Scaling Out Loud

Catalina Bloch
  • 5.0 (2)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Scaling Out Loud The Photo Booth Business Podcast for 6-Figure Founders Ready to Break the 7-Figure Ceiling If you’re a 6-figure photo booth business owner stuck in the "Chief Everything Officer" role, juggling bookings, managing tech headaches, and feeling crushed under your own success, this podcast is for you. Hosted by Catalina Bloch, founder of MDRN Activations, MDRN Photobooth Co., and creator of Photo Booth Mastery, Scaling Out Loud pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to grow from six to seven figures without burning out in the process. Catalina’s not just talking theory. She’s actively running a 7-figure booth brand while helping hundreds of founders do the same. Each episode is packed with strategy, real-world insights, and unfiltered lessons that speak directly to photo booth entrepreneurs. Inside, you’ll learn how to: • Systemize your business and step out of the weeds • Attract and close high-ticket corporate and wedding clients • Raise your prices confidently and profitably • Build a team you can actually trust • Turn hustle into strategy without losing your edge No recycled advice from other industries. No vague "just work harder" mindset. Just real talk from someone who's built what you’re building and isn’t afraid to say what needs to be said. If you're ready to trade chaos for clarity and bookings for bigger opportunities, hit subscribe and follow Catalina on Instagram @photoboothmastery. Your next level doesn’t start with more work. It starts with listening.

  1. 2D AGO

    Five Expensive Lessons I Learned the Hard Way

    Let's get real for a second. Everyone in this industry is out here posting their wins. The bookings, the revenue milestones, the glam shots from their best corporate activations. Nobody is posting about their 2 a.m. regrets. This episode is the one I almost didn't record. Because talking about your biggest mistakes out loud is uncomfortable. But when I stepped into the coaching world, I made a promise that I would share the good and the bad. And today, I'm keeping that promise. I'm pulling back the curtain on the five most expensive mistakes I've made in this business. Not the "oops, I forgot to reply to an email" kind of mistakes. I'm talking about the ones that cost me real money, real sleep, and honestly, my confidence, for a while. The reason I'm sharing this? I didn't have a mentor when I made these mistakes. I was figuring it out completely on my own. If I can save you even one of these lessons, this episode is worth every uncomfortable minute it took me to record it. What you'll learn in this episode: Why the post-COVID booking explosion led to one of my most painful and expensive hiring mistakes and what I wish someone had told me before I filled those seats The "steal of a deal" warehouse lease that wasn't and all the hidden costs that came with 10,000 square feet of beautiful bad decisions Why your bank account balance is lying to you, and the financial habit that changed everything once I finally learned it The real cost of buying too many booths, and why fewer options actually helped us scale faster Why I waited until seven figures to invest in coaching and why that was the worst possible time to finally ask for help Your Next Steps: Work with Me: https://bit.ly/POD-Site2 Join Photo Booth Mastery Hub - https://bit.ly/POD-Hub Connect on Social: https://www.instagram.com/photoboothmastery

    16 min

  2. MAR 5

    Solo Operator. Seven Figures. Here's How He Does It.

    What does a seven-figure photo booth business look like when it's built by one person who also works full time at NBC's Today Show? Spoiler: it looks a little chaotic, wildly impressive, and absolutely worth listening to. In this episode, I'm sitting down with my friend of ten years, Zach Shiffman, owner of Studio Z Photo Booth based in the New York metro area. Zach has built a seven-figure experiential business while simultaneously stage managing one of the most recognizable morning shows in America, and his path looks nothing like mine. Different systems, different structure, different mindset. And that's exactly the point. Let's get real for a second: there is no single blueprint for building a successful photo booth business. Zach is proof that you can get there on your own terms. He started with a Groupon in 2012, grew into high-end corporate activations for brands like Disney Channel and the NBA, and now consistently lands five and six-figure event contracts. One client paid him $150,000 for four days of work. And he did it as a solo operator. This conversation gets honest about the real trade-offs of running a lean business, the stress of being the only person, the tech systems that make it possible, and the mindset shifts that changed everything. We also talk trends, gear, pricing, white labeling, and what Zach would tell his 2012 self if he could go back. What You'll Learn: How Zach built a seven-figure business while working full time on the Today Show and why he hasn't quit his day job (it's not what you think) The mindset shift that took him from a Groupon operator to landing $150,000 corporate contracts How he manages live events remotely from his phone, including monitoring printer status and accessing his booth computers without his staff even knowing Why being a solo operator has a ceiling, and what he wishes he had in place sooner The real talk on gear: why he lives by the "buy less, rent more" rule and what it cost him to learn it How white labeling and a trusted industry network allowed him to say yes to more without burning out The honest conversation about pricing and why raising your rates is one of the best decisions you'll ever make What it actually looks like to juggle Coachella, the NBA Draft, and the Boston Marathon in the same month as a one-man show The trend advice that will change how you think about gear investments (if you're seeing it on the PBX floor, you've already missed it) Why the cheaper the client, the harder they are, and how Zach learned to stop chasing the wrong ones Your Next Steps: Work with Me: https://bit.ly/POD-Site2 Join Photo Booth Mastery Hub: https://bit.ly/POD-Hub Connect on Social: https://www.instagram.com/photoboothmastery

    1h 2m

  3. FEB 26

    Photo Booth Expo: Have You Outgrown This Room?

