Every business has a story, and how you tell that story is important for future generations and new owners. Should you decide it is time to pass the company to other family members or put it up for sale, you’ll want a complete story that visually represents the history, explaining how and why it became the business it is today. From video interviews of original owners and staff to meaningful photos and memorabilia, Picture This Organized can help you document the most important milestones that could impact the direction the business takes long after you decide to step away.
Storytelling with a Video Documentary
Creating a documentary is a terrific way to honor your business legacy. Similar to a memoir, a documentary tells the story of your business by:
- Highlighting the milestone events of the business
- Interviewing key employees about their lives and roles
- Showing how the company was influenced by the community, family, and philanthropic contributions
- Sharing business traditions and lessons with the next generation of your business
Our goal for your business is to capture the most inspiring moments in history and present them in an entertaining way. Everything from black and white videos and significant awards to promotions on social media are added to the video so employees, clients, and potential buyers will enjoy the nitty-gritty details. We take them through the humble beginnings, unique concepts developed by growing teams, and the pride of the organization when meeting your goals.
Organizing the elements of the company’s story doesn’t have to be complicated. First, we develop a storyboard that divides the business into chronological stages. Each stage creates a theme, which makes an easy-to-follow outline for the video documentary. Here are some questions to ask that may help jumpstart the creative process:
- Do you have digital or print photos to feature in the video?
- Can any related memorabilia (print announcements, certificates, trophies, personal notes, gag gifts) add to the story?
- Are there older videos that show your company culture or events that can become part of the documentary?
Picture This Organized uses simple editing software like Apple’s iMovie or Microsoft’s Movie Maker. You can use Otter.ai to upload audio recordings and transcribe them for you. Or you can hire a transcription company. We have found that companies offering medical and legal transcription will also transcribe interviews. A couple of professional video companies we work with and highly recommend are Cardona Creative and Legacy Connections Film. There are so many ways to tell the story of your business.
Collecting and Organizing Photos into Business Storytelling Albums
In the past, we’ve completed large albums for clients featuring family stories shared through collections of documents, interviews, family trees, and photos. We have a similar process for your business, spotlighting multiple generations of the company’s history. We meet with our clients to understand the scope of the business and then gather documents, data, and photos to turn it all into a history book featuring the stages or “chapters” of the company.
Picture This Organized uses scanning technology to work with black and white historical documents. After scanning, we edit the text, highlighting the images on their own album sheet. Below is an example from a family dairy farm, showing what these chapter pages can look like.
Another business chapter could highlight who ran the business before and who does it now – how management has changed hands over the years and the employees who previously and currently work there. We share a sample of a family tree that can also be used for an organizational structure with photos of management and employees.
Honoring Your Business Through Documentaries and Albums
Today’s technology makes it easy to commemorate the history of your business. Choose a video documentary, album, or both to share important memories of the past and present. We can easily add new milestones in the future, even if the business changes hands. New owners will want to add their chapters, especially if they are younger generations continuing the legacy.
Contact Picture This Organized for help creating a business video documentary or album to honor your life’s work and share with future generations or owners. Check out some of our history album projects with past clients. We can answer any questions about interviews, documentaries, and organizing photo albums into a treasured business momento.