Jasmin Franceschi started Epic Installations in Sorrento, Western Australia, in 2020 with $500 after noticing that party decorations were thrown away at the end of children’s birthday parties. Her idea was to hand-make decorative pieces that could be reused at many events. According to a PerthNow profile published on 4 April 2024, the side project became a full-time business with five staff, growing from five events a week to 20. For personal-finance readers, the case is useful less for its headline than for how a small budget, a test of demand and a reuse-based product model fit together.
The timeline as reported
The figures below come from one profile, so each one describes the business as it was reported in April 2024, not as it stands today.
| Stage | What PerthNow reported | Why it matters financially |
|---|---|---|
| Origin, 2020 | Franceschi began with $500 and a reuse idea for decorations that would otherwise be discarded. | The startup cost was small enough to fund from personal money. |
| Early phase | She photographed a trial setup to see whether event companies would hire it. The article reports immediate bookings and requests. | Demand was checked before the business was scaled. |
| Premises | Operations moved from a home garage to a warehouse within 18 months, then to a larger warehouse. | Growth brought fixed costs that the early model did not carry. |
| Volume | Weekly events rose from five to 20. Five staff were employed. | Revenue would track event volume, but the profile gives no revenue figure. |
| Peak season | At Christmas the business could reach 30 jobs a week. | Income was uneven across the year. |
Starting with $500 and a reason to earn
Franceschi did not describe the business as a plan to build a company. She described a practical need. In her words, “I had a baby at the time and I just needed something for weekends for extra work, pick up some extra money to support me and my son because it’s just the two of us,” as quoted by PerthNow.
That origin shapes the financial lesson. A side income that uses skills you already have, and that can start with a small outlay, carries far less risk than a venture that requires a loan or a lease on day one. The reported $500 is the only startup capital the profile mentions, and it is the figure most likely to be quoted, so it is worth stating exactly what it covered. The article does not say.
#1 Best Overall
- Jumbo Size: AULE offers 40 inch 0-9 jumbo gold number balloons. This package includes a gold number 1 foil balloon and an inflatable straw for easy inflation and deflation.
- Exquisite Design: Once filled, the balloon self-seals—no tying needed. Simply pinch the air inlet to secure the built-in adhesive.
- Durable Material: Made of safe, non-toxic, and durable foil. Inflate to 90% capacity for full expansion (over-inflation may cause bursting). Floats perfectly when filled with helium.
- DIY Party Essentials: Our giant gold 0-9 mylar number balloons are perfect for birthday, anniversary, graduation, New Year celebration, and other special events.
- Customer Service: For any questions about the product, please contact us via Amazon's messaging system. We value your feedback and will use it to improve our products.
Testing demand before committing money
The most transferable step in the story is the test. Before committing to a full inventory or premises, Franceschi photographed a trial setup to see whether anyone would hire it. According to the profile, event companies responded quickly with bookings and requests.
For a reader considering a similar side business, the sequence is the useful part:
Rank #2
- Package List: You will receive sufficient number of the number candle holders, numbered 0-9, reusable, decreasing waste from single-use number candles. Easy to clean and store for your next celebration.
- Premium Material: Made of good-quality iron, the reusable number candle holders are reliable, sturdy, durable, and resistant to breakage or fading, maintaining their shape and vibrant color for a long time.
- Elegant Cake Decoration: Featuring a stylish silver-tone finish, the candles holders add a modern sophistication to any cake. The stable base design ensures the standard candles stand firmly upright, preventing tilting and creating a clean and elegant visual effect for your party.
- Easy to Use: The reusable number candle holders are easy to use; simply insert the candle into the candle holder and place them on the cake. No complicated steps are required, economizing you party preparation time and creating a more memorable party experience.
- Versatile Applications: Perfect for birthday parties, wedding anniversaries, retirement celebrations, baby showers, and all kinds of holiday gatherings. Suitable for most cake sizes and styles.
- Build one sample setup using the lowest-cost materials that look professional in photos.
- Show it to the people who would buy the service, such as event planners or venues, and record their responses.
- Take bookings or firm enquiries before buying equipment or renting space.
- Only expand the fixed costs once bookings are repeating.
The profile does not say how many enquiries came in, what they paid, or how long the test ran. Treat the sequence as a method, not as a measured result.
Reuse as the cost model
The business rests on a simple economic claim: decorations made once can serve many events. Franceschi told PerthNow that most pieces lasted around two years, with occasional touch-ups, and that some had remained in service since the business began.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
- ☑️ PRE-STRUNG = NO WASTED TIME PUTTING THEM TOGETHER - Unlike others, our gold go shawty it's your birthday party banner will arrive to you with each letter already pre-strung on a 10 ft strand. No DIY required! All you have to do is hang and you’re ready to go.
