The Quarter-Life Crisis That Sparked It All
Turning 20 felt like someone pressed the “wake up” button on my life. You know that moment when you suddenly start asking yourself deep questions like, “What have I actually achieved so far? What can I look back at and be proud of? Am I just existing without purpose?”
Then one random afternoon, my sister sent me an Instagram reel. It showed a mirror photobooth at an event. I paused. I replayed it. I stared. I said, “Wait oh… this mirror is snapping people?” Instantly, my brain went ding! I had never seen anything like it in Nigeria, and something inside me said, “Why not start this?” That was the birth of Laena Mirror Booth, no long story, just vibes, curiosity, and a sprinkle of destiny.
When Reality Slapped Me
My first event was a bridal shower. The event started so (they took Nigerian time so seriously), I had to extend my service hours. On top of that, I ended up deducting 25% from my package price. Yes, you read that right, I literally took a loss. My calculator was crying, my bank account was giving me bombastic side eye. My accountant brain (the sensible part I usually ignore) was screaming, “What are you doing?!”
But when I finally collected that first payment, even though it wasn’t the full amount, my joy knew no bounds. That small brown envelope felt like a gold medal. For the first time, I wasn’t just dreaming about business; I was doing it. Someone actually trusted me with their event. That night, I slept like a CEO.
The Moments That Almost Broke Me
As easy as it might look, this journey no be beans. Before I even launched, I did my homework, reached out to planners, and they were all like, “We’ll work with you once you start!” My head swelled like puff-puff. But when I finally launched, I sent those DMs full of hope and excitement. And you know what I got back? Dead silence.. The same people who hyped me before suddenly went silent. The highest response I got was a “like” on my message. I can’t even lie, in that moment, I felt invisible. Like I’d made the biggest mistake of my life. I started doubting everything.
Then came May and June, the dark era. Zero enquiries, Instagram ads refused to convert, my followers were even reducing. It was discouraging and painful. But somehow, I kept showing up, posting, learning, praying, crying sometimes sha. Looking back, I now see that those low moments were necessary. They didn’t destroy me; they built me.
July: The Month Everything Turned Around
July became my redemption arc, my comeback story. It reminded me that delay is not denial!
After surviving May and June (barely, but I survived!), I got my first client in July. We did the event, and afterward, we created a voiceover video and posted it on TikTok. Boom! The video went viral. Views, likes, shares, everything was skyrocketing. Bookings started pouring in like rain in July (literally), and for the first time, I crossed the ₦1 million milestone.
That day, I just sat down, smiling to myself like someone who just got free food. That viral TikTok video proved something I’d been hoping was true: consistency and creativity truly pay off.
“Wait, A Mirror Is Snapping Me?!”
This moment still makes me laugh
A lady walked up to the booth, looked at it, and screamed, “WAIT! A mirror is snapping me?!”
Everyone burst into laughter. She started giggling like a child discovering magic for the first time. She started posing, dancing, then she stepped out of frame right before the booth snapped the photo
When we showed her the picture, everyone lost it again, they all started laughing. The photo was hilarious. She laughed so hard and said, “I’m keeping this one for memories, it’s too funny!“
That moment reminded me why I love this business beyond the money. We’re not just taking photos; we’re creating joy, laughter, and memories people will talk about forever.
Sometimes the “failed” photos become the best memories!
Today, when I look back at that 20-year-old girl asking, “What have I achieved?”, I can confidently answer: “I built something real from absolutely nothing.”
Don’t let silence make you quit. Don’t let reducing followers define your worth. Don’t let slow seasons convince you that harvest isn’t coming.
Keep showing up, keep being consistent, keep creating content. And one day, you’ll look back and realize that all those moments you thought were breaking you were actually building you into exactly who you needed to be.