All Blown Up is Shelly “ShowNo Towels” Ehler’s latest business venture. Shelly is really hammering the airwaves Thanksgiving week, her Show No Towels segment re-aired Sunday, November 18 and on Black Friday, November 23, Shelly will appear on the Today Show with her new, life-sized blown-up photo and poster business called All Blown Up. Never one to rest on her laurels, Shelly and her husband, Brian, were looking for something new to work on together. They decided on All Blown Up for a variety of reasons. I wanted to get the skinny on this fun looking business, so I gave Shelly a call last week to chat about her latest entrepreneurial venture.
All Blown Up Origins
Shelly and her husband used to be in the printing business. The demise of their printing empire was featured in her now famous episode 304 pre-pitch “at home segment.” Shelly told me she and Brian had “a blueprinting company with 3 locations and 35 employees. We sold that business. After that we had a 3-D print shop. One of my favorite things about that business is the funny posters we used to make for family and friends. We’d show up to parties with HUGE posters that had silly sayings on them. They became the hit of every party. It was my favorite part of the business.”
“We also used to make life-sized cut out posters. Once, I had two weddings to attend on the same day, one in LA and one in Napa Valley. I was the Maid of Honor in the Napa wedding, so I had to go to that one. I sent a full-sized cut out of me in my bridesmaid dress to the wedding in LA and everyone loved it. It was in some pictures, it was on the dance floor, sitting at tables, everyone thought it was funny.”
“When we closed down the printing business, we still had the printers in the garage. It was originally going to be my business. I had the domain names, I had the equipment, Brian’s brother was in the paper business. I launched it two years ago, but it was in the background; I wasn’t able to take it anywhere. Lately, the idea has been whispering to me, so I decided to use my exposure from Shark Tank to see if we could make a go of it. I made a life-sized cut out of Hoda and Kathy Lee and sent it to them. They loved it! I already shot the segment and it’s airing on Black Friday!”
Why Shelly came back to All Blown Up
“I really wanted Brian back, like it was before. He’d be doing his thing in his office, and I’d be working on ShowNo in mine. He’s my ‘tech guy,’ so it was great having him around. We were brainstorming about a business, and I realized something. We originally went to printing for money. I wanted our next business to be something fun, something we did out of love. We decided to resurrect All Blown Up all these years later.” Shelly told me All Blown Up cut outs and posters can be purchased online.
All Blown Up isn’t all Shelly loves or has been working on. She’s been hitting the trade shows with her ShowNo Towel too. She has hit the Water Park Operators show and received orders. Shelly also did very well at the USSA Swimming Show. Her Shark Tank exposure got ShowNo Towels noticed at those shows and she’s hoping the Today Show will give All Blown Up a big boost too. Whatever Shelly is working on, she’ll find a way to make it successful.
Entrepreneur, auteur, raconteur. Rob Merlino is a blogger and writer who enjoys the Shark Tank TV show and Hot Dogs. A father of five who freelances in a variety of publications, Rob has a stable of websites including Shark Tank Blog, Hot Dog Stories, Rob Merlino.com and more.
Thanks Rob!! Always appreciate your support!!!