How We Turned Our Love of Reading into a Six-Figure Business

Four years ago, my sister and I started a bookstagram account to stay connected and share our love of reading with each other and the book community. With Kim moving often for her husband’s Army career, it gave us a way to stay close through something we both enjoyed. We had so much fun creating content and taking photos of books that it quickly became a huge passion. But it also required a lot of time and effort, so much that we eventually knew we needed to find a way to make it sustainable for us.

At the same time, we wanted a way to keep track of our reading without relying on apps or spending hours bullet journaling. When we couldn’t find a reading journal that fit what we wanted, we decided to make one ourselves. With Ali’s design background, we created a journal we loved, and soon realized other readers might love it too. That was the moment we thought, what if we turned this into a real business?

From there, we had to figure everything out from scratch. We researched how to get journals manufactured, ordered sample after sample, and learned about things like printing quality, paper weight, and binding. Once we had a product we were proud of, we taught ourselves how to set up an online shop, handle shipping, and create packaging that felt special. We also had to learn the business side, tracking expenses, setting prices, and figuring out how much inventory to order. None of it was easy, and we made plenty of mistakes, but each launch taught us something new. Little by little, we built confidence and found a rhythm that worked.

Fast forward a few years, and many learning curves later, we’ve sold thousands of journals and grown our little idea into a six-figure business. It is still a lot of hard work, dedication, and countless hours spent designing and creating content, but it allows us to stay connected to the book community and support our families while doing something we love. We are excited to keep growing our brand and can’t wait to see what new creations and opportunities the future holds!