For the first two years of running Books Beyond Borders, founder Randall Chong did not draw a salary at all.
When he finally did, it was $300 a month, an amount he now readily admits was “so bad”.
“It was $300 for six months when I first paid myself,” he recalled.
Books Beyond Borders has come a long way since Randall founded it in 2019, growing from an operation run out of his grandfather’s spare room to one that now includes a warehouse and office in Jalan Pemimpin, along with The Bookstore at Maxwell.
Surely, he must be making a living wage now? When Stomp asked this question, Randall chuckled.
“Honestly, I’m still way below the market rate. It’s embarrassingly low,” the 33-year-old said.
The founder is clear-eyed about a reality that still makes many uncomfortable when it comes to social enterprises: profit is not taboo. Actually, he unabashedly believes that profit is essential. Not just for survival, but also for impact.
“You cannot give from an empty cup,” he said. “If yoru cup is empty,you will burn out.”
The social enterprise model differs from a charity. While it has a social objective, social enterprises are still businesses.
The sector has been growing steadily in recent years, according to Raise Singapore, a cross-sector effort founded in 2015 to support social enterprises. The number of Raise members nearly doubled between 2023 and 2024, from 357 to 693 members.
Some other notable social enterprises include The Green Collective SG, a retail store which curates sustainable brands, and Foreword Coffee, a coffee company that champions inclusive employment.
The accidental social entrepreneur
Before Books Beyond Borders, running a social enterprise was never a thought Randall considered.
“Before, I’ve never actually volunteered in my life before. I’ve never given any sort of donation,” he confessed.
Prior to 2019, this writer would have described Randall as your typical ‘tech bro’. Ran
Maxwell Food Center bookstore Sees a Revamp and Expansion
Maxwell Food Centre is known for its hawker fare, but a bookstore within its walls is quietly undergoing a conversion. The bookstore, operated by local business “Booktique,” has recently reopened after a two-week renovation, revealing a larger space and a shift in offerings.
The expansion allows Booktique to showcase a wider selection of books, including a curated collection of titles focusing on Singapore and Southeast Asia.Beyond books, the store now features a selection of handcrafted goods made by Nepalese artisans. The books are also in better, more marketable condition, allowing them to be priced higher.
Notably, the Maxwell outlet features a more ‘upmarket’ interior design, seemingly tailored to the more affluent tourist crowd that frequents the chinatown area.
Beyond Book Donations: A Social Enterprise’s Unique Approach to Empowering Girls Through Education
for randall chong, founder of Books Beyond Borders, simply donating books isn’t enough. While well-intentioned, traditional book donation models frequently enough fall short of creating sustainable change, particularly when it comes to girls’ education in developing countries like nepal.
Founded in 2019, Books Beyond Borders tackles this issue with a unique approach: selling pre-loved books online and in pop-up stores to fund educational resources and opportunities for girls in Nepal. The enterprise has already contributed over $40,000 to girls’ education in Nepal, but Randall believes there’s a more impactful way to utilize funds.
“A lot of organisations focus on direct donations – say, $100 to sponsor a girl for a year,” Randall explained. “But that creates dependency. What happens when the sponsorship ends?”
Instead, Books Beyond Borders invests in resources that empower girls to continue their education independently. This includes providing them with essential school supplies, menstrual hygiene kits, and access to digital learning tools. Randall highlighted that a small investment in these areas can have a ripple effect, allowing girls to stay in school and break the cycle of poverty.
Though, Randall argued that the same $100 could also go towards building a website or store improvements, which help build brand awareness needed for long-term impact.
As a social enterprise, Books Beyond Borders pays taxes, receives no grants and operates with Randall as its only full-time staff member.
He handles almost everything from finance and product design to TikTok livestreams and packing orders. He only hires part time staff to help run retail operations, which offers him s
Randall said his biggest misconception was believing Books beyond Borders could only ever be a secondhand bookstore and nothing more.
!Image of books Beyond Borders Christmas promotion
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