About Mitch Goldstone

Mitch Goldstone is president & CEO of ScanMyPhotos.com, the ecommerce photo digitization service, founded in 1990

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Prepare for the Worst, Expect the Best: Observing National Preparedness Month

Posted on August 28, 2019 by

Preparing for Hurricane Dorian. This keeps happening, yet is one hundred percent preventable. 


News Update via CBSNews: “Hurricane Dorian packing more punch on way to U.S. mainland — live updates.”


National Preparedness MonthWe’re in the business of preservation, so when National Preparedness Month rolls around each September, we take it very seriously. Disaster can strike anywhere, at any time, and for no reason whatsoever—but we can make sure we’re prepared.


Sponsored by FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security, National Preparedness Month was started to encourage everyone to be proactive in our approach to disasters. In fact, each week of September has its own theme:



Sponsored by @FEMA, National Preparedness Month helps prepare for natural disasters

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  • September 1-5: Flood
  • September 6-12: Wildfire
  • September 13-19: Hurricane
  • September 20-26: Power outage
  • September 27-30: Lead up to National PrepareAthon! Day (September 30th)

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Are Your Family Photos Prepared For Any Disaster?

Posted on August 26, 2019 by

If your house caught fire tomorrow, what’s the one thing you would save? Before you decide on that difficult answer, you should know that by participating in National Preparedness Month this September, you might be able to save a lot more than just one thing.


Disasters don’t plan ahead. You can. Make an emergency plan today. www.ready.gov/make-a-plan #PlanAhead #NatlPrep

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Sponsored by FEMA, National Preparedness Month was created to encourage everyone in our nation to prepare for emergencies—whether it’s a terrorist attack, fire, earthquake or flood. Our intrepid CEO, Mitch Goldstone, is a big believer in being prepared, and it is something he has ingrained in all of us here at ScanMyPhotos. To make sure you are fully prepared, head over to Ready.gov, where you will find plenty of resources.


In addition to survival preparation, let’s take a step back to that fire question—are all of the irreplaceable items in your home safe? Most material items can be replaced, but any item with an emotional attachment could be lost forever if a disaster occurs. These items often include those old boxes and albums of family photos—it’s impossible to replace those moments in time once they’re lost.


Disasters don’t #PlanAhead, but you can. Get the @FEMA app: www.fema.gov/mobile-app #NatlPrep

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Why ScanMyPhotos Started Local Drop-Off Photo Scanning Service For So California?

Posted on August 9, 2019 by

Due to the wildfire season in Southern California, learn how to digitize photo snapshots to protect irreplaceable family pictures.


photostack1 300x225 - Why ScanMyPhotos Started Local Drop-Off Photo Scanning Service For So California?During wildfire season in Southern California. Residents must be prepared in case their entire collection of irreplaceable family photos are destroyed.


Today, ScanMyPhoto is launching a new walk-in photo scanning service emphasizing quick and affordable scanning of photos, slides, negatives, 8mm movie film and videos at its Irvine corporate headquarters. Just in time for the threat from those dreaded Southern California wildfires, mudslides and other natural disasters that can destroy precious photo memories forever, ScanMyPhotos comes to the rescue.


fire1 300x157 - Why ScanMyPhotos Started Local Drop-Off Photo Scanning Service For So California?

“It is important to remember that beyond gathering survival items when preparing for natural disasters such as fires, hurricanes or earthquakes residents should also protect the irreplaceable items in their homes and offices, including photo snapshots,” says Mitch Goldstone, President, and CEO, ScanMyPhotos.com.


CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE A PRIVATE APPOINTMENT


In the aftermath of a disaster, insurance usually covers the replacement of possessions that have a monetary value yet items with emotional value can never be replaced. Those shoeboxes and albums of family photos tucked away in closets and attics are often overlooked until it is too late. Family photos can also be lost due to neglectful storage, sun exposure, water damage, deterioration, and even mischievous young children.


fire prevention

“Preparing for a natural disaster is a year-round imperative. In an instant, when disaster strikes, families risk losing their precious photo memories. Family photographs document lives in a way that material items cannot. Once those photos are destroyed, that part of the family history is lost forever,” said Goldstone.


There is an urgency to preserve photo memories today so it is enjoyed for generations to come. The challenge was the cost and time investment to have it professionally scanned and digitized to post online on sharing sites like, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook or on tablets like Apple’s iPad (r).


