Feliciano’s Peninsula Party Success

Feliciano Zavala and his wife own a small party equipment rental company. Peninsula Party Rentals offers helium tanks, tents, chairs, and popcorn machines for birthday parties, school events, church carnivals, corporate events, and any gathering you can think of.

When Feliciano started the company in 2005, it advertised in local magazines and Yellow Pages, which was expensive and did not seem to work very well. “Then we began advertising through Google,” said Feliciano, “and it was like a lightbulb turned on.”

Google Ads increased Peninsula Party sales by 900 percent, and Feliciano immediately canceled all print advertising. Using online advertising and engaging with customer review reviews, the company could respond to feedback and improve service across the Bay Area.

Feliciano credits online digital services for putting his business on the map. “Everything changed at that lightbulb moment, and now I use even more digital tools to run the company,” he said. “Going back to Yellow Pages advertising would break my business.”

Feliciano’s concern now is whether a Congressional crackdown on Big Tech will derail his business. If social media and digital advertising become more expensive and harder to use, Peninsula Party costs would increase and it would be harder to attract new customers.

“We are trying to keep food on the table for our family,” said Feliciano. “These legislative efforts are so misdirected, and I hope Congress hears small business owners like me before it is too late.”