EDINBURGH-based business, Voxblock founded by Rebecca Lundgren and Tom Williams, has taken on two new hires in preparation for being THE children’s gift for Christmas 2023. Following a successful launch last year, Voxblock the screen and wifi free children’s audiobook player, saw sales increase by 477% over the 2022 festive period. This, coupled with consistently strong growth which has seen monthly sales of the screen-free player treble since the start of the year, means that the company is confident that they are in for a bumper Christmas and have started hiring accordingly.
New hires include experienced marketer, Helen Singleton, who brings over ten years experience scaling startups. She joins the team as Marketing and Operations Manager having previously worked with a range of businesses in the technology and education space. Most recently Helen worked as part of the senior leadership team at a leading online e-learning business, taking the business from start-up to successful exit. Niamh Paterson, an English Literature graduate with a publishing background garnered from work experience at Penguin Random House, has also joined the team to head up Customer Satisfaction and further accelerate growth.
Voxblock is at the forefront of a new breed of audiobooks designed to entertain children whilst simultaneously promoting learning and advancing literacy skills. Voxblock is unique as it is not only screen-free but is also wifi, download and set up free – making it super easy for children to listen independently with no grown ups needed!
The global audiobook market is a fast growing sector as more and more people discover the joy of audiobooks. The overall market is predicted to grow by over 24% annually (Deloitte, 2020) with the fastest growth being reported in the children’s segment. Presently the UK accounts for 10% of the global audiobook market and is in its seventh year of consecutive growth (Neilson, 2020). It’s easy to see why parents are swarming to audiobooks, with research from The Literacy Trust showing that audiobooks help improve literacy skills, engage reluctant readers and support wellbeing (National Literacy Trust, 2022).
Co-founder Rebecca Lungren commented: “We’re delighted that Voxblock has received hugely positive feedback from both parents and children, which has allowed us to grow our team. Helen and Niamh bring with them both experience and enthusiasm. We’re looking forward to this next stage of growth, and what I’m sure will be a very exciting Christmas.”
Since its launch in August 2022, Voxblock has enjoyed widespread recognition including being named as the Best Kids Audio Player for Ease of Use by both The Independant and The Evening Standard and Best Speaker for Kids for Offline Audiobooks by WIRED. They hold a 5 star certification from The Good Play Guide and are shortlisted as The Best Travel Product by the Junior Design Awards. Voxblock has also had rave reviews from parents and children alike, currently holding a score of 4.9/5 stars on Trustpilot.
Designed for children between 3-12 years old the Voxblock player is supported by an expanding library of over 150 stories that can be collected, loved and listened to forever. The range includes classics such as Paddington and Alice in Wonderland to contemporary authors including Malorie Blackman and MG Leonard.
Developed and assembled in Scotland, Voxblock is committed to sustainability and has created a life-long product that can be repaired, recycled and redeployed. The audiobooks are made from 97% recycled materials with plastic free packaging that is 100% recyclable.
Starter Packs include a Voxblock player, three books and a protective bumper and are available to buy from voxblock.co.uk for £59.99. Audiobooks range from £5.99 to £13.99
