How my photo booth business changed me
As I was selling my photo booth business, The Couve Booth, I was bitterly reminded of the original voice inside my head…. “You could never do it.”
In Feb 2018, I made the decision (somewhat impulsively) to just go for it. I had been wanting to make a photo booth for over 5 years… and seriously, one day, I was just like… ok, it’s time!
I remember FINALLY ADMITTING to myself, “Seriously, what’s the worst that could happen?”
I realized I had nothing to lose EXCEPT an opportunity to fucking try.
I am terrified to think about someday being an old lady, alone in a nursing home, drinking my tea on the porch, thinking “I wish I had just tried _________.”
I am EXCITED to be the old lady playing cards with her current besties over that same cup of tea but with a splash of whiskey, saying “Remember when we __________.” Right?? Don’t we all kinda fear never knowing what could have been?
I called the business… The Couve Booth Photo Booth. “Couve Booth” for short.
In the very beginning, I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW that there are businesses that just sell complete photo booth setups. You just buy the setup, and hit the ground running. You don’t have to ‘make’ anything.
Boy! That would have been easier!! But if know me, you know I don’t typically take the easy route… I’m more of a scenic route person. ;)
Anyway…
I got on Amazon.
Started researching.
I went to Home Depot.
Things started showing up at my house.
and I just… got to work.
Figuring it alllll out along the way.
After we built the photo booth, I started networking… hard. I knew I needed people to experience my photobooth, and see it for themselves. And the thing about photo booth… is that it provides an excellent opportunity to have a conversation with someone.
Photo Booth provides an opportunity to make a connection, and start to build relationships with every person that walks through.
Together, you can laugh at the shared experience.
I knew that my introverted self needed this to ease my anxiety around being ‘the new kid’ in Vancouver.
So, I started going to events with my photo booth.
And in the beginning, I often wasn’t getting paid. I banked on the hope that my hard work then would someday pay off. This is a pattern in my life.
And it worked. I started getting bookings, and then it just took off.
I did it. I freaking did it.
But now, 4 years later, it’s time to say goodbye and it’s surprisingly really difficult.
Over the next few years (at least) I’m just not going to have space (in many ways) for this business. See, we’re planning to live on our sailboat. I won’t be letting go of being a wedding photographer, but it’s just not feasible to have this service-based photo booth business to manage in addition.
As I prepared to pass everything off to its next owners, I was reminded of all the laughter the Couve Booth made. I’m reminded of all the smiles and hugs. I’m reminded that I CREATED SOMETHING that provides pure, unfiltered JOY.
And it’s legacy is going to live on.
But I’m also reminded of the YEARS before having the photo booth business.
The times when I told myself over and over that I couldn’t do it. And why didn’t I just start sooner?!
My photo booth business fundamentally changed me, and here’s how…. I went from a place of feeling that I couldn’t do something, to now knowing that I can.
My photo booth business was the accumulation of YEARS of a young woman being afraid of failing and finally saying “Damnit, why not me??”
Friends, if you have a dream, if you have an idea, a goal, whatever… I 100% encourage you to go for it. Just TRY.
And if you have that same voice inside your head, telling you ‘I can’t do it,’ tell it to shut the hell up and start anyway.
Make small moves, every day, and get started. Small moves. Every day. Shoot, how about 1 hour a week even? Everyone can find 1 hour a week. Less than 10 minutes a day.
Cheers to you, Couve Booth!!
You’ve taught me everything I need to know for this next chapter in life.
You’ve shown me that I CAN do it.
And you’re teaching me now, that even things I’m successful at, I can step away from when they don’t also align 100% perfectly with my life’s Big Mission.