We believe every life story deserves to be heard.
ToldFirst was born from a simple regret: not asking enough questions while there was still time. We're building the tool we wish we'd had.
Why we built ToldFirst
We looked at what exists for capturing life stories and found the same pattern everywhere: your parent, alone, doing homework.
Some services email weekly prompts and ask your parent to type their answers. Great if your parent is Hemingway—most aren't. Others send video prompts where your parent talks to their phone, alone, while AI does the "listening."
In both cases, the gift-giver is absent. The "experience" is an assignment. And the most meaningful part—actually being there, asking questions, hearing stories together—never happens.
We asked a different question: What if you actually want to be there?
ToldFirst is the only platform built for two people having a real conversation. We don't send your dad homework. We sit you down together—with an AI guide who's done the prep work, knows what to ask, and makes sure no moment is missed.
The session is the product
When you spend an hour with your dad, asking real questions, listening to stories you've never heard—that hour becomes a memory. Not a chore you're checking off, but a moment you'll remember for the rest of your life.
The recordings, the transcripts, the eventual book? Those are treasures for generations to come. But they're icing on the cake.
The cake is the time you spent together.
Others optimize for the artifact and treat the experience as a means to an end. We optimize for the experience and treat the artifacts as a natural byproduct of something meaningful.
What we believe
Stories before stats
We don't care about word counts or session lengths. We care about capturing the moments that matter—the story about the time your grandfather got lost in the woods, the reason your mother chose her career, the small kindness that changed someone's life.
Human-first AI
Our AI is a guide, not a replacement. It helps you ask better questions and organize what you capture—but the conversation is always between you and your loved one. The technology stays invisible.
Privacy is sacred
These are your family's most intimate stories. We encrypt everything, never sell data, and give you complete control over who sees what. Your stories belong to your family—forever.
Imperfection is beautiful
We don't over-edit or over-produce. The pauses, the tangents, the moments where someone gets emotional—those are the real treasures. We preserve authenticity, not polish.
Built by a small team with big hearts
ToldFirst is a passion project built by people who've experienced the regret of not capturing stories in time. We're committed to helping families avoid that same regret.
Based in the USA. Serving families worldwide.