Exploring Life & Business with Ben Alexa of IMG Event Rentals

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Alexa.

Hi Ben, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Sometimes life gives you lemons, so you decide to make lemonade. Other times life gives you a pandemic, so you decide to start a business. Our story began as an idea on March 16th, 2020, and became a reality on September 3rd, 2021. After being laid off from the two positions I held on the same day due to business shutdowns as a result of Covid-19, One as a Fitness Studio Manager in North Scottsdale and the other as a Lead Attendant for a Photo Booth Company here in the valley, I decided I needed to create a change.

I realized at that moment if I ever wanted to feel more in the driver’s seat of my career and financial future, I needed to construct something for myself. Not only to ensure growth in my personal and business life but to take responsibility for my success and opportunities for succeeding from somebody else and put it on me. Being confronted with the reality that I was about to take a huge risk by staking out something alone, I focused and got to work.

Funding my business was an adventure of lessons learned and newly acquired skillsets. Knowing I needed to maintain an open schedule for this mission to get off the ground, I started doing anything possible to generate self-employed income. I was Doordashing, Instacarting, Delivering for Uber Eats, you name it. I was blessed to come across a platform called “TaskRabbit,” which was instrumental to my success in raising revenue. It allowed me to start a Handyman and Repair Services company to fund my vision of being Arizona’s Top Luxury Photo Booth and Equipment Rental Company.

All the pieces came together after many of my highest and lowest highs. Not cutting corners on expenses to ensure we would retain the highest quality equipment available and maintain the expected demand when launching officially and becoming available for event rentals. September 3rd, 2021, was the first date all the equipment came together to create lasting moments for our first Newly Wed Couple. From that moment, our growth as a company has only accelerated, and our setup and booth options have increased in number, aesthetic, and function. In September 2022, we decided to commemorate our 1st anniversary by adding another Photo Booth to our offer rotation. This was such a hit and increased rental demand that we expanded our booth inventory with a 360 Video Booth to cap the year. As our 2nd Anniversary nears, we have serviced over 100 events and captured over 20,000 photos while prioritizing positively impacting everyone we come across. Hopefully, in the future, we can have the opportunity to show you why IMG is the top choice for “Making Your Moment Iconic.”

Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Sometimes things work out more seamlessly than others, but growing your investments takes a lot of work. There will always be mistakes made or obstacles in your way, but the goal is to learn lessons from them so things become less complicated as you grow. You will always be faced with more problems or issues, and being able to look at situations from a solution-first perspective is extremely important. The main struggle worth mentioning is making time for yourself. In a hyper-competitive environment with hundreds of thousands of businesses competing for the same market share or resources, it isn’t easy to step back and let yourself have a break. We exist in a “Show And Prove” type of society now, where if you aren’t constantly busy as a business owner, it seems your business is not as busy or successful. It is imperative for longevity to your relationships and peace of mind to find the balance between you as a business owner and a human being.

As you know, we’re big fans of IMG Event Rentals. What can you tell our readers who might need to be more familiar with the brand?
At IMG Event Rentals, we specialize in Photo Booth Rentals for any gathering. We are known for our high level of customer service and engagement during our rentals and high-quality setup. We have elite-level equipment that minimizes wait time for instant prints, digital copies, or digital videos and creates a positive aesthetic at your event that always gets people talking.

Where we differ in others is our commitment to “Making Your Moment Iconic.” So many Photo Booth companies show up, sit in the corner, and only help when needed and asked. We must understand why you would work for a party company and not like to party! If some of your guests are shy, we will go around the room and encourage people to use the booth, as the action is contagious. When others see how much fun people are having, it creates a swirl of energy that positively impacts the other aspects of your event.

Not only that but since our journey has also been moonlighting a handyman business. We can offer unique custom backdrops at a more affordable price. We do not have to outsource any builds; we can do them in-house for you. Nothing makes your Wedding, Corporate, or Private event any more upper echelon than custom backdrops.

What we are most proud about being able to offer services is how we make people feel during and after our events. The keepsakes people have to highlight special memories they made both physically and digitally can be a constant source of happiness for individuals for life. Not only that but getting feedback from our clients about how we elevated the atmosphere and outcome of their party or event and knowing we played a big role in how everyone was entertained. We value positive human interaction above all.

Our goal is to set the standard for Photo Booth rental. We service the entire state of Arizona and are no strangers to working with high-level individuals and corporations. We also know we are not a low-cost option. That is simply because not only do we believe our value exceeds the rate of our rentals, but so do our past clients. Our reviews and impact on the community speak for themselves and will continue to do so as we assert ourselves as an industry leader.

Do you have any advice for those just starting?
For those who are just starting their journey, fail fast. Fail fast, and fail often, as it is an inevitable fact of life you will only get some decisions right. You could get it out of the way early and fully understand that failing is simply an opportunity to learn and make the necessary changes not to fail the same way again. Persistent in your ascent and pursuing success will always bring positive results. Here are two of my favorite quotes related to these topics, driving home the importance of failure and persistence.

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” – Calvin Coolidge

“Failure isn’t fatal, but failure to change might be” – John Wooden

Pricing:

• DSLR instant print & instant digital booth starts at 2 hours for $525.00
• All digital salsa iPad booth starts at 2 hours for $400.00
• 360 video booth starts at 3 hours for $1,250.00

Contact Info:

• Website: www.RentIMG.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/imgeventrentals

Image Credits
IMG Event Rentals