My guest this week is Allison Trowbridge, founder and CEO of Copper, a disruptive social platform that connects book enthusiasts and readers directly with authors. Copper offers a unique, subscription-based model for authors and a community for like-minded individuals.

Copper offers everything from a customized bookshelf, discussion guides, audio hosting, and so much more. It takes the reading experience to a whole new level.

Allison is also an accomplished author in her own right. She published her book, “Twenty-Two: Letters to a Young Woman Searching for Meaning,” back in 2017 with Harper Collins while completing her MBA at Oxford’s Business School.

5:27 – Allison 101

• She had a very wild, winding journey before creating Copper. She comes from the non-profit world and anti-trafficking and ethical companies.
• What she’s building now is the company that she wished had existed when she was launching her own book.

7:07 – Ethical brands

• Allison started as a volunteer for an anti-trafficking organization, Not For Sale, while she was in college and was then hired to work there.

14:18 – How she published her first book

• She published “Twenty-Two” through Harper Collins. She wrote the book after feeling like there was no guidance or leadership for that season of her life.
• How do you handle careers and friendships and relationships?  She wanted a mentor for those life experiences.
• When she feels like she really need something and it doesn’t exist, she asks herself: “How do I help create it for those who are coming up behind me?”

21:27 – What is Copper?

• When she published her book, she realized she loved the publishing industry but realized there wasn’t a lot of technology or innovation going on in the industry.
• She wanted a way to build a base of readers without doing a dance on Instagram to get followers.

28:11 – Her dreams for Copper

• Within five years, she wants to build the LinkedIn of the book world.
• A major goal is to help underserved and underrepresented voices get discovered and amplified and find their audience.
• She also wants to help audiences find each other.

32:00 – Get to know you

• Favorite genre? Business books and cozy mysteries
• Does she ever not finish books? All the time.

FEATURED QUOTES

I became really passionate about publishing and books as really a driver for social change and greater impact.

Books can transform lives, quite literally.

What I’m building now is the company that I wished had existed when I was launching my own book.

When I feel like I really, really need something and it doesn’t exist, I’m like, how do I help create it for those who are coming up behind me?

CONNECT:

https://copperbooks.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Two-Letters-Young-Searching-Meaning/dp/0718078160

ABOUT ALLISON TROWBRIDGE: 

Allison Trowbridge is the founder and CEO of Copper, a disruptive social platform that connects book enthusiasts and readers directly with authors. As the publishing landscape continues to lean into book clubs and social media as the cornerstone of a book launch marketing campaign, Copper streamlines the process, offering a unique subscription-based model for authors, and a community of like-minded individuals who want to engage with the authors they love and other voracious readers. Offering features like a customized bookshelf, discussion guides, audio hosting, and more, Copper takes the reading experience to a new level. Allison is also the host of impact podcast, "Real Good Company" with Caitlin Crosby, founder & CEO of The Giving Keys where the two discuss and interview luminaries doing great things. An accomplished author in her own right, Allison published her book, “Twenty-Two: Letters to a Young Woman Searching for Meaning” in 2017 with HarperCollins while completing her MBA at Oxford’s Said Business School. Prior to her work in the publishing industry, Allison worked within the global anti-slavery movement, leading marketing, fundraising, and international campaigns.