Member Profile – Janine O'Connor, Books & Books
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Janine O’Connor
What is the name of your business and what is your role? I am the owner of Books & Books. My major role is to call on businesses, libraries, schools, and government institutions.
- Describe your business in two sentences. Books & Books is all about books – and people, both big and small! We are a vibrant, independently-owned, community minded bookshop making a big noise in the market.
- How long have you been in business? Books & Books opened its doors in April 2006.
- How did you get into this business? I have been a book fanatic since I first learnt to read and had a dream to open a bookshop since I started working. Through a wonderful stroke of luck, I was offered a job in Johannesburg as a sales rep for a large international publisher. Nineteen years later, I resigned as Sales Director to open Books & Books in my home town of Durban.
- What makes you go to work in the morning? The books of course! Every day we receive exciting new titles to promote to our customers.
- What is your favourite part of your work day? Talking to customers about our wonderful books – and that can be at any time of the day or night!
- Why should KZNWIB members be interested in your business? As business owners and managers, we always need to improve our knowledge, motivate our staff, and thank our customers and suppliers, and books are the ideal solution. At Books & Books, we are happy to find the perfect book (or CD) to meet your requirements. We are also in contact with many authors, so are able to arrange talks by various authors.
- Your secret to business success? Our passion for books, coupled with hard work, perseverance, and a determination to keep our customers happy, so that they keep coming back!
- Anything else you’d like to add? Pop in to see us at Shop 42 Kensington Square, Durban North – we would love to meet you! If you can’t visit us, then call us on 031-563 6288, or visit our website www.booksandbooks.co.za or Facebook page for our latest author functions and events, and news of hot new titles!