We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Woessner and Katie Gonzalez of Tipsy Twins Photobooth, and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren and Katie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
We have had a dream of starting some sort of business since we were little. We had this crazy obsession with wanting to be the next Mary-Kate and Ashley. We didn’t know what that would look like, but we knew we wanted to do it together. Fast forward to a year ago, we were wanting more for our lives. We are both moms and have had demanding careers in the past, and we were looking for something to call our own. Of course we knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but to us the process was somewhat simple. We needed to find an industry we loved, that we felt we could improve and make unique, and would allow us to create a brand that stood out from the rest. Enter Tipsy Twins Photobooth.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
We are the owners, attendants, creative directors, social media… well basically everything behind our photo booth business. Our job is to create a modern photo booth experience for those who want to stand out. We feel we offer something special and unique by providing the highest quality photo captures to ensure all guests create lasting memories and walk away with confidence and wanting more. We have always had a passion for events and a desire to make people smile, which is why we started our own photo booth business. We take pride in our attention to detail and strive to make every event a success.

Katie specializes in communication and sales with over 15 years experience, which we feel has been extremely vital in building our business. Lauren has a background in merchandising and a passion for interior design which as played a huge role in the design of the guest interface and social media.

We have certainly had to overcome some challenges and have learned a lot along the way. One being that it is not easy to work with your twin sister. All jokes aside, the hardest part of starting a business is knowing your worth. The excitement of booking clients can be such high, but we have become comfortable with the way we have priced our services and feel our clients will see the value in our brand.

We are so excited with the success we have had in such a short period of time. We have been able to grow our business, with introducing a second and soon to be third photo booth and have been a part of many notable events. We have had the opportunity to work with brands we love, worked with some of the most incredible teams in the events industry, and we look forward to continued growth in the future.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Newport Beach is where we call home, and we truly think it’s one of the best places to visit in the world. One of our favorite spots is Vacancy Coffee. There’s nothing better than sipping on an Iced Latte while breathing in the ocean air. Then we would have the energy to head over to Fashion Island and shop til we drop. We would most likely work up an appetite and would stop in for a champagne brunch at Great Maple. We highly suggest the chilaquiles and the famous maple bacon donuts. We both have kids, so at one point we would most definitely need to hit up Balboa island and practice our free throws at the Balboa arcade and enjoy the fun zone. There would be plenty of lazy days lounging at the beach and most likely a trip to Jane’s corndogs. One day would of course be dedicated to a Duffy boat ride around the harbor where we would stock the boat with a charcuterie spread and play captain for the day. Lastly, no trip to Newport is complete without a trip to our favorite taco spot, Sanchos Tacos. Our faves are the yard bird tacos and breakfast burrito. Don’t forget to ask for extra chubby sauce. After answering this, we realize we really love food and our mouths are now watering.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We would like to thank ours families for always being so supportive and encouraging in these busy and at times challenging moments in our first year of business. More specifically we would like to shout out our husbands for all they have done for us. Jay (Katies husband) has taken on so much more with their two daughters while running his own business at the same time. He has even been there to help set up/take down at events, and provide creative ideas to improve the business. Michael (Lauren’s husband) has also taken on more with their son Jack, as well as a consulting role to help with strategic business initiatives. We truly couldn’t do this without them, and we appreciate their trust and support.

Website: https://www.tipsytwinsphotobooth.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tipsytwinsphotobooth/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tipsytwinsphotobooth

Image Credits
Chanelle Whitacre

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSocal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.