Usually, when someone sits down with me, they give off with a specific kind of nervous energy.
It’s the energy of having too many tabs open, both in their browser and in their brain. They’re thinking about the Instagram algorithm, the email list they haven’t emailed in three months, and that one person on LinkedIn who seems to have it all figured out. They come to me because they have a mission, but they’re buried under the "shoulds" of the internet.
They want to talk about strategy. They want to talk about "reach." They want to talk about how to sound like an expert.
I usually let them talk for a few minutes. I listen to the overwhelm. I pay attention to the way they speak about their business or brand. And then, I stop them. I lean in a little, and I ask the one question that changes the entire temperature of the room.
"What’s the one thing you want people to remember about you?"
That’s it. That’s the whole question.
It sounds simple, almost too simple. But in my years as a scribe, I’ve realized that this is a pivotal question. If we don’t have the answer to this, we’re just making noise; And I don’t know about you, but I think there’s enough noise in the world already.
Cutting Through the Marketing Noise
We live in a world that prioritizes the "now." Everything is about the next post, the next trend, the next 24-hour story cycle. It’s exhausting. For mission-driven people, the creatives, the nonprofit founders, the community leaders, this pace feels particularly wrong. Your work isn't about a 24-hour cycle; it’s about making an impact that lasts.
Most of us are so busy trying to keep our heads above water that we forget we’re actually building something. Every blog post, every newsletter, and every caption is a brick. If you don’t know what kind of building you’re making, you’re just throwing bricks in a pile.
When you answer the "memory question," the noise starts to fade. Suddenly, it doesn't matter if you missed a Tuesday post or if your reels aren't trending. What matters is whether or not the words we are putting out into the world are consistent with who or what you want to be in someone’s memory.
Memory Work as a Business Practice
I like to think of storytelling as a form of memory work.
In the nonprofit world, this is vital. People don't donate to organizations because of a list of statistics; they donate because they remember a story. They remember how you made them feel. They remember the specific person or people whose life was changed because of your work.
If a nonprofit wants to be remembered as the "bridge to a better future," every piece of copy we write needs to feel like a bridge. It needs to be sturdy, clear, and inviting. If they want to be remembered for their "unwavering transparency," then we tell the hard stories, too, the ones about the struggles and the things that didn't go as planned.
For creatives, it’s even more personal. You are your brand. Your voice is your most valuable asset. If you want to be remembered for your unfiltered honesty, we don't polish your words until they're shiny and fake. We leave the edges a little rough. We keep it real.
Moving From "What" to "How"
Once we have the answer to that one big question, my job as a scribe becomes much easier. I stop being a consultant giving you a list of chores and I become your partner in execution.
Instead of wondering what to say, we just look at the memory we’re trying to build. We ask ourselves: Does this story help people remember that we are [Your One Thing]?
If the answer is no, we don't write it. If the answer is yes, we double down.
This approach is why I’ve moved away from the typical agency model. I don’t want to give you a "strategy" and then leave you to figure out how to do it. I want to tell the stories for you, or at least help you tell your stories properly. I want to handle the copy and storytelling while you do the work you were actually meant to do and actually want to do.
Most people I work with are too close to their own mission to see the themes. They’re in the trenches. They see the mud and the hard work. I get to sit on the edge of the trench and see the larger arc of the story. I get to see what you're actually building while you're just trying to get through the day.
Why Mission-Driven People Struggle with This
It’s hard to talk about ourselves. It’s even harder to talk about legacy without feeling a little bit like we’re being dramatic.
But here’s the truth: if you don’t decide what you want to be remembered for, the world will decide for you. They’ll remember you for your typos, or your inconsistent posting, or that one weirdly aggressive email you sent when you were stressed.
Controlling the narrative isn't about being manipulative; It’s about being intentional.
When we work together through a service like social media management, we aren't just trying to get likes. We are curating a digital archive of who you are and what you stand for. We are making sure that when someone finds your page three years from now, they get a clear sense of your heart.
The "Scribe Method" of Legacy Building
When I’m working on messaging for a client or managing their presence, I’m constantly looking for the "echo."
The echo is that recurring theme in your life or your business that keeps popping up. It’s the thing you say when you’re not "on." It’s the reason you started your nonprofit in the first place, or why you picked up a paintbrush when you were six years old.
That echo is usually the answer to the question.
- If you find yourself always talking about community, then that is what you should be remembered for.
- If you find yourself always talking about justice, then that is your legacy.
- If you find yourself always talking about the beauty in the small things, then that is the story we tell.
Once we identify that, we stop trying to be everything to everyone. We stop trying to be the "expert" and start being the guide. We stop trying to "market" and start trying to connect.
How to Find Your Answer
If you’re sitting there thinking, "I have no idea what I want people to remember," don't panic; It takes time. It’s not something you find in a weekend workshop. It’s something that reveals itself through the work.
But if you want a shortcut, look at your mission or vision statement, your biography, or even your about page on your website, if you have those things (if not, we can work through that too!). Read it out loud. Does it sound like a proper representation of you? Or does it just sound like something you threw together?
If it's the latter, we have work to do. We need to find the human in the history. We need to find the one thing that makes you, you.
My goal for every client I work with is to make their lives easier by taking the struggle of messaging and communication off their plate. I want to give you back your time so you can go out and actually be the person you want people to remember. I’ll handle the archives; you just keep making history.
Scribe Challenge: Take five minutes today: put your phone in another room: and write down three things you want someone to say about you when you’re not in the room. Don’t think about your business or your job title. Think about your character. Which one of those three feels the most like home? That’s your answer.
If you’re ready to stop shouting into the void and start building something that actually sticks, I’d love to help you execute that vision. You don't need a coach to tell you what to do; you need a partner to help you do it.