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Tales From The Pictures We Saved – Episode 13: Scanning 50,000 Photos

Posted on August 5, 2019 by

print photosWelcome to this week’s episode of Tales From the Pictures We Saved. 


 

We’ve spent the past 30 years helping our customers preserve tens of millions of happy memories, milestones, achievements, and events—all of which have incredible stories behind each and every photo.


And now we’re eager to share these stories with you.


I just head this podcast series from ScanMyPhotos.com and wanted to share it with you

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In this week’s episode, ScanMyPhotos customer Margaret Hoybach shares the details on her incredible life as illustrated by over 50,000 print photos.


smphometo 300x200 - Tales From The Pictures We Saved - Episode 13: Scanning 50,000 Photos


If you have thousands of pictures to scan, this podcast can help solve your challenge

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Preview:

You might think you have a lot of print photos sitting in your attic or closet, but how many do you really have? We often hear customers say they are working on scanning 1,000, 3,000 and sometimes even up to 10,000 print photos they have laying around, but this is the first time, in a long time, where one customer shared with us that she has over 50,000 print photos in her possession that she needs to have scanned.


Do you have a photo story to share?

Contact us today and your tale could be featured in an upcoming episode!


image1 300x143 - “A New Leaf”, TV Series by Ancestry® to debut on NBC this FallAn update. ScanMyPhotos.com professionally digitizes all your photos this fast.

While we have scanned six hundred million images, it is news stories like these that made us so popular, but no order is more precious or important than yours. We are here to help. For loads of photo tips, news updates, and crazy-discounted deals, sign up to receive free updates.


This episode features music by Bensound.com. Margaret was voiced by voice-over actress Norma Jean Gradsky.   

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Tales From The Pictures We Saved – Episode 12: Connecting Past and Present

Posted on August 3, 2019 by

pastWelcome to this week’s episode of Tales From the Pictures We Saved. 


 

We’ve spent the past 30 years helping our customers preserve tens of millions of happy memories, milestones, achievements, and events—all of which have incredible stories behind each and every photo.


And now we’re eager to share these stories with you.


In this week’s episode, ScanMyPhotos customer Max Branscomb, explains how he used photos (36 albums, 5,300 pictures) show his friends the beautiful connection he had, and always will have, with his late wife.


Preview: We are all made up of moments. Our first steps, first words, first kiss—over time these moments accumulate like snowfall and shape our present reality. But, on the outside, no one else can see these moments and it can sometimes be hard for others to understand why we do the things we do or make the choices we make. This is where photos can help us share the moments that makeup who we are. 



IMG 1552 300x143 - Tales From The Pictures We Saved - Episode 12: Connecting Past and Present


This episode features music by Bensound.com. Max was voiced by voice-over actor Timothy Callaway.   

 

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Fortunately, These Pictures Were Spared From a House Fire

Posted on July 24, 2019 by
house-fire[Reposted] We received an email from a past client with a story that was both heartbreaking and an uplifting preparedness tip.

It got us thinking, again, about how a company that scans photos is so important in people’s lives and why it is vital that no one should delay in getting their photos scanned. Insurance replaces your material items but do you know what you can’t replace but you can protect? Your photos.

You can buy a new TV, sofa or refrigerator but can you buy your daughter’s first steps or your wedding day? Whether you use ScanMyPhotos, some other photo scanning company or you are inspired to go out, buy a scanner and do it yourself, we URGE you to scan your photos now! You never know what tomorrow may bring.


Here is Pat’s story:

For some reason, I felt a urgency to convert many of our photos to disks. I worried about preserving them. Twice I sent a box of photos to you and felt great relief loading them onto my computer. The morning of November 12, 2012 I awoke to the unimaginable- our house was on fire! We managed to make it outside with just the clothes on our back.

As the flames rolled through the roof I knew we were losing everything. Thoughts of family heirlooms disappearing and our family photos burning and the loss of those felt vnbearable. I realized that just inside the front door was my laptop and on it were hundreds of our favorite treasured pictures! I opened the door, reached in for the laptop and yanked it out of the wall it was charging in. That was the only item I saved that day.

Now, as we slowly rebuild our house and our lives I know a precious part of our past remains because of the service you provide!

I never would have thought our new house would catch fire. Now we look forward to the future, but thanks to your company we still have our connection to the past. You’ve made a difference in our lives.

