We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alana Cooler a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alana, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Founded in 2023, Bookish Bliss Literary Retreats was born out of a love for books and a desire to share that passion with others. My mission was founded on fostering connections among individuals through a shared passion for literature and the empowerment of women and friendship. Here at Literary Retreats, my co-founder and I are committed to spreading the joy of reading and making it accessible and enjoyable for as many people as we can. We envision a world where reading is a celebrated and an integral part of everyday life. Our book retreats are meant to unite book lovers who share a passion for reading, writing and the outdoors.

Alana, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My passion for working with advertising clients and my love for reading served as the idea for my bookish influencer platform @wellred.bookclub and my business idea @bookish__bliss. As I dived into the world of advertising, I recognized the potential of using literature as a powerful and authentic marketing tool. It was during this journey that I discovered the untapped connection of my love for books and the growing need for genuine, book-related connections. this resulted in my creation of bookish-bliss.com.

This realization inspired me to create a business that not only bridges the gap between literature and creativity but also empowers both readers and creators. My bookish business idea, fueled by my passion, connects authors, publishers, and individuals who genuinely love books. The result is a scenario where readers and content creators can engage authentically with literature while creating a genuine connection with book lovers across the country.

The influencer platform I developed stands as a testament to the transformational power of combining one’s passion with a keen understanding of that industry. It’s a venture that not only aligns with my personal interests but also contributes to the growth of readers, book sales and intellectual conversations.

How’d you meet your business partner?

Fifteen years ago, I met my future business partner during our college years. Despite moving to different cities and time passing, we maintained our close friendship. In 2020, she became a member of my book club, and it was through our shared love for literature and collaborative discussions that I realized our potential to transform our shared passion into a thriving business. Our friendship and shared creativity sparked a realization that we could turn our great ideas into a successful business venture.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Currently, we’re self-funded, we’re relying on networking and checking off one task at a time to make progress in our business venture. Our first big bookish retreat is in April of 2024, we may need to take out a first time small business loan but at the moment we are using money from our full time careers.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bookish-bliss.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellred.bookclub/ & https://www.instagram.com/bookish__bliss/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Bookish-Bliss/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-cooler-60003978/

Image Credits
Natalie Olsen Photo