When Psychology Secretary Sandy Waldman (left) returned to Academic Hall after recovering from a stroke, there was an unusual bouquet waiting for her. The enormous overflowing flower display was made entirely of balloons.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Waldman said. “It was so unusual and so different. It’s a real conversation piece and it brings a smile to people’s faces.”

The display was made by David Wiles ’06 and his sister, Kayla ’08. The siblings, both Business Administration and Economics majors, own their own balloon-twisting business “Balloony Inspirations,” that they started as teenagers with the help of their parents. Every weekend for five years, they crafted balloon sculptures at company picnics, church events, and birthday parties.

“We always had a close-knit family and enjoyed working together,” Kayla says. “When you give people a balloon, they’re so happy.”

But soon, David and Kayla’s imagination outgrew the small animal sculptures they were making.

“We weren’t satisfied with doing little things and wanted to do better and bigger,” David says.

Soon the family was creating life-size sculptures, unicorns that children could fit inside, and bouquets with identifiable flowers like poinsettia, roses, sunflowers, and daisies. They even make “balloon-a-catures,” caricatures with facial features.

They have received requests from as far away as California, but college is now the priority. The siblings consider themselves “semi-retired,” and rarely take on major projects.

David, who is now interviewing for jobs, is hoping to become an economist. Kayla wants to be an accountant.

“They are extraordinary people, artistic, and business-like,” says Professor Susan Milstein, who has taught seven of their courses. “They’re grounded and have good ethics. They’re the best in the book.”

David and Kayla say "Balloony Inspirations" helped stoke their interest in business, but it started with their parents.

“Our parents always worked with us to understand the value of a dollar and having a business helped with that,” Kayla says.

For more information about Balloony Inspirations, click here:
www.balloonyinspirations.com

Tips about balloons:
Balloons live longest when they’re kept in the freezer, but some sculptures could last up to a year. They don’t react well to direct sunlight and may melt in the heat. Real balloon-twisting is not like you see on TV. Stretching the balloon beforehand causes damage.