Artkive Founders Jedd Gold & Jeff Lipp on 14 Years of Building a Memory Company
- Jan 13
- 4 min read
Artkive is celebrating its 14th anniversary!
On January 14, 2012, Jedd Gold (CEO) and Jeff Lipp (COO) co-founded Artkive - a kids art preservation service dedicated to celebrating creativity in a clutter-free, display-worthy way. Together, they've guided the company from a viral app to a full-service memory preservation company, with over 500,000 families served and many more keepsake books made. Artkive's success allowed them to expand the vision to new product lines that preserve greeting cards (Cardkive) and digitize photos (Photokive).
To commemorate this milestone, we wanted to sit down with the dynamic duo at the helm of our success.
You might be surprised to learn that these guys are daily in the mix with the team they've built; often on the floor with those hand-crafting their product. Having worked plenty of corporate jobs, I can confidently say that this type of executive presence is a rare find. One that clearly correlates to Artkive's indomitable spirit as a business.
In this interview, we discuss the mindset it takes to build a company with lasting impact. We'll learn what motivates them after 14 years in business, and how, despite growth and expansion, they still aim to treat every box like it's a priceless treasure.
Inside Artkive: A Q&A with Co-Founders Jedd Gold and Jeff Lipp
Given that you two are cousins, the foundation of Artkive is literally FAMILY! Having grown up together and now running a business together, what family values shape how you lead?
JEDD: Kindness and respect were foundational in how we were raised. From the start, we’ve tried to build a culture where that’s how we operate—across teams, across departments. I think one reason people [employees] come here and stay is that there's an environment of trust and caring, where everyone is treated equally, regardless of role. That really ties back to how our parents raised us.
JEFF: I think about commitment to family. Both my parents worked, and what I learned was that you don’t have to sacrifice having a fulfilling professional life to be a great parent. My mom was a professional when not everyone’s mom worked, and she loved what she did. That made her happier—and I think it made her a better parent and spouse.
When did you first feel “the spark” that Artkive could be real?
JEDD: There were two defining moments. The first was five days after we launched, when we were on The Today Show. After that, we got our first 15–20,000 people using the Artkive app. That was instant validation — like, “Oh, maybe there’s something here.” And then… nothing. For years. Crickets.
The second defining moment was November 18, 2018. We posted a video that went insanely viral.
JEFF: We woke up the next morning, and it just didn’t stop. That kicked off everything — and over the next 12 to 18 months, we were scrambling. We hired 120 people in nine months to manage the growth.
JEDD: (quietly) And the truth is, around that time, we were about six weeks away from shutting the company down. We had already had the conversation. Then the video happened — and it changed everything.
Every business has hard seasons. What did those seasons teach you about yourselves?
JEFF: When COVID hit — everything felt uncertain, and we didn’t know if the business could survive. I reached out to our team about whether they could accommodate by continuing the work from home, which felt like a crazy concept at the time.
The responses were emphatically yes! And I remember realizing: maybe we had done the right things—supporting people, building culture—because in that moment, when things felt in peril, people jumped in and started bailing water with us.
JEDD: If you look at our business, we probably should have given up. We launched in 2012, and by 2015 or 2016, we weren’t making money, and we weren’t paying ourselves. I’d venture to say 98% of entrepreneurs would have been done.
But that’s not who we are. We kept looking at each other like: this isn’t a market problem, it’s an us problem—we haven’t figured it out yet. So we stuck with it long enough to see that breakthrough
What part of Artkive’s mission feels most personal to each of you — and why does it still matter?
JEDD: The importance of memories. Preserving and safeguarding people’s memories is at the core of what drives the business. There were moments where we thought about shutting down, and we looked at each other and said, "We’re sitting on millions of memories. We have a fiduciary and moral responsibility to protect that."
JEFF: Totally. In the lean years, we were paying our AWS bill before paying our salaries—because that’s where the memories were saved. People entrusted those memories to us, and we take that seriously. So whether it's kids' art, or handwritten cards, or family photos, that’s a moment in time you’ll never get back. Preserving these things matters, and we want to help people keep those memories close.
What's Next for Artkive, Cardkive, and Photokive
JEFF: With Artkive, we’ve seen how we can have a special impact on families — helping them remember the most important people and moments in their lives, and even share that as a gift. So, I look forward to seeing continued growth that broadens our reach.
JEDD: The more people we can help preserve memories, the better. Artkive is doing great, and we love that so many families are preserving their kids’ art — we hope more continue to do so.
And we’re really excited about the future of Cardkive and Photokive, because we don’t think we’ve even scratched the surface yet!
What do you hope families take from their Artkive experience?
JEDD: I hope people see this as an investment in their memories — for themselves and for future generations. It’s not just a one-time purchase. It’s really a priceless service.
JEFF: Whether we're delivering digital memories or our books, I hope they know that we treated those memories with great care... just like they were our own.
Thank you, Jedd and Jeff, for showing us the care, grit, and heart behind the keepsakes.
With that said, we invite you to celebrate 14 years with us with a $14 Artkive Box! Click the link below to grab this promo while it lasts!
