Genealogical Researcher

Startup Costs: $2,000 - $10,000
Home Based: Can be operated from home.
Part Time: Can be operated part-time.
Franchises Available? No
Online Operation? Yes

Almost everybody likes to know their roots, where they came from and what personality traits may be at the base of their own characters. It gives you a sense of tradition, a firm tie to the past as well as the present, and a chance to adopt the land of your forebears. And you never know if that family history search might turn up a link to distant royalty! If you love nothing better than tracking historical mysteries, tracing the sometimes tangled threads of births, deaths, marriages and emigration to foreign shores, then this could be the business for you. As a genealogical researcher, you'll delve deep into family histories, sketch family trees and inform your clients of the secrets of their pasts. The advantages to this business are that you can start with a minimum investment, part time if you like, and if you like historical research, you'll have a ball spending your time digging into the past. You'll need experience in genealogical research, an obsession with getting to the root of your clients' roots, and an organized, detail-oriented personality.

The Market

Your clients will be people who want to discover their family histories. Attract their business by advertising in local newspapers and national or regional history-oriented publications. Write articles and give seminars or workshops at local colleges and for civic or special-interest groups like Civil War re-enactors and historical societies.

Needed Equipment

You'll need a computer with an inkjet or laser printer, the usual office software, genealogy software and internet access--you'll find scads of sources on the web.