Start With the Future and Work Back: A Heritage Management Manifesto

Start With the Future and Work Back: A Heritage Management Manifesto is a lively, often amusing, but seriously perceptive take on the business of history and the history of business. The book explores The History Factory’s role in creating and shaping the global heritage management industry, drawing on its work with a broad array of corporations and the original business characters the firm has served since its founding in 1979. At its heart, the book is a 21st century survey of innovative business leadership that builds on the stories of courageous leaders at corporations willing to dig deeply into their inventory of experiences to support authentic communications, establish credible brand positioning, and improve employee retention and recruitment. Iconic examples of inside-out business positioning using heritage range from the sartorial remake of Brooks Brothers to stories of innovation told by company employees at Subaru; from New Balance’s immersive global headquarters exhibit that aptly conveys its dynamic culture to the creation and maintenance of the Wrigley archive. The book makes a powerful case for the brand value of applying corporate heritage for companies seeking to grow and remain relevant in a competitive, global economy.

Table of Contents:
Foreword Introduction Chapter 1: Start With the Future and Work Back— The Art and Utility of Historical Storytelling Chapter 2: A Storehouse for Storytelling—How to Build—and Maintain—a Better Corporate Archive Chapter 3: Know Thyself—Oral Histories and the Enduring Value of Institutional Memories Chapter 4: Seeing is Believing—The Power of Corporate Exhibits and Organizational Icons Chapter 5: How to Tell a Meaningful Story—Video, Online Narratives and Corporate Heritage for the Digital Age and Beyond Chapter 6: The Power of StoryARC—The Art of Turning Crisis into Opportunity Chapter 7: Authenticity Sells—The Power of Corporate History in an Age of Convergence Acknowledgments Index

About the Author :
Bruce Weindruch, The History Factory’s founder and CEO, revolutionized corporate America’s use of history. His unique background, blending history and business, has given him the insights to help major corporations, nonprofit organizations and associations use historical resources to benefit their bottom line. Bruce has amassed millions of frequent flyer miles advising some of the most admired global companies and brands, including Abbott, Adobe, Boeing, City of Hope, Goldman Sachs, Kimberly-Clark, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Pfizer, the Rockefeller Foundation, Shell Oil, Subaru, Whirlpool and Wrigley. Bruce is a frequent featured speaker at corporate meetings, and is a guest lecturer at Grinnell College and DePaul University. Bruce received his B.A. in American Civilization from Grinnell College and attended the George Washington University/Smithsonian Affiliation Ph.D. program. Before founding The History Factory in 1979, Bruce was a staff member at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, a Smithsonian Associates faculty member, and a director of the Museum Education Roundtable.