Meet Vanessa Louis of Ricorda

Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Louis.

Vanessa, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up, my mom was always a huge proponent of making a big deal out of any celebration (and she truly found ANY reason to celebrate), so finding fun and unique ways to commemorate special moments has always been important to me, and has fortunately always come very naturally. But it was during a conversation with a friend who was panicked about having forgotten her wedding anniversary and not sure what to do or get to celebrate, that the light came on for me.

It made me realize that some people struggle to keep track of important milestones in life, and even when they do, they may not always know where to start in creating special memories, or they may just not have the time. So since creating meaningful and memorable moments is my special sauce – my background is in marketing, so that’s always been my goal professionally and personally – it dawned on me that this was not just something I could do for my own enjoyment, it’s something people could really benefit from. It took some encouragement from my closest friends and family to pursue the idea more seriously, but once the decision was made, I felt silly for not having done it long, long ago!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
For me, the greatest struggle has always been my own sense of imposter syndrome. With each engagement, there is a part of me that feels like I won’t be able to create the big bang I envision and I’ll end up disappointing my client. I truly want my clients to have the most unforgettable experience so I set my expectations high for myself, and sometimes wonder if I’ll fall short. That’s a very scary, vulnerable thing to admit, but it’s true. So I do have to re-convince and re-encourage myself over and over that I know what I’m doing and people come to me because they truly appreciate and value what I do. That’s vital because it helps me step outside of fear and into creativity.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Ricorda – what should we know?
“Ricorda” in Italian is essentially to remind/remember/commemorate/celebrate, so my business exists to be your reminder to remember to make memories. In other words, the hope is to help people remember that life is made up of small moments that hold big meaning in their hearts, and every single one is worth celebrating. This is done through what could be considered “a memory concierge” – someone who not only helps you keep track of those important dates, but helps create special memories that make those moments last a lifetime. The three main areas Ricorda focuses on are Activity Ideation (finding fun/unique/interesting things to do that help you rediscover what made the day worth commemorating to begin with), Theme Creation (designing an immersive experience that integrates all the little things that mean the most at every touchpoint like location, decor, cuisine, etc.), and Gift Curation (sourcing the perfect gift that shows your loved one just how much you care).

Some people initially hear this and think Ricorda is basically a party planning service, but it’s much more intimately involved than that. Ricorda is more like if a party planner and personal shopper got married and had an experience designer baby! It’s a number of things mixed together that ultimately aim to help people create a big, beautiful life filled with lots of special little memories.

In every project I do, the thing I’m most proud of is being able to help people truly feel the extraordinary in what all too often can feel somewhat ordinary. Every moment is a gift, and it brings me joy to help make those moments count for people in ways that they may not have been able to create on their own. Bringing smiles to their faces and warmth to their hearts is really what this is all about.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My close friends and family were super supportive from day one. Because they’d seen me create special memories firsthand, they were great about being my cheerleaders throughout the process. My sister was especially helpful – she’s my sounding board for EVERYTHING, so she helped me think through things like process, and even hired me to do her wedding anniversary in the early stages so that I could work out any logistical kinks.

Another woman I met through a mutual friend had years of experience in events and really guided me through certain considerations that ended up having a huge impact on the direction of Ricorda. And a dear friend and professional mentor were instrumental in helping me craft my story in a way that brought to light the uniqueness of what Ricorda offers. But in all reality, everyone that knew about Ricorda before it came to life played a part in making this all a reality. I’m very grateful for my support system!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ricorda.co/
• Phone: 7204600357
• Email: hello@ricorda.co
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/ricorda.co
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ricorda.co

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