Talered: Crafting Unique Memories Through Personalized Books

In the world of gifts, where people love giving something unique, personalised gifts are a big hit. One company that is making strides in this field with their custom-made books is Talered.

Talered crafts custom books, shaping your story into a one-of-a-kind narrative, be it fiction or biography. Each book is uniquely tailored, ensuring your memories are preserved in a truly special way.

In this article, let's learn more about Talered, its founder, products, strategies, challenges, and more.

Talered - Company Highlights

Talered - About
Talered - Industry
Talered - Founders and Team
Talered - Startup Story
Talered - Vision and Mission
Talered - Name and Logo
Talered - Product/Services
Talered - Business and Revenue Model
Talered - Launching Company Strategies
Talered - Customer Growth and Retention Strategies
Talered - Challenges Faced
Talered - Growth
Talered - Marketing Strategy
Talered - Recognition and Achievements
Talered - Funding
Talered - Key Tools and Software
Talered - Competitors
Talered - Future Plans

Talered - About

Talered makes customised books that preserve your memories. Talered creates books across fiction, non-fiction, and wedding books, for children, couples and adults.

Talered - Industry

As per a report in August 2022, the gifting market in India was expected to expand from $119 million in 2019 to $159 million in 2025. In this segment, corporate gifting would occupy 80% and the remaining 20% segment would be the personal space. A more recent report stated that the personalised gifting sector has also grown by 20%.

As disposable incomes increase, people don’t just want to gift something off the rack. They want something that expresses a greater emotion.

Gitanjali Chandrasekharan, founder of Talered, believes that the world is acknowledging the significance of both storytelling and memories. Initially, when the company began, it focused on producing books solely for children. Over time, the company expanded its scope to include books for adults, primarily focusing on parents' journeys. A request came from an individual seeking a book that delved into Indian festivals for their nieces who were growing up in the US, aiming to establish a connection with their Indian heritage. The versatility of Talered to cater to such diverse needs and use cases, allowing individuals to shape their narratives, is what Gitanjali finds truly remarkable.

In the next 5-10 years, Talered will expand to creating stories in Indian languages, creating stories for schools, more books for children, and stories about pets.

Talered also organizes story-creation workshops where the resultant stories are transformed into books. They facilitated a Children’s Day workshop at Soho House, Mumbai, as well as one involving the children of employees of a prominent Indian firm. In January 2023, a workshop was held at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Vaastu Sanghralaya in Mumbai (museum), where children crafted a story inspired by the exhibition on display. Witnessing the children actively engage with the subject matter in real time was a gratifying experience. Gitanjali expresses a desire to see Talered undertake more such initiatives, aiming to infuse creativity and enjoyment into the realm of imagination.

Talered - Founders and Team

Gitanjali Chandrasekharan, the sole founder of Talered, has recently brought two advisors on board to support her venture. One of these advisors is Amrita Jayakumar, a former journalist and the inspiration behind Talered inaugural book. Having been involved with the company from its inception, Amrita possesses an innate understanding of Talered ethos and journey. The second advisor, Urvashi Pant, is a close friend of Gitanjali and also a former journalist with expertise in communications and marketing. Urvashi provides valuable guidance on aspects such as pitching and social media marketing.

Currently, Gitanjali is in the process of structuring roles and functions within Talered more comprehensively. She aims to establish a framework that will enable her to hire individuals either on a full-time basis or as freelancers/compensated contributors, aligning with the evolving needs of the company.

Talered - Startup Story

In 2020, amidst the pandemic, Gitanjali, a former print journalist with nearly 20 years of experience, found herself contemplating meaningful gifts for two close relatives residing in San Francisco. Desiring something unique, she decided to craft personalized books of bedtime stories for their newborns. Utilizing her interviewing skills and Canva, Gitanjali embarked on this creative journey.

With a desire for a career shift and a determination to make this venture succeed, Gitanjali leapt into entrepreneurship. Drawing on her resourcefulness and the support of friends, she gradually transformed her idea into reality. From her first order from a school friend in Singapore to collaborating with talented individuals, Talered began to take shape.

As the business evolved, Gitanjali recognized the importance of refining its online presence. With a focus on SEO and user experience, she oversaw the redevelopment of Talered website with the assistance of an agency.

Through perseverance and collaboration, Talered has grown, piece by piece, into a platform dedicated to preserving cherished memories through custom books.

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Talered - Vision and Mission

Gitanjali's core belief with Talered centres around the significance of preserving cherished memories. She emphasizes that each person possesses valuable stories about themselves, their families, loved ones, and communities. However, these memories often fade with time, especially as the need to stay connected to them grows stronger.

Gitanjali believes that books play a crucial role in keeping these memories intact. Her vision for Talered is to emerge as the preferred gifting solution for individuals seeking to offer something truly meaningful to their loved ones. She sees books as timeless vessels that effectively safeguard memories for eternity.

In line with this vision, Gitanjali aims to expand Talered offerings to include books in other Indian languages initially, with plans to encompass languages from around the world eventually. Additionally, she envisions enhancing accessibility by producing audiobook and Braille versions of these books, ensuring that everyone can access and cherish their stories. This commitment underscores Gitanjali's dedication to inclusivity and ensuring that no one is left behind in the journey of preserving their memories.

Talered - Name and Logo

Urvashi suggested the name Talermade, which would be a play on the word tailormade but twisted for tales (stories). When looking to see if one could register that name, Gitanjali found that TailorMade exists so They wouldn’t be able to register it, even though there was a spelling difference. So, then they were wondering what to do—Gitanjali was quite sad because Talermade felt so perfect—and after some brainstorming came up with Talered. And now it feels like this was always Talered.

