The Real Pain Points

Opening a used bookstore: Stef changes how she looks at the business—thinking like a VC-funded startup, expanding search criteria—and finds a space. This episode is about the real pain points a used bookstore solves: consumption, affordability, climate. Plus gratitude for the whole journey, hard stuff included.

In this episode, I have a breakthrough. I've been thinking small to big—find a tiny space, grow slowly, minimize risk. But what if I think like a VC-funded startup? What if I go big to small instead?

That shift changes everything. I expand my search criteria, and almost instantly, I find a space.

I walk through why this space could work, what it offers, and how it aligns with the mission. But more importantly, I talk about the real pain points this business addresses:

• The consumption crisis — we buy too much, waste too much
• The affordability crisis — new books are expensive, reading shouldn't be
• The climate crisis — reuse is one of the most impactful climate actions we can take

The Phoenix isn't just a bookstore. It's a response to systemic problems. And that clarity feels powerful.

At the end, I reflect on gratitude—for this whole journey, even the hard parts. The rejection, the waiting, the frustration—it all led here.

Current Book Count: ~11,000+

Sometimes you have to think bigger to find what fits. 

🐦‍🔥 Follow along as The Phoenix Used Bookshop continues to rise—subscribe to A Bookshop of My Own and get updates at phoenixusedbookshop.com.

Links from this episode:

• Gary Vee on why analog is the next business frontier
• Korty's Fish Camp for those of you with kids
• San Anselmo Food Truck on IG