Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeanie Cervantes.
Hi Jeanie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Creativity and entrepreneurship have been a huge part of my life. Growing up, I watched my father run businesses and work events as a singer, so I learned early on what it takes to build something of your own and share your talent. Following that passion, I became a performer myself, working as a vocalist and acting as much as I could. Eventually, I realized I wanted to blend my love for performance with my entrepreneurial spirit.
I saw an opportunity to bring high quality, entertainment to families in the area, while doing what I did best, performing and working within the creative industry. That inspired me to take the leap and start South Florida Surprises.
It has been an incredibly rewarding ride building this brand from the ground up, managing live event logistics, and coordinating regional bookings. Right now, I find myself at an exciting turning point. After a decade of successfully building this business into a trusted local staple, I am officially handing over the reins to a new owner very soon. This transition will allow the business to enter its next chapter under wonderful leadership and continue spreading magic and joy to South Florida!
As for me, my entrepreneurial and creative journey is far from over! I am excited to take my performance background and everything I’ve learned from this experience with me into my next creative chapter.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As much fun as I’ve had running a party entertainment business, I can say it hasn’t been 100 percent completely smooth sailing, but the challenges have been just as valuable as the triumphs. On one hand, the journey has been very rewarding. I absolutely love working with kids and seeing the joy and excitement on families’ faces as they watch and enjoy the entertainment.
Getting to be creative in the business including curating the costumes, coming up with themed characters, coordinating professional photoshoots, creating memorable experiences at events, and building great relationships with local vendors and clients has been a dream.
One of my favorite parts has been creating a supportive environment where I could provide meaningful work to talented local actors and performers who truly love what they do.
However, my biggest struggle came from a surprisingly good problem to have: the business grew much faster than I could easily sustain on my own at certain points. In the beginning, I fell into the classic founder trap of trying to wear all the hats for far too long.
Through those high demand, overwhelming moments, I had to learn some tough but essential lessons about myself and about business. I learned that you absolutely have to establish firm boundaries. I had to build the confidence to trust that I had built something truly good, and that it wouldn’t all just disappear if I had to say ‘no’ to a few events to protect my sanity and quality. I had to accept that you simply cannot make everyone happy all the time, and most importantly, that it is okay to ask for help. Learning to step back from doing almost everything myself was a huge hurdle, but it shaped me into a much stronger, wiser business owner.
As you know, we’re big fans of South Florida Surprises . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At South Florida Surprises, we specialize in high end, character entertainment for families and special events across the Tri-County area. What we are most known for and what sets us apart from others is our quality and attention to detail. We don’t just offer standard ‘meet and greets’ where a performer stands around in costume; we provide a fully produced, interactive entertainment experience from start to finish with music and games all the guests will love.
I take a lot of pride in the care, passion, and detail that goes into every single visit. This includes everything from the top quality and presentation of our costumes and styled wigs to the execution of the actual performance. Our characters arrive fully equipped to truly entertain and lead the event, utilizing professional speakers and microphones to captivate the crowd.
They come with custom packed party bags filled with engaging props and themed games, allowing them to lead activities and keep the magic alive every second they are there.
Brand wise, I am very proud of the reputation we’ve built for providing premium, seamless service. I want readers to know that our offerings are designed to create lasting, core memories for children and stress free experiences for parents. We don’t just show up, we bring a complete, high quality experience to you.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Over the next 5 to 10 years, I see the children’s entertainment and event industry remaining incredibly resilient and continuing to grow. At its core, the need for celebration, especially when it comes to milestone moments like birthday parties is not going to end.
Parents will always want to make their child’s birthday celebration special and something they won’t forget. I believe live entertainment isn’t going anywhere.
However, I think we will see some beautiful shifts in how these experiences are delivered. The big trend moving forward is going to be customization and inclusion. Moving past standard character templates, there is a growing demand for more unique, diverse characters and specialized interactive shows that offer something completely fresh.
An area I am particularly passionate about and expect to see expand is the integration of neurodivergent-friendly and sensory-friendly entertainment options. Every child deserves to experience the magic of a character visit in a way that feels safe, comfortable, and tailored to their specific needs. Ultimately, the future of character entertainment is all about deeper connection, inclusivity, and creating tailored magic that adapts to every single child.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.SouthFloridaSurprises.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southfloridasurprises
