We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rebecca Wertheimer. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rebecca below.

Hi Rebecca, thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for over a decade, I have spent hours honing the skills of listening, asking questions, and helping people feel comfortable sharing. With Storied, I use my skills to promote joy and connection.

When my father died in 2015 and I was at his memorial service listening to all sorts of wonderful stories about him, I was struck by how strange it was that we saved these stories to share until after he was gone and unable to hear them. I kept wishing that he could have hung on for a few more days to hear all of these beautiful things said about him. That feeling and thought stuck with me.

In the fall of 2019, feeling tired, burnt out from work, and needing a change, my husband suggested that I start a business where I interview people about their life stories. After my initial hesitation, I relented and realized he was onto something. Capturing life stories, along with what we love, admire and have learned from those around us satisfied the unresolved feeling I had at my father’s memorial service.

Listening to people’s stories just feels so natural to me. I love listening and reflecting on what I am hearing. I love helping people capture their stories so that others around them can enjoy and benefit from them. From the minute I started recording my conversational interviews with people and could see their reaction to the final product, I knew this is what I am meant to do.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

With Storied, I use my skills to promote joy and connection. I help people make meaning out of their life experiences and create an audio record of their stories that future generations will be able to enjoy in their own unique voice.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I never used to think of myself as a creative person. But with Storied, I have had to develop and learn so many new skills from learning audio equipment, to social media marketing to web design. I have been so surprised by how much I enjoy being creative and how many skills I have been able to develop that I didn’t even know I had.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I started Storied in January 2020 right before the pandemic hit. Originally I was just doing in-person interviews but the pandemic forced me to start doing remote interviews over the phone and computer. What a gift that was to open me up to being able to interview people from all over the country and world. I have tried to all sorts of office space configurations in my home and outside my home. Over the spring, along with the help of some talented friends, I converted a cargo trailer into a mobile Storied recording studio so that I can interview people in the trailer and bring it to events to records stories on site. I am so glad that I have been able to bounce back from lots of challenging fits and starts and I am excited about where the future will take Storied!

Contact Info:

• Website: storiedme.com
• Instagram: storiedme
• Facebook: storiedmaine