Staying in touch with friends and family during a crisis is vitally important. It can help us stay calm, share news, and look out for one another. When meeting in person is off the table, getting together online is a great substitute.

There are lots of ways to stay in touch using technology — so many, in fact, that it can be difficult to decide what’s right for you and your loved ones. Are you a WhatsApp family, for example, or better suited to regular Skype calls?

Here’s a rundown of the most popular means of staying connected, along with some key information about each. We hope it helps!

A Phone Call

This is one of the simplest ways to stay in touch! You can always just give your loved ones a call now and then. One-on-one chats are great for easing anxiety and building relationships, and they’re the social distancing equivalent of going out for a cup of coffee and a catch-up.

If your family or friends live abroad, however, you might find yourself running up quite a phone bill. If that’s the case, try WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or Zoom. All of these allow you to make voice or video calls for free over the internet, no matter the destination.

WhatsApp

https://www.youtube.com/embed/QkvlYq9TazU

WhatsApp is a popular platform for neighborhood groups right now. Many people use it to share information, get to know their neighbors, and look out for anyone who is vulnerable or isolated.

To get started, all you have to do is download the free app to your phone and follow the instructions. Start a group and invite your friends and family using their phone numbers, or make a poster featuring an invite link to stick up in the lobby of your apartment building.

You can share almost anything using WhatsApp, including audio and video. You can also make voice and video calls with up to four participants.

Skype

https://www.youtube.com/embed/yoBR724IraA

Skype is the go-to service when it comes to video calls. It’s free to call anyone as long as they also have Skype; you’ll only need to pay a fee if you want to make a voice call directly to a landline or mobile phone.

Some people find Skype complicated to use. This is because different users have different types of accounts. Some will have a Skype name, some a number, and some a Microsoft account. This can make finding your friends and family on Skype somewhat tricky.

If you’re having trouble getting Skype to work for you, try Zoom instead.

Zoom

https://www.youtube.com/embed/qsy2Ph6kSf8

Zoom does the same thing as Skype, but it’s simpler to use. It’s designed for business meetings, but many people are turning to it now as a way of communicating with friends.

On the free plan, you can hold meetings for up to 100 people and have unlimited one-on-one calls, too. There is a time limit of 40 minutes on group calls, but you can start a second call immediately after the first one runs out the clock. It’s a short interruption that, for many people, is worth it to use the app for free.

Zoom requires much less set-up than other video chat solutions. If you’re having technical difficulties with any other service on this list, give Zoom a try.

Google Hangouts

https://www.youtube.com/embed/XkpjZ7oA_Qg

If you already have a Google or Gmail account, you’ll find Google Hangouts very easy to use. Don’t worry if you don’t, though, as signing up for a Google account takes only a few minutes and is completely free.

Hangouts is also free to use, as long as the person you’re trying to reach also has Hangouts. Simply send an invitation to chat by email, or link your phone to make calls. You can also start long-running conversations with individuals or groups, allowing you to share pictures and send text messages.

If you like Google Hangouts, Google has several other products that might be useful for staying in touch. Google Photos, for example, backs up all your pictures online and lets you share them, while Google Drive lets you share files.

Facebook Messenger

https://www.youtube.com/embed/YiVsDuPa__Q

If most of your family and friends use Facebook, Facebook Messenger is a good way to stay in touch. It lets you easily exchange text messages, pictures, video, audio, and other files, and also allows for voice and video calling with up to six participants.

If you’re a big family, a Facebook Group might be the way to go. Make sure it’s set to private, and then invite everyone via Facebook. You can post anything to the group, including live video. New members can be added at any time, and will see the whole of the chat history when they’re added.

Facebook is also compatible with a smart device called Portal. Portal is a simple screen with a camera that follows you around the room for hands-free video calling. Once set up, it’s as easy to use as an ordinary telephone, and so makes a great gift for someone who isn’t very savvy with technology.

Facetime

https://www.youtube.com/embed/4s1vNywzw-Q

Facetime is an app for one-on-one and group video calling. It’s very popular with iPhone users, but is not available on other devices (such as Windows computers or Android phones). Because of this, it’s only a viable way of staying in touch if all of your friends or family use Apple devices.

Stay in Touch

As you can see, there are many different ways to stay in contact with the people who matter most to you, all while remaining safely isolated. While it can seem like we’re all alone at the moment, our friends and family are still there — and some of them would probably really appreciate a chat! Why not go and start one now?

PS — If you're not quite sure how to use any of the applications listed above, the BBC has published a step-by-step guide to get you started.

Of course, we’re still here too. If you want to make a start on your memoirs while locked down, we’re very happy to use Skype, Zoom, or a straightforward phone call to conduct your interviews.

Get in touch to find out more or sign up for our newsletter to receive more supportive content while staying at home.

A Message from StoryTerrace's Founder & CEO, Rutger Bruining:

Firstly, I'd like to express my best wishes to anyone affected by coronavirus and my gratitude to all the brave men and women fighting this epidemic from nurses, to doctors and researchers, to cleaners of medical facilities.

