CHARLOTTE, N.C. — All it took was a simple makeshift photo backdrop idea at a holiday party that helped turn a dream of owning a business into reality.
“That kind of got my brain thinking about photo booths and how much it would cost to start the photo booth," Pete Louis said.
In 2016, Pete and Colette Louis launched QC Booths.
It’s the newest way to capture moments at parties, weddings and events.
“We started to learn the business, we started to market ourselves in new ways," Pete Louis.
Fast forward to 2018, QC Booths was getting noticed all around town.
They even got the chance to capture pictures at Sydel Curry-Lee’s wedding -- the sister of NBA star and Charlotte native Steph Curry.
“The whole family got in our photo booth and we’re like, 'Oh my gosh, the Currys are in our photobooth,'" Colette Louis said.
That is the moment the couple knew things were on the right track. The Louises even added employees to help with the new pace.
"Things were booming," Pete Louis said.
Then, the pandemic hit and canceled the social gatherings their business thrived on.
Around the same time, Pete lost his corporate job.
“We went from being booked and busy to sitting at home like what are we going to do," Colette Louis said.
So, they pivoted by coming with another business plan: QC Lights.
“It’s a business where all we have to do is set up lights and then we can leave and come back at the end of the party," Pete Louis said.
It’s a plan that helped pick up speed at a time when things dropped off with QC Booths.
The couple said staying positive yet doing the work behind the scene is what kept them motivated.
“For us, it was faith. Having faith that things would come back for us," Colette Louis said.
As a couple, they also honed in on how they both could contribute individually to help think outside of the box.
“I’m more creative, he’s more technical," Colette Louis said.
It’s a recipe that got them back on their feet with more business than before the pandemic. Today, with new restrictions and new events, both businesses are now booming.
"I feel like a lot of people are making up for the time," Colette Louis said.
They believe their journey shows no matter what door closes, having faith to knock on another could be the one to open a better reality.
“Everybody out there who lost their jobs in the past during the pandemic, just keep positive and know that everything happens for a reason," Pete Louis said.
To learn more about QC Booths visit www.qcbooths.com or QC Lights at www.qclights.com.
Contact Ruby Durham at rdurham@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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