A Dynamic Duo
"Not to take anything away from the ladies, but I think when women work with other women, it can get caty. As men, we know what we bring to the table. We don't need to put on a show or compete with other planners. We don't need all the credit. We're going to get what's ours."
In an industry dominated by woman artists, the Dynamic Duo of Lou and Lee events shows us why the influence of men stylists' is critical to our growth. If 2023 will be known for anything, it'll be the rise of phenomenal men balloon stylists. As our industry continues to grow at rates unseen before, the men within the space compete at an extraordinarily high level. When you think of luxury balloon icons, a few key players continuously pioneer and create quintessential personal brands around their art.
Oscar and Lery or Lou and Lee Events are 2 of these Icons. At any given time, you can scroll down your timeline on social media and immediately spot one of their signature design styles without realizing that they are the artists.
"It's so easy to get caught up in copying someone else. You have to set yourself apart. The woman runs this industry. So to be men, to be black men, we have already set ourselves apart!"
There is something incredibly unique about the men stylists in the balloon industry. They typically go for larger installations with bold color choices and highly emphasize structure over fluidity. Beyond the traditional garlands, our favorite stylists create full-on scenes with their balloons. Men stylists also do very well with delegation. Creating dramatic balloon scenes often requires a team of artists, and their natural-born leadership skills aid them in coordinating a dream squad to get the work done.
Uniquely, Oscar and Lerry are a team of stylists who work together effortlessly. Taking inspiration from artists overseas Oscar takes the classic decor skills he sees online and puts his own spin on it.
"I just feel like It's so easy to get caught up in copying someone else. You have to set yourself apart." says Oscar.
They've created a personal brand signature by wearing color-coded shirts to match the party's theme. Their customers have come to expect this quirky signature, which is only one reason they continue to grow their clientele.
.For over a decade, Lou and Lee events has solidified their place as the best balloon duo in the industry. On top of their celebrity clients, they've been able to work on tv sets such as The Madea movies with Tyler Perry and The game with BET. Oscar and Lerry also are the founders of Atlanta's first black balloon convention, where they teach students (who they lovingly call their cousins) how to build their amazing scenes and the business behind the balloons.
Though they've worked on many high-profile events, they remain humble and hardly mention their celebrity status. "Celebrity clients are not your everyday client. When you put celebrity in your name, you lose out on all the other clients who think you are out of their price range. We love working with 9-5 clients. That's who pays our bills."
The balloon team believes in servicing everyone at every level. Another undeniable quality that men bring to the industry is their ability to look at the big picture regarding finances. Lerry teaches their students never to say no to clients. A shared cultural fallacy among balloon artists is that they should turn clients down who don't have their ideal budgets. These guys genuinely believe that every dollar adds up. Their business has skyrocketed. After all, they are willing to work with their clients because they eventually know their clients will return with their desired budgets.
Maybe it's their ability to balance their giving natures with being stern businessmen, or a natural-born skill to be firm that men naturally possess. Either way, they can combine wanting to service everybody with ensuring they only take quality clients. "You know when a client is trying to play in your face and when they sincerely want your services. But, if you're good to people, you get it back. That's one of the reasons I believe we've had longevity and success. We're not greedy. We just want to be paid what we're worth," Oscar tells us.
They also pay it forward to their students coming up in the game. If a client's budget is too small, they gladly refer the client to their students, who can provide excellent service for more affordable prices! They live in an abundance mindset. These guys are genuinely about community and sharing the love of balloons over profit.
"Believe it or not, people get upset with us for teaching. But what's for you is for you. There are so many parties in Atlanta we can't do them all." Lery explains.
