Meet Rabia Saraki | Owner, Creative Director | Luxe Booth Houston

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rabia Saraki and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rabia, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Honestly, I never imagined I would have a photo booth business or ever even considered having any kind of business. I think my love for photography and all things event planning sort of just sparked a natural process once the lightbulb went off. I was part of a friend’s wedding in Nigeria where I experienced my first photo booth interaction that really stood out. I remember going back for photo after photo all night and the excitement I felt at seeing each print just sparked so much joy for me in a way that I hadn’t imagined it could. From there, as they say, the rest was history. I started researching, traveled overseas to a photo booth showroom and after one conversation led to the next, I made a huge photo booth purchase that would become the start of Luxe Booth Houston.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I wear many hats as an Entrepreneur and a full time employee in Corporate America and love the synergy that both roles have with keeping me in the entertainment and events space. I own a growing photo booth business and we get booked for a lot of industry events like album release parties, fashion shows, festivals, etc. along with your typical social events. And in my 9-5, I work in marketing at a media company activating similar types of events and being in similar spaces so it’s all connected. I think I identified a desire for events and planning early on in college and everything in my life has just sort of continuously followed that path. Thankfully, I wouldn’t say that I’ve had too many challenges (both in business and career) beyond the typical road bumps attached, but, I focus my energy on finding solutions and forge ahead each time. At the end of the day, I have more proof of my success than I do of my failures so I keep that top of mind and keep going.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I recently just moved back to Houston and have so much fun rediscovering the city and chasing vibes. If I had a friend visit, I would probably give them options and suggest brunch at places like Kamp or Toulouse, lunch at aBouzy or Travelers Table and dinner at Joey’s Uptown or Eunice. In between the food spots, we would catch a movie at the Rooftop Cinema, enjoy the views at Post Houston and probably go to a museum or two. In my opinion, anything that has a rooftop, string lights or exposes you to culture, is a great time – like I said, I’m a vibe chaser and it doesn’t help that I moved back from New York so I’m secretly always trying to recreate it here!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This business and all its growth wouldn’t be possible without the family members who helped me run the events while I managed it from afar (another story). A major thank you to my mom who acted as operations manager during the early days and my dad, cousins, etc. who stood in as photo booth attendants occasionally. Also, my sister (who serves as my current right hand) just makes the process and all the growth the business is experiencing manageable by being the support and sounding board that I need. I love that at the core, Luxe Booth Houston is rooted in family!

Website: https://luxeboothhouston.com/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabia-saraki-b9b489126/

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2iTduXfa4IvQamg_J8XlLw

Other: Google Me Page https://www.google.com/maps/place/Luxe+Booth+Houston+Photo+Booth/@29.8432362,-95.4665328,10z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x2e43a7027cae0ea8!8m2!3d29.8432362!4d-95.4665328

Image Credits
All images are credit of Luxe Booth Houston (LBH) Photo Booth