Meet Bernice Solorio | Balloon Artist & Stylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bernice Solorio and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bernice, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My love for decorating events started at a young age. My assistant, who is also my godmother, introduced me to this industry. She’s had a love for this ever since I can remember. She would decorate our family’s quinceaneras, weddings, etc. and we would get together and help her out with décor. These are some of my most cherished memories because I really enjoyed helping her. As I grew up, my cousins would come to me and ask if I could decorate their events so, of course, I said yes. It eventually led to me exploring this industry a bit more. I started off making desserts and it went so well, but I felt like something was missing. So I decided to start decorating parties for other people. I started off small to see if I would like it and that’s when I realized, balloon stylist and event planning is the business for me. Of course, like with any business, I started off with family and friends, then people started to hire me. I will always cherish my first clients because they saw a potential in me that I didn’t see at the time. Once I realized this is what I wanted to do, I would spend hours watching tutorials on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. I would practice at home until I perfected my craft. Being the first person in my family to own a business, I was extremely nervous and not too sure if I would do well. Luckily I have had the support of family and close friends along the way. I eventually became the confident business owner I am today and am so grateful for the journey. There is still so much growth and potential and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for my business.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business is my baby. It has blossomed into something I never thought was possible. Granted, I know there’s still a lot of growth potential, but right now I look back to where I started and am so proud of the progress my business has made in the past 2 years. I think what sets me apart from others is that I’m willing to think outside of the box. I’ve recently started to make props for my events which has elevated my craft. I create designs for my clients that will be unique to them and it all starts from a sketch to then designing a 2D design. I come from an artistic background and will include small details that others wouldn’t think of. For example, my cousin had a Star Wars baby shower and I created a custom Death Star setup and I made R2D2 to go along with her welcome sign. It’s details like those that set me apart from others. I’m constantly looking up inspiration from movies, videos, photos and come up with amazing creations. I’m most proud of the journey I’ve gone through with my business. In a sense, I feel like a butterfly because of the transformation I’ve gone through.

In order to get to where I am today, I went through a lot of trial and error. I’ve learned so much along the way and I still continue to learn so much. I am thankful for all the business owners that have put out videos showing what goes into a business and how to price your work because I definitely needed that. I’ve sat it on lives and talked with other balloon artists to get the help I need to make my business successful. It hasn’t been an easy journey but it is one I am thankful for. God hands me challenges and I face them head on. There have been many sleepless nights and lots of hiccups down the road but with perseverance and determination, those moments have decreased. I now have a routine for prep work that allows me time to handle any issues along the way, thus decreasing my stress. I’ve learned not to procrastinate so much as I did in the beginning and to take a breather. If I can’t fix a problem I take a step back and come back to it later with a solution. I’ve learned not to get upset when a potential client decides to not book with me or if they don’t answer. I’ve learned to let that go and I tell myself they just weren’t the client for me.

I want people to know that no matter what age you are, you can start something new any day as long as you believe in yourself and work hard towards that goal. I will continue to invest my time and learn as much as possible from this industry. There are so many people willing to teach you and help you, It’s only a matter of wanting to do it. Although this is kind of new to me, being a business owner has been the best thing that has happened to me. You may feel lost, but just know you can try everything and anything until you are happy. There is no right or wrong way to navigate life. I’m hoping to turn this into a big family business so eventually my parents can retire and have those closest to me work for my business so we can all flourish. This is just the beginning for Designs by Queen B. We plan to expand to full event planning and have bigger and better set ups and hopefully build the most amazing relationships with our clients. Our mission is to create memorable moments for our clients’ special day. We will continue to create innovative installations and make our clients happy.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My best friend is from the same area as me, but we go to so many different places. We would go to West Hollywood because it is one of my absolute favorite places to go to. The bars and clubs there are great and everyone is friendly; you’re bound to have a good time! We would go to Dekkadance for a lovely brunch. It’s on the 69th floor at the Intercontinental. You can’t go wrong with a beautiful view and a delicious meal. Depending on the week, we would most likely go to an Insomniac music festival. Our favorite one to go to is Escape since everyone dresses up for Halloween. The ambiance at a music festival gives you so much serotonin and it’s a great way to meet new people, dance, and just let go of everything. For dinner, we would go to Mama Por Dios in Beverly Hills because the servers are top tier. They are so entertaining, kind, and attentive. The food is also delicious, I recommend the aguachile ribeye. Of course, you can’t forget to go to a good taco spot in the area. My favorite one to go to is Angel’s Tijuana Tacos. Let me tell you, those tacos are the one of the best I’ve had and their portions are big too. They have several locations around Southern California. There’s so many things to do in LA, but what we like doing most is going to see our favorite music artists, one of them being Deorro. He represents for us Mexicans and his music always puts us in a good mood.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are quite a few people I would like to thank. First, I dedicate this to God because without Him I wouldn’t be where I am today. I would also like to dedicate this to my parents. My dad has been my #1 supporter since the beginning. No matter what I need, he makes sure he gets it done. If I ever need help, he drops everything and comes help me. I will always be thankful to be blessed with such an amazing father. My mother has also been a huge supporter as well. She helps me pack every time I have a set up and makes sure I have something to eat before I leave for the day. Thankful to have a mom who keeps me grounded at all times. I also want to give credit to my cousins, Becky, Daisy, and Janet. They were the first ones to give me an opportunity to show what I can do. They’re always telling me how proud they are of me and to continue to follow my dreams. They’re the best cousins a girl could ever ask for. I also want to give credit to my best friend Carlos, he has been my rock for the past 13 years. He always cheers me on when I’m having a stressful week and gives me words of affirmation. He truly believes in me and my craft. No matter how small the milestones are, he is always telling me how proud he is of me and that one day, all of my dreams will come true. I would also like to give a little recognition to my friend Mikayla. She is always promoting my business to her friends and family. She also pushes me to invest more time on social media and makes sure she holds me accountable. Lastly, I want to thank my godmother, Maria. She recently started helping me earlier this year and now she is my assistant. I decided to bring her onto my business and because of her, my creativity has gone to the next level. I want to thank her for going along with my crazy ideas and for helping my business grow.

Website: www.designsbyqueenb.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/designsby_queenb?utm_source=qr&igshid=MThlNWY1MzQwNA==

Facebook: https://instagram.com/designsby_queenb?utm_source=qr&igshid=MThlNWY1MzQwNA==

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/designs-by-queen-b-chino