Behind every successful company lies a founder with a story worth telling. Yet, as time passes, memories blur, and the version of events becomes more polished than precise.
The founder’s voice is the heartbeat of your company’s history — but if not captured carefully, it can drift from fact to folklore. Here are 6 tips on how to preserve it authentically, before it’s too late.
1. Dig for Undisclosed Insights
Founders, when encouraged, can provide details that aren’t documented anywhere else. They can share motivations, challenges, and decisions behind key company moments.
A skilled interviewer can even persuade a founder to reveal previously undisclosed stories—and the most compelling accounts often involve the struggles and failures that shaped the company.
Jennifer Rizzo, a freelance writer for The Writers for Hire and an expert in company history ghostwriting, says, “Nobody likes admitting failure, but they love sharing how they overcame something.”
Rizzo recommends framing questions as opportunities for teaching moments. For example:
“What’s something you’d want the next generation of leaders to know? What did you have to learn the hard way?”
“When founders answer this type of question,” Rizzo explains, “they’re not airing dirty laundry — they’re showing growth.”
She also encourages asking about moments of doubt.
“Everyone remembers those nights staring at the ceiling, wondering if it was all worth it,” Rizzo says. “Those stories are gold for corporate biography writing.”
2. Encourage the Founder to Share Personal Stories
Human anecdotes add emotion, color, and depth to a company’s story. Yet, in business conversations, people tend to stick to facts and figures. They’re more comfortable talking about quarterly goals than personal feelings.
So how do you get founders, executives, employees, or customers to open up?
According to Rizzo, it’s all in how you frame your questions. She recommends prompts that spark storytelling, such as:
- “What’s a story you’ve never told outside your inner circle?”
- “Who doubted you the most — and what happened after?”
- “What’s the wildest risk you took that actually paid off?”
- “If your company disappeared tomorrow, what do you hope people would still remember?”
“It helps to ask what they thought and felt at the time,” Rizzo says. “Basically, I’m digging for things that make readers feel — not just memorize dates and sales numbers.”
3. Remember That Not All Founders Are Storytellers
Not everyone is a natural storyteller. Founders may provide big-picture overviews but gloss over the telling details.
To capture richer stories, ask targeted, situational questions. For example:
- What was the atmosphere like in the boardroom when that major decision was made?
- What were people feeling?
- Who spilled their coffee?
Specific details like these add context, color, and personality to a company’s narrative.
4. Get the Real Story Behind Corporate Decisions
Corporate decisions are part of any company history — but what readers really want is the story behind those decisions.
“If I sit down and ask, ‘Tell me about the most important KPI in year three,’ I’ll get a press-release answer,” says Rizzo. “But if I ask, ‘What did it feel like the day you realized this crazy idea might actually work?’ — that’s when the real story comes out.”
Rizzo also recommends introducing personal dynamics to break through corporate polish.
“What would your kids or grandkids never believe about your early years?”
“That kind of question,” she adds, “usually cuts through the corporate filter.”
5. Focus on the “Soft” Insights
Hockey-stick growth might impress investors, but readers of a company history care more about the soft side — the culture, values, and vision that define the organization.
Meaningful insights about a company’s evolution often come from everyone involved, not just the founder. Employees, customers, and external partners can offer valuable perspectives on culture and change over time.
6. Find the Nugget That Creates a “Bombshell”
Sometimes, one small revelation can turn a company history into a bestseller. That nugget might not even come from the founder — it could come from an employee, partner, or customer who shares something unexpected.
As a ghostwriter for company history books, Rizzo focuses on building trust so interviewees see her as a partner, not just a reporter.
“If they think I’m just a reporter, they’ll stick to safe talking points,” she says. “But if they see me as a partner — someone helping shape their legacy — they’ll open up.”
Rizzo starts with light personal questions, such as stories about first jobs or memorable bosses, to build rapport before tackling deeper topics:
“Once they’re warmed up, I’ll nudge: ‘I’ve heard the official story… but what’s the real story?’ They usually laugh — then give me the good stuff, even if they make me promise not to print it!”
Writing a Company History Book Requires More Than Writing Skills
The best sources for preserving a company’s legacy are the people who lived it — the founders, employees, and customers. Founders hold priceless institutional knowledge, but their memories can be imperfect or idealized.
Getting to the real story often requires someone who can not only write well but also investigate and interview effectively. An experienced corporate history ghostwriter can uncover the hidden truths that lend both sentimental and strategic value to your company’s origin story.
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