We meet Famileo founders, Armel de Lesquen and Tanguy de Gélis, and see how keeping in touch with loved ones just got easier
Welcome, Armel and Tanguy. Tell us a little bit about Famileo
Armel: Famileo is a subscription service that, once a month, formats your family’s photos and messages into a newsletter or ‘gazette’ as we like to call it. A digital copy is available to everyone, and a printed copy is posted to the grandparents, monthly.
Wow, that sounds incredible. How did you come up with the idea?
Tanguy: Famileo was born out of personal experience. I’m from a big family and as we began to share more and more family updates and goings on through social messaging apps, I bought my grandmother an iPad so that she could stay in the loop. However, she struggled getting to grips with it and told me she missed all the letters, postcards and photos that she used to receive. It got me thinking, how could we better bridge the communication gap between generations? How could we help families stay close, by sharing news in a way that respects each generation’s preferred methods of communication?
Who doesn’t love receiving post! How has that first seed of an idea grown?
Tanguy: Well, we’ve gone from being a couple of French dreamers to running an international company with over 1.5 million users and 50 employees! But whilst the app, the gazette and our roles have evolved, the mission is still the same; to enable families to stay close, despite distance.
What keeps you both so passionate about Famileo?
Armel: For us, strong family ties are one of the foundations of emotional wellbeing! And in an increasingly fast-paced, digital world, it’s easy to feel left behind. We’re committed to making sure that everyone in the family feels valued and included in the lives of their loved ones. For the older generations, this means regularly receiving news in a way that’s accessible and meaningful to them. And for the younger generations, it’s about creating a secure space online where they can easily and safely share precious photos and news, as and when they can.
How do you stay relevant?
Tanguy: We focus on what truly matters. While many companies are continuously trying to innovate with flashy new technology, we’re truly listening to our customers’ needs and respecting their preferred methods of communication. Many older people are not tech-savvy and many more simply prefer the tangible, nostalgic charm of print.
So, what’s next on the cards?
Tanguy: The future is incredibly exciting! More and more families throughout the UK and Ireland are subscribing to Famileo and we’re continuing to expand internationally. We’re constantly working on new features to enhance the customer experience, while always staying true to our mission of creating simple, meaningful connections that span generations. We won’t stop until every grandparent feels the joy of holding a newspaper filled with photos and messages from the people that they love the most!
For more information and inspiration, visit famileo.com or follow @famileo_uk.
Reader offer
A Famileo subscription is just £5.99 per month for the whole family, postage included. The Simple Things readers can enjoy 50% off the first 3 months, on subscriptions taken out before 31 December 2024. Simply enter code TST24 at checkout.
