‘The motto of Bibliophiles is to make reading a lifestyle.’ With this very thought in mind, Apurva Mhatre established her business of selling children’s books in 2020. It was when she was pregnant with her firstborn that she decided to inculcate the habit of reading in her kid very early on.
Born From an Idea
Upon researching the market for the perfect books, she couldn’t find any. She said,
“I decided to dive deep into research about developing a positive lifestyle for kids. Being a book lover, introducing reading was my first thought. But I didn’t want it to feel like a chore – I wanted to make it enjoyable. I carefully researched and selected age-appropriate books that matched my daughter’s interests. As a result, she fell in love with reading, and it helped in her imagination and balanced the screen time.”
Soon she found herself recommending and selling age-appropriate books to her friends and family. The kids loved these books, and reading became a fun experience for them too. With an educational background in business, the entrepreneur in her came out and hence, along with her daughter, Bibliophiles was also born.
Powered by Purpose
Initially only selling books, the company has come a long way and now offers a variety of products for students. This includes school essentials like lunchboxes, bottles, cute sticker tags and many more such items.
The website is highly personalized. There is a plethora of choices when it comes to children’s books. Apurva strongly believes in reading as a lifestyle and to attain this feat, she thinks that we should read books to our kids right from the prenatal stage. A book is added to their collection only if there is any takeaway from it. In short, the recommendation by Bibliophiles is an assurance. There is also an exclusive WhatsApp group; a space where recommendations are shared the moment a new book enters the market.
In 6 months after the launch there were more than 10K customers and 150+ motivating reviews. The company is constantly on the lookout for simple solutions that can make parenting a positive experience for both the parent and the child. At Bibliophiles, the ultimate goal is to raise happy, well-rounded kids who are prepared for the future. Apurva once said,
“You know you are talented but you have your wings clipped. Why? Because you left the reins of your dreams with someone else. Be your master and take that first step which is the heaviest. When I started Bibliophiles, I didn’t know how to grow it. While I bought as many books to last for a lifetime as my daughter, I was forced into an unplanned guilt trip of not earning as much as I spend. The spark of this thought ignited the fire of my passion which became my profession. So, stop hesitating and start embracing your passion. Bibliophiles was born because I am a bibliophile myself.”
Startups like Bibliophiles are important especially in the contemporary times of social media and excessive screen time. They play a key role to help us imbibe and stay connected with the creative and imaginative self within us. It essentially keeps our soul alive. Nurturing a love, compassion and empathy in the young hearts is indispensable, something that Bibliophiles is making possible through its core values and principles.
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