With the coronavirus outbreak affecting many parts of the world, including London and Los Angeles where our offices are based, I want everyone to know that safety is our top concern. We have put the necessary measures in place and review them on a daily basis.

I also want to reassure our clients around the world that we are well set up to continue to produce books to our very high standards, and take on new clients as normal. In fact, we have never had more projects in production than we have today.

Remote Interview Service

The main change that we will be making is to arrange more interview sessions via video call or phone call. We will be offering video and phone interviews wherever necessary or requested. As part of this service, we will help you to set up your video calls and provide tips on how to create the right environment to make them as personal as a regular meeting.

Many of our clients have already successfully created beautiful books using our remote service - so we can be confident that if you choose to go down this route you will enjoy the experience and be delighted with the results. This means you can create your book with the help of our wonderful team of writers and editors without ever being in the same room. We can even send copies across the country for family & friends to enjoy at home.

As someone who leads a company with offices in Los Angeles and London, and has most of my family abroad, I am a heavy user of video calls, not the least to allow my parents to interact with our baby daughter. I can assure you that you can laugh, cry, brainstorm, problem-solve and simply hang out comfortably via video calls. I often don’t realise that I meet people physically for the first time when we have already spoken several times on FaceTime, Skype, Hangouts, Zoom, or WhatsApp.

The details of our coronavirus policy are below and show you the different ways you can continue to progress the development of your book.

Our thoughts are with those of you in affected areas. For those of you who are staying at home for an extended period, we promise that working on your book will be a great trip down memory lane and hope it will be a welcome distraction during this testing time.

Take care, and let me and my team know if you have any concerns. We are here to help!

Best regards,

Rutger Bruining | Founder & CEO of StoryTerrace

Coronavirus Policy

There is a lot of progress you can make on your book as soon as you get started. From writing down memories in our questionnaire to selecting photos. Once you are matched with a writer it is time to schedule your interviews. We have the following policy when it comes to the interviews:

1. Continuing with Interviews in Person:

If you and your writer are healthy (no cough, cold, or fever), you can continue the interview process in person, so long as that's what you both prefer and it's consistent with government advice and policy in your area. Your writer will discuss with you upfront whether you'd like to keep a certain distance, refrain from shaking hands or take any other precautions.

2. Our Remote Interview Service:

If either you or your writer would prefer not to meet in person, we recommend continuing your interviews via phone or video call.

Your editor will be able to give you guidance on getting set up for video calls and making the interview experience a unique time to reminisce and reflect.

If you aren't sure, we are delighted to offer you a 30-minute test call with your writer to try out our remote service. If you don't enjoy the test, you can wait until the situation improves and continue with in-person interviews then. Of course, the test will not count towards your total interview time with your writer.

3. Postponing Your Interviews:

You have the right to postpone your interviews, no questions asked, until the situation normalises. In the meantime, you can of course continue to add memories to your questionnaire and collect photos for your books.

US-based memoir-writing service StoryTerrace dominates UK’s version of Shark Tank with two offers of investment

• Scaling at speed across the US and UK by turning life stories into books
• CEO Story: Founder Rutger Bruining left behind a career in private equity to help everyday people tell their life stories

The world’s leading biography writing service, StoryTerrace, appeared on last night’s episode of Dragons’ Den – the UK’s version of Shark Tank. The unique service received an emotional response from the ‘Dragons’ and offers from investors Touker Suleyman and Tej Lalvani.

StoryTerrace ultimately went their own way for investment – and in the time since filming the episode, went on to secure an impressive 15 times the investments that they were offered on the show.

Founded in 2015 by Rutger Bruining, StoryTerrace has scaled rapidly, making significant inroads into the US and UK markets simultaneously with offices in Los Angeles and London. The company now boasts a stable of over 600 professional writers across the globe and has sold book projects worth over $5 million. Since recording Dragons’ Den, it has doubled its sales. Given StoryTerrace’s impressive growth thus far, CEO Rutger Bruining has demonstrated how to turn an artistic process into a scalable commercial proposition.

Much in the same way that celebrities work with ghost-writers to curate their autobiographies, StoryTerrace’s service matches professional ghost-writers to everyday people, who are often gifted the opportunity to immortalize their life story by their children. Given that a third of people say that they’ve learned more about their parents’ lives from overhearing conversations, than from speaking to them directly, it’s not surprising that StoryTerrace has proven to be so popular.

In a world of tech startups, StoryTerrace is a company with a very human story

In a scale-up arena saturated with tech startups, StoryTerrace sets itself apart as one of the few companies with a truly emotive, human value proposition. With the rise of impact investing, more investors are now taking a keener interest in the emotive impact of the businesses they invest in – in StoryTerrace’s case, the preservation of family histories for future generations. While these motivations do not replace the focus on returns, StoryTerrace represents a unique combination of a high-growth scale-up and a business which puts genuine human experience at the centre of its proposition.

Plans for scale

2019 proved to be a wildly successful year for StoryTerrace. The past 12 months have seen the company double its sales and grow its in-house team to 20 people. By the end of the year, StoryTerrace plans on growing its current pool of writers to a thousand-strong international roster of biography and memoir-writing professionals, as well as making several new hires in Los Angeles and London to accommodate the rapid growth of the company.

