Chamber of Commerce - NARRATIVE İNFRASTRUCTURE

More Than a City: It is 1001 Stories

Build Continuity for Resilient Commercial Community

Help the public you serve by starting from what they already understand:

Gathering narratives of past successes and innovations, inspiring current businesses to adapt and thrive
Analyze oral histories to identify recurring themes and trends in the local economy, providing valuable data for chamber members
Identify spatial areas or market segments in need of boosters and advocacy
Guide new enterprise to favorable locations, stand them up with local support
Re-frame technical data in presentations to the community in terms they already understand.

Support Your Members

Develop Leads by Leading with Stories

By leveraging the power of oral histories, the chamber of commerce can create a rich tapestry of community experience, fostering a resilient and interconnected commercial environment.

Example Nİ at Denver

Clear Communication, Strong Communities

Narratives are our shared language, and the kids can help!

Help us build

How You Can Use Community Stories to Support Your Members:

Attracting Businesses and Investors

Showcasing the unique character and history of the city, highlighting the stories of successful local businesses and entrepreneurs. This creates a compelling narrative for potential investors and businesses.

"Our local story map, layered with the compelling stories of our city’s entrepreneurial journey, from the humble beginnings of the corner bakery to the rise of our tech startups, paints a vivid picture of our community's resilience and innovation. This map, showcasing our rich history and vibrant present, serves as a powerful tool to attract forward-thinking businesses and investors seeking a unique and dynamic environment."

Support Your Mission

Supporting Local Businesses

Mapping stories of local businesses, their challenges, and successes. This helps the chamber identify trends, provide targeted support, and advocate for policies that benefit local businesses.

"By mapping the oral histories of our local businesses, we've identified key trends and challenges, like the shift to online sales impacting brick-and-mortar stores. This narrative infrastructure allows us to visualize the struggles and successes, enabling the Chamber to provide targeted support, such as digital marketing workshops, and advocate for policies that directly address the needs of our small business community. Our goal is to reinvest in the memory people have so we can hold onto good employees, help them feel a sense of attachment to our city."

Support Your Mission

Promoting Tourism and Cultural Attractions

Highlighting stories about historical landmarks, cultural events, and local attractions. This helps the chamber promote tourism and attract visitors to the city.

"Our narrative infrastructure map transforms historical landmarks and cultural events into engaging stories of people who are still alive, like the tale of the hidden speakeasy during prohibition or the annual folk festival's origins. This map, filled with personal anecdotes and historical context, becomes an interactive guide that attracts tourists seeking authentic experiences, boosting local businesses and enriching our cultural landscape."

Support Your Mission

Identifying Economic Development Opportunities

Mapping stories about the city's economic history, including past industries and emerging trends. This helps the chamber identify opportunities for growth and development.

"Mapping the oral histories of our city's past industries, such as the once-thriving textile mills, alongside emerging trends in renewable energy, reveals untapped economic potential. This narrative infrastructure allows us to connect our historical strengths with future opportunities, guiding our economic development strategies and fostering sustainable growth. The stories give the stakeholders something to frame the issue with, and see opportunities in a wider context of this city."

Support Your Mission

Advocating for Infrastructure Improvements

Documenting stories about transportation challenges, infrastructure needs, and the impact of these issues on businesses. This provides data to support advocacy for infrastructure improvements that benefit the business community.

"By documenting the stories of businesses impacted by traffic congestion and aging infrastructure, we've created a compelling narrative for infrastructure improvements. This narrative infrastructure, filled with personal accounts of delivery delays and accessibility challenges, provides powerful evidence for our advocacy, ensuring our infrastructure supports the needs of our growing business community."

Support Your Mission

Workforce Development

Collecting stories about the skills and talents of the local workforce, as well as the needs of local employers. This helps the chamber develop workforce development programs that meet the needs of businesses.

"Our narrative infrastructure map, capturing the diverse skills and talents of our workforce alongside the evolving needs of local employers, allows us to develop targeted workforce development programs that build skills into a continuity of local work culture. "

Support Your Mission

Community Branding and Marketing

Using community stories to create a compelling brand narrative for the city. This helps attract residents, businesses, and visitors.

"We use the narrative infrastructure map to weave together the stories of our community, creating a compelling brand narrative that highlights our unique character and spirit. This story-driven branding strategy, showcasing our history, culture, and innovation, attracts residents, businesses, and visitors, strengthening our city's identity."

