Today we’d like to introduce you to Derek Gibson.
Derek, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My parents have owned a full-service florist in South Carolina for over 25 years. Balloons have always been a significant part of their business so I have always been around balloons since I was a kid. Creating balloon decor just became a hobby of mine, which later turned into a passion. I founded my very own company in 2012 after noticing a big surge in customers requesting balloon décor over traditional floral décor. The original name was “Balloonables.” Then a few months later, I thought it sounded cheesy, so I changed it to “Let’sGoUp!” Aside from designing and creating balloon décor, I also enjoy spending time working on my other passion, floral design.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve had a few challenges along the way, but they were nice challenges to have for a new entrepreneur. I still find it a bit challenging at times getting used to a new schedule and routine. I was working a 9-5 in corporate America as a Senior Account Executive for an advertising and marketing firm. As an entrepreneur, you create your own schedule. You are your own boss and sometimes I still pinch myself in disbelief that I would be in business for myself. I’ve also found it a bit challenging in making sure I spend time daily researching new marketing avenues to promote your business. The only way people will know you exist is to promote yourself. I make sure that I’m exploring new promotion tools as often as I can as well as gain insight from other entrepreneurs in the same industry.
Please tell us about Let’sGoUp! Balloons.
“Let’sGoUp!” is a balloon décor design and delivery service, proudly serving Metro Atlanta. As an alternative to traditional floral decor, Let’sGoUp! offers an array of balloon décor designs for corporate events, birthday parties, grand openings, baby showers, anniversaries, charity events and so much more. We are known for our ability to create beautiful balloon decor for our Atlanta customers at an affordable price. We also travel as well, serving multiple cities in North Carolina and South Carolina as well.
I am most proud at how fast we are growing as a company. We are getting new customers almost daily and more and more people are inquiring about our balloon decor. Our social presence is growing as well which is also nice.
Aside from our balloon decor, what sets us apart is how we give back to our community. We often provide free balloon decor for charities and organizations as well as offering free balloon decor for customers several times a year. It’s just our way to give back to a community that has given us so much in return. It’s our policy.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from my childhood is my trips to Valdosta, GA with my family. Several times a year, we would visit my family there and would spend time at the beach and just have a blast.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.letsgoupnow.com
- Phone: 6784388042 (call or text)
- Email: letsgoupballoons@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsgoupnow/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LetsGoUpNow/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/letsgoupnow
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