Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Laflan.
Sarah, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey into the balloon world started in 2018, somewhat unexpectedly, with my son’s eighth-grade dance.
I’ve always had a creative side and a love for transforming ordinary spaces into something special. I had previously worked on seasonal storefront displays, so creating beautiful environments was something I naturally gravitated toward.
When I was asked to help decorate my son’s eighth-grade dance, the proposed theme was Hollywood. It had been done so many times before, and I just wasn’t feeling inspired by it. I actually said no at first.
But then I started thinking, what if we created an entire room where everything popped? The decorations would pop, the food would pop—popcorn, soda pop, Pop Rocks. Everything would revolve around that one fun idea.
I went back to the kids and suggested calling the dance “Poptopia.” They weren’t nearly as excited about the name as I was! We eventually settled on “Pop Mania,” but the name Poptopia stuck with me.
I ended up transforming the entire dance into one massive balloon installation. Balloons covered the walls and ceiling, creating this incredible, immersive experience. It was unlike anything we’d done before, and the whole room came alive. Needless to say, it turned out to be one very POPular dance!
Around that time, I had become fascinated with a newer, more artistic style of balloon decorating. Nobody in my area was doing anything like it. The only two businesses I knew of creating this type of work were in Australia and Tennessee, and both were starting to make headlines.
There was a huge learning curve in the beginning. Not many people were sharing their techniques, so much of what I learned came through experimenting, making mistakes, and figuring things out for myself.
After the dance, I couldn’t shake the name Poptopia or the excitement I felt creating something so different. Eventually, I thought, “Why don’t I just turn this into a business and see where it goes?”
And that’s how Poptopia Balloons began.
What started as one school dance has grown into a balloon design business and party shop serving the Monterey Peninsula and surrounding communities. Today, we create installations for everything from intimate family celebrations to large corporate events and community gatherings.
Along the way, I’ve loved developing my own creative style, including our signature jumbo balloons with flowing tulle tassels. I still get excited about finding new ways to make something familiar feel completely unexpected.
Building a business from the ground up has taught me so much about creativity, perseverance, and trusting my instincts. It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been incredibly rewarding.
At the heart of Poptopia is something pretty simple: I love helping people celebrate. Life moves quickly, and I believe the moments we share deserve to be remembered. If I can help make those moments a little more beautiful, joyful, and memorable, then I’m doing exactly what I love.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Has it been a smooth road? Absolutely not! But I think that’s part of what makes building something of your own so rewarding.
One of my biggest challenges in the beginning was simply learning the craft. When I started, organic balloon artistry was still relatively new, and there weren’t tutorials or resources readily available like there are today. People weren’t exactly giving away their secrets! I spent countless hours experimenting, making mistakes, and figuring things out through trial and error.
Another challenge was introducing something to our community that people hadn’t really seen before. I wasn’t just building a business; I was helping people see balloons differently. I wanted them to recognize that balloons could be an art form, not just something you pick up at a party store.
As the business grew, I discovered that being creative and running a successful business require two very different skill sets. Learning to price my work appropriately, value my time, set boundaries, and sometimes say no has been a huge part of that growth.
And then there’s the balancing act of being a wife, a mother of three, and a small business owner. When you love what you do, it’s easy to let your business consume every available moment. I’ve had to learn that success isn’t necessarily about doing more. Sometimes it’s about knowing when to step away and be present for the people and moments that matter most.
I think one of the greatest lessons entrepreneurship has taught me is to trust myself. Not every idea will work, not every opportunity is the right opportunity, and not everyone will understand your vision. And that’s okay.
Looking back, I’m grateful for the challenges because they’ve helped shape both the business and the person I’ve become. I’m still learning, still growing, and still just as excited about creating something beautiful as I was when I started.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I own Poptopia Balloons, a balloon design studio and party shop in Pacific Grove, California. I like to think of what I do as creating experiences rather than simply decorating with balloons. Balloons are my medium, but the real artistry comes from playing with color, texture, movement, and scale to transform ordinary spaces into something extraordinary.
