We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole Butler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
The habits that make my business successful is dedicating time to working on business tasks and staying focused. Another habit is to research at least once a week about your industry for tips, ideas, and collaborations. Lastly, passion will always drive your business to succeed. Keep a habit of checking your passion, your why by doing what you love that is tied to your business. My business is books, so I read just for pleasure and remind myself this is where I want to be. Also, making connections everywhere you go is a habit to success, becuase it helps get your name out there.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

What sets me a part from others is that I am an educator. During my research for my business, most owners were parents or lovers of books or both. Whereas,  I am a literacy teacher with a background in the scientific study of reading. I did my master’s project on secondary literacy. I have been a reading tutor. Also, I have become certified in Bibliotherapy. Bibliotherapy allows healing through books and journaling.

I started a book blog calld ButlersBookBag on instagram and it has grown to a children’s bookstore called BeMore Literate Children’s Bookshop.
This journey is still ongoing. It was easy to start and develop my business. The difficulties are getting people to know who you are. I am securing marketing and business coaches to help with the process and to make more connections to customers. I have increased my social media presence. As an introvert this was very difficult to manage but I am getting into it.

I need the world to know I am here and I am not going anywhere. Literacy for all. No banned books. Our society needs knowledge no matter how painful or delightful it is.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

If it was my best friend and they came for a week….

Sunday- after arrival we would go the Baltimore Museum of Art to check out the new exhibit and then brunch in Gertrude’s.

Sunday- we would hang out in Fell’s point for a quiet, chill moment along the promenande

Monday- Breakfast at Pete’s Grill on Greenmount
Monday afternoon- shopping in Harbor East at various shops
Monday night- Dinner at the 4 seasons hotel and dessert in Federal Hill at Buns & Roses Chimneys cakes

Tuesday- Visit the Reginald Lewis Museum in the Harbor
Tuesday night- go dancing & bowling at Mustang’s Alley

Wednesday- Visit the Blacks in Wax Museum
Wednesday afternoon- grab some crabs and eat at Druid Hill Park and then go to the Botanical Gardens at the park

Thursday- Catch the MARC train to DC for the day of sight seeing and good eats around the city

Friday- Go to local business to support
Friday- Do a Harbor cruis for lunch
Friday night- Catch a show at Keystone Korner Jazz club

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
This shoutout is dedicated to Joy A. Hoard. My grandmother who had a 10th grade education who passed the love of reading down to me.

Website: www.bemoreliterate.com

Instagram: instagram.com/bemoreliterate

Facebook: facebook.com/bemoreliterate

Other: info@bemoreliterate.com

Image Credits
Liberate Your Library photo- 27inc. Seat photo- Nicole Butler Launch day – Nicole Butler Vending- Leroy Smith

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.