Intergenerational transfer through writing: the bold career move of Sacha El Baz

From tech to writing: Sacha El Baz has not followed the beaten path. He decided to leave a huge growth sector to devote his time to a more intimate activity: writing family biographies. This shift, the fruit of profound personal exploration, is part of his search for meaning and humanity. With an approach that is very much his own, he captures and transfers the memories of families. We caught up with the entrepreneur who made this bold career move.

Can you tell us about your career before you started writing family biographies?

Sacha El Baz: After my dual degree course at EDHEC and the London School of Economics in 2017, I took a year and a half to travel, learn Hebrew and Portuguese and think about what I wanted to do with my life. I then joined Facebook, initially in Dublin and later in Paris, where I managed the Business Education section for several southern European countries. At the age of 27, I was the youngest member of the Facebook France Steering Committee! It was a highly enriching experience. After that, I left Paris to join a cybersecurity startup in Tel Aviv. But in 2022, everything changed: economic layoffs, the loss of my grandfather and profound self-exploration in terms of my career left me wondering what I really wanted to do over the next few decades.

And so I decided to follow my intuition and set up a business writing family biographies.

Why did you choose the family biography genre, and why did you leave the world of tech?

Sacha:  At the same time as studying at LSE, I wrote the story of my parents and grandparents. That work fascinated me and touched on the forces that drive me and continue to drive me on a profound level: the transfer of memory, writing and emotion.

Memory is a priceless treasure. When someone passes away, they take with them entire chapters of history, memories and knowledge. When my grandfather died, I felt great sadness, but also a sense of calm for I held the book of his lifetime in my hands. That confirmed for me the importance of preserving the stories of loved ones; I was (and still am) convinced that all families have a story to tell.

As for tech, leaving that sector and its promise of financial security was a decision that ran against the grain. I came from a world where everything was moving very quickly, where growth, fundraisers and vast ambitions were the norm. But I felt that I wanted to slow down, create something more personal, more human. Biographies offer you just that: they touch on the intimate and the profound meaning of our lives.

How do you go about accompanying a family?

Sacha:  the process takes place in four phases lasting 6 to 8 months. It all begins with groundwork: I give the family a detailed questionnaire with around 50 questions to gather factual information. This ranges from key dates and places to family anecdotes, as well as addressing their expectations about my writing style and the people I should interview. The more actively families participate, the more the project takes shape from the outset.

Then begins the interview phase, which is the most immersive. I meet with family members for in-depth discussions. These interviews are recorded and concentrate on memories, emotions and key anecdotes. The aim is to move beyond mere facts to capture human warmth, the “vibrations” and subtleties of each story. This is a very powerful phase because it often brings up priceless memories and creates unique moments of sharing between the different generations.

The third phase is the writing. I hand over provisional versions every two or three weeks to get feedback from the family. This is a way to ensure that the story corresponds 100% to their past. The last phase is layout and printing. I collaborate with a graphic designer for a personalised book design with an elegant and timeless style, often bound and printed with high-end finishing.

What effects does this work have on the families?

Sacha:  What I find touching is that it's not just a book, it's an experience. During the 6 to 8 months that I spend with them, the family delve back into their past and enjoy a rare opportunity for dialogue and self-rediscovery. The project serves as a common thread running through the generations: grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren and so on. They all participate in their own way, whether by recounting memories or by bringing me photos and documents. Many of them tell me that it strengthens their family links and almost serves as a form of therapy. I'm not a therapist, but putting things in writing, revisiting key moments in one's life, is often a way to turn the page or soothe certain relationships. The result is a book that celebrates positive aspects, a happy narrative that will remain a treasure for future generations.

Being someone from the outside allows me to establish a relationship of trust that combines intimacy with professionalism. This approach, which is essential to capture family stories, is much harder to apply with one's own loved ones. Having worked with my own family and then others, I have found that it is much simpler to entrust a third party with this task. With a professional, you don't have the same psychological or internal aspects or the same reserve that can hinder discussions within a family.

And what impact does this profession have on you?

Sacha:  It has helped me gain perspective and resituate work in my life. Accompanying families through a process like this constantly reminds me of the importance of what really counts: human relationships, sharing and intergenerational transfer. I also feel privileged to be able to contribute to society in this way, facilitating dialogue between generations and between family members. By writing for families with diverse backgrounds, I am exposed to the most incredible cultural and human wealth.

What has been your biggest challenge in this career move?

Sacha: Listening to my intuition and holding the course despite adverse winds. It was not straightforward, as even those close to me doubted the choice I had made. I left a very well-paid job to take on a project a lot of people felt was risky. But I was convinced that there was real value in creating these biographies, even though demand seemed non-existent initially. It was quite a tough period: I lived off my savings and worked tirelessly to develop this project. But I knew in my heart that what I was doing was meaningful. Now, when I see the emotion in the eyes of family members as they discover their book, I know it was worth the effort.

Any closing comments for those hesitating about embarking on a new journey?

Sacha: Following your intuition requires courage, but it's a profoundly gratifying experience. In a world that's all about startups and fundraisers, I chose an atypical path, but one that truly reflects who I am. It's a difficult choice, but one you won't regret.

Since he founded Biographies Nativ, Sacha has accompanied more than 25 families on this immersive adventure rich in emotions.

=> Find out more: https://linktr.ee/bionativ