StoryTerrace’s unique service is inherently scalable, both as a result of the appealing service and their proprietary software. StoryTerrace records the specific requirements and desires of each client and matches them to the perfect writer for the project, ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction.

StoryTerrace has also developed its own online portal, via which customers, writers, and editors can seamlessly interact, share creative ideas and media material, and collaborate on the content of the book until the hard-cover, full-colour copies are delivered to their homes.

Rutger Bruining – CEO and Founder of StoryTerrace discusses his appearance on Dragons’ Den:

“We are all hugely proud to appear, and be successful, on a platform as prestigious and well known as Dragons’ Den. The feedback from the investors demonstrates both the significant consumer value and interest in our proposition while the two offers from such well-respected business-people show the financial viability of the idea which as a founder is incredibly gratifying.

After helping to record more life stories than ever before in 2019, we are really excited to see what the future holds. Our ambition is no less than to completely change how society captures and passes on stories. And that over the next 10 years it becomes the norm, not the exception, to have documented the life journeys of our grandparents and great-grandparents in their own words.”

CEO story: Founder of StoryTerrace, Rutger Bruining

As the Founder and CEO of StoryTerrace, Rutger Bruining has a rather incredible story of his own. Born in the Netherlands, Rutger spent a lot of time with his grandfather, who was a member of the Dutch resistance in World War II. As a young boy, Rutger adored listening to tales of his grandfather’s experiences, but he passed away before Rutger was able to record any of his stories. The passing of Rutger’s grandfather proved a pivotal moment in his life which would come back to change the course of his career forever.

Rutger went on to build an impressive academic and professional resume, earning a degree in Business Economics from the University of Amsterdam and an MBA at Columbia University with Honors, after which he became Investment Director at Arle Capital in London. Despite his budding career in private equity, he could not shake the regret of neglecting to record his grandfather’s life stories. In 2014, Rutger could not ignore it any longer and left behind his private equity career to create a platform for people to chronicle their life stories, and those of their loved ones.

Rutger credits his grandfather’s memory and the regret of his stories being lost to history as the motivation to begin what is now the world’s leading biography writing service and finds catharsis in his work, helping thousands of people to immortalize their family’s greatest stories, forever.

(Left to right) Theo Brainin and Rutger Bruining following their successful pitch on Dragons' DenIf you would like any further information on StoryTerrace or would like to speak with Founder and CEO Rutger Bruining, please don't hesitate to contact us: press@storyterrace.com

Get in touch with us to find out how you can write your memoirs with our help and sign up for our newsletter for more exciting news and content.

Hoera! Door Nederlanders geleid biografie-platform StoryTerrace overtuigt investeerders bij Dragons’ Den op de BBC.Het was even spannend, maar de kogel is door de kerk. Twee van de vijf Britse juryleden van het populaire programma Dragons’ Den willen in zee gaan met Nederlandse start-up StoryTerrace. Het is daarmee de eerste succesvolle deelnemer die door Nederlanders wordt geleid. Uiteindelijke koos oprichter Rutger Bruining voor multimiljonair Tej Lalvani, CEO van Vitabiotics.StoryTerrace maakt het voor iedereen mogelijk om samen met een professionele schrijver een biografie te maken. Met een businessmodel dat om mensen draait onderscheidt het bedrijf zich van de vele tech start-ups. Steeds meer investeerders geven aan het menselijke aspect van een bedrijf een belangrijke overweging te vinden. Dit betekent niet dat groei minder belangrijk is, maar wel dat een bedrijf ook impact moet hebben. StoryTerrace past met een zeer persoonlijk product perfect in dit nieuwe besef.Schaalplannen2019 was een zeer succesvol jaar voor StoryTerrace. In de laatste twaalf maanden zijn de sales verdubbeld en het in-house team bestaat nu uit twintig mensen. Aan het einde van dit jaar, wil StoryTerrace haar huidige schrijverspoule hebben uitgebreid tot duizend biografie-schrijvers en ook nieuwe vaste mensen aannemen in Londen en Los Angeles - om de snelle groei te faciliteren.De unieke service van StoryTerrace is schaalbaar, vanwege het gestroomlijnde proces. StoryTerrace verdiept zich in de specifieke wensen van de klant en koppelt deze aan de meest geschikte schrijver voor het project, waardoor het klanttevredenheidspercentage erg hoog is.StoryTerrace heeft ook een online platform ontwikkeld. Hiermee kunnen klanten, schrijvers en editors naadloos samenwerken om ideeën uit te wisselen, documenten te delen en teksten te redigeren - totdat het hardcover boek, volledig in kleur, op de deurmat van de klant ligt.Voor vragen of interviewverzoeken met Rutger Bruining, oprichter & CEO van StoryTerrace, kunt u contact met ons opnemen.Rutger Bruining:“Na het bereiken van de mijlpaal van 1000 levensverhalen vorig jaar, kijken we met vertrouwen uit naar de toekomst. Onze ambitie is helder: de manier waarop mensen hun verhalen doorgeven moet voorgoed veranderen. Over tien jaar moet het de norm zijn om verhalen van je ouders en grootouders te kunnen lezen en door te geven aan de volgende generatie.”(Van links naar rechts) Theo Brainin en Rutger Bruining na hun succesvolle pitch bij Dragon's DenMocht u meer informatie willen over StoryTerrace of wilt u spreken met founder and CEO Rutger Bruining, aarzel niet en neem contact op via: press@storyterrace.comKom in contact met ons en leer meer over hoe u met onze hulp uw biografie kunt schrijven of meld u aan voor de nieuwsbrief voor meer spannende updates.

