Balloon art is synonymous with kids’ birthday parties, so it’s no surprise that Hugo Pang — a seven-year-old — is fascinated by it.
He first encountered balloon art at a friend’s get-together and then again next at a roadshow.
Other kids might simply urge their parents to queue up for the balloons but Hugo saw a potential business opportunity instead.
Hugo boss, indeed.
“We started having a casual conversation [about] how much the balloon sculptor made if he was hired by the organiser,” Hugo’s dad Ray Pang told AsiaOne.
Hugo was keen on diving into the world of balloon art so his dad walked him through the process of starting a business.
On Nov 29, the 37-year-old shared a clip of Hugo learning the ropes about starting one’s own business.
Terms like branding and tagline were carefully explained to Hugo.
According to Ray, his son has been making balloon art for just over three months.
The young boy watched YouTube clips on his own and followed along with what he saw on-screen.
“He would spend hours practising to perfect new shapes after he comes back from school,” Ray said.
The film director could see the passion and drive his son has for balloon art, which is why he had no qualms about helping Hugo learn about entrepreneurship.
Furthermore, he champions the idea of children picking up such skills.
“It helps with critical thinking and I believe it will help to nurture their grit,” he added.
And those who watched the TikTok videos agreed — many praised Ray for playing an active role in his son’s interests.
“Love how you’re mentoring him! So precious,” one TikTok user said.
Another netizen found it lovely that even though Ray provided step-by-step lessons, he’d let Hugo make the final business decisions.
In a separate clip, Hugo confirmed the business will be named PUMP and the logo has also been finalised.
Ultimately, his dad looks upon this endeavour with Hugo as a bonding exercise.
“I wanted it as a [way of] bonding with him.
“As a bonus, I want him to experience the process of selling, and understand the market, rejection and all business aspects,” Ray said.
While the video was shared in November, the duo shot the footage back in August when Hugo first embarked on the journey.
If you’re keen on supporting PUMP, however, you might want to hold your horses. For now, it’s still a training exercise.
“We haven’t hit the market yet. I have been busy and held the progress,” Ray explained.
But should there be a demand for Hugo’s balloons, he will check in with his son before deciding if they’d continue.
He even shared that their upcoming TikTok video will contain plans to donate half of the earnings to charity.
“That was the plan all along, to have him earn and save while giving back to society.”