TGP 52 – An Stofferis, French Genealogy with a Belgian Twist

Featured Guest

An Stofferis

An Stofferis is an experienced historian and founded International Genealogy Services, which is based in France. She was born in Belgium and studied history at the Catholic University of Leuven specializing in cultural history of the middle ages, modern times, and contemporary history. 

Also at that time, she conducted an extensive genealogical research about the origin of the Belgian scientist Joseph PLATEAU (1801-1883). In March 1996, she was successful in bringing together the different branches of the PLATEAU family to a reunion in Ghent. Her frequent visits to PLATEAU’s descendants resulted in direct access to a very large number of sources for the history of this family. Some sources remained unknown, but gave her the opportunity to uncover new scientific and family data.

In 2010, An Stofferis prepared and presented a biographical article on the decoration painter Antoine PLATEAU (1759-1815) :
A. Bergmans & A. Stofferis, un des meilleurs peintres de fleurs de son temps – Biographie d’Antoine Plateau, dans Een belvedère aan de Schelde. Paviljoen De Notelaer in Hingene (1792-1797), Brussels, 2010, p. 557.

In 2004 An Stofferis obtained her master’s degree in Tourism & Management at the University Antwerp Business School. That same year she moved to France and began working at the Belgian Embassy in Paris. But her passion for history and genealogy was very present. In 2012 she decided to expand her genealogical knowledge by following a course in Historical & Probate Research. 

An Stofferis is fluent in Dutch (native language), French, English and German. Some or all of these languages may be necessary to fulfill a project, as records were created in different languages, depending on the time and the place.

An Stofferis is a member of the Syndicat de généalogistes de France ‘SYGENE’ (http://www.sygene.fr ) and  of the Association of Professional Genealogists (http://www.apgen.org).  An Stofferis has become member of ‘Interpret Europe’ (www.interpret-europe.net). 

Contact Links

Website – International Genealogy Services

Facebook – International Genealogy Services

Twitter – IGS Genealogy

Best Advice Ever Received

“To be honest in your work and in your accountancy. ”

One Action Genealogists Can Take Right Now

To take a risk and if you have a dream to go for it.

Recommended Book

Guider les jeunes sur la piste de leurs ancêtres by Évelyne Duret 

Advice

“Don’t give up your dream.“

Action Item

An is building her business based on choosing her service (heir research), analyzing her strengths (her familiarity with many foreign languages) and identifying her ideal target clients (law firms on the north coast of France who need both French and Flemish speaking researchers and familiarity with Flemish history and records). By identifying who most needed her unique services she was able to showcase her strengths and make a strong case for getting hired.

ACTION:

For today’s action item, I’d like you to take a stab at doing the same thing. Choose a service, analyze your strengths and identify ideal clients. Your strengths should include qualities or skills that differentiate you from everyone else who does the same service. For instance, many genealogists offer heir research services but not so many researchers in France offer the service along with knowledge of the Flemish language.

Let’s take an example of a genealogist who offers research services in colonial New York. His/her strength could be their ability to read both 17th century English and Dutch handwriting. Who could the potential target clients be?  The obvious answer would be private clients who have New Netherland ancestors. But let’s think beyond that. How about authors who write about New York history, New Netherland history or even simply colonial America. You could also potentially market your services to museums and curators focused on colonial America.

Strengths can be lots of things, from proximity to an in-demand location (think of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City), to a specific skill such as understanding how a surveyor does his job which might be good for interpreting old deeds, or more familiarity with a particular record group than anyone else around.

Put all of this together and see if it helps you look at your business in a new light.

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