    What happens when three industry veterans sit down in Vegas and realize the conference they keep coming back to no longer feeds them? They build something new. This episode is different. I'm sitting down with two people who have been shaping this industry for over 16 years, Meir and Lisa, the original founders of PBI (Photo Booth Professionals International), a conference that people in our industry are STILL talking about to this day. We're recording live from Photo Booth Expo, and we're finally sharing what the three of us have been quietly building for the past two years. Let's get real. If you've been coming to the same conferences, hearing the same speakers, walking the same trade show floor, and leaving with a bag full of swag but no actual game plan, you already know something needs to change. You're not here for another tutorial on lighting setups or trading card templates. You're here because you've built something real and you're ready for what's next. That's exactly why we created Illuminate, a curated, application-only retreat designed specifically for six-figure and seven-figure photo booth founders who are ready to scale, not just learn about it. We're talking about a room of 100 hand-picked operators, curated vendors, speakers from inside AND outside the industry, and a format designed to leave you with an actual roadmap, not just inspiration overload. In this episode, we're pulling back the curtain on everything: why we built it, who it's for, who it's NOT for, and what you can expect from a room that's never existed in our industry before. What You'll Learn: Why the current conference model no longer serves scaling founders and what we're doing about it The real difference between attending a trade show and investing in your next level How PBI changed the game for photo booth education and why we're bringing that energy back, elevated Who belongs in this room (and the honest truth about who doesn't) Why we're curating attendees, vendors, and speakers instead of opening it up to everyone The format we've designed to help you leave with a personalized action plan, not just notes you'll never look at What we want people to say about this room five years from now How to apply for one of the 100 spots available Mentioned in This Episode: Illuminate Creative: https://illuminatecreative.live Your Next Steps: Work with Me: https://bit.ly/POD-Site2  Join Photo Booth Mastery Hub - https://bit.ly/POD-Hub Connect on Social: https://www.instagram.com/photoboothmastery

    49 min

  4. FEB 20

    You're Not Behind Schedule, You're Right on Time

    Ever scrolled through Instagram and watched yourself go from "I'm doing great" to "I'm a complete failure" in under 30 seconds? Yeah. Same. In this episode, I'm getting real about something I still struggle with, even as a seven-figure photo booth business owner. Comparison. That sneaky, soul-sucking habit of looking at someone else's highlight reel and deciding that your behind-the-scenes isn't good enough. I'm talking about the time I saw a 25-year-old entrepreneur who'd sold her company for eight figures and immediately forgot that my own business was thriving, corporate clients were rolling in, and luxury weddings were booking solid through MDRN Activations and MDRN Photobooth Co. Here's the truth: your timeline is not their timeline. And the moment you start running someone else's race, you lose sight of your own finish line. I share the stories of people who could have easily believed they were "too late" but trusted their path instead, like the Duffer Brothers who spent 20 years before creating Stranger Things, Vera Wang who designed her first wedding dress at 40, Lady Gaga who got dropped by Def Jam after just three months, and Colonel Sanders who got rejected over a thousand times before building KFC at 65 years old. But this isn't just a pep talk. I'm giving you the exact tools I use to pull myself out of the comparison spiral and get back to building. What You'll Learn: Why comparison is stealing your joy, your focus, and your confidence as a founder The five practical strategies I use when I catch myself in the comparison trap How negativity bias is wired into your brain and what to do about it Why celebrating other people's wins actually fuels your own growth The real-life stories of icons who were "behind schedule" and still changed the world How shifting your energy from scarcity to abundance directly impacts your sales, pricing, and leadership Your homework assignment to start retraining your brain this week This episode is your reminder that you're not behind. You're building. And everything you're going through right now is part of the story you'll tell when someone asks how you built it. Mentioned in This Episode: We Regret to Inform You: The Rejection Podcast Your Next Steps: Work with Me: https://photoboothmastery.catalinabloch.com/ Join Photo Booth Mastery Hub: https://bit.ly/POD-Hub Connect on Social: https://www.instagram.com/photoboothmastery

