Hello! What’s your name and what do you do?
Hi I’m Caroline Cornelius-Jones aka CJ the Bubble Girl. I’m a Bubble Artist and Performer based in Singapore. I perform stage shows with bubbles, for birthday parties, Dinner & Dance shows, Mall shows & community events.
The ethereal beauty of bubbles fascinates me. I love their organic, transient nature. Their unpredictability and fragility makes them a really fun medium to work with as you never know what will occur or which direction they will take.
Where does your passion for bubbles come from?
I rediscovered bubbles 14 years ago, when a client booked myself and another performer for her child’s party. The other entertainer was a balloon artist, plus he laid out some trays with bubble liquid and wands. After the party I snuck in a turn, the bubbles were huge and I was hooked.
I then bought all the bubble kits available and none of them worked here in Singapore. So I searched the internet for recipes. I found hundreds, but again none worked here. Why? Because Singapore is hot and humid all year round, while most recipes were for northern hemisphere countries with much cooler drier climates.
I started experimenting with ingredients I could find here and eventually recipes no. 18 & no. 26 worked. I’m now part of a huge worldwide community of Bubbleologist. In the last 5 years we’ve finally had our own conventions – yes there are Bubble Cons. I’m a committee member for the Association of International Bubble Artist (AOIBA), I have 2x Gunness participation records and 2x Singapore Book of Records – for the most number of people in a bubble.
When did you decide to turn it into a business?
I had been entertaining kids at parties through my party planning company, Fantasy Parties since 2001.
However I set CJ Bubble Productions up in 2012 as I was getting more corporate and government bookings and wanted a more professional (haha) name to suit.
My first customer was Mt. Alverna hospital show – April 09 was my 1st ever bubble show, but that was through Fantasy Parties. Not sure when my 1st show through CJ Bubble Productions was. The 2 entries are pretty much entwined.
I already had a client base for kids parties, so I added my Magical Bubble Show as another service for them.
Then offer it as a stage show for corporate events.
What’s your favourite part about running your business?
I love performing, dressing up, being in front of an audience then blowing their minds with what can be done with a simple soap bubble. Everyone assumes bubbles are just for kids, but it’s the gasp from the adults as they reconnect with the wonder of bubbles that brings me & them the most joy.
(hate)
Mon-Sun is in the office, answering emails, sending out quotations, editing photos & videos.
Mon – day off. Universally Monday is the Event industries Sunday/day off (supposedly). But oftentimes clients start phoning as they are back at work!
Tues – doing the takings from the weeknd’s bookings, sending out requests for reviews & photos from clients. Accounting. Paying staff.
Wed – sending out reminders to clients for their upcoming weekend’s parties. Double checking my entertainers & staff all have their assignments for the weekend.
Thurs – supply run for any last minute requests from clients.
Fri – Mixing up bubble juice, sorting out costumes, wigs, games & show equipment for the weekend.
(love)
Sat & Sun – performing
Rinse & repeat…….
Do you have a team or are you planning to have a team?
Pre-Covid I had a team of part-timers; princesses & superheroes, other bubble performers, assistants, face painters & balloon twisters. We used to have 2-7 staff at 1 party. With the current restrictions, it’s currently all me! Hard work, but I still love it.
Who are your customers?
Anybody with kids aged 1 month – 12 years old, but also grandparents, uncles or aunts booking for their nieces & nephews too. 70% local / 30% expats (so you have to keep advertising to the new arrivals)
Corporate clients booking family days.
Community Clubs & Residence Committees hosting community events and HDB BTO welcome parties.
Condos, clubs & malls booking Easter, Halloween & Christmas events
Schools & Kindergarten booking assembly shows or workshops
Some overseas gigs
How long did it take you to breakeven?
It was all very organic. The events industry is a boom or bust industry. With very, very, busy months (usually seasonal) and others which are deathly quiet…when I can take time off or go on holiday.
Let’s talk about the digital side of your business. When did you establish your online presence and what made you do that?
IG & fb since 2007 I think.
CJ Bubble Website 2015 (?)
Fantasy Parties website 2004 (?)
How was that change possible?
I got a friend to make my 1st website, it was all in html. I taught myself to edit it.
Then over the years I hired others to make newer mobile friendly wordpress sites, but they were free sites tacked on to other services. Didn’t end well. Now I’m having problems with my WP site.
Discovered Juicy Pickles last year and took the plunge this year on her Social Media for Beginners course, then upgraded to The Pickling Club. I’ve learnt so much from her video courses and live video chats.
Today, how much of your business is traditional and how much of it is digital?
I’m slowly trying to go digital. I’m very much a hands on paper type person. I even prefer shopping in person, rather than online. I prefer to handle and touch the products. Especially when it comes to buying bubble equipment. You’ll usually find me in a local hardware store explaining in pictures & sign language to the local Chinese staff that I want to use water pipes and copper fixing, but for bubbles. “Do you have this ‘same, same but different’ (my fav local phrase) to make it to this instead?”
I’ve automated a lot of stuff; booking forms, that convert to clients address, so I can create an invoice, that’s emailed to the client, with a payment link, that invoice converts to my google calendar, that I email out to all staff for that event. Love zapier for this.
Probably 30% traditional / 70% digital. I often don’t meet my clients until 30 minutes before my show. If it’s a show using my other entertainer then I don’t meet my clients at all. All communication is done via email & whatsapp.
Do you have a chief marketing officer or a dedicated digital marketing/tech team?
Nope, just me. So many of us in the events industry/party planning industry are 1 man bands. We’re jugglers (although I can’t actually juggle!) I juggle my many business hats!
What digital activities do you do to grow your business?
IG & facebook.
Putting my videos up onto youtube – try to sort that all out.
Just started writing a few blogs
Google ads for website awareness
What learning resources would you recommend to someone in your industry to get “more” digital?
Juicy Pickles!!!!!!!!
Business with Brinie – podcasts
The Marketing Hub, by Elizabeth from Digital Direction.
What tools do you use in your business?
Worpress website.
Stripe for credit card payments & QR codes for paynow payments into my various bank accounts.
Wave accounting app (used to be able to charge credit cards, but it’s only for the US now, but love their simplicity)
Tried Tailwind & canva, but I’m more spontaneous in the way my brain comes up with creative ideas. So this isn’t working for me.
FilmoraGo – for video editing. Love this app
What’s your advice for someone in your industry who wants to modernise their business?
Haha, I’m the wrong person to ask, it’s a hard slog for me. Ask Giulia….she’s brilliant!
However I will say that in the arts & entertainment – my job is my life. I live to work, not work to live., You give up your weekends & evenings to entertain others, then Mon-Fri you have the regular office work to do, to support all your performances. It’s a 365, 24/7 job. So you must love what you are doing – which I do!
Where can we learn more about you?
Instagram: CJ theBubbleGirl (@cjthebubblegirl) • Instagram photos and videos
Facebook: Cj Bubble Productions (facebook.com) / CJ The Bubble Girl (facebook.com)
Website: https://www.cjbubbles.com/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/CJtheBubbleGirl?sub_confirmation=1
TikTok: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSJnFsk4N/
