The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
One of our biggest challenges has been the steep learning curve that comes with starting a new business and learning how to sell successfully online. While Paige has many years of experience in retail management, the online side of retail is a completely different ball game. Understanding website design, navigation and how to make it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for took time and patience.
We’ve spent countless hours watching YouTube tutorials, reading online articles, and, most importantly, listening to our customers. We’ve also drawn heavily on our own experiences as online shoppers, taking what we love and expect as customers and building that into how we run our business.
Another ongoing challenge has been standing out in a crowded market. We want everyone who buys a book from us to know that we’re truly committed to giving books a second chance and making their shopping experience feel special. To do this, we carefully wrap each order in brown paper and recycled bubble wrap sourced from other local businesses, helping keep packaging out of landfill while ensuring books arrive safely.
As a small thank you, we also include little extras such as book-themed stickers and a Second Chance bookmark, adding that personal touch and showing our appreciation for every customer who supports Second Chance Books.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
There are several pros and cons of running our own business.
Pros
- Greater flexibility to spend time with our family.
- The ability to make a positive environmental impact by giving books a second chance.
- Doing something we are passionate about and genuinely enjoy – most of the time it doesn’t feel like work.
- Opportunities to continuously learn new skills.
- Working alongside family.
Cons
- The significant time, effort and hard work required to get a business up and running, and to keep it going.
- The challenge of not being able to duplicate yourself, which can slow down getting tasks done.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
Our goal is to continue growing and reaching as many readers across Aotearoa New Zealand as possible, so we can give as many books as we can a second chance – keeping them out of landfill and helping them find new homes.
We hope that one day Second Chance Books will become our full-time work, and that future generations of our family will also want to be involved and carry this work forward.
Visit the Second Chance Books website to find out more, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