 

Sincerely,
P Fogo
Sheffield Lake, Ohio

Consider the following statistics from National Fire Protection Agency:


    • In 2011, U.S. fire departments responded to 370,000 home structure1 fires.1

    • These fires caused 13,910 civilian injuries, 2,520 civilian deaths, $6.9 billion in direct damage.1

  • One home structure fire was reported every 85 seconds.2

Please DO NOT WAIT. Scan your photos, negatives, and slides today. Don’t forget those old home movies, too. As Pat said, by scanning their family photos, “we still have our connection to the past” and that is what photos represent, a connection to family history for present and future generations.


Recommended Links for more information

http://www.nfpa.org/

References

1. U.S. Home Structure Fires Fact Sheet – National Fire Protection Agency
2. The US Fire Problem – National Fire Protection Agency

 

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Why We All Need to Observe Fire Prevention Week

Posted on July 20, 2019 by

fire prevention2019 has seen more than its fair share of natural disasters—floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and several unprecedented wildfires.  While all of these occurrences could spell disaster for your home and precious memories, we wanted to take this time to get a jump on Fire Prevention Week, which occurs the second week of October.

 

Fire prevention is essential when it comes to keeping your home, valuables, and family safe. And even if you live in an area not affected by wildfires, you’ll still want to prepare. But before we dive into the prevention tips, let’s take a look at the facts first.


Safety.com has created the ultimate list of fire prevention tips, thanks to safety experts from the National Fire Protection Association, the Institue for Childhood Preparedness and more.


Fire prevention statistics

 

According to the U.S. Fire Administration:

 

  • The U.S. suffered a reported 11.6 billion dollar loss from fires and fire damage.  (This doesn’t even cover the emotional loss of irreplaceable or sentimental items)
    30% of fires occur in residential areas. #FirePreventionWeek

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  • The areas where most fires occurred were outside (41%) and residential (30%), whereas nonresidential, vehicle, and other areas made up less than half when combined.

 

  • The leading cause of residential fires:
    • 51% Cooking
    • 8% Heating
    • 4% Electrical malfunction
    • 4% Unintentional, careless

 

Quick tips on preventing residential fires

 

  • Install smoke detectors throughout your home—especially in the areas in which you sleep. If you already have smoke detectors installed, schedule a test every month to ensure they are working properly.

 

  • Since electrical malfunctions make up 6.8% of residential fires, it’s a good idea to have your electrical system inspected by a qualified expert electrician.

 

  • Keep a fire extinguisher in your home and make sure it is easily accessible.

 

  • Know how to put out a grease fire. This article from Kitchen offers an excellent step-by-step breakdown on what to do.

 

  • Map out an evacuation plan with your family.

 

  • Protect your valuables in a fire-safe container or lockbox. When it comes to photos, we also recommend you scan and digitize the originals. This will ensure the images will never truly be gone.

 

  • Clear away clutter. Should a fire break out, stacks of old paper and boxes of forgotten items only serve to act as kindling. Make sure you are periodically going through your things and clearing away anything you no longer need.
Clear away the clutter in your home. #FirePreventionWeek #Tip

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EXCERPT FROM NFPA: National FIRE PREVENTION WEEK:


This year’s FPW campaign, “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!” works to educate everyone about the small but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe.


Did you know?
In a typical home fire, you may have as little as one to two minutes to escape safely from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Escape planning and practice can help you make the most of the time you have,giving everyone enough time to get out.


Plan ahead for your escape. Make your home escape plan and practice today.


For more fire prevention, preparedness and safety tips, please visit the American Red Cross and FEMA’s Ready.gov.

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Sibling Rivalry Complicates Inheritance: Why Digitizing Family Print Photos Must Be Outsourced

Posted on July 18, 2019 by

digitizing family print photosThe passing of parents and/or the inheritance of an estate can be a difficult and complicated time for family members. Issues can arise over the remaining unclaimed stuff—antique furniture, old clothes, and, of course, the boxes of family photos. Oftentimes one sibling is burdened or guilted into finding a way to store and keep the lost loved one’s things. And it’s a burden that’s difficult to bear.

Why Digitizing Family Print Photos Must Be Outsourced

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This was the issue facing College Confidential user, Montegut, who posted a recent thread asking the community for advice on how to deal with her siblings after her parents’ passing. Apparently, after the death of her mother, Montegut was asked to hold onto her mother’s furniture, belongings, and print photos until her siblings could come and get them. Since she didn’t have room for these items in her home, she was using money out of her own pocket to rent a storage space. However, her siblings haven’t picked up or claimed any of the stuff for years and are now asking Montegut to be responsible for digitizing family print photos.

 

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