Support Your Mission

Building Partnerships and Collaboration

Identifying areas of common interest and potential partnerships between businesses, community organizations, and city agencies. This helps the chamber foster collaboration and build a stronger business community.

"By mapping the shared interests and challenges of businesses, community organizations, and city agencies, our narrative infrastructure facilitates meaningful partnerships and collaboration. This visual representation of common ground allows us to foster a stronger, more connected business community."

Support Your Mission

Understanding Consumer Behavior

Mapping stories about local shopping habits, consumer preferences, and the impact of economic trends on local businesses. This helps businesses make informed decisions about marketing and operations.

"Our narrative infrastructure map, tracing the evolution of local shopping habits and consumer preferences, provides valuable insights for businesses. By mapping stories of changing consumer trends and the impact of economic shifts, we help businesses make informed decisions about marketing and operations."

Support Your Mission

Advocating for Business-Friendly Policies

Documenting stories about the challenges faced by local businesses due to city regulations or policies. This provides data to support advocacy for business-friendly policies and regulations.

"By documenting the stories of businesses struggling with outdated regulations and bureaucratic hurdles, our narrative infrastructure provides compelling evidence for the need for business-friendly policies. This collection of firsthand accounts strengthens our advocacy, ensuring our city's policies support the growth and success of local businesses."

Support Your Mission

How You Can Use Community Stories to Support Your Members:

Attracting Businesses and Investors

Showcasing the unique character and history of the city, highlighting the stories of successful local businesses and entrepreneurs. This creates a compelling narrative for potential investors and businesses.

"Our local story map, layered with the compelling stories of our city’s entrepreneurial journey, from the humble beginnings of the corner bakery to the rise of our tech startups, paints a vivid picture of our community's resilience and innovation. This map, showcasing our rich history and vibrant present, serves as a powerful tool to attract forward-thinking businesses and investors seeking a unique and dynamic environment."

Support Your Mission

Supporting Local Businesses

Mapping stories of local businesses, their challenges, and successes. This helps the chamber identify trends, provide targeted support, and advocate for policies that benefit local businesses.

"By mapping the oral histories of our local businesses, we've identified key trends and challenges, like the shift to online sales impacting brick-and-mortar stores. This narrative infrastructure allows us to visualize the struggles and successes, enabling the Chamber to provide targeted support, such as digital marketing workshops, and advocate for policies that directly address the needs of our small business community. Our goal is to reinvest in the memory people have so we can hold onto good employees, help them feel a sense of attachment to our city."

Support Your Mission

Promoting Tourism and Cultural Attractions

Highlighting stories about historical landmarks, cultural events, and local attractions. This helps the chamber promote tourism and attract visitors to the city.

"Our narrative infrastructure map transforms historical landmarks and cultural events into engaging stories of people who are still alive, like the tale of the hidden speakeasy during prohibition or the annual folk festival's origins. This map, filled with personal anecdotes and historical context, becomes an interactive guide that attracts tourists seeking authentic experiences, boosting local businesses and enriching our cultural landscape."

Support Your Mission

Identifying Economic Development Opportunities

Mapping stories about the city's economic history, including past industries and emerging trends. This helps the chamber identify opportunities for growth and development.

"Mapping the oral histories of our city's past industries, such as the once-thriving textile mills, alongside emerging trends in renewable energy, reveals untapped economic potential. This narrative infrastructure allows us to connect our historical strengths with future opportunities, guiding our economic development strategies and fostering sustainable growth. The stories give the stakeholders something to frame the issue with, and see opportunities in a wider context of this city."

Support Your Mission

Advocating for Infrastructure Improvements

Documenting stories about transportation challenges, infrastructure needs, and the impact of these issues on businesses. This provides data to support advocacy for infrastructure improvements that benefit the business community.

"By documenting the stories of businesses impacted by traffic congestion and aging infrastructure, we've created a compelling narrative for infrastructure improvements. This narrative infrastructure, filled with personal accounts of delivery delays and accessibility challenges, provides powerful evidence for our advocacy, ensuring our infrastructure supports the needs of our growing business community."

Support Your Mission

Workforce Development

Collecting stories about the skills and talents of the local workforce, as well as the needs of local employers. This helps the chamber develop workforce development programs that meet the needs of businesses.

