Posts tagged oklahoma city
This Boss Babe Quit Her Corporate Job To Start A Business

There's a Boss Babe in Oklahoma City that I've had the pleasure of getting to know from the very early stages of her starting her business. She's my favorite Boss Babe in all of Oklahoma, not only because I know her personally, but because I can't help but love her! Her name is Mai, and she's one of the sweetest people you will ever have the chance to meet. Her bubbly personality and bright smile fit perfectly with the type of business that she chose to pursue - an open air photo booth company. Read on to learn more about her story!

HelloLovelyLiving.com | Mai Nguyen pikCHER Booth Oklahoma City, OK
 

Upon sharing our stories with each other, I quickly discovered that we both had a very similar job experience that impacted us in very big ways, which was a major influence for us wanting to pursue a more rewarding and fulfilling career path. It was a relief to know that I had someone to relate to and that I wasn't the only one that was trying to figure things out after what seemed like a life-changing experience. Interestingly, our negative job experiences both drove us to be self-employed, and here we were coming together and really supporting each other in that process.

It's amazing how having someone to relate to can easily put things into perspective because many times, we feel alone. Showing you that you aren't alone is one of the main reasons why I started doing these features. I want you to know that you have so many people and stories to fall back on and to be encouraged by. 

I'm so proud of her and what's she accomplished so far, and I can't wait for you to get to know her. Without further ado, let's do just that!

 

Q & A

MAI NGUYEN

PIKCHER BOOTH

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK


 

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST TURNING POINT IN YOUR LIFE THAT MADE YOU WANT TO PURSUE YOUR OWN BUSINESS?

After quitting my job that made me very unhappy, I started to seek new opportunities. My turning point was realizing I didn't want to continue my profession. My experience in the corporate world made me realize it wasn't for me. I decided to follow my passion and create a new path that lead me to pursuing my own business.

 

HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU MADE THAT DECISION?

I was definitely scared. Scared about the change, scared about the future, and scared about not making it. I still fear about it all, but I’m also very proud of myself for taking that first step, the hardest step.

 

WHAT INSPIRED AND MOTIVATED YOU TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH YOUR DECISION?  

100% my fiancé Jordan Trabue, he believes in me more than I believe in myself. It’s his love and support that keeps me going <3.

 

WHAT WERE THE FIRST STEPS YOU TOOK TO GET THE BALL ROLLING?

After deciding that I wanted to start my own business, I had to ask myself THE QUESTIONS: What do I enjoy doing? How can I incorporate that into a business? Is there a demand for this kind of business? Once I said yes confidently, I began to educate myself about the industry.

 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS AND WHY YOU CHOSE TO PURSUE THAT PARTICULAR BUSINESS.

pikCHER booth is an open air photo booth that can service to just about any kind of event you can think of. It is group friendly and made to be enjoyed by all ages. My clients and their guest have the time of their lives creating moments in the photo booth. It's a great feeling to be able to capture these moments and an even better feeling when the photos are proudly shared with their family and friends.

 

WHAT TYPES OF CHALLENGES HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED SO FAR AND HOW ARE YOU OVERCOMING THEM?

Honestly, it’s been a challenge from the very first day I decided to start my own business. My list can fill a couple of pages if I listed everything in detail. At this moment though, my biggest challenge is getting more bookings for this year. The bookings will exhibit how well I’ve done and set the tone on where my business stand for the upcoming year. I intend to reach out to local business in hopes of doing some promotional work and will also continue to push in my social media marketing efforts.

 

WHAT PRINCIPLES AND VALUES HAVE YOU BASED YOUR BUSINESS UPON AND HOW DO YOU HOPE TO CARRY THAT THROUGH TO YOUR CUSTOMERS?

One principle I can apply from my past business experience is how you serve your clients. Your clients will make or break your business. Serve your clients with respect, love, and passion, and success will follow.

 

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT HAVING YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND BEING YOUR OWN BOSS? 

I love the fact that I can utilize my creativity and talent on a daily basis. My personality is also able to shine through my business, from verbiage to presentation, I am presenting my authentic self. To be my own boss means I don’t have to worry about anyone telling me what to do and I get to set my own schedule. It is freakin' AWESOME but….that also means it’s up to me  to get things done.

 

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH AND WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOURSELF AND YOUR BUSINESS IN 5 YEARS?

