Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Bradbury
Hi Ben, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve always had a love for reading… but in June 2023 I wasn’t reading enough. Too much socializing. I chatted about it to my roommate Tom, and decided to throw an event that scratched our own itch.The format had both introspective time to read, and social time to connect with other readers. The first “reading party” was 10 friends on our rooftop in Brooklyn.
After that event we learned 3 things:
1. We read for an hour. That was rare, and felt good!
2. Reading parties recharge you. The event gave us energy, rather than draining it.
3. Best of all: Connections were formed between strangers through their books and ideas.
We had fun, and decided to keep doing them.
That’s how Reading Rhythms was born!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Dealing with a wave of global demand was overwhelming at times. Having to say no to eager readers who wanted community wasn’t always enjoyable, but we wanted to get the product right before scaling. Now that our “Chapters” are working well, i’m so excited that we’re bringing reading parties to new cities very soon, starting with Los Angeles!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Reading Rhythms is a global community for readers to belong & exchange ideas.
Why did Reading Rhythms go viral? From the problem it’s solving: We’re in a loneliness epidemic. People are becoming discontent spending mindless hours hooked to a screen, and social isolation can be as deadly for you as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The religious “Third Spaces” that traditionally create containers for connection are eroding, and I believe society is craving meaningful, authentic, in-person connection around shared interests. There’s a real opportunity for a modern network of Third Spaces enabling that.
Today, our mission is “Creating Belonging Through Reading”. Our community’s core values are Connection, Intentionality, Playfulness & Wonder. We’ve welcomed 8,000+ readers to our reading parties in our first “Chapter” (New York), and are opening similar Chapters around the world including Los Angeles, London and Rome.
Accessibility matters to us. Reading improves everyone’s lives, regardless of socioeconomic background or location. After 3 successful pilot events we’re in talks with the New York Public Library to train their staff to throw free reading parties for library card holders. If this goes well, we want to replicate the partnership with other libraries across the US, and then internationally.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Moving to New York in 2017 was a huge risk. It was both the hardest and best decision I ever made. I knew one person in America. My family, friends and girlfriend were back home and it was intensely lonely for a while.
Thankfully, I just hadn’t discovered community yet. Eventually I found “Personal Development Nerds”. They’d gather around the city with a range of mindful programming. I loved it, and attended every event. That planted the seed that would one day become Reading Rhythms: The magic of in-person community built around a shared interest.
And that all came from taking a big risk.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.readingrhythms.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benbradbury/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/benbradbury_
Image Credits
Credits: Josh Kale