"Our narrative infrastructure map, capturing the diverse skills and talents of our workforce alongside the evolving needs of local employers, allows us to develop targeted workforce development programs that build skills into a continuity of local work culture. "

Support Your Mission

Community Branding and Marketing

Using community stories to create a compelling brand narrative for the city. This helps attract residents, businesses, and visitors.

"We use the narrative infrastructure map to weave together the stories of our community, creating a compelling brand narrative that highlights our unique character and spirit. This story-driven branding strategy, showcasing our history, culture, and innovation, attracts residents, businesses, and visitors, strengthening our city's identity."

Support Your Mission

Building Partnerships and Collaboration

Identifying areas of common interest and potential partnerships between businesses, community organizations, and city agencies. This helps the chamber foster collaboration and build a stronger business community.

"By mapping the shared interests and challenges of businesses, community organizations, and city agencies, our narrative infrastructure facilitates meaningful partnerships and collaboration. This visual representation of common ground allows us to foster a stronger, more connected business community."

Support Your Mission

Understanding Consumer Behavior

Mapping stories about local shopping habits, consumer preferences, and the impact of economic trends on local businesses. This helps businesses make informed decisions about marketing and operations.

"Our narrative infrastructure map, tracing the evolution of local shopping habits and consumer preferences, provides valuable insights for businesses. By mapping stories of changing consumer trends and the impact of economic shifts, we help businesses make informed decisions about marketing and operations."

Support Your Mission

Advocating for Business-Friendly Policies

Documenting stories about the challenges faced by local businesses due to city regulations or policies. This provides data to support advocacy for business-friendly policies and regulations.

"By documenting the stories of businesses struggling with outdated regulations and bureaucratic hurdles, our narrative infrastructure provides compelling evidence for the need for business-friendly policies. This collection of firsthand accounts strengthens our advocacy, ensuring our city's policies support the growth and success of local businesses."

Support Your Mission

Narrative İnfrastructure at Denver, Colorado:

How a 13-Year-Old started Narrative İnfrastructure:

Unveiling a Living History: Interactive Archives for Learning

We are thrilled to unveil a pioneering project that transforms historical archives into a dynamic, interactive learning experience. Our team at Narrative İnfrastructure revitalized the Barry Matchett University Park Oral History Collection, a remarkable archive collected by then 13-year-old Barry in 1986.

Audio Archive at D.U.

From Scout Project to Digital Map: Revitalizing Local Narratives

We’ve transformed 15 hours of compelling interviews into a “narrative infrastructure,” mapping 383 unique stories that span six decades of Denver’s history in University Park.

Urban Study Using Stories

Empowering Students, Transforming Communities:

Imagine empowering the children of your community to explore the evolution of their community through the firsthand accounts of its residents, locating each narrative on a digital map. This project not only preserves invaluable historical data but also provides a powerful tool for urban management.

Get the Kids Involved!

Barry Matchett & Annita Andrick: click here to visit the Penrose Archives
Plat map of University Park
Oldest surviving home
Observatory of Denver University
Number 8 Train and "White" General Store
Click here to see a video of Berry's stories informing research
Click to launch Denver Narrative Infrastructure

Partner with Narrative İnfrastructure

Build Your Community’s Long-term Voice

Collaboration

Building Narrative İnfrastructure is not complicated, but we need local advocates to motivate and educators to make the CHAT MAP workshop a part of their regular semester and encourage business owners to leverage the data.

CHAT-MAPs is our school workshop program to build narrative infrastructure. The students collect the stories and we combine them:

1. Students collect and do basic mapping using their own devices and off the shelf software.
2. Narrative İnfrastructure compiles and creates the final, comprehensive neighborhood map (gratis for a limited number of classes per semester, apply early.)
3. Narrative İnfrastructure helps teachers involve planners, NGOs, local leaders, and neighborhood associations with the workshop to make the stories the students collect impactful now and into the future.

Nİ Benefits to Business

Get the GIS-ready data for helping your community: story data you can overlay with your usual risk management layers, or stories to ground a presentation or pitch. With robust Narrative İnfrastructure, you can:

- Preliminary concept evaluation before community feedback.
- Frame your proposals as extensions of community stories.
- Identify areas of need and natural supporters.
- Identify areas inappropriate for projects.
- Re-frame subjective data as part of your valuable portfolio.

Flow of Story-Power

Services We Offer

- Training
- Mapping
- Project coordination
- Free continuing education
- Community Engagement Add-on service
- Outreach effort support (planning and marketing materials)

Please fill out the Interest Form: