As you guys know, I love a party. Love a theme, love a color palette, & LOVE the details. Since having kids, parties these days need a little something extra. Something to occupy the kids, give the parents a break, and it doesn’t hurt if that thing looks just so good on the feed. Enter INFLATE SAN DIEGO.
They did the funnest bouncy castle for Zaza’s second birthday and it was such a hit. You may have also noticed on IG that this summer we rented a house in San Diego, and although we didn’t have a ‘party’ per se, every day was a party with the bouncy house. LOL. That’s right, we had Inflate SD come set up a bouncy house for the whole month to keep all the kids entertained since friends & family were in & out.
Colette & Max are so incredible to work with, they always GET IT, & they’re the perfect addition to your party toolbox. It was a no brainer to have them on the blog for a little interview about their business, how they got started & where they’re headed.
With that, let’s welcome Inflate San Diego founders, Colette & Max.
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♡ Introduce yourself to The Skinny Confidential audience.
Colette & Max: Hiiii TSC readers! We are Colette Naylor & Max McSparran – Co-Owners of Inflate San Diego! We’re both born and raised in Scripps Ranch and we actually went to elementary & high school together. Our moms met briefly before we were born and our dads played softball together throughout our teen years. We knew of each other but began dating in college! We’ve been together for 6 ½ years and have a pomsky named Rizzo.
♡ How did Inflate San Diego start?
CM: We’ve always known that starting a small business was in our cards. We started a pressure washing side hustle during COVID and did pretty well. I would do the business/marketing side and Max would go out and complete the job. Problem was – it was exhausting, long hard days for him and I was uninspired.
While we were doing that, our friends Jack & Julie Neilsen started Inflate Forty Eight – a bounce house rental business in Arizona. We watched them rapidly expand while I was constantly feeling like I was missing out. Here Julie was posting these fun parties with unique themes and creative decor and I was posting Max cleaning gunk off someone’s sidewalk.
Max and I would often make comments like “we should do something like the Neilsens.” One day I randomly reached out to Julie and said “have you ever thought about bringing the Inflate brand to San Diego?” – Which to my complete surprise she responded with “well we’ve actually been waiting to see you in person to ask you about that.” We had a brief phone call and honestly after that, hit the ground running. Before I knew it we were creating an LLC, sourcing supplies, signing insurance contracts, building websites and social channels & so on.
♡ What are some things you wish you knew when first starting your business?
CM: There is literally ALWAYS work to be done. Although this is a “side hustle” for us, there is never a day that goes by where we don’t have something to do pertaining to the business. Even once we’re done for the day, we’re still thinking about the hundreds of things that we need to do. When we first started, I don’t think either of us had any idea what we were truly in for.
♡ What’s one of the greatest lessons you’ve learned as an entrepreneur?
CM: You don’t need to know everything to get started!
Fear of the unknown often holds many of us back. Trust me – I HATE the unknown. I’m still not sure what came over me the day we decided to start this business – there were so many unknowns. However, we probably would’ve never gotten around to starting Inflate if we sat down and talked through every tiny detail ahead of time. Just start and figure it out as you go.
Additionally, I will say, having a mentor makes starting something new that much easier. We are immensely grateful for Inflate Forty-Eight and all the guidance they’ve given us over the last year and a half. If you’re looking to start something new, look for resources within your community that have knowledge in the field and see if they might be willing to be a mentor.
♡ What’s your advice for people looking to take their side hustle full time and quit their 9-5?
CM: Well we aren’t there just yet. It’s tough to make it in California, especially San Diego, so we are both still working full time. Max is a paramedic and I work in ecommerce sales and marketing. When I say we’re busy – I mean we are BUSY. We work during the week and do deliveries/pick ups every weekend. We’ve had to turn down social gatherings, trips and more in order to grow our business. As we continue to push forward, the goal is absolutely to make this a full time business but one where we have employees working while we are managing the business operations.
♡ Can you share one of the most interesting setups/parties you’ve supplied?
CM: Being included in Zaza’s 2nd birthday truly was one of the most exciting moments for us so far. Getting together with so many talented vendors in San Diego was really special and we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity and exposure it brought – we’ve had several clients say they found us through you, Lauryn.
In addition to that, our first ever wedding was in the Crown Room of the iconic Hotel Del Coronado. We were the first ever bounce house to set up inside the venue! As native San Diegans it was a really cool moment to see our rental inside a landmark.
♡ What’s next for Inflate SD?
CM: Right now we are really trying to focus on creating effective processes so that we can continue to train a really solid delivery crew. We want to be known for our customer service, attention to detail, and cleanliness while continuing to lead the way in trendy, modern inflatables. Eventually maybe we will expand into other party rentals but for now, we are really enjoying building up this little business of ours.
♡ What’s a book, podcast or resource you recommend?
CM: Lately I have been loving Ed Mylett. I actually first learned about Ed through The Skinny Confidential HIM & HER podcast – I’ve listened to all the episodes he’s been on and am currently listening to on Audible. So far the book has been inspiring and very motivational. What I enjoy most is the versatility in application. You can apply his words in relationships, business, health goals, etc.
Here are a couple lines from the book that I have really resonated with so far:
“A wise man will create more opportunities than than he finds.”
“Be doggedly persistent if you want success.”
When comparing people’s attempts to a piñata he says, “Too many people quit their businesses, their workouts, or their relationships right before the candy comes out although they’re making progress it doesn’t always show up externally.”
♡ Where can everyone find you? Pimp yourself out!
CM: Check out our website , you can also find us on Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook and Pinterest.
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There you have it. If you are in the San Diego area be sure to contact Colette & Max for your next party. It’s such a fun way to elevate any space & they have lots of options available.
Like I said, I love working with them. Their customer service is on point, the cleanliness is next level and their rentals will bring all your guests so much joy.
x, lauryn
+ tips for throwing a bachelorette party.
++ how to make your own Halloween candy bar cart.
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The post Entrepreneurship, Side Hustles & Parties with Inflate San Diego appeared first on The Skinny Confidential.
