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Our Blog:
The Backyard Bash Diaries
The Backyard Bash Diaries is the behind the scenes story of building Backyard Bash Co. from the ground up. Written by two teachers turned entrepreneurs, this blog shares the real life experiences, challenges, laughs, creativity and chaos that come with starting a rental business and balancing family, careers, coaching and everyday life. From backyard parties and beach gear rentals to elegant wedding games and event inspiration, Backyard Bash Diaries connects readers to the people, passion and purpose behind the business, proving that great events are about more than rentals, they're about creating memories.
Our Newest Baby
People always say starting a business is like having another baby. Now, I can confidently say they're absolutely right. This little business has become something we think about every single day. It's the first thing I check in the morning and usually one of the last things I think about before I fall asleep. Every booking makes us smile. Every inquiry gives us hope. Every idea sends us down another rabbit hole of, "Ooh...what if we added this?" We've poured so much time, ener
backyardbashcoma
5 days ago2 min read
So...We Made Swag!
I guess the cool kids call it "swag." One of the ideas that's been bouncing around in my head since before Backyard Bash Co. even launched was creating apparel. Every time I saw another small business with someone proudly wearing their logo, I thought it was so cool! So naturally, one of the first things we did was make shirts and sweatshirts...for ourselves and our immediate family members. You know, our unpaid employees...I mean, volunteers who have been helping us deliver
backyardbashcoma
Jul 143 min read
The Lines Are Forming...At Least in our Heads
Father's Day at Nasketucket Bay Vineyard One of the things that has made this whole adventure so much fun is that Maria and I have developed a running joke. Whenever we're planning a vendor event, family day, brewery event or community gathering, we inevitably start talking about how we're going to handle the crowds. You know, the massive lines. The endless rental inquiries. The nonstop phone calls. The flood of bookings. The people standing shoulder to shoulder at our tent w
backyardbashcoma
Jun 253 min read
Why We'll Spend $350 on Our Kids But Not $50 on Ourselves
One of the interesting things about starting a business is that it makes you pay attention to people. Not just what they buy, but why they buy it. Lately, I've found myself thinking about something that seems a little backwards. People, including me, will gladly spend $350 or more on a one day bounce house rental for their child. But we're having a much harder time convincing adults to spend less than $100 on yard games for themselves. And honestly, I get it. Last weekend, I
backyardbashcoma
Jun 163 min read
The Scammers, The Vineyard & My Temporary Career in Sales
One thing nobody tells you when you start a small business is that you're apparently also signing up to become a part time detective. Seriously. When we launched Backyard Bash Co., we expected to spend our time building games, creating social media posts, answering customer inquiries and figuring out marketing. Unfortunately, we learned this lesson the hard way. Early on, we got scammed out of $90 for what appeared to be a vendor market opportunity. It seemed legitimate. Ther
backyardbashcoma
Jun 83 min read
Adults Need Yard Games Too
This week we realized something important while researching other rental companies; Most rental businesses focus almost entirely on kids. Inflatables. Bounce houses. Water slides. And listen, we love kids. We're teachers, we have five of our own kids between the two of us. Plus a grandkid. We practically survive on chaos, coffee and fruit snacks. But yard games are usually treated like an afterthought. It's always: "Sure...throw in a cornhole for another $75." Because if som
backyardbashcoma
Jun 12 min read
The Memorial Day Reality Check
Memorial Day weekend seemed like the perfect time to sit down and reflect on this wild little journey called Backyard Bash Co. And by "sit down," I mean answer customer inquiries from a soccer field in New Hampshire while eating snacks intended for children, in the pouring rain while checking Instagram notifications between games. Meanwhile, Maria has practically become a resident of New Jersey, spending 4 out of the last 7 days there. And currently while I'm writing this, s
backyardbashcoma
May 252 min read
The Elegant Events Collection: How One Wedding Changed Everything.
Originally, Backyard Bash Co. was going to be simple. Fun backyard games. Party rentals. Easy. To understand our Elegant Events Collection, you need to understand Maria's creative brain. She sees ordinary things and somehow turns them into something people stop and stare at. While helping one of her cousins plan a beautiful bridal shower and now preparing for her youngest daughter's upcoming wedding in the mountains of Maine, she became inspired by the idea that event games c
backyardbashcoma
May 171 min read
Sometimes You Just Have to Say the Crazy Idea Out Loud
As I'm sitting here juggling my full-time teaching job, my coaching gig, my family's completely insane schedule, and the constant stress of hoping our business is actually successful; I found myself wanting to share some thoughts about how all of this started. Because the truth is, starting a small business is a strange combination of excitement, fear, confidence, confusion, and repeatedly asking yourself: "Wait...are we actually doing this?" The idea for Backyard Bash Co. li
backyardbashcoma
May 123 min read
Welcome to The Backyard Bash Diaries: Two Teachers, One Big Leap
If someone had told us a year ago that two elementary school teachers would be hauling giant yard games, folding tables, beach umbrellas, and chairs all around the south coast...we probably would have laughed while simultaneously grading papers. But here we are. Welcome to Backyard Bash Co. We're Julie and Maria, two women who decided maybe it was time to build something for ourselves. By day, I'm a full time health and physical education teacher, a high school coach and mom
backyardbashcoma
May 102 min read
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