We had the good fortune of connecting with Charissa Kovin and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Charissa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I recognized a need that was universal for most people. It has been estimated that 1.12 trillion photos were taken in 2021 alone. That’s a lot of photos! We are all overwhelmed with the amount of photos we have and most likely, that lifetime of photos is scattered across many different devices. They are at risk for deterioration or disaster (such as hard drive failure, theft, fire, flood or other natural disaster). I discovered an opportunity to help people with their photos and developed a method to organize, save and share their precious memories.
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Forget Me Not Photos specializes in a unique type of organizing – print and digital photo organizing, so that people can enjoy their photos again and sleep at night without fear of loss, decay, or disaster of their precious memories. We are a one-stop shop, providing a turn-key operation from start to finish of the ability to organize, save and share anyone’s personal photo collection. We are unique from other services in two ways: (1) 1:1 service and attention and (2) all-inclusive. When we opened our doors, I had no idea how much this business would actually benefit me personally. Photos are very personal, and tell the stories of our lives. I’ve been fortunate to have met some of the most incredible people and have benefitted by listening to them share the story behind a photo. My hope is that we can all tell the story of our lives and pass down to the next generation not just a photo mess, but a curated collection of memories.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Houston is the epicenter for culture, arts, entertainment, sports, education, and dining. Whether it’s watching the ballet or enjoying an opera, visiting #15 nationally ranked Rice University campus, enjoying a local comedy show or eating at one of 10,000 ethnically diverse restaurants, there is never a shortage of things to do. My day might start with a 3 mile run around Memorial Park, lunch at Backstreet Cafe, shopping at the Galleria, and topping it off watching the Astros win at Minute Maid Park.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Cathi Nelson, CEO, founded The Photo Managers, the leading organization serving entrepreneurs through training, a professional certification program, best practices, and a code of ethics that sets high standards for the rapidly growing photo management industry. She’s built a worldwide community and organization around supporting people in creating thriving businesses doing work they love.
Website: https://www.forgetmenotphotos.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgetmenotphoto.s/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charissa-kovin-a48b1552/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ForgetMeNotTheWoodlands
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaTC8y9lt3zql2fl-8202mg
Image Credits
Alexis Shubatt @PoshFamilyPortraits