About us

Marrying his passion for genealogy and technology—Grant Goulet, founder of Bright Branches, found his new path. After tracing his ancestors back 400 years—he decided to develop a better way to display his own ancestry.

"Like so many people," said Goulet—a member of the Mayflower Society and Sons of the American Revolution, "I spent countless hours creating elaborate family trees, however, they were too difficult to share."

He built a website to easily share the family trees he traced for himself and others. Over the years, he'd update the website, based on critiques and his original concepts.

"I always wanted to do something more with my family tree. I wasn't happy with a print on the wall or a website to share it. My "bright" idea was to turn my family tree into a digital piece of art," he said.

The captivating digital art that inspired this business now hangs in Goulet's home.

A computer-science prodigy since childhood, Goulet vividly remembers being in the school library in 1986. "This is the moment in time that I can pinpoint my life's trajectory," he said. "I discovered these magical books, they weren't your typical children's reading material. These were books on learning how to write code for computers." Through his youth and early adulthood Goulet became proficient at all aspects of computer science and digital media.

Since the start of the pandemic Goulet has been using his talents to develop his "bright" idea. An interactive family tree that displays multiple generations. He made many improvements to the website and family tree system along the way, preparing it for its big debut.

Conveying the options and beauty of the interactive trees has been a challenge during the pandemic, because they really need to be seen in-person to be appreciated. The demo videos present a glimpse of what you can do with your family tree.

He finds fulfillment seeing his customers excited to see the lineage displays he created. "Not only did I discover my family history, but I also helped so many friends discover theirs, too. Aside from my family, there is nothing I love more than genealogy. Except one other thing: technology."

If an interactive family tree isn't your thing—check out their other products and services, like easily creating stunning family tree prints using the family tree system.

Bright Branches LLC was started in October 2020. Their pursuit is to provide people with more than the names and places of your family members. From ancestry research to custom pieces of art to sharing your family tree. Let them help you enrich your family history.

Click the button below to view a detailed list of the services offered.

Our services

Goulet was bit by the genealogy bug over a decade ago. Along the way he's been able to document his direct paternal line going back 400 years to Jacques Goulet (1615-1688). He was an early settler of New France (Quebec) that came from Normandel, France. Goulet has proven lineage to multiple members on the Mayflower and has been accepted into the Sons of the American Revolution organization. His 7th Great Grandfather was a member of the first New York Senate. He has connected with distant family members that have passed down family relics that are now personal treasures. Today he continues working on distant branches in his family tree while trying to track down a flute that was once owned by Jacques Goulet.

Goulet's wife has been dealing with his genealogy obsession for as long as they have been married. She has some interesting family history and is part Mohawk Indian. Her 7th Great Grandfather was Joseph Thayendanegea Brant. He was a Mohawk military and political leader. Her Mohawk line can be traced to New York's Mohawk Valley. Coincidentally Goulet's family that he traced back to the Revolutionary War is from the same area. Research was found that the two families were in conflict with one another.

Hundreds of years later members from those two families married. Today they live happily ever after.

The two of them have two younger boys and look forward to passing down their family history to them.

They hope they can help you with your family history as well.