into ‘mommy mode” and created most of the party decor!
From there, I began offering to help friends and family with their events focusing mostly on children’s birthday parties. Fast forward a few years, with lots of encouragement from friends and family, I felt confident enough to begin offering my services to others. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to serve clients as they celebrate life’s most memorable moments. Birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, weddings, and more.
In 2019, another event designer that I work closely with contacted me about learning how to make balloon garlands. She ordered some supplies and we worked together to create a balloon garland. We created the garland and I thought to myself ‘ok this is pretty fun”. I then began adding balloon services to my event designs. Then 2020 hit and all in-person events came to a halt. I used that time sharpen my balloon skills. I spent countless hours watching YouTube videos, practicing, and learning about balloons which brought me to where I am today.
Balloons are timeless. They have been around for decades and always bring a little joy to any occasion.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I would say one of the biggest struggles has been being able to pivot my business during the pandemic. The event industry is an industry that is built on people gathering. When that wasn’t possible, I had to stay faithful that things would one day change and if things didn’t change, how was I going to survive as a business?
I took some time off; relocated to Texas and began to strategize how I could rebuild my brand. I’m still in the process of doing that now. I have been incredibly blessed to have an amazing support system that has been along for the ride and supports me 1,000 percent!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an event professional; I create so my clients can celebrate! From esthetically pleasing dessert displays to balloon decor, and everything in-between; I work closely with clients and external vendors (cake artists, rental companies, etc.) to bring their overall vision to life.
I am also passionate about making sure no detail is left out. I love seeing clients’ reactions when all of the planning and preparing comes together on the day of their event.
Contact Info:
- Email: simplyinspired.ed@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplyinspiredevents/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simplyinspired.ed
Image Credits
@amandaevansphotography
@mirarproductctions
@eflash35
