We were lucky to catch up with Karla recently and have shared our conversation below.

Karla, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.

You know that feeling when you know you’re just meant to do more? I didn’t initially know I would come into this exact industry, but I knew I wanted to build something bigger.. something better.. something intentional.. and I’m so glad I found that.

I was working with the Department of War working for the Air Force and at the time, it wasn’t only just a stable job for me, but I was thriving in it. I learned quickly, received promotions, and had just stepped into a role making close to six figures, so I felt really blessed.

But once my son was born, everything shifted. Those moments with him during maternity leave gave me a completely new definition of life and success. I made the big decision to walk away from what I had built so I could be there for him as he hit those early milestones.

Being home with him was the best decision I’ve ever made.

But I’m also someone who needs to be building, creating, and working towards something. And with this new season of life, I knew I couldn’t just stay still. I needed something that allowed me to grow individually while still being present as his mom.

That’s when the idea started to form.

I wanted flexibility. I wanted to support my family financially again, but not at the cost of being away from my son. So I started paying attention to what was around me and I kept coming back to photo booths. I’d see them at events and think… this could be so much more. The experience, the results, the way people felt.. it all felt like there was an opportunity to create something more elevated and intentional.

I didn’t jump in right away. I started researching. Late nights, early mornings, in between contact naps. I was learning everything I could. I was balancing being a new mom with this inner spark I couldn’t ignore. At some point, it shifted from curiosity to something I knew I had to pursue.

The scariest part was taking the leap and trusting myself. Walking away from a career I had worked hard to build to now investing in equipment, choosing a name, and building a brand.. it all started to feel real. There was definitely fear in that moment, but also a lot of clarity.

Once I committed, everything started moving quickly. Just six months into building Martini Moment Photo Booths from the ground up, I received my first award for Best Wedding (up to a year), and people started recognizing the name. From the beginning, I knew I didn’t want this to feel like just another photo booth. I wanted it to feel elevated, seamless, and like something people actually remember from the celebration.

Looking back, it wasn’t one big leap that built this business. It was a series of small decisions I continue to make every day. Choosing to keep going, even when I didn’t have everything figured out yet, and learning how to navigate both motherhood and entrepreneurship at the same time.

And that’s really how it all came to life.

Karla, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

If this is your first time hearing about us, I’m Karla, the owner of Martini Moment Photo Booths, and we offer luxury open-air photo booth experiences for weddings, corporate events, and special celebrations in Colorado Springs and surrounding areas.

What I’ve built is more than what most people think of when they hear “photo booth.” It’s a fully designed experience that’s meant to feel seamless within an event while still standing out. We use studio-quality lighting, DSLR imagery, a guided experience, and offer both digital and printed keepsakes that guests always want to keep.

From our signature glam booth to custom brand activations, everything is created with intention. I focus heavily on how people feel in front of the camera and make sure they feel comfortable, confident, and taken care of. That’s what turns a quick photo into something memorable.

The biggest problem we solve for our clients is creating something at their event that people genuinely engage with. A lot of entertainment gets overlooked or used once and forgotten. What we create draws people in, gives them a moment to connect, and leaves them with something tangible that reflects the experience.

What really sets us apart is the level of detail behind everything. From how we tailor each experience to the event, to how we guide guests, to the final quality of the images. It’s all designed to feel effortless, but it’s very intentional. It’s not about adding something extra to an event, it’s about elevating what’s already there.

I’m most proud of how quickly the brand has grown while staying true to that vision. Within my first year, I was recognized with an industry award and was named a 40 Under 40 Emerging Leader. Both of these milestones mean a lot to me especially in such a short amount of time. It’s also been very humbling seeing Martini Moment become known for quality and elevated experiences.

But beyond the growth, I’m proud that I’ve built something that reflects this season of my life which allows me to be present as a mom while also creating something meaningful and impactful for others.

What I want people to know about Martini Moment is that it’s not just about photos. It’s about how those moments feel while they’re happening and having something to look back on that truly reflects that.

That’s what we’re really creating and are passionate about.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

A big part of what drives me is the life I’m building, not just for myself, but for my son.

I’m really intentional about how I show up every day. I spend time on self-development, I read, I work on my mindset, I manifest, and I’m constantly trying to grow and learn new things, and I do all of that with my baby right by my side.

He’s still so little, but I know this season matters. I know that what I’m building right now, the discipline, the consistency, the way I move through challenges is all going to have an impact on him.

That’s what keeps me going, especially during the harder moments. Of course I want to build a successful business, but it’s deeper than that. I want to show him what it looks like to go after something, to create your own path, and to not settle for what’s easy if it’s not aligned.

I hope one day he looks back and feels proud. Not just of what I built, but of how I did it. That I was present for him, that I showed up as his mom first, while still building something meaningful to me alongside it. And that he sees his dad was right there too believing in me, supporting my decision to follow something I was passionate about, and standing behind this dream every step of the way.

That balance of building something for myself, being present for him, and having that support behind me is what keeps me going.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Building my audience on social media was very intentional from the start.

When you’re starting from scratch, you don’t have the luxury of just “posting and hoping.” I knew I didn’t want to come across as new or inexperienced especially because I had already spent so much time behind the scenes learning my equipment, practicing, and refining the quality of what I was creating.

One of the most helpful things I focused on early on was asking myself: what do I want people to immediately think when they land on my page?

That question shaped everything.. from the visuals, the tone, to the way I showed up.

As I started connecting with other vendors in the industry, I would often hear that they had no idea I had been in business for less than a year and honestly, that was exactly what I wanted. I wanted the brand to feel established, intentional, and elevated from the beginning.

While I did use a few stock images just to get things started, I quickly shifted to capturing and sharing my own content. That part is really important. People want to see your work, your perspective, and your experience.

The biggest thing, though, is consistency and not just posting consistently, but being consistent in your brand, your messaging, your tone, and the quality of what you’re putting out. Everything should feel aligned.

At first, I definitely cared a lot about things being perfect. But over time, as I developed my brand voice and style, it became much more natural. Now I plan ahead with a monthly content calendar and clear goals for what I want to focus on, which makes everything feel more streamlined and less overwhelming. The moment that I stopped trying to make it perfect, and just showed up the way that felt like me, everything became so much easier and enjoyable.

I also think it’s really important to stay present online. It shows people that you’re active, relevant, and reliable. It builds trust before someone ever reaches out to you.

If I had to give advice to someone just starting, it would be this: be intentional from the beginning, focus on how you want to be perceived, and stay consistent even when it feels slow. That’s what builds momentum over time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://martinimomentphotobooths.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/martinimomentphotobooths
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/martinimomentphotobooths
• Linkedin: Martini Moment Photo Booths