BookSmart: igniting a reading renaissance in the digital age one page at a time
In a world dominated by screens, where digital distractions abound, BookSmart is on a quest to rejuvenate book clubs and bring back the joys of flipping through physical pages. We sat down with Vince Phan, Co-Founder of BookSmart and 2023 MAP Velocity Winter cohort member, to delve into the remarkable journey and passion behind the startup’s mission to reignite the love of reading.
The inspiration behind BookSmart: revolutionising book clubs for the digital age
“In our bursting digital age, many have predicted the death of physical books, bookstores, libraries etc. Turns out they were all wrong. Books are all making a huge comeback and the book industry is booming,” Vince exclaimed.
“Humans are starting to realise that screens are rapidly taking over all aspects of our lives and, as a result, we are re-discovering the joys of the analog life”.
With a mission to revolutionise the traditional book club and make it digital-age-friendly, BookSmart aims to infuse workplaces with a vibrant book club culture that boosts camaraderie, personal growth, and digital well-being.
“Think jigsaw puzzles, vinyls, colouring books, pottery, arts and crafts, cooking and of course books. BookSmart is building on this trend and was created to provide organisations with uniquely fun and engaging book club experiences so that their people can be encouraged to read more and bond over great reads”.
The faces behind BookSmart: Vince Phan and Natcha Limpianunchai
Having graduated from the University of Melbourne nearly twenty years ago, Vince grew to realise that his dream job within a Big 4 firm didn’t quite live up to the dream he had anticipated. Crushed by the mundanity of the day-to-day, Vince decided to grow outside of the workplace by upskilling through online courses and reading.
“I networked heavily, started businesses and eventually left the corporate world because I had found a world outside of work that was more supportive, inclusive and rewarding,” Vince continued.
While focusing on the growth of BookSmart, Vince is also publishing a book that hopes to inspire people to visit more libraries and bookstores around the globe. Building on the success of his Instagram blog 1000 Libraries which has over 479K followers, Vince hopes to use this book to take readers on a journey through some of the world’s most magnificent literary places.
When introducing Natcha Limpianunchai, his Co-Founder, Vince explained that “she is the brain behind why our book clubs are so much fun”. As a psychologist, Natcha has an incredibly busy schedule — split between “working in HRtech as an organisational psychology (OP) consultant, running her own psychology clinic and designing great human-centric experiences at BookSmart”.
With Natcha’s design flair and Vince’s entrepreneurial spirit, the BookSmart team is well-equipped to reimagine book clubs and create unforgettable reading experiences.
The power of reading books: why it matters and benefits for mental wellbeing
Diving into the importance of reading books, Vince states that “reading books helps us to stay curious and encourages us to make use of perhaps what is our most important skill: imagination”.
Noting that “we spend nearly 17 years of our lives scrolling on our phones,” Vince believes that it’s now more important than ever that we find balance and reconnect with our humanity.
Books offer a respite, allowing us to reflect and connect with the depths of our own thoughts. “Training our brains to slow down and read daily can have incredible benefits on our mental health,” Vince continues.
With BookSmart’s innovative approach to book clubs, Vince and his team are on a mission to ignite a passion for reading and empower individuals to embrace the timeless joy of storytelling. By bridging the gap between the digital and analog worlds, BookSmart provides an escape into realms that technology cannot replicate.
Learn how BookSmart is keeping our curious spirits alive and join us at our upcoming MAP Velocity Winter Showcase where you can meet and chat with Vince in person. Get the conversation started and register for the event here.
The MAP Velocity Program is a part-time pre-accelerator program designed for earlier-stage founders.
