Today we’d like to introduce you to Dietrich Nissen.
Hi Dietrich, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I started Inherited Stories in 2019 because I wanted to give families the option of remembering the people they love.
My grandma died before we could interview her about her journey and it’s been a personal pain of mine for years. It’s sad knowing our family will never be able to hear her laugh, her voice, or her stories again. I didn’t want other families to share in my regret.
Over the last four years, I have been able to bring others on and build a small team of people who wholeheartedly believe in what we are doing for families. What separates us from other video production companies is our business model does not rely on content clicks views or money from investors — we get hired by a family to work on their behalf and that’s it.
We primarily exist in the Upper Midwest and a few other states but are hoping to sell and grow franchises across the continental U.S. We want to find other talented video storytellers who care about providing families with a way to remember those they love, and we need people who see the greater good in what we are doing.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The path to getting here has been an awesome learning experience but it’s been challenging, too.
Most people don’t know what legacy documentaries are or why they matter, so increasing awareness is a priority of ours. On one hand, we are building a single business. But, the greater mission is that we are also creating and contributing to a new and undefined industry that doesn’t exist in the public’s mind.
For instance, everyone knows what a real estate agent does and what their value is. Everyone knows what a doctor does and what they offer. Not everyone knows what a legacy documentarian does or why this work matters.
However, based on our experience, once people do understand, they love what we offer.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Inherited Stories is a company that helps families remember the personalities and life stories of the people they love. To achieve that, we create legacy documentaries known as Vimories for them.
What makes our company unique is our personal touch and that we are only in service to a family.
From a brand perspective, I’m proud of how people have reacted to what we offer and how they speak of our value both online and in person. It’s been fantastic to have intergenerational support and community support for what we are offering to families.
I want your readers to know a few things: You will miss the people you love and the people who love you will miss you. Those people aren’t necessarily family in the traditional sense, but family in terms of who you have built meaningful relationships with throughout your life journey.
Right now, you have an opportunity to create something that will preserve the story behind those relationships and act as a living artifact for future generations to learn from.
A person’s story is priceless. I would argue that you don’t own anything other than your story. It’s the one thing you control every day and the one thing you can uniquely share with others that will help them gain an understanding of who you are and why your life matters.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Covid-19 taught us that people need connection with others and they need to engage with people regularly to maintain a healthy mindset.
There’s nothing worse than being isolated and being forgotten, and based on feedback to us, our company has helped people feel acknowledged, valued, and cared for. That’s the intangible gift of what we do.
Contact Info:
- Website: inheritedstories.org
- Instagram: https//www.instagram.com/inheritedstories
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/InheritedStories
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/inherited-stories
Image Credits
Katie Heymer
