ACCORDING TO THE LABOR DEPARTMENT-- ONE IN FIVE RECENT COLLEGE GRADS WAS JOBLESS IN JUNE. WHEN TWO YOUNG, LOCAL WOMEN COULDN'T FIND THE POSITIONS THEY WANTED, THEY CREATED THEM. AND NOW, THEIR SMALL BUSINESS IS BLOWING UP... 57- WITH SENIOR YEAR BEING CUT SHORT I HAD SOME EXTRA TIME ON MY HANDS 1:03.... IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE CORONAVIRUS, MALLORY ABRAHAM AND LEIGH ASHLEY COURTNEY MIGHT NOT BE BUSINESS OWNERS. WHILE IN HOME IN JACKSON FINISHING HER VIRTUAL SENIOR YEAR AT OLE MISS-- COURTNEY SAW SOME ELABORATE BALLOONS ON INSTAGRAM AND THOUGHT I COULD DO THAT. ABRAHAM HAD JUST MOVED BACK TO JACKSON AFTER YEARS OF WORKING IN L-A. AND WAS GAME FOR TEAMING UP. 1:24- MALLORY ABRAHAML ONE OF MY GOOD FRIENDS IN L-A DOES AN INSTALLMENT AND ONE DAY SHE WAS NICE ENOUGH TO LET'S GO LET'S DO IT WHY NOT 1;42 WITH THAT-- MAKE IT POP WAS BORN 1:58- LEIGH ASHLEY: WE HAD A BETTER RESPONSE THAN WE EXPECTED ESPECIALLY WITH THE VIRUS GOING ON WE DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WOULD TAKE OFF OR NOT 2:05 THE GIRLS WORK TOGETHER CREATING THE BALLOON DESIGNS FOR CLIENTS OF ALL AGES. 2:13-LEIGH ASHLEY: ITS BEEN FUN TO HELP PEOPLE FIND WAYS TO CELEBRATE EVEN THOUGH THEIR BIRTHDAY PARTIES...LOOK DIFFERENT THAN NORMAL 2:24 DRIVEWAY BIRTHDAY PARTIES, BABY SHOWERS, BACK TO SCHOOL EVENTS MADE MORE COLORFUL BY THEIR CREATIONS. 4:18- ITS FUN TO PULL OUT AN INSPIRATION BOARD AND SEND IT TO THEM AND ITS CRAZY WHAT YOU CAN COME UP WITH WITH SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A BALLOON. 4:27 THE WOMEN HAVE A HARD TIME PICTURING WHERE THEY'D LIKE TO TAKE THEIR BUSINESS-- BECAUSE FIVE MONTHS AGO THEY HAD NO IDEA THEY'D BE HERE...STARTING A BUSINESS IN A PANDEMIC. BUT THEY ARE EXPANDING...NOW INSTALLING BALLOON DISPLAYS ALL OVER MISSISSIPP
2020 graduate creates balloon business amid pandemic
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Updated: 1:40 PM CDT Aug 18, 2020
Finding a job in the middle of a pandemic has been a challenge for many 2020 graduates.But for Mallory Abraham and Leigh Ashley Courtney, if there had not been COVID-19, they might not be business owners.While at home in Jackson, Mississippi, finishing her virtual senior year at Ole Miss, Courtney saw some elaborate balloons on Instagram and thought, "I could do that."Courtney teamed up with Abraham, who had just moved back to Jackson after years of working in Los Angeles. "One of my good friends in L.A. does an installment, and one day she was nice enough to go, 'Let's do it. Why not?'" Abraham said."We had a better response than we expected, especially with the virus going on. We didn't know if it would take off or not," Courtney said.The women worked together on their business, Make It Pop, which creates balloon designs for clients of all ages. Driveway birthday parties, baby showers and back-to-school events have been made more colorful by their creations.The women have a hard time picturing where they would like to take their business, because five months ago, they had no idea they would be starting a business in a pandemic. They are expanding and now installing balloon displays all over Mississippi.
JACKSON, Miss. — Finding a job in the middle of a pandemic has been a challenge for many 2020 graduates.
But for Mallory Abraham and Leigh Ashley Courtney, if there had not been COVID-19, they might not be business owners.
While at home in Jackson, Mississippi, finishing her virtual senior year at Ole Miss, Courtney saw some elaborate balloons on Instagram and thought, "I could do that."
Courtney teamed up with Abraham, who had just moved back to Jackson after years of working in Los Angeles.
"One of my good friends in L.A. does an installment, and one day she was nice enough to go, 'Let's do it. Why not?'" Abraham said.
"We had a better response than we expected, especially with the virus going on. We didn't know if it would take off or not," Courtney said.
The women worked together on their business, , which creates balloon designs for clients of all ages. Driveway birthday parties, baby showers and back-to-school events have been made more colorful by their creations.
The women have a hard time picturing where they would like to take their business, because five months ago, they had no idea they would be starting a business in a pandemic. They are expanding and now installing balloon displays all over Mississippi.
