Cover Almost 10 years ago, a friend of Randall Chong asked him a simple question which changed the course of his career and his outlook in life. Here, he shares his story which led to the creation of social enterprise Books Beyond Borders
Almost 10 years ago, a friend of Randall Chong asked him a simple question which changed the course of his career and his outlook in life. Here, he shares his story which led to the creation of social enterprise Books Beyond Borders
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Almost 10 years ago, a friend of Randall Chong asked him a simple question which changed the course of his career and his outlook in life. Here, he shares his story that led to the creation of social enterprise Books Beyond Borders
In 2016, while feeling burnt out working in a startup, a friend challenged Randall Chong to do one thing that scared him in the new year. Little did he know that this challenge would change his perception of life.
The question sparked something in Chong. “I took that challenge a little bit too personally,” he shares. Although he is usually not one to take risks, he found himself taking on this challenge. The following year, he took a sabbatical and embarked on a 14-day solo trek across the Himalayas to reach the Mount Everest Base Camp.
During his trek, he noticed children who weren’t in school and working jobs with little to no pay. It was then that he decided to quit his job and spend a year raising money for these schools. This was the beginning of Chong’s journey to creating the homegrown social enterprise, Books Beyond Borders.
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Above Books Beyond Borders' bookstore at Maxwell
Books Beyond Borders' bookstore at Maxwell
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As a one-time project, Chong raised money for these schools by baking and selling cookies to his friends and family. During this time, he also encouraged his friends to support his fundraising campaign instead of giving him birthday gifts. “I did that for a little while, and when I ran out of friends and family, I decided to sell my books on Carousell,” he says, adding that his loved ones would reach out to him to donate their books.
When Chong first began collecting books to sell, he started in his grandfather’s spare bedroom, where he installed his first bookshelf—a shelf he still uses in the current bookstore today. As his collection grew, he realised he could turn this passion project into a social enterprise. “Over the last few years I’ve figured that it doesn’t have to be a one off donation or a charity. It could be sustainable and I can look at it as a career,” he explains.
He moved to a small warehouse in Toa Payoh and later found a space in Marymount. There, he opened the doors on weekends, inviting people to browse and purchase books. Eventually, Chong relocated the bookstore to Maxwell, choosing the location for its convenience and making it easier for customers to buy and drop off books.
Above On top of sponsoring education for girls, the social enterprise also provides jobs for mothers
On top of sponsoring education for girls, the social enterprise also provides jobs for mothers
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Opening the social enterprise, Chong felt as if he was restarting his career. “Before [starting Books Beyond Borders], I was doing a lot of spreadsheets and having meetings… but when I moved into selling books, at least at the very start, it was not the most glamorous job,” he says. At the start, he felt like he was taking two steps back career-wise.
For Chong, moments of doubt would come up every week. “[Running a bookstore in Singapore] is not easy… it’s definitely a very challenging business to be in, let along being in a social enterprise where you allocate part of the profits to support the cause,” he explains. Despite the hardships, his passion for helping those in Nepal continues to motivate him.
Above Chong returns to Nepal each year
Chong returns to Nepal each year
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Over the years, the social enterprise funded multiple classroom projects in Nepal. In 2023, Chong placed an additional focus on girls’ education in the country. Chong heads to Nepal at least once a year and when he does, he makes an effort to visit these schools and scholars.
While visiting a girl scholar in her village two years ago, Chong noticed the girl’s mother weaving baskets to sell at a local market to help sustain the family. This inspired him to think beyond scholarships and consider more sustainable ways to support communities in Nepal. He realised that by providing mothers with job opportunities, he could help create a sustainable source of income for families. This led to the creation of Two Storytellers, Books Beyond Borders’ sister brand that offers unique and meaningful gifts made by women and mothers in Nepal.
Below, Chong reflects on his journey in creating the social enterprise.
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Above Over the years, the social enterprise has funded multiple classroom projects in Nepal
Over the years, the social enterprise has funded multiple classroom projects in Nepal
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How do you keep your work grounded and community-led?
At Books Beyond Borders, we stay grounded by always keeping people at the heart of what we do. That means listening closely to our community—whether it’s the people who donate books, shop at our store, or the students and teachers we support in Nepal. We’re not just selling books—we’re telling stories, creating access, and connecting people who care. We regularly speak with our partners on the ground to understand what’s really needed, and we adapt as we go. I’d like to see that our store isn’t just a retail space—it’s a space for conversation and learning.
What are some memorable experiences you’ve had?
One of the most memorable experiences was meeting a young girl named Kriti in a remote village in Nepal about three years ago. I remember her father telling me how much he wanted her to finish secondary school. At the time, we had no idea who we’d end up sponsoring. But two years later, her teacher from one of our supported schools nominated her. Realising it was Kriti, and knowing we helped fulfil her father’s dream, still gives me goosebumps.
Above In 2023, Chong placed an additional focus on girls’ education in Nepal
In 2023, Chong placed an additional focus on girls’ education in Nepal
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How has running the bookstore changed your perspective on social entrepreneurship?
Running the bookstore has shown me that social entrepreneurship isn’t just about doing good—it’s about doing good and sustainable work. It taught me how important it is to balance purpose with practicality and that impact only grows when the business side is strong too. It also reminded me that you don’t need a grand vision to change the world—you just need to start small. Whether it’s reducing plastic use in your neighbourhood or helping underprivileged kids access books, small, consistent actions matter. Big impact often begins with quiet beginnings.
Did you ever feel a lot of pressure to “prove” impact? How do you navigate it?
Especially at the start, I think there was this pressure of having to raise a lot of money and make a big impact. But over time, while running a business, I feel that I learnt not to put that pressure on us because at the end of the day, it is important to enjoy [the process] instead of dread it. My goal is to be able to change hundreds of these lives, but even if we are only able to fund three scholarships and that’s the best we can do, I think that’s good enough. Since I changed my mindset, I think that the company is growing at a more sustainable pace.
Above The social enterprise has opened sister outlet Two Storytellers
The social enterprise has opened sister outlet Two Storytellers
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How has this journey to open Books Beyond Borders changed the way you see success?
I used to think success was about making a lot of money and stuff like that. Although it’s still a measure of success, I think the ultimate success, at least how I see it right now, is being able to wake up on a Monday morning feeling excited about what you’re going to do for the day.
What kind of legacy do you hope this project will leave?
The thing that I want people to remember is how the brand got started. I hope my story can inspire other people to also go out and pursue things that they are afraid of, whether it’s starting a new project or leaving their job to travel. I think if everybody were to choose to listen to their heart and not be afraid to take the path less travelled, I think there’s a lot of good things that can happen.
Credits
Images: Facebook / Books Beyond Borders
Amanda Goh was the former senior writer for Tatler Singapore.
