We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Natalie Resendez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Natalie below.
Natalie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?
I worked in a traditional corporate environment as an IT professional before starting my business. I loved what I did as a Cybersecurity Specialist but felt like I needed to change my lifestyle. My job required me to be extremely sedentary, which I knew wasn’t healthy long term. I had also moved to a new town after working my remote job for a while. I knew I wouldn’t be able to meet new people working remotely. All of my co-workers worked in other states. After months of looking for field engineer work in my new city, I decided that the perfect non sedentary IT job that provided financial stability and innovation for a mid level engineer just didn’t exist. I quit my job without a plan. I had a nice amount in my savings account so I took a leap of faith. I signed up for a temporary volunteering gig that would get me out of the house while I figured it out. I looked into working in the trades (painting specifically) but there wasn’t a high demand for it in my area. I looked into businesses for sale in my area and came across a Photo Booth business for sale. I figured I could start my own Photo Booth business for a quarter of the price they were asking for in the listing. Well, I was right. After a month of research on Photo Booth equipment and best practices, I created a flushed out business plan. I worked in the marketing industry before I worked in IT, so I knew that the Photo Booth business would allow me to showcase all of my skills. It is the best of both worlds, where creativity meets technology.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’m a full time entrepreneur and creative. I own a business called Hi-Rez Solutions LLC. I started this business with my husband as a way to work independently and create a work environment that is conducive to my needs financially & physically. I love having the flexibility to take care of myself, my home and family while still making money and doing work I’m passionate about. At Hi-Rez Solutions LLC we provide: Photo Booth rentals for events, website services and general photography services (headshots, passport photos, etc). What makes my Photo Booth business unique is that we offer photo prints at every event and include a photo keepsake with the photo. For some events that could be a picture frame, a photo sleeve, a key chain with the photo inside or a picture magnet. I’m excited about the photo keep sake ideas I will continue to roll out as the business grows. My goal is to help my clients evoke positive emotions from the memories they create while using the Photo Booth. The keepsakes are a big part of that because I love nostalgia.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
I used cash and money from one of my 401k accounts to start my business. My husband and I split the costs of the items needed to start the business. Those items included filing an LLC, the Photo Booth, printer, extra printer paper, back drop, retractable sign, branded shirts, branded stickers, branded sign, Photo Booth accessories, Photo Booth software, and the website service provider for our website. I didn’t want to take out any loans, which is a huge reason why I chose to enter the Photo Booth industry because it has low starting cost and low overhead. I did something unorthodox by cashing out one of my 401k accounts, but I would rather pay the one time penalty for tax purposes than to pay interest on a loan for months and years on end. I wanted to stay as close to debt free as possible when it comes to my business.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Networking with people in person every single week has been critical to my business. I send out cold emails weekly as well but the clients that I’m able to close deals with the most are those that I meet in person who then share my business with someone else. I make it a point to physically drop off my flyers and business cards with a new business every week. I’m also a member of my local Chamber of Commerce. I have had success booking a big client from sending a cold email. But the reality is, unless you catch them at the right time they may not always need your service right away. In general people like to help others. When I physically walk into buildings and put a face to a name and engage in conversation with marketing managers or business owners, I get a true pulse of the demand for my services. It is especially helpful if I’m able to provide immediate value to that business by purchasing their merchandise/service or provide free market research and insight. It helps me build trust with potential clients and helps me get my brand name out there.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Hi-rezsolutions.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hi.rez.solutions/profilecard/?igsh=anVrdm10d212aWwx
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561700469870&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-resendez-4a453b126?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hi.rez.solutions?_t=8qJMf27ynFu&_r=1