To be featured in an Oklahoma magazine as a well respected and reputable business would be the ultimate accomplishment. In 5 years, I will expand and provide opportunities to those who desire to work in a non corporate environment. Entrust a team to help run the business so that I am able to focus more time on traveling the world with my love ones.

 

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO IS CONSIDERING STARTING THEIR OWN BUSINESS? 

Believe in yourself that you can do it, and don’t use excuses to keep you from moving forward.

 

I AM ...

authentic.

 

I BELIEVE ...

you can direct your destiny.

 

I LOVE …

life.

 

MY GREATEST FEAR IS …

not having enough time to do all the things I want to do with the people I love most.

 

MY GREATEST LESSON IN LIFE SO FAR IS …

truly loving myself and knowing my self worth.

 

I AM PROUD OF ...

the woman I’ve become and all that I’ve accomplished so far.

 

MY GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IS ...

graduating college. Poverty and war limited my parents from getting any kind of education, they lived vicariously through me, so when I became the 1st generation to graduate, it was a huge success for my parents and my family.

 

A QUOTE I LIVE BY IS ...

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will” - Vincent T Lombardi

 

MY IDEA OF A PERFECT DAY IS ...

Waking up cuddled up next to my soon to be husband, followed by HIM cooking me a healthy delectable breakfast ;) 

 

MY DREAM IS ...

to be financially stable enough to take care or my parents so that they can retire and enjoy life.

 

I WILL ... 

keep pushing forward no matter what.

 

One thing that was most inspiring to me about Mai's story was that she left a job that made her unhappy and took a huge leap of faith to pursue a more rewarding path. She didn't have a back-up-plan, but she did have the drive and determination to see it through. Not everyone may want to do what she did or have the means to go to that extreme, but Mai's story proves that it is possible. If you are unhappy with where you're at in your professional career, you can change that. It's never too late! You will always have time to rewrite your story and to create a life that you are truly happy with.

If you're looking for an open air photo booth to service your event in Oklahoma City or the surrounding metro areas, Mai is your girl! pikCHER Booth was recently featured in Brides of Oklahoma in their Fab Finds for the Oklahoma Bride and is listed as a preferred vendor. Yes, she is your go-to woman and is the sweetest person to work with! She offers superior lighting with high resolution digital downloads, custom props and backdrops, and an online gallery. To see all of her available packages and samples of her work, click here. With wedding season just around the corner, this is the perfect time to book an event with her and start working out the details. Make sure to give her a follow at her social links listed above in case you ever need to book her for your future event!

 
 

 

I hope Mai's story adds a little fire to your day and that it inspires you to never settle for less than what you deserve! You deserve only the best, and if you aren't satisfied with your current position in life, you can change that! Take it from Mai to crush fear and face those goals of yours with the will to see them through no matter what. Have an amazing rest of your week, and as always, stay beautiful! 

What inspired you the most about Mai's story? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

 
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Exciting Updates + New Project
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I'm so glad that it's starting to warm up here in Oklahoma City. Being stuck inside for most of the year can get pretty depressing, so Spring makes me so excited! I had the chance to revisit the Myriad Botanical Gardens with my husband and two boys the other day and it was just really nice to see all the blooms and greenery and get inspired by nature again.

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The Myriad Botanical Gardens is located in the heart of the city and is directly across the Devon Energy Center - the tallest building in Oklahoma City. I just learned that the original idea of the gardens was to create a space similar to the Tivoli Gardens of Copenhagen, Denmark. How neat! I'm not sure if they accomplished that, but it's really an amazing place nonetheless.

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There's also a greenhouse called the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, which I have yet to go inside of. I always feel so inspired everytime I go to the gardens, and my phone always runs out of batteries because of all the snapping I do! It was a much needed getaway. 

As for the blog, I've finally got around to updating the site, and I am so so motivated to get back into posting more content on here. I've been MIA for about a month, so I've had a lot of ideas for the future of this site running through my head. I LOVE blogging; Life just got so hectic and it took me a while to get back to my creative space. I'm excited to feel inspired again, and I have a few things in the works.

I've been wanting to update the site for a long time and give it a more modern, minimalist, and bright aesthetic to match my changing tastes. So, I created a new logo, changed a few things, and I think I accomplished the new look, which makes me feel really inspired. There's something about changing things up that gets me energized. I've always been that way, and I really get bored of things very fast. You'll probably see a lot of rearranging here because I'm always making things feel new and fresh! I hope you like the slightly new design. Let me know if you like it!