We specialize in organic balloon installations, oversized jumbo balloons, custom helium arrangements, and event designs ranging from intimate celebrations to large corporate events. We also have a retail party shop filled with thoughtfully selected items to help make life’s celebrations a little more special.
One of the things I’m most proud of is our signature jumbo balloons with flowing tulle tassels. The idea actually came about through a creative conversation with my dear friend Katherina of Mints and Mills.
We were brainstorming ways to bring something new and unexpected to Poptopia when our conversation quickly turned to tulle. Katherina had been incorporating it creatively into her design business, and I had been using it for years to decorate parties. We both loved the softness, movement, and whimsical quality of the fabric. Bringing those two creative worlds together and imagining tulle flowing beneath our jumbo balloons suddenly seemed like a no-brainer!
What started as a conversation between friends became one of Poptopia’s most recognizable signature designs. I love that something so simple could completely change the personality of a balloon, giving it this beautiful, almost dreamy quality.
I think that’s one of my favorite things about being creative. Inspiration doesn’t always come from sitting down and trying to invent something new. Sometimes it happens over a conversation with a friend, when two ideas come together in a way neither of you had imagined before.
What sets Poptopia apart is the attention we give to the overall design. I’m very intentional about color, proportion, placement, and how an installation interacts with its surroundings. I don’t want balloons to simply fill a space. I want them to feel like they belong there.
Ultimately, what makes me proudest is that I’ve built a business around helping people celebrate. We’re invited into some of the happiest and most meaningful moments of people’s lives, and I consider that a privilege. I hope our work encourages people to pause, celebrate, and cherish those moments just a little more.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
My childhood wasn’t exactly typical, and looking back, I can see how much it shaped the person I am today.
My mother struggled with what I believe was an undiagnosed mental illness, and holidays could be particularly difficult in our home. There would often be so much excitement and anticipation leading up to a holiday, only for everything to unravel as the day approached. Celebrations that should have been joyful sometimes became stressful or didn’t happen at all.
I remember one Christmas when I was sixteen years old. My mother had decided there wouldn’t be a Christmas tree or decorations that year. I couldn’t imagine Christmas without a tree, so I went to my dad and asked if he would let me buy some ornaments since the family decorations weren’t available to us. He agreed, and I then went to a friend’s mother and asked her to teach me how to make beautiful ribbons for the tree.
And wouldn’t you know it, we had a decorated Christmas tree that year!
What I remember just as clearly, though, was that my excitement wasn’t necessarily shared. I was so proud of what I had created, but instead of feeling celebrated for trying to bring something beautiful into our home, I felt as though my enthusiasm was something I needed to quiet.
I think that experience shaped something important in me. As an adult, I genuinely love seeing other people succeed. I’m not someone who looks at another person’s accomplishments, beautiful home, or opportunities and feels that they’ve somehow taken something away from me. I feel incredibly rich in my own blessings, and I can wholeheartedly celebrate someone else’s. There’s room for all of us to have beautiful things and wonderful experiences.
Even as a little girl, I noticed everything. Details fascinated me. If someone had a beautiful wedding ring, I wanted to tell them. If something was unusual or interesting, I wanted to know more about it.
I still laugh remembering being about five years old in a department store and seeing a woman whose hair reached all the way to her ankles. I loudly asked her how she possibly used the bathroom without her hair getting in the way! I suppose I’ve always been curious and perhaps a little too willing to say exactly what was on my mind.
That same curiosity and attention to detail are very much a part of who I am creatively today. I notice textures, colors, proportions, and the smallest details that other people might overlook. I love things that sparkle, unexpected color combinations, and finding beauty in places where someone else might not think to look.
When I walk into my studio, that little girl who wanted to decorate the Christmas tree is still very much a part of me.
I think that’s one of the reasons celebrations mean so much to me. I know firsthand that joy isn’t something we should take for granted.. I want people to feel celebrated, appreciated, and excited about the beautiful moments in their lives.
Maybe in some ways, I’ve spent my adult life creating the kind of joy I was always looking for as a child. And now, I get to share it with other people.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://poptopiaballoons.com
- Instagram: Poptopia.balloons
- Facebook: Poptopia Balloons
