Thanks to Tiny Portraits, a new company owned and operated by partners Nichole Fowler and Kimberly Gray and their amazing 3-D illustrations and imaging, expectant mothers in Harlem can now count on their high-tech operation to connect them to their babies’ growth even before they are born and each step of the way thereafter. Rolling out caught up with the savvy businesswomen to find out what it takes to run such a successful operation.
–valerie samuel
What inspired you to start this business?
Nichole: I had a 3-D ultrasound with my son’s father when I was seven months pregnant and his reaction was overly excited as if it was his first time finding out. I knew right away this was a great business idea. It was perfect to see him bond instantly. I brought the idea to Kimberly and we researched [it] and opened our first location in August.
Kimberly: Being a mother myself and knowing what it is like to want to bond with my baby really influenced me to want to open up a company like this, so we decided to do it.
What are some of your company’s best-selling services?
Kimberly: Our most popular package is the Ultimate package that includes Color 3-D Images of your baby, a CD-Rom of pictures, a DVD, gender determination, and a teddy bear with your baby’s heartbeat inside.
Nichole: I agree. This package is popular with expectant parents wanting to know how the baby is developing.
How do you decide what is important in terms of innovation and new services and products?
Nichole: We found that 3-D [and] 4-D prenatal photography is the new type of keepsake business and we decided to make it fun by retailing popular memorabilia pieces.
Kimberly: We sell teddy bears, personalized picture frames, and many other popular pieces for parents to select from and enjoy to capture precious moments.
Where do you see your company going in the next 10 years?
Kimberly: At Tiny Portraits our goal has always been to franchise by creating a business model to brand ourselves using our logos, slogans and service practices.
Nichole: I see Tiny Portraits growing into a successful franchise business within the next 36 months, this store is the first of many more to come.
