I Started a Business

 

I have felt for a long time that I would like to be more entrepreneurial. I have read a bunch of books on starting a business but I never felt like I had the right idea or the timing didn't seem optimal. When my dream of living in Japan was shattered, I started thinking more seriously about what I wanted to do when I moved back to Canada. It's been fun teaching the last 8ish years but teaching in Canada has never really interested me so last year during the pandemic, I started mapping a return to Canada plan.

I started with what I thought I was good at. (That brainstorming session didn't last long) I like teaching but I don't love giving kids homework or grading their tests. I like being outside. I like making people laugh and I also like to party. Where does that leave me? I also had to consider something with a low startup cost and something I would enjoy doing every day. I began thinking of jobs that I could still be around kids but not have the responsibility of being their full-time teacher. Another thought I had was this:

What do people spend a lot of money on? I came up with their pets and their children. 

Ok, so I'm looking for a job that is similar to teaching, a little more laid back where I can run a business that parents will pay me money for. So I started looking at birthday party businesses in New York and Los Angeles. I felt like those places probably have fun and unique ideas that might not have been brought to Canada yet. I found a lot of princess party businesses, bouncy castles, superhero-themed parties, STEM-related activities, and lots of cooking-based birthday party classes. Those are all fine ideas but they didn't grab my attention until I stumbled upon birthday parties that involved kids playing with bubbles. Everyone loves bubbles. I discovered that kids were being put into bubbles, kids were playing, making, and popping their own bubbles and it seemed like everyone was having a great time. There were a few of these bubble performance birthday businesses and it intrigued me. These parties can be done in parks, in someone's backyard, or even in their homes.  This seemed like a good way of not having to rent out a physical store and being outside is way more enjoyable than being inside; seems better for kids to be able to play around outside and get kid wild. 

After having a solid lead on wanting to bring bubbles to Canada, I searched bubble performers in Ottawa and Toronto. There are a few in Toronto but none in Ottawa; I was onto something. If it worked in other places, why not Ottawa? I reached out to a few people online who already had this job and asked them for advice and to meet me on Zoom. One lady agreed and I asked her many, many questions. After a few meetings and paying her in Amazon gift cards, she referred me to another bubbleologist who has been active in this career for over 40 years. At the end of our first meeting together, I asked him, "Do a lot of people message you and ask you for advice on how to start a bubble business?" His response was, "No, nobody has ever done this." I'm either a genius or an absolute idiot. 

Now that I had met with two people, I had the confidence to think this was a good idea and that I wanted to start my own birthday party business that focused on bubbles. I looked on Amazon for every type of bubble toy, the best solution, and any other supply that could help me make my new business a success. The purchases began in the fall of 2020 and has been going pretty steady since then. Coming home was like Christmas morning will all of these unopened Amazon packages. Since arriving back in Ottawa, I have been experimenting with the best bubble solutions, best toys, outdoor tricks, putting a kid in a bubble, and learning more about the science behind bubbles. 

I have done a few shows in Ottawa by messaging people via Instagram. I have done a couple of outdoor birthday parties and it seems like people have enjoyed it. Now that the weather is getting cooler, I am working on my indoor shows that involve different bubble tricks, bubble arts and crafts, and other bubble-related activities. My goal is to keep doing shows this winter, grow, eventually hire people to help me and build a bubble empire. If you are in Ottawa and need some birthday entertainment, I am your guy. Or if you know anyone that might find this interesting, please let them know. You can follow me on Instagram @bubblebirthdays or check out my website www.bubblebirthdays.com

"This is better than a magician." Random kid at a park.

Life in Ottawa

I’m going to tell you a secret that I shouldn't admit to anyone: I live with my mom,

I love it and I might never leave.

What’s not to love? She makes me dinner, gives me compliments

and is really my #1 fan. I've spent more time with her in the

last two and a half months than the last 10 years combined. 

Has she occasionally folded my laundry? Maybe.

Has she seen that my bedsheets were in the dryer and put new

sheets on before I came home late one night? Possibly. 

Does she criticize me for not having a job or any type of future?

Certainly not!

Yeah, I’m never leaving.

In other news, I love being back in Canada. It’s been a real hoot.

Lots of family time, walks, sleeping in and catching up with friends.

Has everyone’s excitement level of me being back died down?

Indubitably. 

It’s great watching sports live instead of in the middle of the night.

I’m learning how to be a better chef. I’ve made tacos, 7 layer taco dip

and chicken parmesan so far so I’m pleased with my slow but steady

progress. 

Meeting up with friends or family and before saying goodbye I say

“See you next month” instead of “See you next summer”.

It's way better this way.

I haven’t been reading much but now that it’s

November I will get back to turning some pages. 

I play basketball on Mondays with a friend that I met whilst

living in Thailand. Do I get a bit mouthy with some of my

opponents? I’d prefer not to answer that question.

Two months until 2022; how exciting.

I feel good about an Ottawa winter; get some snowboarding in,

shovel some snow, push some kids into snowbanks; it's going

to be terrific.

A few people have asked me if I’m just home for a few months

or if I have any plans to move abroad again in the future.

My answer to that is that I am in Ottawa for good.

Might not be forever but I’m trying to make Ottawa my

home and it’s time to build myself a community. 

I hope you have enjoyed this short update.

I will try and think of an original blog post idea and

post it in the near future. I can’t think of a funny or clever

way to end this blog post.

Sometimes when people order fries, they act like it’s a little adventure.

They’ll be like, “If I get fries, you’ll have a couple, right?

If I get fries for the table, you’ll have — I know you’ll have

fries if I get fries — should we do it? Yeah, let’s be bad!

C’mon, let’s do it, all right, we’re gonna take a plate of fries!”

It’s like a group of couples agreeing to do ecstasy together.

John Mulaney