🚨 NEWSFLASH! 🚨

Met trots kunnen we eindelijk vertellen dat we aanstaande zondag ons TV-debuut maken op BBC 2 bij het programma Dragons’ Den. In Nederland kun je dit ook bekijken; om 22.00u NL tijd.

Onze CEO Rutger Bruining, zal samen met Marketing Director Theo Brainin uit de gevreesde liftdeuren stappen en belanden in het hol van de leeuw. Ze houden daar een ‘elevator pitch’ in het 18de seizoen van het populaire BBC-programma.

Het duo pitcht voor een investering voor StoryTerrace, dat momenteel al het grootste biografie-platform ter wereld is. Het doel is om de snelle groei van het bedrijf hiermee te ondersteunen.

Theo and Rutger staan tegenover de “Dragons” samen met een selectie van StoryTerrace boeken

"Ik verheug me op de uitzending. Wachten wordt beloond en het geheim kan eindelijk naar buiten!"

Betreed de Dragons' Den

Dragons’ Den is een bekend programma in het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Het eerste seizoen werd in 2005 uitgezonden en geeft veelbelovende ondernemers de kans om hun idee binnen 3 minuten te pitchen voor 5 multimiljonairs die op zoek zijn naar projecten om in te investeren. Het doel is om ze te overtuigen van de enorme potentie van StoryTerrace.

Eerdere deelnemers waren Levi Roots, de oprichter van Reggae Reggae Sauce, die The Den betrad met een gitaar - en er na een investering in slaagde om meer producten te verkopen dan Heinz bruine bonen in de supermarkten.

Wie zijn de ‘Dragons'?

Dit jaar bestaat de jury van Dragons uit:

• Peter Jones, telecommagnaat, met een roestvaste plek op de Sunday Times Rich List. Jones heeft een geschat vermogen van £490 miljoen. Hij is de laatste investeerder dat sinds het eerste seizoen aan het programma meedoet.
• Tej Lalvani, scale-up expert en CEO van het multinationale vitamine-bedrijf, Vitabiotics, dat werd opgericht door zijn vader. Hij werkt regelmatig samen met onder andere Heidi Klum en Nicole Scherzinger.
• Deborah Meaden, all-round investeerder, richtte haar eerste bedrijf op toen ze 19 was en wist het amusement- en arcadebedrijf van haar familie voor 33 miljoen Britse pond te verkopen. Ze heeft al meer dan £3.7 million in the Den geïnvesteerd sinds 2006, het jaar dat ze bij het programma begon.
• Touker Suleyman, is een heuse mode- en retail-guru met meer dan veertig jaar ervaring. Hij nam herenmerk Hawes & Curtis over voor £1 in 2001, toen het bedrijf £500.000 in de schuld zat. 13 jaar later was het onder Suleymans leiding £30 miljoen waard. Suleyman wordt ook geprezen voor het nieuw leven inblazen van het Londense modemerk: Ghost.
• Nieuwkomer Sara Davies, is handwerk-koningin en de jongste Dragon die ooit op de investeerders stoel heeft gezeten. Ze richtte Crafter's Companion op, vanuit de slaapkamer in haar studentenhuis. Het bedrijf is nu £35 miljoen waard en heeft wereldwijd 200 werknemers.

"Hopelijk laat de media-aandacht voor StoryTerrace meer mensen inzien dat je de verhalen van geliefden niet hoeft te verliezen."

StoryTerrace Dream Team

Maak kennis met Rutger

Rutger Bruining, geboren in Rotterdam, liet een carrière in de Londense private equity wereld achter zich en nam een sprong in het diepe door StoryTerrace op te richten. Het was zijn droom om een toegankelijke service op te zetten waarmee iedereen op de wereld zijn of haar levensverhaal - of die van een dierbare - kan vastleggen in een boek.

"Ons doel is om ervoor te zorgen dat in de toekomst iedereen zijn of haar levensverhaal kan vastleggen in een boek. Zo kunnen generaties over elkaar leren op een manier die nu nog ondenkbaar is. Hopelijk zal de aandacht voor StoryTerrace meer mensen doen beseffen dat je de verhalen van geliefden niet hoeft te verliezen."

‍

Ontmoet Theo

Theo is een geboren en getogen Londenaar. Hij werkt inmiddels vier jaar bij StoryTerrace. Tot zijn spijt heeft Theo nooit de kans gehad om zijn Zuid-Afrikaanse opa te ontmoeten, maar hij kon wel over zijn opa lezen in een boek dat door de familie was samengesteld. Toen hij zag dat StoryTerrace het voor iedereen mogelijk wilde maken om meer over zijn/haar grootouders te leren, wist hij dat dit de baan voor hem was.