    23 min

  5. FEB 12

    What If You Could Attend Your Own Funeral

    What if you could attend your own funeral?  Not literally. But metaphorically—watching the version of yourself that built this business be laid to rest while you stand there, mourning and celebrating them at the same time. I know that sounds heavy. Maybe even a little dark. But stay with me, because this might be the most important conversation we have all year. That scrappy hustler who said yes to everything? Who worked until 2am, drove the van, set up the booth, ran the event, and did it all over again the next day? That person willed your business into existence when there was nothing there. That person deserves recognition. Respect. A standing ovation. But that person also needs to die. Because the version of you that got you to six figures is exactly the same version that's keeping you stuck there. And until you're willing to attend that funeral—to actually grieve them and say goodbye—you will never become who you need to be to get to seven figures and beyond. This isn't about working harder. It's not about another system or strategy. This is about evolution. And evolution requires death and rebirth. You have to be present for both. Today we're talking about why personal development isn't some woo luxury—it's the only thing that actually matters. We're diving into the specific ceiling most founders hit (spoiler: it's around $200-250K), why the hustler identity becomes your biggest limitation, and what it actually looks like to stand at your own funeral and let go of the version of yourself that's holding you back. If you're stuck doing everything yourself, wondering when this business will finally give you the freedom you signed up for, this episode is your invitation to the funeral. Your own funeral. And you need to RSVP yes. What You'll Learn: Why the skills that got you to six figures are now the exact thing keeping you stuck The specific revenue ceiling where hustle stops working (and what to do about it) How to recognize when you're the bottleneck—and why that's actually your fault The brutal truth about why your business will never outgrow you without inner work What it actually means to attend your own funeral and watch the hustler die How to grieve the old version of yourself while becoming who your business needs you to be Why self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and self-control are your real competitive advantages The practical steps to evolve from Chief Everything Officer to actual CEO How to give yourself permission to change without feeling like you're losing your edge Resources Mentioned: Personality assessments mentioned: Myers-Briggs, Enneagram, PRINT, DISC, Working Genius, Human Design Your Next Steps: Work with Me: https://bit.ly/POD-Site2  Join Photo Booth Mastery Hub - https://bit.ly/POD-Hub Connect on Social: https://www.instagram.com/photoboothmastery

    30 min

  6. FEB 5

    Photo Booth Expo Shopping? Ask These 5 Questions First.

    Photo Booth Expo Shopping? Ask These 5 Questions First. Photo Booth Expo is coming up, and if you're anything like me a few years ago, you're already mentally spending money on that shiny new booth in Aisle 3. The demos look incredible. The sales reps are convincing. Everyone around you is talking about what they're going to buy. And that voice in your head starts whispering: "This is the booth that's going to change everything." But here's what I wish someone had told me before I dropped thousands at my first expo: That equipment high you're feeling? It wears off about three months after the purchase, right around the time you realize you've booked the new booth twice and it's sitting in your garage collecting dust next to the OTHER booth you bought at last year's expo. I've been there. I've made the expensive mistakes. I've bought equipment I didn't need, couldn't keep booked, and eventually sold at a massive loss. But I've also learned exactly which questions to ask BEFORE swiping my card—questions that have saved me literally tens of thousands of dollars in equipment I almost bought but didn't. In this episode, I'm walking you through the exact 5-question framework I use before any equipment purchase. These aren't the questions the sales reps want you to ask. They're the ones that separate strategic investments from expensive mistakes. Because here's the truth: more equipment doesn't equal more bookings. It equals more complexity, more training headaches, and way more cash tied up in gear that's not making you money. What You'll Learn: The 5 critical questions to ask yourself before buying ANY photo booth equipment (especially at Photo Booth Expo where the pressure to buy is intense) Why buying multiple booth types actually makes it HARDER to scale your team (and what to do instead) The "15-Booking Test" that instantly reveals whether equipment will make you money or drain your resources How to calculate the TRUE cost of equipment (hint: it's way more than the sticker price) Why training complexity is the hidden killer of photo booth businesses trying to scale What to look for in equipment demos that sales reps won't tell you How to maximize profit from the equipment you already own before buying anything new The exact red flags that signal you're about to make an emotional purchase, not a strategic one What to do if you've already accumulated too much gear (yes, there's a way forward)   Your Next Steps: Work with Me: https://bit.ly/POD-Site2  Join Photo Booth Mastery Hub: https://bit.ly/POD-Hub Connect on Social: https://www.instagram.com/photoboothmastery

