Business memoirs are an interesting group of memoirs that we have had the pleasure to work on. They are interesting because they reveal a singular focus leading to achievement.
We had not thought of these writers, people who had committed their lives to working in a business environment—and using that environment as their creative outlet, as a separate category, but business memoirists turned out to be a group of people who often ask us for help in leaving a written legacy—whether via coaching, editing or ghostwriting.
Sorts of business memoirs
These business men and women who have come to us with their hopes for written legacy fit into two categories:
- one group is composed of professionals who worked in large corporations that we would all recognize—for instance, we’ve had a couple of men who worked for decades with Ford. Often these career people served in the top echelons of mega corporations, and the level of their achievement led them to believe that they had the material for business memoirs that would inspire others seeking to work in this environment—and, I believe, they were right.
- another group, perhaps even more numerous, has been populated by men and women who have been entrepreneurs, people who are entirely of the self-made type. Many had not gone to college, and all showed a determination to persevere at creating a business—against odds that were sometimes daunting. The amazing thing about these women and men—regardless of their ethnicity, racial affiliation, geographic background, gender or nature of the business venture—is that they have been amazingly similar in their single-mindedness and dedication. An impressive group that had every reason to believe their lives warranted business memoirs. (I have found this group to be especially stimulating to work with because The Memoir Network itself is a small business.)
In conclusion
We hope you enjoy these articles both about the individual achievements of these remarkable people and about the process of writing business memoirs.
Perhaps one day, The Memoir Network will help you with your business memoir.
The Theme-focused Memoir
While many of the people whom I have helped to write a memoir have come ostensibly to write about their lives – to celebrate some achievement, I would say that many of these people are also writing a mission-driven memoir, a theme-focused memoir. Behind the desire to tell about their lives, there is some intent […]
Going Up in Flames: My Dream Shop Was Burning to the Ground!
This excerpt is from Business Boy to Business Man, the memoir of Robert Verreault as told to Denis Ledoux. The memoir was published in 2013.During the summer, I took a longer supper break and, after returning to the shop — where I had over a hundred and fifty employees — I might stay until the […]
Working in Saudi Arabia
DL: The following is a guest post by a write who co-incidently bears the family name of Guest—Colin Guest. It presents his first days working in Saudi Arabia. The excerpt is form Follow in the Tigerman’s Footsteps / The Memoirs of a Serial Expat. On my arrival at Jeddah Airport, now called the King Abdulaziz […]
Book Launch Tips: Business Boy to Business Man, by Robert Verreault
The book launch party was a lovely experience—one that brought to those of us who were involved in creating the book a strong sense of (forgive the overused term!) closure. Writing a memoir is a long haul and it is refreshing to have an event as one might a wedding or a funeral to gather […]
How to Write a Successful Memoir: One Memoir Writer’s Experience
Congratulations to author Dennis Blue who received the 2019 Christian Indie Award in the business category for Through the Eyes of a Fisherman. Dennis is truly one of those authors who was a pleasure to work with. He brought much thoughtfulness to bear on his task, and we are so proud to see his efforts […]
A Co-Writer Can Make a Business Memoir Happen
In a previous article, I highlighted four business memoirs that I helped bring to life. Each book was a significant one not only because of its subject matter but also because of its length. Each business memoir ranged from 300 to 400 pages, making them into hefty accounts of lives well lived. How do you […]
Business Memoir: What’s Special About Writing One?
Over the years, I have had the pleasure to collaborate on a number of memoirs which highlight the lives of men and women who have attained a significant result in their work life. Why would somebody want to write a business memoir? People write business memoirs for some of the same reasons people write any […]
How to Write a Successful Memoir: Digging for Treasure
Today’s successful memoir writer is Jean Crichton. Jean attended the very first national workshop that I organized in 2000. From that time, we developed a strong working relationship via coaching and editing. She was one of those writers who was an absolute pleasure to work with. To read other interviews For the most recent interview with […]