We recently connected with Sheri Kohlmann and have shared our conversation below.

Sheri, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I was inspired to go into this work by my own family legacy and by the clients I met while working as a paralegal at a Southern California estate planning law firm. I met with hundreds of clients and families and had the opportunity to hear incredible stories about money, wealth, greed, family and faith. I learned that there was more to excellent estate planning than legal documents and financial investments. I discovered that inheriting wealth without learning the history and values that created it can often be more of a curse than a blessing.

Our clients would finish signing all their documents and feel really good about the legal and financial elements of their legacies, but they felt something was missing. They were afraid that leaving future generations with wealth might destroy their motivations. They felt their beneficiaries might not use the money well and that it could even destroy them.

Clients would often tell me that they felt I knew them better than their own family knew them. They had amazing stories of how they built their wealth and businesses. Some had courageous immigration stories, cultural information and faith journeys that they desperately wanted to pass along to future generations but didn’t know how.

That’s when I started searching for ways to help them pass along personal and family stories, legacy letters and Making a Difference Plans.

I found the Association of Personal Historians (no longer in existence) which was an international group of folks helping people capture their stories in many different ways. I connected with Dr. Cheryl Svensson of The Birren Institute for Guided Autobiographical Studies and with Dr. Barry Baines of Living Wisely. I went through training and certification courses in interviewing techniques, Guided Autobiography, Ethical Wills/Legacy Letters, etc.

These different processes gave me valuable tools to offer to clients and ultimately to estate planning professionals and the general public.

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

In addition to my previous work in estate planning, I served as the USA Director for an international nonprofit organization and as an account executive in the litigation support field. I also strategized with churches in the area of generosity and legacy planning. I have always loved to write and completed a certificate course in creative writing from Biola University. I started More Than Words, Inc, in 2011 and have taken hundreds of people through the process of writing their life stories, legacy letters and making a difference plans.

The work I do is very high touch. Even though I offer my services online as well as in person, it is very personal and goes deep. I do not simply offer you a list of questions or have you fill out a questionnaire on a website. These processes are meant to be extremely personal and revealing. People often start the process thinking they are doing this work for their families, but they soon realize that it can also be one of the meaningful things they ever do for themselves.

Most folks know that by a certain point in their life, they have learned a lot of valuable lessons and have a history and values that they should be passing down, but they don’t know how to get started. You need a tried and true process. You need accountability. You need encouragement. That’s what we offer.

The thing that I am most proud of about this work is that it changes people’s lives for the better. It is common for me to hear that going through this process has been one of the most meaningful and important experiences of their lives. I have seen estranged families re-engage and reunite. I have seen people that are in the middle of transitions find new paths and ignite new passions. I have seen deep friendships that started in these writing groups that go on for years. The process invites deep connections between people in a gentle and supportive way. Plus, we have written and preserved stories that will serve as inspiration and roadmaps for generations to come.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

I funded the initial capital needed to start my business myself. I started slowly and first paid for all the training I needed to really understand the processes and to make sure I would be able to give my clients the very best services.

I paid for training through The Birren Center for Guided Autobiographical Studies and for training through Living Wisely. I was able to take the training for GAB online which was helpful. The training through Living Wisely required my travel back to Minnesota for an intensive 1 week immersion training. This was the biggest investment I made.

I then paid for things like business cards, a brochure and a website. Eventually, I was asked to attend some conferences and so I had a few visual aids made for booths, etc. I then invested in a projector and screen for educational speaking opportunities.

I estimate that my total start up costs were about $5,000.00

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

It’s amazing that as I look back on my life, I see that almost every job, every experience I had prepared me to do this work. Working in the legal field for many years is an incredible training ground. You definitely learn about people and human behavior. You learn what NOT to do and how to avoid troublesome situations. It taught me situational awareness which is a priceless skill.

As mentioned before, I learned that wealth is not always a positive thing. Rich people have a lot of challenging problems and are quite unsure of relationships and motives. They are definitely not the happiest people on earth. I learned that generosity and connection are the things that make for a happy and fulfilled life – not a lot of money.

I believe that my background in the legal field has given me credibility with estate planning attorneys and financial planners. They know I understand the field and all the components of excellent legacy planning. They know I know how to work with their clients, how to be appropriate and yet confident.

My love of writing and family and family history is apparent to all who meet with me. That is truly my passion. I am also wired to help people. That gives me a great deal of satisfaction and fulfillment. People can see that in my teaching, facilitating and coaching. I understand and value confidentiality as well and that is of the utmost importance in this type of work.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.morethanwordsinc.com
• Instagram: sherikohlmann
• Facebook: Sheri Kohlmann – More Than Words, Inc.
• Linkedin: Sheri Kohlmann