We recently connected with Tania Rios and have shared our conversation below.
Tania, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?
The biggest risk I’ve taken was to gather all my savings and invest them to start my photo booth business. I pitched my business idea to my friends and family just days before I purchased the best equipment I could afford at that time. I had already been thinking about doing it for weeks but I was scared to fail and lose all my money. Until one day I took a leap of faith in myself and decided to go through with my new endeavor. Not only did I spend all my savings but I decided to take the entrepreneur route knowing that I was going to move away from home to become a full-time student…that meant I wasn’t going to generate a stable income of a “9-5” for the next two years.
Tania, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Tania and I am the founder of Atl Fun Booth, proudly founded by a first-gen Latina, Atl Fun Booth is an original photo booth company that serves events all over metro Atlanta. Strong cultural acumen and multilingualism allow us to connect with our Spanish & Portuguese-speaking clientele. Our modern and user-friendly photo booth matches all event themes alongside unique template designs, instant prints, vibrant backdrops, and more. Atl Fun Booth creates unforgettable experiences for our clients and their guests that’ll last a lifetime.
I launched my photo booth business in December of 2019. I created my business out of creativity, flexibility, and demand. Weeks before launching my business, I was about to become a full-time student at The University of Georgia. Therefore, I knew I needed a way to generate income that wouldn’t interfere with my studies and help sustain me financially for the next two years. Most importantly, I wanted to create a business that would be fun, done mostly on weekends, and bridge a gap for the Latino communities in Atlanta, Georiga.
I’ve found that there’s a lack of photo booth companies in Atlanta that have a team member who speaks Spanish. Yet, there are hundreds of events like quinceañeras, baptisms, and weddings that Spanish & Portuguese-speaking people celebrate often. Being a first-generation Mexican-American with Spanish as my first language, I’m able to relate to my clients in many ways that other businesses can’t. I understand their culture and know exactly how to meet their needs to provide the ultimate photo booth experience for them and their guests. Not only do I enjoy working the photo booth at the events, but I also have a passion for creativity. I create unique template designs for all of our clients always making sure I capture their event’s aesthetic and produce high-quality photos for them. Constant innovation with vibrant backdrops, entertaining props, and educating myself on the latest technology are also things I prioritize. The thing I am most proud of is our purpose to serve & help the Latino communities in need with a percentage of our sales. We’ve donated school supplies to multiple low-income communities in Hapeville and happily volunteered with nonprofit organizations in Athens. We hope to continue volunteering and providing help to many more Latino and low-income communities in need.
How did you build your audience on social media?
In the beginning, I built my audience on social media with friends & family helping me spread the news about my new business. I started off by doing unpaid events but I used that to my advantage. I would take many pictures and videos to create content to share on my social media pages to promote my business. Now I make sure I post ig stories at every event that I’m working at. Having polls on my ig stories to make my followers feel a part of my business is a great way to build a relationship with them as well. Another great way to gain a social media presence is to do giveaways, collaborate with other businesses, and have your clients give you Google reviews.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
What I think has helped me build my reputation within the market is providing excellent customer service, timely communication with our clients, and being present at all our events. Most of my business is gained through word of mouth so it’s important for me to show up with a positive attitude ready to serve anyone who comes by our photo booth. Many guests at our Spanish-speaking events experience their first time at a photo booth with us. We help walk them through how our booth operates, how to scan the QR code, and how to download their photos to their phones. Many of our future clients remember us from past events we’ve worked at and that’s a constant reminder that people will never forget how you treat them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.atlfunbooth.com
- Instagram: atlfunbooth