"Toen ik hoorde dat StoryTerrace misschien in de uitzending zou komen, vroeg ik nietsvermoedend of Rutger dan in zijn eentje zou gaan. Een paar weken later belde hij: “Je wilde toch zo graag op Dragons’ Den?” Ik had geen idee wat ik mezelf op de hals had gehaald: Door de mangel gehaald worden voor een miljoenenpubliek. Pas dus op wat je zegt...!"

Wanneer wordt het uitgezonden?

Dragons’ Den met StoryTerrace wordt aanstaande zondag 15 maart uitgezonden, op BBC 2 om 22.00u Nederlandse tijd. We zijn van plan om de Dragons omver te blazen! Of dat ons gaat lukken? Kijk zondag naar BBC2 en moedig ons aan!

Vertel ons wat je vindt!

We vinden het leuk om van je te horen via Social Media of email. Tweet @StoryTerrace, en gebruik de hashtag #DragonsDen. We hopen dat je het een leuke uitzending vindt!

Neem contact met ons op als je meer wilt weten over het schrijven van een biografie of levensverhaal bij StoryTerrace. Of meld je aan voor onze nieuwsbrief voor meer interessant nieuws en content.

We are excited to announce that StoryTerrace made an appearance on the BBC hit show Dragons’ Den on Sunday evening.

Our CEO & Founder Rutger Bruining, together with Marketing Director, Theo Brainin, entered through the Den’s iconic lift doors, featuring in the 17th series of the long-running BBC programme.

The duo pitched for investment in what is already the leading biography writing company in a bid to accelerate the speed at which the business is scaling.

The Dragons´ were intrigued by our story, with Sara Davies in particular being moved by Rutger´s reason for starting the company.

What impressed them even more was being gifted with their very own StoryTerrace biography. Touker exclaimed "Wow! There's my book" while Deborah excitedly said "I love a present!".

After receiving a thorough grilling, with Deborah Meaden pushing for more stats and Peter Jones flashing his rainbow socks, Tej Lalvani finally shook on an investment deal after some tense negotiations!

This time tomorrow there’ll be pitching and possibly, er, riching! Dragons’ Den is at 9pm on Sunday on @BBCTwo…and here’s a sneak peek at the forthcoming action! pic.twitter.com/zNFriusmYz— BBC Dragons' Den (@BBCDragonsDen) March 14, 2020

"Little did I know that I had signed myself up to be grilled on British national TV!"

Enter Dragons' Den

Dragons’ Den first aired in the UK in 2005 and invites promising entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas to five multimillionaire investors in under 3 minutes, in the hope of striking an investment agreement in the Den.

Notable contestants include Levi Roots, inventor of Reggae Reggae Sauce, who came into the Den singing with a guitar - and went on to outsell Heinz beans - the UK's leading baked beans brand - on the supermarket shelves!

Watch a teaser from the current series of Dragons' Den

Meet The Dragons

On the line-up this year are:

Peter Jones

Telecoms magnate who consistently makes the Sunday Times Rich List, with an estimated wealth of £490 million in 2018. He is also the last remaining original Dragon from the series.

Tej Lalvani

Scale-up master and CEO of the multinational vitamin company, Vitabiotics, which was set up by his father and works with the likes of Heidi Klum and Nicole Scherzinger.

Deborah Meaden

All-rounder investor who launched her first company at aged 19, and went on to sell her family's amusement arcade business - Weststar Holidays - for £33 million. She has invested more than £3.7 million in the Den since she joined in 2006.

Touker Suleyman

Fashion and retail guru, with over 40 years' industry experience. He acquired menswear brand Hawes & Curtis for £1 in 2001, when the company was £500,000 in debt and grew it to £30 million just 13 years on. He is also credited with reviving London fashion label, Ghost.

Newcomer Sara Davies

Crafting queen and the youngest ever Dragon to sit in the investor chairs. She launched Crafter's Companion from her university bedroom. The business is now worth £35 million and employs 200 people worldwide.

"Hopefully the exposure will help more people to realize that they don't need to lose the stories of the people they love."

StoryTerrace Dream Team

Meet Rutger

Dutch-born Rutger, built the company from scratch, leaving behind a career in private equity to build a service that allows everyone to turn their life story - or those of their loved ones - into a book:

“The process Theo and I went through with the support of the entire team has been long and nerve-wracking but above all incredibly exciting. I was looking forward to finally being on air. Some say patience is a virtue but it was about time the secret came OUT! Our goal is to make sure in the future every life story is captured so people can learn about their grandparents in a way that seems unimaginable now. Hopefully the exposure will help more people to realize that they don't need to lose the stories of the people they love."

Meet Theo

Theo, a born and bred Londoner, joined StoryTerrace four years ago. He never had the chance to meet his South African grandfather, but he did get to read about him in a booklet put together by the family. When he saw that StoryTerrace was making it possible for everyone to read about their parents and grandparents, he knew he had to join the company:

"When I heard we might be on the show, I idly asked Rutger if he was going to do it by himself. A few weeks later I got a call - "remember you said you wanted to go on Dragons' Den?". Little did I know that I had signed myself up to be grilled on national TV. Be careful what you wish for!"

