Today we’d like to introduce you to Marko Buenrostro.
Hi Marko, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My business, and my story, is one that I am tremendously proud of. As the son of incredibly hard-working parents, I never doubted my own work ethic but struggled to find the right outlet for that ambition. When MBP Photo Booth was born almost seven years ago, I built it entirely from the ground up, ingratiating myself into understanding every facet of the business, from marketing to technology to customer service. Although it was an overwhelming task, I can’t imagine where my business would be today without those years pouring over every nook and cranny of it.
At first, I was not clear on what type of business I wanted to start. I have always been outgoing and social so starting a photo booth business, was a perfect fit since it involved going to events and meeting new people.
Since then, we have continued to thrive. It wasn’t chance or luck or great intentions – it was that we showed up, event after event, and refused to let our clients down. It was the years of following up and following through that earned us the reputation we have today – dozens of five-star reviews across Facebook, Yelp, Google, Wedding Wire, and The Knot, and awards both on a local and national level.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. When I first started, I applied for a business loan and was denied so my only other choice was to max out all my credit cards to get the equipment and resources that I needed. I had faith that it was going to work but it was scary to go all-in on a side hustle.
Going into this new adventure not having a business background meant learning everything from scratch. This was not just a gig where I would take pictures at weddings or social events. I had to learn how to do my own marketing, sales, work the actual events, accounting, graphic design, etc. I honestly think it’s the best experience you can have to run your own business because you see every aspect of how everything works.
When I started, the photo booth was part-time. Having a full-time job at a law firm took a lot of my time so I never slept. I worked 8 am-5 pm at the law firm and worked on photo booth stuff the rest of the time while I also did events on weekends. I wanted to develop an exclusive brand so it definitely required 100% of my time. I eventually went full-time with MBP.
Like the rest of the world, 2020 hit us hard. COVID wiped every event from our fully-booked calendars and forced us to pause and look at the bigger picture. Will photo booths still be a meaningful experience, post-COVID? Is there still room for us, even in the middle of it? The answer, undoubtedly, was yes. We knew that people were desperate to celebrate the good and the beautiful (especially in the midst of the year we all experienced). So we put our heads down and resolved to make the most of our “downtime” – to think through our processes and our products in order to adapt them for the pandemic era.
We refined our technology to incorporate hands-free and virtual options, allowing us to reach guests that may have otherwise never utilized our services. Now, coming out on the other side of this, we could not be in better shape to serve our local community.
We’ve been impressed with MBP Photo Booth, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
MBP Photo Booth is all about delivering the kind of experience that I would want to have. That’s a big reason people come to us. They know, absolutely and completely, that we’re going to deliver a fantastic experience at any event, whether it’d be a wedding, a mixer, corporate event, gala, or even a 20 person micro wedding in the age of COVID, we’re going to pull out all the stops to make sure everyone has fun!
We are very well known for always bringing the newest trends to the market. We’re not a traditional photo booth company that only offers prints and silly props. We provide an experience! We love to implement technology, studio lighting, and even create custom sets for our setups.
Some of the services we provide include the traditional booth with printouts, digital photo booths, roaming photo booths, 360 slow-motion video booths, headshot stations, virtual photo booths, etc. The quality of our work speaks for itself. We don’t just bring a photo booth to an event, we entertain with style and this is something that for sure sets MBP apart from other companies.
One of the things that I am most proud of is that people recognize our work. They know that I pay attention to the smallest detail to make sure their event is perfect. I am very active on social media and people notice it. Most of my business comes from Instagram. I have been invited to showcase my work on local TV shows, podcasts, and several publications. MBP has won multiple local awards and has been nominated at a national level.
I cannot take credit for all of it myself. I need to share the love for my friends and family who all helped me get started and were always there to support me. I have a fabulous team behind me that helps me represent MBP at all of our events. I couldn’t do it without them! It’s also really important to shout out the colleagues that I’ve met at all the photo booth conferences that I have attended.
With a lot of them, it was a sharing of ideas at first, but we have so much in common. Now, I go on vacation with some of them, we talk daily and all of them are really more friends than just colleagues.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Of course! Here is some honest advice: Hiring MBP for a photo booth experience ensures that you will have the best possible equipment and software at your event. When other vendors including event planners, or DJs tack on photo booth services as a secondary operation, it is unlikely that they have purchased the most reliable, aesthetically-pleasing, and highest quality inventory available.
If you’re looking for an elite photo booth experience with trained staff providing exemplary service and a gorgeous product, MBP is the right place to look!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.mbpphotoboothco.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbpphotobooth/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MBPPhotoboothCo
- Other: https://vimeo.com/mbpphotobooth
Image Credits
Jersson Luna Photography
