This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Brandon Axelrod. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I’m in debt because I’m in my first year of oral and maxillofacial surgery residency in Manhattan. My current total is over $400,000 across 10 to 12 different loans, plus accruing interest.
I did four years of undergrad at Cornell University, then four years of specialty dental school at Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine. That’s nine years of schooling so far, with three more to go.
I’m very proactive in all areas, so having $400,000 looming has been hard. I went into residency thinking I’d make small, incremental payments as I was able.
I’ve found a solution through my childhood passion
I do get paid as a resident, but it’s not enough to pay down my debt. My resident salary pays for housing, food, and other essentials. I have to live within 10 minutes of the hospital for patient care reasons, which is expensive.
I’ve had a balloon twisting company since I was about 10 years old, and my friends call me Brandini. In the past, I’ve done gigs at birthday parties, religious celebrations, and corporate events. It was always a big part of my life.
I started with magic when I was 5. A lot of magicians do balloon art, but it’s always basic. I did a lot of trial and error. It was great because it allowed me to focus on school and do my gig work on the weekends. It could get a little hectic with my time management, such as studying in the morning, working a gig or two, and then going back to studying, but now I’m on my own schedule.
When residency started, I knew my schedule wouldn’t allow me to do gig work that needed to be booked out months in advance. But once I got my footing earlier this year, I realized I also missed balloon art. My ultimate goal is to incorporate balloon twisting into my practice.
I thought social media monetization could help me pay down my debt
My goal was to monetize social media videos to offset the cost of my student loans, so the principal could be paid down, and I could use my resident salary to pay the interest.
I uploaded a video at the end of January where I made a tooth fairy out of balloons for a fellow healthcare worker. I posted it and scrubbed into a five-hour trauma surgery. When I got out, the video had 400,000 views in just a few hours. I only had about 300 followers on my account at that time.
I’m struggling with the realization that monetization on social media isn’t always a lot, but so far TikTok has paid me out $3,500 in about 10 weeks, which isn’t nothing. I’ve also had commissioned work, making up to $1,000 for balloon sculptures. I hope to pick up brand deals in the future.
It’s also given me the benefit of community
The balloons I make for content take about two hours each, and I make them in my studio apartment. I give the final balloons to healthcare workers. For example, I made a Pikachu for a video, and arranged for a healthcare worker to come pick it up for their kid. It’s my way of saying thanks, because I know what it’s like to be a hospital worker. The days are long, and this brightens their day.
I like to update people online about my loans periodically. It seems to be something that followers have been really interested in, as my first loan update got 900,000 views. People are buying into my journey, and it’s exciting to have the support. It keeps me going.
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