Why I built Told Together
My parents were getting older. There were so many stories I still didn’t know. What it was like moving to the US for grad school. How they each decided to pivot from their first careers into entrepreneurship. Their love story. I wanted to be able to pass their stories down to my kids and grandkids, but I knew my parents weren’t going to write their stories themselves.
Most options send a question every week, for a year. That works for some, but for my parents, it felt like homework. They spoke in a mix of Chinese and English, and the stories came out more naturally when we were on the phone, or at the table after a meal.
With Told Together, all you have to do is have a conversation. We write the story, the way they told it, in a form the family can read and keep.
My parents loved the first Told Together stories I created with them. Sadly, my beloved dad died suddenly and unexpectedly after I created two stories with him, about his childhood and his career. I cherish those recordings and stories, and wish so much that I could have created more. I hope that Told Together helps you create stories with your loved ones before it’s too late.
Jamay Lau,
Founder
What we believe
The conversation is the heart of it.
A story told to someone you love is different from an answer typed into a form.
Their words, not ours.
We keep their phrases, their humor, and the way they put things—so it sounds like them.
It should be easy for them.
No account, no app, no homework. If they can talk to you, that is enough.
Your family's stories are yours.
Only you can see a story until you choose to share it. You can delete a story, a recording, or your whole account at any time.
About the founder
Storytelling has always been important to me. Before Told Together I spent years building products for readers, at Goodreads and at Amazon Books. In high school and college, I loved sharing people’s stories as a journalist. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area with my husband and three kids.
I am currently using Told Together with my mom once every two weeks to write her life story. My kids love reading the stories as they come out.
I’d love to hear about your experience using Told Together. Send me an email at jamay@toldtogether.com.
Company
Told Together is made by Told Together, LLC, in California. It is offered to people who live in the United States. The person you talk with can live anywhere.