The logo was created by a friend who is an artist and an actor and a filmmaker, Amrita Bagchi. It is a pen nib with a stitch on one side to talk about the customisation aspect of the writing.

Talered - Product/Services

The primary issue that Talered addresses is the fleeting nature of memory. Gitanjali reflects on personal experiences, such as the varied recollections among siblings about their late father's favourite song, to underscore the importance of preserving memories in written form. She emphasizes that every story, whether about friends, parents, children, or pets, holds significant value in fostering feelings of love, rootedness, and connection to a larger whole. Through Talered customized books, memories are immortalized, allowing families to cherish them forever.

Initially focused on creating custom fiction narratives for children, Talered has evolved to cater to a diverse range of clients and occasions. From milestone birthdays to gifts for spouses, friends, and even pets, Talered offerings have expanded to meet the unique needs and preferences of its clientele. The company's commitment to crafting one-of-a-kind books ensures that each client receives a truly unique product, adding to its appeal as a thoughtful and personalized gift.

Talered leverages design software, notably Canva, and advancements in digital printing technology to streamline the book creation process. These tools have been instrumental in realizing Gitanjali's vision and making personalized book creation accessible to a wider audience.

As Talered continues to evolve, Gitanjali recognizes the importance of flexibility and adaptability. The company's pivot from its initial focus on children's books to a broader range of personalized offerings demonstrates its responsiveness to customer needs and preferences. Ultimately, Talered success lies in its ability to tailor its products and services to fit seamlessly into the lives of its clients, offering them a truly memorable and meaningful experience.

Talered - Business and Revenue Model

Talered is in the process of restructuring the business model, what Gitanjali can say right now is that their books are priced at a minimum of Rs 20,000.

Talered - Launching Company Strategies

Talered has not yet reached 100 users, but over the past three years, it has successfully produced more than 35 books. Despite only running a few Instagram and Facebook campaigns, all orders have been generated through word of mouth and referrals from satisfied customers. This organic growth highlights the quality and value of Talered services, as well as the strong endorsement from its existing clientele.

Talered - Customer Growth and Retention Strategies

Talered is still in the early stages of growth and restructuring, there may be limited information available to share at this time.

Talered - Challenges Faced

Gitanjali acknowledges that marketing and sales have presented significant challenges for Talered thus far, and she aims to address these in 2024. As she continues to navigate the complexities of running a business, she grapples with various aspects such as crafting effective sales pitches and determining the appropriate follow-up frequency.

To tackle these challenges, Gitanjali adopts a methodical approach to continuous improvement. When receiving feedback about writing quality, she promptly onboarded a proofreader to ensure the text meets high standards before finalization. For larger projects, Talered has enlisted the expertise of a designer. Gitanjali also invests time in learning about book design to enhance her ideation process.

Responding to customer demand for hardbound books, even for single copies, Gitanjali strategizes on how to fulfill these requests while minimizing paper waste and adhering to budget constraints. This demonstrates her commitment to both customer satisfaction and sustainability.

Moving forward, Gitanjali remains focused on incrementally improving Talered operations, addressing challenges as they arise, and delivering exceptional products and services to her customers.

Talered - Growth

In three years, Talered has successfully crafted over 35 books, spanning various age groups and categories including fiction and non-fiction. The company has even ventured into innovative projects such as creating a book with AI-generated images. With a global reach, Talered has shipped books to destinations including the UK, US, Canada, Singapore, and numerous locations within India. Gitanjali Chandrasekharan considers repeat clients as a testament to the company's success.

Building on this momentum, Talered is poised to expand into new markets, particularly the wedding and pet industries. Recognizing the desire of individuals to commemorate special occasions, Talered aims to offer bespoke book solutions tailored to weddings. Additionally, there is a growing demand for capturing memories of beloved pets, making the pet industry an ideal space for Talered to explore. Through these expansions, Talered remains committed to its core mission of preserving cherished memories and creating meaningful connections through storytelling.

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Talered - Marketing Strategy

The growth has been organic and by word of mouth, so far.

Talered - Recognition and Achievements

While Talered hasn't received any awards yet, Gitanjali Chandrasekharan finds great fulfillment in the heartfelt feedback from customers. She values the messages expressing that a Talered book is the best gift someone has ever received or given. This feedback serves as a meaningful achievement for her and reinforces her commitment to delivering exceptional experiences through Talered products. Gitanjali hopes to maintain this customer-centric approach as the company grows, ensuring that the joy of creating meaningful connections through storytelling remains at the heart of Talered mission.

Talered - Funding

Gitanjali made some initial attempts to secure funding for Talered, but these efforts were not successful. However, through this process, she realized that she prefers to keep Talered bootstrapped. This decision allows her to maintain control over the company's direction and prioritize efforts on refining the product and scaling gradually. While she may revisit the idea of funding at a later stage, for now, Gitanjali is committed to building Talered organically and ensuring sustainable growth.

Talered - Key Tools and Software

Here are some tools that Talered uses:

• Canva
• Word

Talered - Competitors

Family Fables Co. is one of the competitor companies that does a lot of work that is similar to Talered.

Talered - Future Plans

Gitanjali thinks over the next 2 years, she would like to make the business more self-sustaining, do books in at least one non-English language, and expand into the pet memories space too.

FAQs

Who is the Founder of Talered?

Gitanjali Chandrasekharan is the founder of Talered.

What types of books does Talered create?

Talered creates books across fiction, non-fiction, and wedding books, for children, couples and adults.

What inspired the creation of Talered?

Talered was born out of Gitanjali Chandrasekharan's desire to offer meaningful gifts to her close relatives, leading her to craft personalized books during the pandemic.