Publisher of Personalized Children’s Books

Start-up cost: $5,000–$15,000

Potential earnings: $20,000–$40,000

Typical fees: $15–$30 per book

Advertising: Business card, bookstores, preschools, direct mail, flea markets

Qualifications: Writing capability and computer aptitude

Equipment needed: Computer with specialized layout and binding software/ equipment, color laser or digital printer, digital camera

Staff required: No

Hidden costs: Editorial and design mistakes

What You Do

Customized picture books can brighten any kid’s day. After all, what could be better for a kid than reading a story with his own name and photo throughout? With these picture books, kids can actually be a character in the book they are reading, and many parents are more than willing to pay money for such a personalized item. You’ll produce books using one of a few templates, and then simply drop in the child’s name and photo via computer. Then you’ll print the books out on the laser printer, bind them, and package them up for your customers. You can get the word out by advertising in community newspapers. Or rent a mall kiosk during weekends or holidays to sell your services directly and in a place where you can produce products on the spot.

What You Need

Your prices will range from $15–$25, depending on the length of the book. There will be an initial investment around $10,000 for your basic equipment setup and paper stock. If you’re not great at creating your own stories, you’ll likely be buying into a franchise. Expect to shell out a franchising fee of $30,000–$50,000, but if you do, you may be thankful for the support and the ease of production that

Results from such an affiliation. You’ll have to use mockups or prototypes to sell your services, so don’t forget to include a few sample books in your start-up plan.

Keys to Success

This is a fun and entertaining venture. Who wouldn’t love to make a child smile and get paid for doing it? The flipside of that is the frustration of working with difficult customers. It goes with the territory, since you’ll likely be in a retail setting. Be prepared for little tantrums every once in a while.