    26 min

  7. JAN 29

    The Wedding Market Hierarchy Nobody Talks About

    If you've ever wondered why your wedding inquiries aren't converting, this episode is your answer. Here's the truth: saying you "do weddings" tells potential clients absolutely nothing. It's like running a restaurant and saying you serve "food." Cool. So does everyone else. The wedding industry isn't one big market. It's a hierarchy of five completely different tiers, each with their own clients, expectations, and rules. A $15,000 backyard wedding and a $250,000 luxury estate wedding aren't the same business. They're not even in the same universe. And yet, most photo booth companies are trying to market to all of them at once. Budget couples think you're too expensive. Luxury couples think you're too cheap. Nobody knows where you actually fit, so nobody books with confidence. In this episode, Catalina breaks down the five-tier wedding market framework and shows you exactly how to identify which tier you're accidentally attracting right now—and more importantly, how to strategically position yourself for the tier you actually want to serve. This is the exact framework she used to build a multiple six-figure wedding division that runs on automation, attracts dream clients, and requires zero convincing or negotiating. What You'll Learn: The 5 tiers of the wedding market and what makes each one fundamentally different Why "affordable" and "best deal" language is killing your ability to attract premium clients The exact positioning shifts that signal to luxury couples you're their vendor How to audit your portfolio, pricing, and partnerships to stop attracting the wrong tier Why trying to serve all tiers keeps you stuck with thin margins and constant negotiation The homework to do this week to start repositioning for your target tier Your Next Steps: Work with Me: https://bit.ly/POD-Site2  Join Photo Booth Mastery Hub - https://bit.ly/POD-Hub Connect on Social: https://www.instagram.com/photoboothmastery

    21 min

  8. JAN 22

    The Pricing Mistakes Nobody Taught You to Avoid

    You've been pricing wrong this whole time. And I'm not talking about mindset, I'm talking about actual math. Let's get real. When you started your photo booth business, nobody handed you a pricing playbook. So you did what everyone does, you googled it at 2 AM, copied what other companies were charging, and hoped for the best. You looked at your costs, added a little on top, and crossed your fingers. Your brain was just trying to find the easiest answer. And that makes sense when you're starting out. But here's the brutal truth: that instinct, that "easy answer" your brain defaulted to? It's probably wrong. And it's costing you tens of thousands of dollars every single year. Because pricing a creative service isn't like pricing a product. It's not cost plus markup. It's not your desired income divided by the number of events you want to do. Those formulas work for physical products. They don't work for what we do. And the worst part? Most of us don't realize we're using a broken formula until we hit six figures, we're fully booked, posting wins on Instagram, and wondering why we're still broke. So today, I'm breaking down the five biggest pricing mistakes that six-figure photo booth founders make. These aren't soft mindset issues. These are concrete, tactical mistakes in how you're calculating your price. Mistakes your brain defaults to because you were never taught how to price the right way. What You'll Learn: Why charging based on guest count is leaving thousands on the table (and what to base your price on instead) The hidden costs you're forgetting when you price by the hour (spoiler: it's not just your time at the event) What anchor pricing is and why not having it means you're making up numbers every single day Why your expertise is worth more than you think (and how to actually price for it) How to stop obsessing over what other companies charge and start focusing on your own value The exact framework for calculating your true costs (not just your obvious ones) What to do when clients compare you to companies charging a third of your price This episode will make you rethink everything about how you price your services. And if you recognize yourself in even one of these mistakes, you're about to find out exactly how much money you've been leaving on the table. Resources Mentioned: Join the Monthly Coaching Call - January 26th: https://photoboothmastery.catalinabloch.com/offers/mBozxsWy/checkout  Your Next Steps: Work with Me: https://bit.ly/POD-Site2 Join Photo Booth Mastery Hub: https://bit.ly/POD-Hub Connect on Social: https://www.instagram.com/photoboothmastery

    25 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Scaling Out Loud The Photo Booth Business Podcast for 6-Figure Founders Ready to Break the 7-Figure Ceiling If you’re a 6-figure photo booth business owner stuck in the "Chief Everything Officer" role, juggling bookings, managing tech headaches, and feeling crushed under your own success, this podcast is for you. Hosted by Catalina Bloch, founder of MDRN Activations, MDRN Photobooth Co., and creator of Photo Booth Mastery, Scaling Out Loud pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to grow from six to seven figures without burning out in the process. Catalina’s not just talking theory. She’s actively running a 7-figure booth brand while helping hundreds of founders do the same. Each episode is packed with strategy, real-world insights, and unfiltered lessons that speak directly to photo booth entrepreneurs. Inside, you’ll learn how to: • Systemize your business and step out of the weeds • Attract and close high-ticket corporate and wedding clients • Raise your prices confidently and profitably • Build a team you can actually trust • Turn hustle into strategy without losing your edge No recycled advice from other industries. No vague "just work harder" mindset. Just real talk from someone who's built what you’re building and isn’t afraid to say what needs to be said. If you're ready to trade chaos for clarity and bookings for bigger opportunities, hit subscribe and follow Catalina on Instagram @photoboothmastery. Your next level doesn’t start with more work. It starts with listening.

Information

  • Creator
    Catalina Bloch
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 MDRN Creative Group Inc.
  • Show Website
    Scaling Out Loud

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