We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Haleh Shoa. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Haleh below.

Haleh, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The idea for Picturli came to me from a deeply personal experience rooted in my family’s history. My parents left Iran during the revolution, unable to bring anything with them except for our family photos. These photos were our most cherished possessions, representing our heritage and memories from a life left behind. As I grew older, I realized that while taking photos had become easier in the digital age, organizing and preserving them had not. The emotional weight of these irreplaceable images made me see a universal need – people everywhere were struggling to manage their ever-growing collections of digital and physical photos. I knew this was a worthwhile endeavor because photos are more than just images; they are a way to relive moments, connect with our past, and share our stories. I saw a gap in the market for a service that not only helps people archive their memories but also curates them into meaningful narratives. What excited me most was the potential to help others preserve their life’s moments in a meaningful way, ensuring that their stories could be cherished for generations. Picturli was born from this vision, offering a unique approach to not just storing but celebrating these invaluable memories.

Haleh, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My journey into the world of photo management and curation is deeply personal and rooted in my family’s history. My parents left Iran during the revolution; the only tangible pieces of their past they could bring were our family photos. These photos became our most cherished possessions, representing our heritage and the memories of a life left behind. This experience instilled in me a profound appreciation for the power of photographs to tell our stories and preserve our legacy.

As the digital age progressed, I noticed a growing challenge: while taking photos became easier, organizing and preserving them did not. People everywhere were struggling to manage their ever-growing collections of digital and physical photos. Recognizing this universal need, I founded Picturli to provide a solution that goes beyond simple storage. At Picturli, we offer a range of custom offerings designed to help individuals and families organize, curate, and celebrate their memories. Our services include personalized photo organization, digital archiving, custom photo books, and video montages, all tailored to tell the unique stories behind the images.

The core problem we solve for our clients is the overwhelming task of managing their photos and videos in a meaningful way. In a world where we are inundated with digital content, our service ensures that the stories behind these photos are never lost and can be easily accessed and cherished for generations to come. What sets Picturli apart is our holistic approach – we don’t just store photos; we help our clients create organized, beautiful narratives that capture the essence of their lives and experiences.

I am most proud of the impact Picturli has on our clients’ lives. Hearing stories from clients about how we’ve helped them preserve precious memories, connect with their past, and share their stories with loved ones brings me immense joy and fulfillment. Our work is deeply personal and emotionally significant, and it’s an honor to be entrusted with such important tasks.

The main things I want potential clients and followers to know about Picturli are our commitment to preserving memories and the personalized, thoughtful approach we bring to every project. Our goal is to make the process of photo organization and curation seamless and meaningful, ensuring that your cherished memories are not only safe but also beautifully presented and easily accessible. At Picturli, we believe that every photo tells a story, and we are here to help you tell yours in the most heartfelt and memorable way possible.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When I started Picturli, my initial vision was to design luxury photo books for various occasions. I imagined creating beautiful, bespoke albums that would be cherished by families and individuals. However, as I began working with clients, I quickly realized that their needs went far beyond just creating photo books. Many of them had bins of photos, old video formats, film reels, numerous albums and scrapbooks, along with old computers, SD cards, external hard drives, and a myriad of cloud services. They were overwhelmed by the sheer volume and disorganization of their memories and wanted all of this material archived and organized before even thinking about creating photo books.

Recognizing this gap, I knew I had to pivot. It wasn’t enough to just offer photo book design; I needed to learn the intricate world of high-quality digitization and archiving. This led me to immerse myself in understanding the best practices and technologies for preserving various types of media. I spent countless hours researching, attending workshops, and mastering the use of 27 different software programs that we now use to digitize and archive the collections entrusted to us.

This pivot was a significant turning point for Picturli. It allowed us to offer a comprehensive solution that not only addressed the immediate need for organization and preservation but also set the foundation for creating the beautiful, luxury photo books that were my original passion. By expanding our services, we were able to better serve our clients and meet them where they were in their journey of memory preservation.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

When I started Picturli, it was initially a side hustle while I was still working in advertising. In fact, shortly after launching Picturli, I was offered the position of global director of operations for Jaguar & Land Rover’s advertising agency. This role involved managing enormous global projects, which were both exciting and demanding. Simultaneously, I was handling one of the largest collections for a celebrity client who had over 75,000 photos. Balancing these two roles was challenging, but it was also incredibly rewarding.

As Picturli grew, it became increasingly clear that this was more than just a side hustle. The demand for our services continued to rise, and the impact we were having on our clients’ lives was deeply fulfilling. Eventually, I left my advertising career to focus on Picturli full-time. This transition was driven by my passion for helping people preserve their memories and the realization that Picturli had the potential to be a successful and impactful business.

Today, Picturli is a thriving business that offers a wide range of services, from photo organization and digitization to custom photo book design. We have helped countless clients transform their disorganized collections into beautifully curated archives that they can cherish for generations. Looking back, the journey from side hustle to full-time business was challenging, but it was also incredibly rewarding, and I am proud of what Picturli has become.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.picturli.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/picturli/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/picturli/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/halehshoa/

Image Credits

I took all of these photos.