Today we’d like to introduce you to Regina Martinez
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Back in high school, a friend told me I should try out face painting since I was artistic.
I told her, no way! I’ll never do that. But I tried it once and couldn’t get enough of it. Years later I’m a full-time children’s entertainer doing face painting, magic shows, puppets and balloons. It’s a weird job, for sure. Making an entire room of kids giggle over a silly puppet & a banana sounds absurd but it’s so much fun!
Entertaining started out as a fun side job in high school and college. But after completing my degree in graphic design, I wasn’t ready to jump into a normal office job (read between the lines: the job market was pretty rough in late 2009). Instead, I tested out my newly-minted marketing skills on my own business, Silly Sparkles. I began taking my side hustle seriously, built a brand and the rest was history.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In 2020, my husband decided to quit his career as a chef and go back to school. We had 3 young children at the time, and while my events brought in a decent income it wasn’t enough to support our family. We had stimulus checks and savings to float us for a few months and the hubby got a temporary job with a 1 year contract. But we knew it was a temporary solution and the clock was ticking.
I knew it was time to scale my tiny clown biz into a larger, multi-six figure entertainment company.
I started with repackaging my services, redesigning my website and branding, investing in coaches, building systems, and refining skills. Thanks a post-covid surge in events, the marketing worked. Pretty soon my biggest issue was turning down work due to not having enough entertainers. So I decided to add more services. On a whim, a friend called us up, sold us a foam cannon, and our next brand, Austin Foam Monsters, was born. At this point, it was too much for me to handle alone so my husband gladly joined in and we grew the ‘family’ entertainment business. Our latest brand we’re about to launch is ‘The Giggle Crew’ which specializes in silly, Blippi-like entertainers.
We’re on a 40% year over year growth trajectory and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
Nowadays, I realized how much freedom owning your own business gives you, but also the weight of it. My husband and I both get to stay at home with the kids (except on our event days). We joke about having a house that giggles and foam built. It’s not always easy building a business but one thing’s for sure – we absolutely love what we do. If you have a creative side hustle, don’t underestimate what it can do for you.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We provide family entertainment for parties and special events. Our artists and entertainers are known for their quality designs and their ability to spark giggles & joy at events.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Best: Exploring the greenbelt and finding new water spots. Plus, the taco culture in Austin is off the charts amazing!
Least: I35
Pricing:
- 325 – Birthday Boost (Magic Show & Balloon Twisting)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sillysparkles.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sillysparkles/
Image Credits
Lucero Photography
