Leanne Faulkner is the founder of Rereadable and writes a monthly business book review for SmartCompany.
This week marks the launch of my new online bookstore specialising in books that aim to help business owners and leaders acquire crucial skills that enable them to work effectively. After working for the past 12 years as a small business mental health advocate, and more recently, submitting my PhD, I am proud to launch Rereadable. My research examined the psychological hazards that can affect the mental health of micro-business owners and sole traders.
One of the key takeaways from my findings was the important link between feeling confident at work, and therefore less stressed about the inevitable challenges business owners encounter on a daily basis. I believe a good business book can help build that confidence.
Rereadable has been established to provide business owners and leaders with book titles that will cater to their immediate learning needs specific to a business topic, such as developing a business growth strategy, how to lead people, or startup advice. The bookstore offers a mix of new book releases and pre-loved, popular evergreen business books.
I learned that business owners and leaders tend to seek out skill development when they determine they need to learn something, and that’s why I thought a business bookstore was the perfect way to provide easy access to a range of business help right when it is needed, with minimal barriers to entry, and therefore learning.
My PhD research highlighted that business owners tend to value the opinion of other business owners, and that makes Australian authors particularly important in the business book category. They understand our trading conditions and markets. Incidental learning when connecting with others, was another finding that enabled micro-business owners and sole traders to better cope with the psychosocial hazards they may face at work.
Reading a book written by an Australian author makes for a strong connection because they can relate to our business landscape.
I believe that understanding individual customer needs coupled with personalised service is the key to bookstore success. Our Book Concierge service is an innovative way to match a business problem to a business book that addresses it. As a self-described business book nerd, my years working in the small business mental health space have made me passionate about identifying how good business book content can help people to thrive, and most importantly, enjoy work.
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Leanne Faulkner is our resident book reviewer and the founder of the specialist business bookstore – Rereadable. Faulkner has worked as a small business mental health advocate for over 10 years, and has consulted on a range of projects supporting the small business community. She has also worked with COSBOA, ATO, Beyond Blue and ASBFEO. After completing her PhD on the mental health challenges in small business, Faulkner identified the link between business skills, confidence and stress at work. When not immersed in a business book, she is an in-demand keynote speaker with a focus on the mental health of the small business sector.