"After waiting in anticipation for several hours we were surprisingly calm and ready to go - finally the prep was over! This was the real deal"

Behind the Scenes

When Rutger got the call inviting him to apply for the show, this proved to be only the first chapter in his Dragons' Den journey! An extensive process ensued - auditions, interviews, due diligence checks, display preparations, script run-throughs - culminating in their televised pitch in the Den. Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes?

Theo remembered a lot of frantic chasing in order to secure all of the props for the display table and bookshelf: "we drove all the way across London to source an antique typewriter we could use on the set, we scoured plant shops to add some greenery and I asked my girlfriend if I could use her clock radio - every little detail of what you see on TV took some thought, and I was agonizing back and forth over what it should look like!"

Once the props were in place, did he have any other reservations about entering the Dragons' lair? "At first, I was a little nervous that our valuation would put off the Dragons," as the duo initially asked for £90,000 investment in return for 5% of the business. "I knew that we were further along in our startup journey than some of the other contestants but usually it seems that, if the Dragons believe in your concept, they'll make an offer."

Rutger had a slightly different approach to getting ready for the Den: "I knew we had a lot to prepare before the show, including securing permissions to display books from customers as far away as Switzerland and Kuwait."

But he decided he wasn't going to sweat the small stuff: "I was trying to remember all the numbers for the business. As contestants, we didn't know the order of when we would be entering the Den but after waiting in anticipation for several hours we were surprisingly calm and ready to go - finally the prep was over! This was the real deal now."

“Dear Dragon Diary…got up, breathed fire, made life-changing investments, slept.” #dragonsden pic.twitter.com/dQjE6FcA3L— BBC Dragons' Den (@BBCDragonsDen) March 15, 2020

Theo was surprised at the level of due diligence that was needed to be carried out by the BBC team: "I was even asked to provide proof that my grandpa was in fact my grandpa - because I'd talked about him being a lawyer for Nelson Mandela. But it shows that they take it seriously!"

Commenting on the outcome of the result, Rutger said: "we were delighted to receive offers from both Touker and Tej, which showed their belief in our mission for the business. We were slightly torn over our ultimate decision, but Tej was my favourite investor going in. When it came to the deal itself, it got so complicated that no one could recite it! Peter even jokingly asked Tej if he knew exactly what the deal he had agreed on was!"

That @BBCDragonsDen winning feeling 🙌🏾 @rutgernow @theobrainin #DragonsDen pic.twitter.com/tf8ervSO2r— StoryTerrace (@StoryTerrace) March 15, 2020

And what happened straight after? Theo shared: "It's hard to know how you celebrate an offer of investment when you have to keep the outcome a secret from everyone! So we kept it low key - and decided to head to a fast food place at the motorway services on our long drive back to London!"

Reflecting on life after the show, Rutger added: "it's strange to look back after so long. Since filming wrapped, the business has been doing really well and we managed to raise more money at a higher valuation than in the Den. We're excited to enter a new chapter and to create more awareness about a business we are so passionate about."

How can I watch it?

You can catch up with the Dragons´ Den episode we featured in on iPlayer.

(Series 17 Episode 10, first broadcast on Sunday March 15th at 9pm on BBC 2)

For more information on our appearance, check out our official press release.

Tell us what you thought! We’d love to hear your comments via (social media or email). Tweet using @StoryTerrace and the hashtag #DragonsDen. We hope you enjoyed watching!

Get in touch with us to find out how you can write your memoirs with our help and sign up for our newsletter for more exciting news and content.

Stoicism is an ancient Greek philosophy that explores the study of how to live a good and fulfilling life. From cultivating a positive mindset to building emotional strength and self-control when times get tough, the Stoics’ wisdom is still remarkably relevant today.

The leading Stoic philosophers were Marcus Aurelius, the Emperor of the Roman Empire; Seneca, a statesman and leading intellectual figure; and Epictetus, a Turkish slave whose master allowed him to study. Upon his release, Epictetus fled to Rome, where he began teaching philosophy and spreading Stoic wisdom.

Over the course of their lives, the Stoics produced numerous reflections that we can still learn from. Here are some of our favorite pieces of advice from the ancients.

1. Adopt the Right Perspective

A key teaching of Stoicism is to be willing to adjust your perspective. Life is full of ups and downs — that's the inevitable way of it. As Epictetus said in The Enchiridion, "We should always be asking ourselves: Is this something that is, or is not, in my control?"

When you are not in control, it’s wise to remind yourself that you can still control how you think about a situation. Seneca echoed this sentiment when he wrote in his thirteenth letter On Groundless Fears, "We suffer more in imagination than in reality" — words that remind us that people often create their own unnecessary suffering.

Marcus Aurelius clearly felt the same, writing in Meditations: "Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking." If you can adjust your perspective, you can choose to embrace the positive in life, no matter what it throws at you.


