Absolutely — here’s a sharper, more actionable version of the guide with steps you can follow today to launch this as a real side hustle in the U.S.

Business Ideas to Steal: Get Paid to Write Memoirs for Everyday Americans

A Side Hustle Built on Storytelling, Empathy, and Legacy

🧠 What’s the Idea?

Write personal memoirs for ordinary people — seniors, immigrants, veterans, blue-collar workers, small business owners — and get paid to turn their life stories into custom-printed books for their families.

This isn’t ghostwriting for celebrities. You’re helping real families preserve stories before they disappear.

Inspired by Tong Xiaojun, a Chinese millennial who left his job to write biographies for average citizens — and built a thriving business doing it.

Here’s your basic setup:

Digital Voice Recorder Sony Voice Recorder on Amazon – for in-person interviews.

Transcription Software UnMixr – turns long audio files into usable text fast.

Self-Publishing Platform Kindle Direct Publishing – print books on demand with no upfront cost.

Family Tree Research Tool MyHeritage – add depth with photos, records, timelines.

Canva or MS Word – for simple formatting and layout before uploading to KDP.

🧩 Why This Works in the U.S.

• 72 million boomers are retiring — they want to leave something meaningful behind.
• Adult children are spending more on heirloom gifts and legacy projects.
• The service is emotionally valuable, difficult to commoditize, and often paid in full upfront.
• Most people don’t know how to write their own story — but they’ll pay someone who can.

💼 What You’re Selling

A custom-written, printed life story of a real person.

You offer:

• Interviews (audio or Zoom)
• A 50–100 page written memoir
• Light photo inclusion (optional)
• Beautifully bound hardcopy + PDF

🛠️ Step-by-Step Guide to Launching This Side Hustle

✅ Step 1: Package Your Offer

Start with a single, clear service: 📘 “I’ll write and print your personal memoir in 3–6 weeks.”

Basic Package:

• 3 interviews (1 hour each)
• 50-page life story
• 3 revisions
• 1 hardcover printed copy + PDF

Price to charge: $500–$1,500 (depending on scope, photos, depth)

Add-ons:

• Audiobook narration
• Extra copies for family
• Photo scanning & layout
• Framed life quotes or family tree

✅ Step 2: Create Your Interview System

Use this simple flow:

1. Discovery call: What’s their goal? Who’s the story for?

2. Interview structure:

• Childhood & family background
• Career and adult life
• Love, loss, and legacy
• Key lessons or turning points

3. Tools to use:

• Zoom + Otter.ai for transcription
• Google Docs for draft writing
• Canva or Blurb for book layout and print

✅ Step 3: Set Up a Simple Sales Funnel

You don’t need a website. Start here:

1. Post your service on:

   • Facebook Marketplace
   • Craigslist (under “Creative Services”)
   • Reddit (r/Assistance, r/entrepreneur, r/familyhistory)
   • Fiverr or Etsy (yes, people buy memoir writing there!)
   • Nextdoor and local community groups

2. Use a hook that sells the emotional value:

"Your parents’ life story belongs in a book — not just in your memory. I help families preserve stories before they’re lost."

✅ Step 4: Find Your First 3 Clients Fast

Here are 6 specific places to look:

• 📍 Retirement communities (drop off flyers or call activity directors)
• 💬 Facebook Groups for family legacy, genealogy, or local neighborhoods
• 📞 Ask friends: “Do you know any elderly people who’d love to tell their life story?”
• 🏥 Hospice or end-of-life networks (many families want legacy projects)
• 🕊️ Funeral homes or estate planners (offer pre-death memoir services)
• 🎙️ Local churches, cultural orgs, or ethnic associations (storytelling is often tradition-based)

👉 Offer an early-bird discount to your first 3 clients in exchange for testimonials.

✅ Step 5: Deliver & Wow

Once you’ve done the interviews:

• Use Otter.ai to transcribe
• Build chapters around their life phases
• Keep language accessible, warm, and respectful
• Use Canva, Blurb, or Lulu to lay it out for print
• Deliver it with a thank-you letter and optional digital version

💰 Income Breakdown

This is a high-ticket, high-trust offer. You don’t need volume. You need meaningful results and referrals.

📈 How to Scale It

• Hire a junior writer and just do interviews yourself
• Offer legacy video memoirs or audiobook recordings
• Build out a local referral network with therapists, elder care providers, and financial planners
• Turn your best work into a portfolio and launch a "Memoir Studio" business

🧠 Final Thought

People are afraid of being forgotten. You’re not just giving them a story — you’re giving them a sense of permanence.

"Your grandparents don’t need more stuff. They need someone to help them tell their story."

This is low-cost, emotionally valuable, and timeless. You can start today with your phone, your ears, and your heart.

📩 Need a plug-and-play service sheet, interview script, or pricing calculator? Ask and I’ll send it your way.