Professional Information Broker Service
Research and provide specialized information and data for professionals
Overview
Information brokers generate $80,000-$600,000 annually with 80-95% margins.
In 2025, finding specialized information requires research expertise.
Revenue from information research projects ($200-$2,000 per project), hourly research services ($75-$250 per hour), subscription research services ($500-$5,000 monthly), industry report compilation ($1,000-$10,000), public records and background research, and competitive intelligence gathering.
Successful brokers access specialized databases and sources, conduct efficient thorough research, synthesize information from multiple sources, deliver information in usable formats, and maintain researcher ethics and legality.
Businesses, lawyers, journalists, and researchers as clients.
Marketing through professional associations, research credentials, industry specialization, online research platforms, and research quality reputation.
Required Skills
- Research Methodologies
- Database & Source Access
- Information Synthesis
- Report Writing
- Subject Matter Expertise
- Research Ethics
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Low overhead home-based business
- Flexible project-based or hourly work
- Diverse research topics and industries
- Leverage research skills across clients
- Growing specialized information needs
Cons
- Need access to expensive databases
- Research can be time-intensive
- Per-project revenue relatively modest
- Client deadlines and time pressure
- Must maintain research ethics boundaries
How to Get Started
- Build research expertise and methodologies
- Access specialized databases and sources
- Develop information research capabilities
- Market to professionals needing research
- Conduct thorough ethical research
- Synthesize and compile information
- Deliver research in client-friendly formats
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