Both the business and the marriage will survive, probably.

Both will save a little money. But they'll also lose something much more valuable.

Why squander an opportunity to celebrate and strengthen something you've worked so hard to create?

After the burst of the dot-com bubble and Enron, it makes sense to remind the world that your business is built on enduring values and is well-positioned for the future.

One of the best ways to do so is to capture your legacy on paper or video.

What's the best time? Are you approaching a major anniversary or other milestone? A generational change of leadership? These events naturally lend themselves to commissioning a history.

However, don't make the mistake of being tied to a calendar. Are your founders of an age where if they don't tell their stories soon, those stories may disappear forever? If so, seize the moment.

When I wrote my first corporate history, for an insurance company in Connecticut, I interviewed dozens of employees and retirees. "You've got to talk to Dick!" everyone urged me. "He worked here for fifty years. He knew everyone and saved everything. Dick understood this place like nobody else."

The project stretched out and Dick's interview got postponed. I wouldn't have let that happen had I known Dick had touches of dementia.

By the time I got to him, just a few months later, his memory was eroded. I'll never know how much we didn't learn from Dick.

What's involved? A company can tell its story in many ways ­ from an illustrated booklet to full-fledged book to a video, DVD, trade exhibit, or lobby display.

As a family business, you might also want to weave in some genealogy. Your intention and budget will determine the scope.

Whether you keep it small-scale or go all out, don't cut corners. The quality of what you publish reflects who you are.

One good way to start: Add a special section to your Web site. It might include a historical overview, some photos, and a timeline. This will help you organize your material and decide how to move forward.

How long does it take? The nature of history is such that it can't be produced overnight. Each company's source material is unique.

Oral history interviews are essential. They yield information, anecdotes, and company/family legends that can't be obtained any other way.

It's also necessary to dig up and comb through past materials. Few companies possess neatly catalogued archives and photo libraries.

More often, "stuff" resides haphazardly in boxes and closets. Putting out a call to employees and retirees sometimes turns up hidden gold.

Interviews and research are the first steps. The subsequent ones ­ writing, design, and the production of a book, video, and/or DVD ­ also take time.

The only rule of thumb is this one: Working well in advance of your desired publication date will save you time and money.

What's the payoff? Documenting your history is a little like having kids. It's less about the financial bottom line than about honoring your past and committing to the future.

At the same time, it will provide tangible value to your company and its audiences ­ employees, advisors, shareholders, the community, and others.

I see at least nine good reasons to invest in a history:

• To leverage a unique asset
• To show the world who you are and why you've succeeded
• To set yourself apart from competitors
• To foster loyalty
• To preserve and expand knowledge
• To review "lessons learned"
• To brag a little
• To create a platform for the future
• And simply to celebrate

When potential clients call me about company histories, I ask them if they believe in the business wisdom that "what gets measured gets done."

No one yet has answered no. In the same way, I remind them that "what gets written gets remembered."

Ten, 20, or 100 years from now, will future generations understand what you did and what mattered to you? Not if you haven't left a record.

Commissioning a history can be the best gift you give your family-owned company.