Today we’d like to introduce you to Maribel Angulo Bender
Hi Maribel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
When people ask how Peek-A-Photo began, I always think back to those precious early days of motherhood. As a new mom, I made reading to my daughter a daily priority, treasuring those quiet moments when the world seemed to shrink to just the two of us. While reading created strong bonds between my daughter and her parents, I realized that maintaining meaningful connections with distant family members was much harder. Despite regular video calls, I noticed my daughter struggling to remember what her grandparents looked like from one call to the next. She was naturally drawn to family photos, often studying them intently, while I gently reminded her of each beloved face.
This distance sparked a moment of inspiration – what if I could combine her love for reading with these meaningful family connections? What if discovering familiar faces could become an adventure within her stories? This perfect blend of reading and connection is what ultimately inspired our name – Peek-A-Photo – capturing that magical moment when a child lifts a flap and finds someone they love smiling back at them.
The concept truly came to life when I began experimenting at home, tucking photos into the pages of her favorite books. Seeing her joy upon discovering familiar faces hidden in stories, I designed books that would seamlessly integrate photo pockets behind special flaps – creating that “peek-a-boo” surprise moment that children love while being durable enough for little hands and practical for busy parents.
At heart, Peek-A-Photo is about making reading time more meaningful by personalizing the experience. It’s about those sweet moments when a child lifts a flap and discovers someone they love looking back at them. That’s the magic I want to share with other families.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Has it been a smooth road? Absolutely not, but the challenging paths often lead to the most meaningful destinations.
I think the biggest challenge has been navigating the delicate balance of a full-time career, raising two little ones, and developing a product simultaneously. Where I really struggled initially was with perfectionism. I wanted to be the perfect mom, the best employee, and have my product be flawless – which created paralyzing moments in my business journey. At one point, getting a single illustration approved took weeks because I was so concerned about every tiny detail.
The breakthrough came when I realized that things don’t need to be perfect – I just needed to start. This has honestly been the most challenging period of my life, learning how to build a business from the ground up while being present for my children. The hardest part is sometimes taking that precious time away from my little ones, which is why most of my work happens between 8 PM and midnight after they’re asleep.
There is so much purpose and meaning behind our product – it’s far more than just another book on a shelf. We’re creating a bridge that connects children with their loved ones through the magic of storytelling. This deeper mission sustains me during late nights and challenging moments. I’m constantly learning and growing through this process, and with our official launch on the horizon, I know this journey is only beginning.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Peek-A-Photo is a children’s book company that specializes in creating lift-the-flap storybook albums that incorporate real family photos. What makes our books unique is their interactive design – each book features five specially designed flaps that conceal photo pockets where parents can insert 4×6 photos of family members or loved ones.
We currently offer two distinct collections: durable board books for everyday reading and soft cloth books for gentler play. Both versions feature the same magical interactive experience where children discover familiar faces hiding behind elements like trees, windows, doors, and other story-relevant scenes. The surprise element creates genuine moments of joy and recognition that strengthen emotional bonds.
What truly sets us apart is that we’re addressing a real need for families, especially those separated by distance. Traditional photo albums aren’t interactive or durable enough for young children, while standard children’s books lack personalization. Our patent-pending design bridges this gap by seamlessly integrating personal photos into engaging stories.
Beyond just selling a product, we’re passionate about the deeper purpose behind what we create. These books help children maintain meaningful connections with family members they may not see often, strengthen bonds during everyday reading rituals, and create opportunities for parents to talk about important people in their child’s life.
For parents seeking engaging, personalized reading experiences that foster emotional connections, Peek-A-Photo offers something truly special – books that turn ordinary reading time into an adventure of discovery and recognition. We’ve created something that brings genuine smiles and meaningful moments to families, and that’s what makes our work so rewarding.
What are your plans for the future?
I’m thrilled about our upcoming journey as we transition from development to actively sharing our books with families. Our immediate plans include establishing a presence at local community markets where parents and children can experience the magic of our books firsthand. There’s something special about seeing a child’s face light up when they discover a familiar face behind a flap that can’t be captured in words alone
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We’re currently preparing to launch pre-orders this spring, which is an exciting milestone after all the behind-the-scenes work. This summer will mark our official full launch, when we’ll open online sales and make our books widely available.
More than anything, I’m looking forward to sharing our name and brand with the world. Having kept our concept relatively quiet during the patent process, I’m eager to finally introduce Peek-A-Photo to families everywhere and see these books become part of their daily reading rituals.
Pricing:
- 24.99 for Cloth Storybook Album
- 24.99 for Board Book Album
- $48 Bundle & Save
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.peek-a-photo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peek.a.photo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peek.a.photo
Image Credits
I own rights to the images
