We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tannera, Adrienne George, Harris a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Tannera, Adrienne, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
Book’d was started by two sorority sisters as we were embarking on our post-collegiate journeys. While it was certainly a passion project to bring excitement and pizazz to a space that was lacking, it was also fueled by necessity due to underemployment and discontentment at being undervalued at our respective jobs. Our personal experiences led us to recognize that, like ourselves, many Black women were starting businesses and becoming “sidepreneurs” to bridge financial gaps and seek fulfillment. We were determined to create a product that would not only help women organize their lives but also hold themselves accountable as they pursued more meaningful and rewarding paths.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Book’d was sparked in 2016 when co-founder Tannera gifted co-founder Adrienne with a designer planner for her 26th birthday. While both were impressed with the quality and presentation of the planner, they noticed that there were some features that could be more closely tailored to their unique needs as black millennial entrepreneurs who are committed to personal development.
What began as a conversation around features that could optimize their new planners quickly evolved into a lifestyle brand, with the Book’d planner collection as the flagship product offering.
Their goal was to create a meaningful representation of who they are as black women and develop a full experience that exceeded what they saw on the stationery market in terms of value, appeal, and functionality.
Book’d is a luxury & lifestyle brand for Black women that is super stylish, uniquely quirky, and most importantly, speaks directly to who we are.
Book’d, Book’d & Busy, and Book’d & Blessed, are three specialized planners that cater to the unique needs to Black women in the areas of entrepreneurship, faith, & culture.
The 2024 Book’d Planner Collection will be available this November (pre-order begins October 22)!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, we believe that the three qualities and skills that impacted our journey most were accountability, collaboration, and having a growth mindset.
We knew early on in our journey that holding each other accountable would be crucial in order to launch Book’d. It helped us take ownership of our goals and outcomes, ensuring that we remained focused and committed to achieving them.
Collaborating with each other and others enabled us to leverage strengths and expertise outside of our own. Working as a team and seeking help when needed enriched our perspectives, our products, and enabled us to tackle challenges more effectively. Collaboration also fostered creativity and innovation in problem-solving.
Having a growth mindset helped us to constantly learn and improve until we reached each of our goals. This is something we keep in mind to this day, and is also the advice we would give to folks early in their journey. Be hyper-focused on growth and set goals and milestones for your business. The clearer you can see the future of your business, for the next month, quarter, year, or five years, the clearer the path there becomes. Always be able to envision the direction you want your business to go in, and the more intentional you are with your goals and milestones, the more manageable the steps are to get there.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
At Book’d, we prioritize quality, functionality, and aesthetic appeal to ensure our products resonate with the aspirations and unique styles of Black women. Book’d is truly a “by us, for us” brand. We aim to serve and uplift our fellow Black women entrepreneurs, and by including pillars that we know are prominent in our community, as aforementioned culture, faith, and entrepreneurship in our products, we can provide women a full experience that allows them to feel seen and supported and put their best foot forward in whatever their pursuits may be. Our products are tailored to the ventures of every kind of woman, from those who need support in their studies or academics to financial planning to everyday organizational needs. As a business that caters to Black women’s lifestyles, we provide unique and tailored support to further the success of our community. That being said, our ideal clients are women who thrive in their uniqueness and authenticity and aim to make the most of every moment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thebookdstore.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebookdstore/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebookdstore
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebookdstore
