In life, there are talkers and there are listeners. While nobody is purely one or the other, I tend to fall into the latter camp. I genuinely enjoy hearing stories told by others. Whether a close friend or a stranger on a plane, I often find myself listening raptly as someone shares adventures from their lives. It’s why I love documentaries, and it’s why I love interviewing people. And I think there is an art of listening.

Interviewing isn’t about asking the right questions; it’s about listening. The story you think you’ll get is never the one you end up with. Good stories have unexpected twists and turns, and as an interviewer, you need to keep your ears open for moments that challenge expectations.

At the same time, you can’t surrender to chaos. Storytellers might ramble, drift off track, or lose the thread altogether. That means, in addition to listening, you must stay anchored to your purpose. Balancing those two sometimes contradictory goals can be challenging. But, with practice, you learn the subtle art of yielding enough to discover new stories, but not so much that the interview becomes a jumble of disconnected details. These guided conversations bring authenticity, capturing defining moments and quiet reflections.

Interviewing isn’t just something we love — it’s what we do best. Wildflower creates a reflective space where stories unfold with emotional depth, shaped by voices, expressions, and the pauses that frame meaningful remembrance. Interviewees speak directly to their relationships, ensuring thoughtful curation, whether recounting defining moments or offering their perspective on a life well-lived.

Filmed interviews bridge absence with presence. We think broadly about who we might talk to — friends, family, co-workers. We also interview the wonderful person themselves for living testimonials, a powerful way to preserve their voices, stories, and wisdom.

We conduct interviews in person or via video conferencing, whichever method best serves the story you’re looking to tell. One of my favorite ways to conduct interviews is at the memorial celebration itself. Our Remembrance Chair offers guests a quiet space to share thoughts and preserve memories in real-time, when reflections are most genuine.

Every voice carries meaning, every story holds weight. Even the quietest person has something to share — a reflection, a moment, a lesson. Interviews aren’t just conversations; they’re acts of preservation, capturing memories before they fade, ensuring that laughter, love, and wisdom echo beyond a single lifetime. These stories aren’t just recorded; they are honored, cherished, and passed forward. When we listen, we keep them alive.