Family Stories, by Spark Insights
Every family has cherished stories. But are they preserved for the future?
Family Stories is for anyone who wants to preserve their own story, or the story of someone they love. We'll sit down together for a series of guided conversations about your family's history, and you'll walk away with a recording and a full transcript to keep, revisit, and pass down.
This is for you if
You're doing this for yourself
- You know there's more to your family's history than what's scattered across different people's memories.
- You want future generations to have this — your own story, in your own words.
- You're the one who always says "wait, what was that story again?" at family gatherings.
You're giving this as a gift
- You want to sit down with a parent or grandparent while there's still time.
- You want to give them something to cherish today, and pass down for years to come.
- You've been meaning to record their stories but never find the time.
My approach
- I listen closely, especially for what comes out in the pause after the first answer.
- Tangents aren't a distraction. They're usually where the best stories live.
- I care about capturing the stories that never make it into a textbook or written archive, because they matter just as much.
- These conversations can hold grief and humor in the same breath, and I don't shy away from either.
- Across sessions and generations, I'm listening for the echoes: the unexpected ways your story resonates with theirs.
Hi, I'm Rachel
I'm so excited to bring this new offering to life. It combines two things I love: my background in history and my day-to-day work interviewing people for user research and strategy. I have a PhD in history, where I conducted dozens of interviews, and in my UX practice, I've since done hundreds more. At some point it clicked: why not bring these two worlds together?
This isn't just about preserving any story, though. It's something I feel strongly about. History books remember the wars, the presidents, the headlines. They almost never remember what it was like to sit at your grandmother's kitchen table, or how your father actually spent his Tuesdays. Those everyday moments are just as real, just as worthy of being kept, and if no one asks and no one records them, they disappear. I believe that's a loss worth fighting against.
I started with my own family, just to see how it would feel. It turned into some of the most fun and rewarding conversations I've ever had, hearing about my parents' and grandparents' childhoods in their own words. I love knowing my daughter will be able to watch and listen to these one day, and that future generations will be able to as well.
Now I'm ready to help you do the same: to sit down with you and the people you love, and help you preserve those stories before they're gone.
The Process
How it works
Intake & Planning
You complete a short intake form so I understand your family, your goals, and any topics you want to explore, or keep private. We'll align on scope and format before we begin.
Guided Sessions
We meet for 90-minute sessions of thoughtful, unhurried conversation. Conversations are generally open-ended, but can be more structured depending on your preferences and what you share on the intake form.
A Record You'll Treasure
Every session is recorded (audio and/or video) and transcribed. The recording and transcript are your lasting artifact, something to share with family now and pass down for years to come.
Mini Session — introductory pricing
A shorter, 60-minute taste of the process, at a lower rate. Book by December 2026 — the session itself can take place any time after.
Packages
Most families have more than one story worth capturing. Choose the depth that fits.
- Ideal for a focused family story
- One or two key subjects
- A full generational narrative
- Multiple subjects or a deeper single story
- Comprehensive family history
- Extended family, multiple generations
Prefer to start with just one session? Single sessions are $250 — a low-commitment way to try it out.
Know someone who'd love this?
Share a referral code with a friend or family member and they'll receive 15% off their first three sessions — a meaningful gift in itself. Reach out to get your code.
Get Your Referral Code