Diving into Family Archives

Our family business turned 100 years old this year. This milestone was an opportunity to review and update our family business artifacts and archives. It is thrilling to review old pictures and treasures and talk about what was.

Is it time for your family to do the same?

We all have a family tree. For family businesses, there is so much more history to preserve and protect than merely a family tree. Formal archives are in order.

Here are some of the things you can do to preserve and protect your family’s history!

Choose a Central Location for Hard Copy Files

Locate all historic possessions and move them to an accessible and safe place.

Fireproof Your Artifacts

Secure priceless possessions in a fireproof receptable using smoke detectors, blankets, folders, boxes, and cabinets.

Catalog all Memorabilia

Take an inventory of your possessions and consider what will be displayed and what will be put in deep storage. Label all memorabilia to capture the timeframe and context.

Create a Family Timeline

Capturing history according to a timeline helps to fill in any gaps and puts memorabilia into context.

Take an Oral History

Interview the elders, be it family, professional advisors, or employees. Take a deep dive into the who, what, when, where, and how of your family and any family business. It’s absolutely fascinating to ask elders what they remember!

Create a Digital Portal

Photograph all memorabilia as a back-up in the event memorabilia is lost. Give all family members access to the portal and allow them to upload images, documents, and thoughts.

Search the Internet

Print to capture any historic articles, obituaries, and images

Search Local Libraries and other Historic Archives

Visit your local library or historical museum to dig for family treasures.

Donate to Your Local Historical Museum

Your family business always has a place in local history, and giving some memorabilia to a perpetual, professional organization charged with maintaining local history is a wonderful way to preserve your family’s history.

Journaling

Start journaling your life. At least annually, maybe around the holidays, write down important milestones and events.

Share Passwords

History is captured and preserved over time by ensuring access to business emails and computers.

Develop Archival Processes

Engage with your family business employees to help them understand what components of your family business should be saved. Create a written process for interviewing key employees and identifying and storing artifacts. Packaging samples, letterhead samples, pricing guides, and marketing materials, and deal documents are all important to understanding your past.

Identify an Archival Family Team

Select someone from each generation to be the leader of the archival process. Every family has a history buff, but collecting, maintaining and accessing historical artifacts should be a group effort with checks and balances.

Hire Professional Organizers

Getting organized can be overwhelming and is very time consuming. The pay-off is so satisfying! Partner with a professional or identify someone particularly organized at your company to take charge of archival efforts if time is passing without archival action.

It is important to preserve family business archives as your past is what defines your story and brand authenticity. Making it a regular part of your processes and routine ensures that important memorabilia is captured and preserved in a thoughtful and safe manner.