How To Work In The World Of Books

Annie Stone, Director of Acquisitions, Podium Audio
in conversation with
Hannah Feldman, HR Business Partner, Pubmark

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023 6 p.m.
FREE Virtual Event

Register HERE

WNBA Boston Chapter is excited to present our second of six events in our new Professional Development Series. On October 18th, learn more about the publishing world with Annie Stone, current Director of Acquisitions at Podium Audio, in conversation with Hannah Feldman of Pubmark. Read our interview with them below.

WNBA: Let’s start with the basics, what does each of you do?

Hannah: I am an HR Business Partner. It is an intentionally vague title because the job requirements are different from week to week. Generally, I focus on the employee experience. From the first day someone joins the company to the end of their time with us, my job is to do what I can to make it the best experience possible and to facilitate communication and connection between teams.

Annie: I am the Director of Acquisitions for Podium, a publisher that was founded 10 years ago.  We primarily publish audiobooks but we have also recently started a focused full-service publishing list (publishing ebook, audiobook, and print editions). I acquire titles for both sides of our business, with a focus on fast-paced commercial fiction!

WNBA: What will you share during your session?

Annie: We will talk about career crafting, from the nitty gritty of, for example, how to make sure your resume is in great shape, to what to be thinking as you approach the interview process, and bigger-picture thoughts about how to move your career forward. We’ll also share common mistakes and tips from our experience working on the recruitment and team-building side.

Hannah: We’ll also be reflecting on our experiences of working in the book world. We’ve both worked remotely and in person in Boston and beyond. 

WNBA: How has the remote working shift affected the industry?

Hannah: The transition to predominantly remote work has changed our approach to work pretty significantly. Anything that involves building connections is different now and requires more proactive thought and effort. Questions, ideas, cross-team conversations that may have come up organically when everyone is in a shared space now need the extra step of intentionally reaching out, sending a note, or setting up a call. I spend a lot of time at work trying to create good support systems for building connections and collaboration between teammates, and making sure people feel like they have a great environment in which to do their jobs.

WNBA: Are there any common personal characteristics that you see in those who find success in this industry?

Annie: The one thing in common everyone has is that we all love books. Everybody has a passion for the industry. Different departments require different skill sets but everyone loves books. It makes for a really pleasant corporate culture. 

Hannah: Agreed. We all have that in common.

WNBA: How many interviews & hirings have you conducted or been involved with?

Hannah: Hundreds. Before I was an HRBP, I worked in recruiting at Pubmark and interviewed everyone who joined our company over those couple of years.

Annie: Not as many as Hannah but probably around 75, if I had to guess.

WNBA: So you’ve definitely seen what to do and what not to do?

Both: Oh yeah.

Come to our session to hear some stories and take away concrete steps you can take to ease your way into the industry that puts the books on your shelf!