The Indiana Jones of Business Archives

Not only is Neil Dahlstrom the author of the business historical narrative Tractor Wars, but he’s also the Branded Properties and Heritage Manager at John Deere. Before that, he was Deere’s Corporate History and Archives Manager. Neil admits he wanted to be Indiana Jones when he grew up and even worked in a museum in high school. During this conversation, we learn what a corporate archivist does and how to start a company archive.

Interview Highlights

This is a bonus episode with Neil Dahlstrom, the author of Tractor Wars. I have never visited with a business archivist. After my interview with him about his book, I wanted him to stick around for a second conversation to talk about his fascinating work. Below are the questions that Neil answered:

1. How did you land your first job in this field after graduating with a master’s degree?
2. What is the difference between a corporate archivist and corporate history?
3. What is the role of oral history?
4. What would be your advice to CEOs today on business history?
5. “I want a job like Neil.” How does one get started?

Important Links

• Neil’s LinkedIn profile
• Twitter account
• Neil’s website