Bust of Marcus Aurelius (reign 161–180 CE)

2. Enjoy the Present Moment

Even in ancient Greece, with no distractions from the internet and smartphones, people still struggled to calm busy minds that raced with fears of the future and ruminations on the past. Seneca’s remedy for this in his Epistle was to "Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life."

We particularly love this saying here at StoryTerrace as it resonates with our mission to celebrate each amazing, separate life by telling people’s unique life stories.

Seneca also reminds us of this mindful approach to life in On The Shortness of Life, writing that: "The whole future lies in uncertainty: live immediately." You can never know what the future may bring; you can only focus on what is in front of you, right here and right now.


Modern statue of Seneca in Córdoba, Spain

3. Count Your Blessings

If it was good enough for a Roman emperor, it's good enough for us! In his Meditations, Marcus Aurelius advised, "Do not indulge in dreams of having what you have not, but reckon up the chief of the blessings you do possess, and then thankfully remember how you would crave for them if they were not yours."

This means adopting a positive attitude of appreciation of the simplest pleasures, such as reading a great book, enjoying your daily coffee, or talking with friends. It means bringing the mind back to focusing on the good, again and again. Epictetus shared this view of celebrating what you do have instead of making yourself miserable over what you don't: "He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has."

4. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

The Stoics reminded their students that much of what people concern themselves with is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. By putting your life into a larger context, you can help to ease anxiety and stress. Seneca told his audiences that "A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials."

Challenge is an inevitable part of life, yet when put into perspective, those challenges help you to grow as a person. And another beautiful benefit of going through hard times is that you can pass all those inevitable lessons on to others!

5. Keep an Open Mind

As Epictetus said in his Discourses, "It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows." This means keeping an open mind and heart, knowing that there is always more to discover.

He further advised that there are always different approaches to learning: "Don’t just say you have read books. Show that through them you have learned to think better, to be a more discriminating and reflective person. Books are the training weights of the mind."

We think it's wonderful that such ancient wisdom can still be applied to modern life. It's rather comforting to be reminded that some things never change. By applying these simple concepts, it’s possible to soothe an anxious mind, to focus on what truly matters, and to live a full and enjoyable life along the way.


Illustration of Epictetus in Edward Ivie’s 1715 Latin translation of the book Enchiridion*

If you’ve been inspired by the Stoics to share your own life lessons, StoryTerrace is here to help.

Get in touch with us to find out how you can write your memoirs, or sign up for our newsletter for more words of wisdom from the greats.

Main blog image courtesy of: Stoic Insights

Powerful, wise, fun and loving — Oprah Winfrey is a figure who has undoubtedly shaped the world for good. Whether rising from an impoverished upbringing in rural Mississippi or making history by becoming the USA's first African-American billionaire, Oprah has built her career on telling captivating stories about herself and others.

As perhaps the world’s best-known champion of living a full and inspiring life, it's safe to say that Oprah knows a thing or two about what it means to be human. From overcoming adversity to mastering a positive outlook and achieving inner peace, this queen of media has compassionate words for all occasions. Here are some of our favorites.

Oprah Winfrey Video

“There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction."

On Overcoming Failure

Oprah proves that no one is immune from setbacks and disappointments, no matter what level of success, fame, or wealth they’ve achieved — a theme she shared in her graduation speech at Harvard University in 2013. Early in her career, she was fired by her first boss and told she was "unfit for television news," later saying, "It shook me to my very core ... I had no idea what I was in for or that this was going to be the greatest growing period of my adult life.”

Years later, she had to deal with the fallout from her box office flop Beloved. In this difficult moment, Oprah revealed her tenacity and resilient approach to life:

"It doesn't matter how far you might rise. At some point, you are bound to stumble. If you're constantly pushing yourself higher and higher, the law of averages predicts that you will at some point fall. And when you do, I want you to remember this: There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction."

On Creating Your Own Life

"You define your own life. Don't let other people write your script."

Here Oprah speaks about living life on your own terms, rather than succumbing to pressure from those around you to live a certain way. These words resonate with us here at StoryTerrace, as we are on a mission to help one million people write their own life stories. We also believe that everyone has a unique story to tell, and that each one is worth writing down.

On Learning From Your Hardships

It’s easy to see why Oprah is such a sought-after commencement speaker. In an address to the 1997 graduating class of Wellesley College, she gave this priceless piece of advice:

"Turn your wounds into wisdom."

A beacon of overcoming terrible circumstances and rising to brilliance, Oprah was born in rural Mississippi to a teenage mother in the 1950s. She suffered abuse at the age of nine, ran away from home at 13, became pregnant at 14, and then lost her child, who was born prematurely.

Oprah was able to change her fate when she moved to Nashville to live with her father. There she excelled at school, holding down a part-time job at a local radio station. Through hard work, she eventually created her own empire. Oprah is a champion of turning personal pain into fuel for growth, and her life is a great example of refusing to succumb to adversity.

“If you pull the lever of gratitude every day, you'll be amazed at the results.”

On Aging

"I refuse to let a system, a culture, a distorted view of reality tell me I don't matter," Oprah writes on her website.

