See a photo of Evelyn, her bio, Part 1 of this Q&A, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.

Q&A with Evelyn Clark, Question 5:

Q: How did you develop the idea of Storybooks for corporations? What inspired the idea?

A: The idea of Storybooks for corporations was generated by a client, Western Wireless (now part of Alltel). Although the company existed for only 11 years, it was a remarkable success story of becoming a top wireless provider in a chaotic and competitive environment. Before merging with Alltel, Western Wireless’ founders were brainstorming ideas for a meaningful parting gift to give each of their employees. The marketing director suggested that capturing the extraordinary experience through a collection of favorite stories would be a perfect tribute to the people who helped to create a unique culture and made it work. Collecting stories from board members, executives, and a widely representative sampling of employees was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. What an amazing group of brilliant, hard-working, and fun people! A talented graphic-design team created a beautiful book that included photos taken by employees over the years, complete with amusing captions that conveyed the work hard/play hard competitive spirit that drove the company.

The book was a huge hit with employees. Not only were they overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness of a beautiful parting gift, but they were thrilled to have a permanent reminder of an experience that was truly a career highlight for everyone who contributed to the project.

In addition to being a wonderful commemoration of a company’s milestones, a Storybook is an engaging way to tell a corporate history and leave a lasting legacy from one generation of leaders to the next. Stories allow others to share the experiences and get to know the personalities of the people involved. Because stories convey core values and create lasting memorable, a book of collected stories are a natural way to impart the flavor of the culture.