IN FOCUS WITH... NABAS
The
NABAS journey
Ahead of the Balloon and Party Professionals Association’s (NABAS) 35th birthday next year, chairman and director of GO International, one of Europe’s leading importers and wholesalers of balloons and party products, George Oustayiannis, has shared his thoughts on the NABAS journey so far, and what members can look forward to in the future… Right: George Oustayiannis, chairman of NABAS.
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aving had a successful career as a broker in the 80s, after George Oustayiannis got married, he and his wife decided to pursue a career more suited to that of newlyweds. They moved to Plymouth, where, inspired by George’s family background, they moved in to the hospitality industry, and launched a series of restaurants. However, George admits that this was a career path he didn’t enjoy and so with the entrepreneurial bug biting, he sought other opportunities and ultimately a move into sales, which saw him become responsible for bringing some of the most iconic 80s products to the UK’s shores, including the hugely popular dancing flower. But it was the launch of the ‘Talking Balloon’, another US import, which would see George break barriers and start a successful career in the balloon and party industry. This 30 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE
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was at a time when balloons were not as widely available, and only usually found at the local fairground, or sold by street vendors. George has now been chairman of NABAS for over five years. He joined the Association after being approached by the then chairman, John Lee, as the organisation was faltering and required some much-needed support. Below: NABAS is preparing to celebrate its 35th birthday by hosting the Party Industry Event UK 2022 from 15-17 October, 2022. For more details head to the news pages.
With a very successful, but timeconsuming global business, initially George declined, but John’s persistence paid off, and with a desire to give back to an industry that had provided him with so much, George agreed to give them three months of his time, employing his extensive experience as a business life coach to bring NABAS back in line. George explains: “It was during those committee meetings that I was able to see the extent of the Association’s issues. There appeared to be a lot of apathy and inaction, rather than focus on our industry, so members were given the choice to step up or step down. Eventually only myself and John, who unfortunately passed away soon after, were left, leaving me with an important decision - to stay or to go. “As I had already given up over three months of my time, I decided to keep driving forward, and with the help of new, handpicked committee members, to build NABAS back up to what it was intended to be.”
SEPTEMBER 2021
02/09/2021 14:09