Always challenging the norm, Oprah's sentiments on defying social pressure about aging are inspiring. She also says that "Getting older is the best thing that ever happened to me. I wake up every morning rejoicing that I’m still here with an opportunity to begin again and be better."

Here at StoryTerrace, we also take an optimistic approach towards aging, so we find this attitude particularly inspiring.

“Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could be any different.”

On Gratitude

"If the only prayer you ever say is thank you, that will be enough."

In her book What I Know For Sure, Oprah extols the virtues of gratitude. The simple act of giving thanks can have a profound effect on your happiness and experience of life. Oprah makes gratitude a daily priority by writing in her gratitude journal and says: "I've learned from experience that if you pull the lever of gratitude every day, you'll be amazed at the results."

On Forgiving

After interviewing more than 37,000 people on her show over the course of 25 years, Oprah said that one guest on her show in 1990 changed her life with his definition of forgiveness: “It really means letting go of the past we thought we wanted.”

Of this moment, Oprah said: "that was a transcendent moment for me — bigger, even, than an aha. He said forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could be any different.”

These words dramatically changed her outlook for the better.

What We Know for Sure

Oprah's incredible life story and her dedication to telling the stories of others has made a phenomenal impact on the world. She lives her life as an open book, sharing her wisdom and wealth with the world. To borrow the words of Oprah's mentor Maya Angelou, she really is a "phenomenal woman."

If you’ve been inspired by Oprah to share your own life lessons, StoryTerrace is here to help! Get in touch with us to find out how you can write your memoirs, or sign up for our newsletter for more words of wisdom from the greats.

Premium Writer

Diana Holquist is an award-winning writer who has written and published six books. Her work has been translated into five languages and received starred reviews in Publisher’s Weekly. Diana won the New York Book Festival award for Best Novel and has been a Golden Heart, RITA, and Reader’s Choice Award finalist.

A graduate of Columbia University and a former advertising copywriter, today Diana lives in Philadelphia with her husband, the left-behind belongings of two children, and one elderly cat.

Diana and her brother Peter in 1973, showing an early and abiding love for cats.

“I’ve had the privilege to tell amazing stories involving famous people and heroic deeds, but the most memorable stories are often those of people living what might be considered prosaic lives.”

ST: Whose biography would you most like to write?

Yours! Really. I mean it. People get scared away from writing their stories for so many trivial reasons. If I can convince even one person to stop listening to those negative voices and listen to their own voice, then my work here is done.

ST: Why do you enjoy writing for StoryTerrace?

With StoryTerrace, there is tremendous variety. No project is anything like the last. It’s constantly fascinating and challenging.

ST: If you were writing a StoryTerrace book of your life, what would be the title and why?

And Then What Happened?

Preserving the Extraordinary Tales of “Ordinary” People

ST: What is the most memorable story you've told as a writer?

I’ve had the privilege to tell amazing stories involving famous people and heroic deeds, but the most memorable stories are often those of people living what might be considered prosaic lives. One of my favorites was about a woman growing up in Brooklyn: catching the A-train every morning for school, Friday-night Shabbat dinners with her extended family, and dating boys at the JFK airport lounge. It was a hilarious, touching, and unforgettable snapshot of a “regular” family in a place and time that no longer exists.

ST: What is your idea of perfect happiness?

A purring cat. A roaring fire. A bag of M&Ms: regular, not peanut. And a novel that a friend has slipped into my purse while whispering, this will change your life.

ST: What is your biggest fear?

Computer crashes.

ST: Consider your life story. What's the name of the chapter you're in right now?

“Waiting for Grandchildren”

ST: What's something that people would be surprised to learn about you?

When I’m not writing on a computer, I write with a pointed copperplate pen dipped in ink. My mother is a professional calligrapher, and so I’ve studied calligraphy all my life. When other kids were babysitting or slinging burgers, I was addressing wedding invitations and writing place cards. Also, I can juggle.

ST: What is your most treasured possession?

I don’t have treasured possessions. Last year, my husband and I got rid of most of our belongings, rented out our house, and traveled around Europe for a year. I had one suitcase and it was mostly full of books that I left behind wherever I was when I finished them. It was glorious.

Diana in 1972, engrossed in her favorite pastime

ST: Who are your favorite writers?

Today: Charles Dickens for his character portraits; Kazuo Ishiguro for his narrative elegance; and Jesmyn Ward for everything.

Tomorrow: Ask me again. The list will be completely different.

ST: What fictional character do you most identify with?

Max, the little boy in Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are.

ST: Who is your hero?

My kids. Man, it’s hard out there.

Lightning Round!

ST: Salty or sweet?

Chocolate with sea salt. Yum!

ST: Introvert or extrovert?

Introvert.

ST: Paperback or e-reader?

I don’t go anywhere without my Kindle.

ST: Summer or winter?

I just lived for a few months in Helsinki, Finland and it was heaven on earth.

ST: X-ray vision or time travel?

I’m a writer. Watching is what I do.

If Diana's passion for telling people’s unique stories has inspired you to get to work on your own biography, get in touch to schedule a free consultation, or sign up for our newsletter to hear more from our growing pool of writers.