Behind the Scene with Siobhan – Book Hero

Get to know our Warehouse Sidekick Siobhan in the latest of our Behind the Scenes series, where you’ll meet the Heroes who make sure your books, puzzles and board games are picked, packed, wrapped and on their way to your door in record time 🚀

Hi, I’m Siobhan! I work in the Book Hero warehouse, and I do a bit of everything. My secret superpower is being flexible and capable to jump into whatever role is needed on the day. The warehouse demands fluctuate constantly, so being flexible and helping wherever things are busiest is a big part of my job.

My days usually start with inwards deliveries and getting stock received into our system and onto the shelves as quickly as possible. This is important - because our inwards deliveries contain New Releases and customer backorders, which means customers are relying on me moving quickly to get their order on-time.

At home I love crafting, which means I'm also Book Hero's fastest and most competent gift wrapper. This usually means I'm wrapping gifts after lunch and ensuring they all go out on-time with a beautiful bow and card. At the end of the day, I can usually be found at a fulfilling bench doing my part to ensure any last minute orders go out on time and meet our "ships today" delivery promise to customers.

Like the rest of my family, I also feel at home behind a spreadsheet or a computer screen, so I'm also picking up responsibilities in invoicing and sorting stock discrepancies with our suppliers. I like feeling connected to all parts of the business, and even enjoy my time in the bookshop recommending books to customers and helping with Pick Ups.

The most satisfying part of my day is seeing the put-away trolleys empty, because it means everything is on the shelves and exactly where it should be. I like to organise books and products carefully so they take up as little shelf space as possible, whilst still being easy to pick at the other end so we get orders out the door quickly. Being responsible for receiving and shelving also means that I'm the first to see new books and product ranges. Getting our first delivery of board games was an exciting day - I found heaps I'll be adding to my personal collection, and from what I hear, there's plenty more on the way.

Something customers might be surprised to learn is that I could drive our high-stock picker machine before I could drive a car...although that does seem to be somewhat of a Burns family tradition (looking at you Cam 👀).

I like to get to work early so I can enjoy having a chat with whoever beat me into the office and take my time making and enjoying a coffee using our espresso machine. My brothers Cam and Alastair are also early risers so it's often just the three of us, which is actually really nice! Music is a big part of my day. On drive into work I’m usually listening to a rock or heavy metal playlist. Once I’m in the warehouse, the vibe is whatever Dom puts on over the Sonos - guaranteed to be fast-paced and chaotic.

After work, I switch off by watching some TV. I’m currently rewatching Stargate Atlantis, and I’ll usually also read, play World of Warcraft, or build some LEGO depending on my mood. When I’m not working, my favourite hobby is camping, especially when it’s warm enough to go swimming.

I always have a book on the go, and right now I’m reading A Court of Wings and Ruin. If a customer in the bookshop asks me for a must-read, I point them straight to The Name of the Wind.

Looking ahead, I’m really excited to see Book Hero continue expanding into new categories and eventually move into a larger space. I'm also looking forward to my sister Amelia joining the team - as I love working with my family and I know her experience is going to help take Book Hero up another level again.

Watching the business grow and being part of the journey from such an early stage is something I’m really proud of.