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Besides the blog remodel, I have been working on a project since last month. If you follow me on Instagram, I've posted quite a bit about my latest obsession. Why must I get obsessed with so many things all the time! I'm obsessed with getting obsessed. Ha!

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So, this latest obsession is with succculents and cactus. Well, I've always been obsessed with them, but since I've been a plant-killer my whole life, I didn't have the guts to try my hand at these babies. That is until someone inspired me on Instagram to start propogating my own succulents, and it helped that my husband surprised me with my first batch of succulents shortly after.  Thanks hubs! I now have about four trays of succulent leaves that I'm propogating.

Caring for succulents has been exciting for me and so I've decided to create succulent gardens as well! I've received so much amazing feedback on Instagram, so it's really something that I want to continue sharing with you guys.

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The great news is that I'll be launching a shop here on the site really soon and will be listing mini succulent gardens that you will be able to add to your cart and have shipped to you! I will also be slowly adding more things to my shop as time allows, so more will be in the works for that. If you want to stay current with what's happening, I post more frequent updates on Instagram. 

That's my quick update for now. There's so much more on my mind, but I don't want to overwhelm this post (and you). One last thing: What would you like to see more of here on Helly Lovely Living? More DIY? Home Inspo? Any specific topics? I'm all ears. I have a few things coming up that I can't wait to share with you all. I'll be back at it in a few days! Have an amazing weekend!



Family Outing to "Terra" by Orly Genger
"Terra" By Orly Genger

My family and I had a wonderful time taking an impromptu stop downtown to visit this larger than life rope sculpture in the heart of Oklahoma City. The terra cotta color, of which its name is inspired, is vibrant and adds a contrast to the lush greenery that it winds through. 

Hello Lovely Living

Sunny days and perfect weather have been few and far between, so we jumped on the opportunity to get out and explore something new outdoors. Our little one had a great time sitting on the piles of rope - observing and feeling its texture. I'm so glad we can take him outside and enjoy the warmer weather! 

"Terra" By Orly Genger

It's just amazing that this is 1.4 million feet of recycled lobster-fishing rope painted with 350 gallons of terra cotta colored paint. The renowned New York based artist, Orly Genger, was inspired by Oklahoma's red dirt and brick walls when deciding on what color to paint it. Oklahoma sure has a lot of that! It's incredible how much rope this was and how much work was put into this.

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Seeing the landscape of vibrant colors of spring and summer after a long winter is so rewarding and fulfilling. It makes me take on a greater appreciation for the colors that we tend to overlook. 

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"The earth laughs in flowers." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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My guys and their smiles. Love them! I can't wait to take my oldest son here - he would enjoy this so much. This is a perfect spot to let your kids run around for hours!

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I was impressed with this sculpture - it inspires me to discover more of Oklahoma's art scene. There's a thriving art community here, and I hope to experience more of what makes this place unique.

Here's a snippet of information about the artist and her work: 

Made of 1.4 million feet of recycled lobster-fishing rope, and painted with 350 gallons of terra cotta colored paint, “Terra” will weave its way through the center section of Campbell Park, located at NW 11th and Broadway, just north of downtown Oklahoma City. The installation opens Monday, October 20, 2014, and runs through October, 2015.

“When visiting Oklahoma I was taken by the vastness of the open landscape and envisioned a line that would travel in a continual motion winding through the patch of land on which the work sits,” said Genger. The artist said the term “red dirt” inspired her color choice, “which relates both to the clay-like nature of the earth, and to the bricks with which we build walls.”

Dubbed the “rope wrangler,” Genger hand knits and shapes hundreds of miles of discarded lobster rope into massive sculptures that traverse the space and incorporates the piece into the landscape. Her art encourages visitors to explore the terrain in a new way and interact with the larger-than-life pieces.

Since 2005, Genger has completed several large-scale installations featuring colorful masses of hand-knotted rope. These include Red, Yellow and Blue in Madison Square Park, New York City and deCordova Sculpture Park in Boston and most recently, Current
— http://oklahomacontemporary.org/exhibits/current-exhibits/orly-genger/

See her other renowned sculptures:

 

Did you enjoy this post? I look forward to sharing more of my discoveries with you. There's always something beautiful out there to experience!

xo stina