How Joshua Sison is turning a new page for Booksale

It all boils down to listening — to your employees, to your patrons, to the market.

- By JASPER EMMANUEL ARCALAS

That, says Joshua Emmanuel Sison, is the biggest lesson he has learned after more than a year at the helm of Booksale Philippines, one of the country’s oldest and most beloved bargain bookstore chains.

For Sison, leading Booksale means more than just running a business — it’s about honoring a legacy. As a millennial executive, he knows he must blend fresh ideas with the decades-long wisdom of Booksale’s loyal employees and customers to guide the company into its next chapter.

A year ago, Booksale announced it was entering a “new chapter” as it embraces innovative ways to stay true to its mission: making reading affordable and accessible to every Filipino. That vision remains, even as the company navigates the economic headwinds of today’s retail landscape.

“I hope to merge these ideas to create a bigger one that will benefit everyone. I cannot do that without listening to our employees, to the people on the ground and to the market,” Sison, the president of Visual Mix Inc., which runs all Booksale stores nationwide, tells The STAR.

Being at the helm of the firm has been eyeopening for Sison, especially as he gains a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the local book industry and the country’s reading culture today.

“We really see the problem when it comes to literacy,” he says. “You notice it when sales go down even if the shelves are full and all the promotions are in place. You realize it’s tied to the country’s economic situation, as people choose to spend their money elsewhere.”