In a world where mental health struggles often remain hidden, Golden Navarro’s journey stands as a testament to psychological resilience, transformation, and the strength that comes from believing in oneself. Golden grew up in a community that viewed mental health struggles as a sign of weakness, enduring years of emotional, physical, and mental abuse while grappling with anxiety, depression, ADHD, and dissociative identity disorder. Despite being warned by others around her that she would never amount to anything, particularly as a woman and a teenage mother, Golden refused to let such limits define her.
In this blog, we share how Golden turned her mental health difficulties into a profitable photo booth business.
Her story serves as a reminder that mental health difficulties do not have to limit our aspirations; in fact, they can propel us to new heights, as they did for Golden.
Growing up in a Latin community, she explained how certain cultural norms shaped her early life. She recalled, “You didn’t talk unless you were spoken to,” and shared how her struggles with mental health were dismissed by her family. Her parents often said, “Mental health isn’t real. You’re just a weak woman.”
Golden struggled throughout her early years with anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, and dissociative identity disorder (DID), which she later discovered was caused by trauma. “I’ve been through physical, sexual, and mental abuse throughout my whole life, and it kind of destroyed me a little. I didn’t know how to deal with it,” she revealed.
She also faced immense criticism and doubt from people around her. “People told me, ‘Golden, you’re never going to amount to anything. First of all, you’re a woman—you can’t do nothing. You’re a teenage mom—you really can’t do nothing. And you have mental health issues—you’re just going to be on SSI your whole life,’” she recalled.
Even with those words, Golden held on and refused to back down. She changed her life with unwavering resolve and tireless dedication. By 2024, her business blossomed into the top mobile business in San Joaquin County, obtaining more than 115 glowing five-star reviews. “If they could only see me now!” she exclaimed, adding that most of her clients are corporate businesses and her team is thriving.
Golden’s photo booth business adds a touch of joy and excitement to events through its imaginative props, stunning photos, and personalised backdrops.
Her advice to others?
“Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do. Believe in yourself, even when no one else does.”
Golden disclosed the difficulties she encountered in accumulating money and the difficulty she encountered in managing her finances when enquired about the origins of her business. “Any little bit of money I had, I saved. I saved for 10 years, hoping to buy a house,”. It was only after months of trying to buy a home and facing repeated rejections, she decided to reevaluate her plans. “I thought, what else can I do with this money? Being on welfare and SSI isn’t a life you can survive on for too long. So, I decided to start my own business,” she said.
The idea for her business came in 2021 when her nephew asked for a photo booth for his graduation party. Golden described how the request aroused her interest. “I started doing research and realized how popular photo booths were. When I saw my family enjoying it, I thought, maybe this is something I can try,” she said. In September 2021, she made a bold decision and invested her house savings into purchasing her first photo booth.
Dr. Alka commended Golden for her foresight, remarking how admirable it was to save money despite the difficulties she faced. Golden acknowledged that it wasn’t easy. “It’s hard to save when you’re deciding whether to eat or buy clothes. But people think you can’t save on a minimum wage job—they’re wrong. It’s about what’s important to you: getting your nails done or investing in something that will help you in the long run,” she said.
Her focused method and resolve have yielded significant rewards. Today, Golden’s business, Special Occasion, is flourishing. She confidently conveyed the significance of her journey: “It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. Now, I own three cars, have no debt, and don’t rely on credit cards or loans. My money works for me.”
Golden’s story emphasises the significance of taking daring decisions and committing to one’s future. She added, “I wanted more for me and my family, and that’s what kept me going.”*
CEO Who Does It All
Golden Star Navarrow is not just a business owner; she is the heart and soul of her company. Reflecting on her role, Golden described herself as “a walking billboard” for her business. She explained, “I don’t walk out the door unless I’m representing my company. I’m the CEO, but I also do everything else—cleaning the warehouse, setting up, and ensuring every aspect of the business runs smoothly.”
Golden proudly highlighted the family-oriented nature of her business. “Right now, it’s me, my husband, my son, my daughter, my mom, and my niece pitching in occasionally. We also work with mentally handicapped adults, helping them integrate into the workforce. We train them for six weeks before helping them find employment elsewhere,” she shared.
She operates out of Stockton, California, and had big dreams for her company, Special Occasion: “Every six months, we try to add something new. Our next goal is to open an event space. Everyone needs a venue to host parties, and since we already provide services like bartending, DJing, and photo booths, it makes sense to have a dedicated space. It could be used for banquets, ribbon cuttings, church events, or even yoga classes.”