- ☑️ LETTERS WON'T SLIDE OUT OF PLACE - No need to worry about constantly adjusting your banner! Unlike others, we designed all our pre-strung banners to have smaller punch holes; the letters will stay put and won't slide down the 10 ft strand. Just position as desired and letters will stay, even at an angle!
- ☑️ REAL GLITTER ADDS REAL SPARKLE TO YOUR PARTY - Meticulously hand designed, we made sure our go shawty it's ya birthday banners were super fun and one-of-a-kind. The real gold glitter sets us apart from other hip hop birthday banners and will set your birthday celebration apart too! The no DIY banners save you time and add that extra touch to elevate your party!
- ☑️ THICK, HIGH QUALITY CARDSTOCK MADE TO LAST - Each letter pendant is made from strong 350 gsm/130lb cardstock, so that you can store for future use or pass it on to a friend for their event! The real gold glitter adds the perfect touch to your birthday decorations. You can easily add them to mantels, banisters, windows, dessert tables, or even use as a photo backdrop. The options are endless!
- ☑️ SHOP OUR STORE: Check out all of our products by clicking on the "Visit the Perfect Occasion Store" link under the product name. From our family to yours, thank you for your support! Sincerely, The Perfect Occasion Team
That lifespan is a founder’s estimate, not a controlled durability test, and it applies to the business’s own pieces under its own use pattern. Still, it is the variable that determines whether reuse saves money. A piece used for many events over two years spreads its making cost across those events, while a disposable decoration is paid for again each time. Readers can apply the same arithmetic to any reusable product: the cost of making or buying the item, plus repair and storage, divided by the number of uses before replacement.
Growth changed the work and the cost base
Scale brought costs that were not in the original plan. Franceschi said she had not expected to be “climbing with scissor lifts and installing in massive shopping centres,” and that she had to adjust as the business moved in that direction. The profile describes installations that required individual problem-solving and heavy lifting, and work at venues including Optus Stadium, Crown Ballroom, Westfield shopping centres, music festivals and the Channel 7 Christmas Pageant.
Rank #4
- Complete Set with Ten Pieces: This eusable birthday candles numbers set includes number candles from zero to nine in elegant gold color, various cake decoration needs with each number represented once
- Reusable Candle numbers: Crafted for multiple uses, these reusable candle numbers reduce waste while providing a vibrant and festive look
- Easy to Use Design: Insert each candle number securely into your cake or dessert and light for a charming display; velas doradas para pastel hold well on different frosting types, making parties effortless to decorate
- Versatile Cake Decoration: Birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions, these candle numbers fit any celebration theme, providing stylish options with birthday candles numbers that remake your cake look
- Most of Celebrations: Suitable for home bakers, party planners, and families, the candles numbers set provides an easy way to personalize cakes and create memorable moments with elegant decorations
From a budgeting view, each step added a cost category: a warehouse rather than a garage, equipment for installation, and staff to cover the workload. The profile reports five employees but does not say how payroll, insurance or equipment were funded. Those are the expenses that determine whether a higher event count produces higher profit.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the numbers do not show
The profile is a single 2024 article, and several claims need careful handling:
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Best Value
- Revenue, profit and cash flow are not reported. The figures for staff, events and jobs are profile-reported business figures, not audited financial data.
- The current status of the business, including its staffing, event volume and venue relationships, has not been independently checked for this article.
- The “zero-waste” label describes a reuse approach. The profile does not quantify waste avoided and does not include a waste audit or lifecycle analysis.
- The materials used are described only in general terms, including experiments with textures, fabrics, ribbons and plastic. It is not possible to reconstruct the cost of a finished decoration from the article.
Questions to ask before copying the model
- What is the total cost of the first test, and can you absorb a loss on it?
- How many uses does a reusable item need before it pays back its making cost, and what is your evidence for that number?
- Which costs rise with volume, such as storage, transport, labour and insurance, and which stay fixed?
- How uneven is demand across the year, and can savings cover the quiet months?
- Would the business still work if its largest seasonal peak were smaller than expected?
Franceschi’s story shows how a small, low-cost start and a test of demand can grow into a full-time business. It does not show how much money the business makes, and readers should not assume that a reuse model automatically produces better margins than disposable alternatives.
Source: PerthNow, “Sorrento mother turns zero-waste decorations idea into successful business,” 4 April 2024.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
