Ravi Bhankharia knew he couldn’t go back in time to ask his grandparents the questions he wished he’d asked. But maybe he could help other families avoid that regret.
That late-night thought sparked something much bigger: the Fireside Life Story Card Pack, a beautifully simple way to spark conversations and record family stories before they’re lost.
How It All Started
After a heart-to-heart with his brother, Ravi couldn’t shake the feeling that there had to be a better way. So, he started sketching ideas.
“As I imagined people laughing and crying together while recording stories, I knew we had to make it real,” Ravi recalls.
The Simple, Powerful Solution
What began as some late-night napkin sketches turned into something truly special:
✅ A deck of 100 thoughtfully crafted conversation cards
✅ Paired with a companion app that’s so simple, anyone can use it—no downloads needed.
✅ Just scan a QR code, and start recording your stories.
Crafting The Right Questions
The hardest part? Not the tech. It was writing questions that helped people open up easily, across generations.
Ravi and his team spent six months testing prompts with family and friends to get them just right—questions that move beyond small talk to spark laughter, reflection, and connection.
That first version was just some printed index cards and a basic web app that barely recorded audio. Today, Fireside lets you capture high-quality video recordings, with automatic transcription and highlight reels, all in a simple, family-friendly experience.
Families Are Feeling The Impact
The most rewarding part has been hearing from families who’ve used Fireside to record stories they thought were lost forever. Like the family who recorded their mom’s childhood memories—and then shared those videos with her grandchildren, who’d never heard them before. One conversation turned into a connection across three generations.
“Hearing from families who tell us Fireside helped them connect in a way they never thought possible—that’s the true success for me,” Ravi shares.
Creating Fireside also changed how Ravi approaches his own family time. He now asks better questions, listens more closely, and cherishes those everyday moments.
Part Of The Grommet Community
For Ravi, joining The Grommet community is about more than selling a product. It’s about being part of a group that believes in meaningful solutions and supporting small businesses making a difference.
“It’s inspiring to know we’re not alone in trying to bring thoughtful, meaningful products into the world, and that there’s a community rooting for each other,” he says.
His mission is simple: help families avoid the regret he and his brother felt. By making it easy to capture the voices and stories of your loved ones, Fireside helps preserve what matters most, before it’s too late.
“Remembering why we started Fireside: so no one else has to feel the regret of not connecting more with their families and preserving their stories.”
Try It for Yourself—and Help Others Discover It
Lucky for you, the Fireside Life Interview Card Pack is available right now on Grommet. Give it an upvote to unlock 20% off your order—plus your vote helps Fireside get discovered by more shoppers.