Golden also envisions expanding her team. “It’s hard for one person to do it all, but we’re getting there. Hiring full-time staff is definitely part of our plan,” she said with determination.
Redefining Strength Through Mental Health
Running her profitable business while battling serious mental health difficulties, she frankly discussed how these struggles affect her daily life. “Every day is different—some days are good, and some are bad. But being able to push through and still be successful despite my mental health is definitely a highlight for me,” she said with pride.
Golden emphasized that her journey is not about overcoming her conditions but about redefining them. “I still deal with anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, and DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder). But I’ve learned to see the strength in them rather than the weakness. My OCD keeps me on time, my ADHD helps me multitask, and my multiple personalities mean I have a whole team within me working together!”
Golden shared her daily routine of self-empowerment when asked about her strategy for being calm and focused. “I meditate every morning for 10 minutes and reflect on myself. I look in the mirror every morning and night and remind myself how amazing I am. I tell myself I’m strong, courageous, and capable of achieving anything I set my mind to. It’s emotional, but it’s a practice that keeps me grounded and productive.”
Dr. Alka admired Golden’s ability to find strength in adversity, remarked, “You’ve redefined your challenges, turning them into the unique strengths that fuel your success.”
The CEO Who Wears Many Hats
As the CEO of her thriving photo booth business, she takes pride in wearing many hats. From answering calls and raising invoices to stocking the warehouse and setting up events, Golden does it all. Her philosophy is simple yet profound: “I want to be the best I can be so I can train the best. If I don’t know how to do these things, how can I guide someone else?”
Corporate events are the backbone of her business, with 90% of her projects coming from this sector. Golden shared her love for the efficiency of these events: “Most corporate events are during the week and take about four hours in total, including setup and teardown. The real work, though, is at home, where I spend hours designing, preparing invoices, and ensuring everything runs smoothly.”
Despite her self-professed lack of computer savvy, Golden tackles every challenge head-on. “I have the bare minimum skills—I can turn the computer on and create a design. But every time I get a new employee, they teach me something new,” she said with a laugh, highlighting her adaptability and willingness to learn.
Golden has faced challenges along the way to success. Years of therapy, medicine, and specialised programs like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) are credited by her with her progress. It took a long time to arrive. “I was able to retrain my mind and behaviours to healthier patterns thanks to these classes,” she said.
Golden Star Navarro’s Vision for Growth
Golden Star Navarro is accustomed to planning, saving, and thinking ahead. As the CEO of her thriving event business, she plans to expand to include a dedicated event space. This audacious ambition is more than just a leap of faith; it is a carefully planned move.
“It’s not as simple as just renting a space,” she explained. “You need an architect, a general contractor, and the resources to address code violations before you can even think about renting it out. That’s why I’ve saved up for six months’ worth of expenses. If something doesn’t work out immediately, I’ll still be able to cover costs and keep moving forward.”
Golden’s careful strategy for saving has been the foundation of her achievements. Her experience managing limited finances has highlighted the significance of ensuring that every penny is utilised wisely. “I know how to make my money work for me,” she shared. Her event space will reflect her community-first ethos: “I want something affordable for my community to enjoy, whether it’s temples, churches, instructors, or pop-ups.”
Beyond financial planning, Golden is also learning the art of delegation. “Next year, I plan to have someone manage my bookkeeping and social media. Delegating is my next step—it will allow me to focus on growing the business and paying myself while hiring others,” she said with determination.
Golden’s commitment to thoughtful growth extends to her aspirations for the event space. “I’m starting small because I know the bigger something is, the more costly it will be. I want to dip my feet in first, see if this is something I truly enjoy, and if not, I have my existing services to fall back on.”
With her eye on the future, a head full of ideas, and a heart committed to her community, Golden Star Navarrow is set to take her business to the next level—one thoughtful, well-planned step at a time.
An Advocate for Mental Health
Golden’s mental health transparency is daring and encouraging. She opens up about her anxiety, sadness, OCD, ADHD, and DID, positioning them as strengths rather than weaknesses : “My OCD makes me punctual, my ADHD helps me multitask, and my DID gives me many people on my team,”
Golden is preparing for bigger stages. Collaborating with The Alchemist group in Stockton, she has started giving short speeches and is honing her skills for a future TED Talk. Her message is clear: mental health challenges are not the end—they can be the foundation for a meaningful, fulfilling life.
When the TED Talk happens, Golden promises to share her story widely, offering hope to those who feel stuck. As she says,
“The worst problem with mental health is people thinking you’re just pretending or being lazy. I want to change that narrative.”
