You know if you are one. You have been longing for a way to make genealogy your daily bread and butter. Or, maybe a sideline income or a retirement gig. It’s happening—the rise of the genealogy entrepreneur. I can feel it, and I like it.
Hungry for certification and more
I don’t have statistics to back me up on this yet. It was mostly a strong hunch until I hosted a seminar last week and invited people to come to Birmingham, Alabama, to hear an hour-long session on genealogy certification by Judy Russell. Would we have any takers? Some said we wouldn’t. Nearly fifty people came, and others emailed their anguish that it wasn’t being live-streamed. People were hungry for this.
And the next day, in the breaks between sessions for a day-long seminar, I kept meeting or hearing about people who were working on unique specialties—DNA and the law, genealogy from an archaeological perspective.
I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting an artist who does, among other things, silhouettes for family tree wall charts. They’re all applying their skills, talents, experience, and education to the service of genealogy in unique ways. And whether spoken or unspoken, I hear the longing of the heart of many genealogy friends to make this passion their day job.
Follow your bliss!
How often do we hear Joseph Campbell’s admonition to “follow your bliss,” as we negotiate life in the so-called “rat race”? “Do what you love,” experts further counsel us. Unfortunately, the genealogy field has been slow to offer fertile ground to cultivate that ambition.
A lot of things slowed us down in opening up this field for professionals. Twenty-five years ago, when I was a baby genealogist, hardly anyone could do genealogy with regularity, unless retired or supported by a spouse, because archives were not open on the weekends.
Genealogy also had and has a marvelous benefactor in the Latter-Day Saints. We thank them and want that to go on forever. But, I suspect this got us in the habit of expecting everything to be free. Making a living at genealogy, therefore, appeared to be an unlikely thing for all but a few.
And then there was the internet…then DNA
In the early 90s, we started hearing the beautiful words, “You’ve got mail.” The internet had gone public. And genealogy got ready for prime time. More recently DNA sealed the deal.
DNA, along with the ever-increasing availability of digital sources, is making genealogy the passion of the masses. And where the masses go, people are needed to serve them. Also, thanks to the internet, it has become completely possible to create your own business and serve people worldwide with no corporation paying the bills.
I said “possible.” We are in the years of developing potential. Most who are generating income from genealogy right now have other sources of income. But I think most entrepreneurs start that way. Some will cultivate it to a livelihood, and some will turn their brilliant ideas into corporations. Some will dabble for welcomed spending money. And some will try and fail, and maybe try again. This is the perfect time to be connected to this field for aspiring genealogy entrepreneurs.
Genealogy entrepreneurs of many hues
We don’t begin to know all the ways genealogy entrepreneurs might invent a passionate livelihood. The traditional path of doing genealogy for others or educating others in genealogy will continue to thrive I think. The traditional paths will grow more and more specialized, of course. (Don’t you think an archaeologist applying her education to genealogy could yield some fascinating developments?)
We’ll also see a rise in genealogists being hired for outside ventures. They’ll be aiding forensic efforts in greater numbers—solving crimes and connecting families to repatriated MIA remains. And some will be working for attorneys, seeking next of kin in estate settlements.
The genealogy entrepreneur supporting the field
I think the greatest potential will be in ventures supporting genealogy, rather than doing it. After all, most are drawn to genealogy because they want to do it themselves.
Publishers, writers, editors, communicators—my fields—will find a niche. Artists and graphic designers might specialize in supporting the field. And how great would it be to have experts in architectural renderings, who can look at the footprint of long-ago buildings and draw them in exact proportion and living color? Computer programmers will be needed to create new tools, fix old tools, and convert data between them. Records need to be digitized and indexed. And genealogy needs to find its rightful place in academia (but that’s a bone to pick another day).
As I look at all this potential, I also know we are going to need experts in business, accounting, marketing, and law. Someone has to teach all these entrepreneurs how to run a business (and not end up bankrupt or imprisoned). And godspeed to us the marketers who know how to convince people that you should be ready to pay a fair price for the value that others give you. Heaven knows, our field needs that.
Here is your call to action…
I am excited about the prospects. I am curious to hear about the ventures I haven’t even dreamed of. In fact, I might write a book about it.
Will you comment here, or email me at donna@publishgold.com and tell me about your entrepreneurial idea? Or pass it along to a friend who has one.
For those of you who have just been pondering, hoping, wondering—the closet entrepreneurs—get to work on your business plan. We have work to do!
