Chatbooks | Chatbooks Co-Founder Vanessa Quigley Interview

Do you love Chatbooks? Then you're going to be obsessed with the woman who brought your favorite photo books to life! Meet Vanessa Quigley, Chatbooks co-founder and mom of seven. Vanessa is an entrepreneur with an incredible story. From serving as former Miss Utah and performing as a trained opera singer to launching (and scaling) a company with her husband Nate, Vanessa has put in the hard work to help strengthen families around the world. Check out our interview with her below!

What inspired you to start Chatbooks?

We started Chatbooks in 2014 as a small family affair. I didn’t have time to make scrapbooks (or even print photos!) of my seven kids. But I knew how much children love photos of their everyday lives. My youngest had a little photo album that his preschool teacher had given him for his graduation with photos from the year and each night, when I went to tuck him in, he was looking at the photos! I felt so much guilt for not helping him hold on to the moments outside of that year of preschool, but I knew I didn’t have time for a big photo project. But I did post photos on Instagram for my family and friends to see and I wondered if there was a way I could turn those into photo books—automatically? Well, my husband, Nate and I decided to invent a way to "print my Instagram" and that is how Chatbooks started!

What's your favorite product?

For me, it's got to be our Monthbooks. I actually don't use Instagram the same as I used to and I have so many photos in my camera roll that I know I'll never post publicly. So being able to open the Chatbooks app and choose 30 each month to go straight from my camera roll to my Monthbooks has been a lifesaver! And the books come in an array of chic colors that all look so beautiful as home decor! I especially love the hardcover books. And for just $15 a month it's obvious to me why so many other Chatbookers love Monthbooks, too!

We started Chatbooks in 2014 as a small family affair. I didn’t have time to make scrapbooks (or even print photos!) of my seven kids. But I knew how much children love photos of their everyday lives. My youngest had a little photo album that his preschool teacher had given him for his graduation with photos from the year and each night, when I went to tuck him in, he was looking at the photos! I felt so much guilt for not helping him hold on to the moments outside of that year of preschool, but I knew I didn’t have time for a big photo project. But I did post photos on Instagram for my family and friends to see and I wondered if there was a way I could turn those into photo books—automatically? Well, my husband, Nate and I decided to invent a way to "print my Instagram" and that is how Chatbooks started!

What's your favorite product?

For me, it's got to be our Monthbooks. I actually don't use Instagram the same as I used to and I have so many photos in my camera roll that I know I'll never post publicly. So being able to open the Chatbooks app and choose 30 each month to go straight from my camera roll to my Monthbooks has been a lifesaver! And the books come in an array of chic colors that all look so beautiful as home decor! I especially love the hardcover books. And for just $15 a month it's obvious to me why so many other Chatbookers love Monthbooks, too!

Is Chatbooks still technically a startup?

Today, there are more than 135 of us working at Chatbooks, but we’re never going to let ourselves become a faceless big company—no matter how much we grow, we’re determined to "stay small". And my hope is that you’ll think of us the way we think of you: as a friend!

What's something you love about the Chatbooks culture?

For the 4th year in a row, Chatbooks was recognized by the Women Tech Council for the work we’re doing to help break the glass ceiling in Utah! And Fortune magazine just named us the "Best Workplace for Women" for small to medium-sized businesses. The secret to our success at Chatbooks has been having women at every table anytime decisions are made and our commitment for making work "work" for parents. And I’m thrilled at the percentage of women we have in leadership roles—60% of our executive team are women and 72% of our leadership team. Now that is something to celebrate

What's your favorite perk when it comes to being the co-founder of Chatbooks?

I'm lucky that our team puts out so much incredible company swag — our sweatshirts are so dang comfy! But truly, my favorite thing about being the co-founder of Chatbooks is knowing that we are strengthening families. It is our company mission and we strive in all we do, from the products we offer to how we serve our customers and support our team members, to embody that mission. We've seen so many rave reviews from our community about how Chatbooks helps them feel closer and more connected to their families, and how our subscription products in particular help people see the magic in their everyday lives. That, to me, is the greatest perk of all!

What do you do when you're not working?

As newlyweds, my husband and Chatbooks co-founder Nate and I loved to go fly fishing together. Last year, we rediscovered our love of fishing and now we go every chance we can get! There is something so soothing about the sights and sounds of the river that sometimes I don't even care if I don't catch anything! 😉

As host of The MomForce Podcast by Chatbooks, you interview all kinds of inspiring guests. What's your favorite episode to date?

That's a hard one! I have had the pleasure of chatting with so many incredible women like Shea McGee of Studio McGee, Andrea Hannemann of Earthy Andy and even '90s TV icon Melissa Joan Hart! The format of the podcast has changed a bit over the past 2 full seasons (my 4 sisters used to take turns co-hosting with me), but I've been changed along with it thanks to all I've learned from our guests! Now that season 3 is underway, I have to shout out our premiere episode with Heidi D'Amelio, mother to TikTok superstars Charli and Dixie. Heidi had so many great tips about her family's relationship with social media and why holding on to what matters is so important. Read more about her interview and listen to her episode here.

Get To Know Chatbooks Co-Founder and Entrepreneur Vanessa Quigley

Ever wondered what it's like to start a business while raising a family? Vanessa has been there and done that! Learn more about our co-founder's incredible journey.