A mobile phone. An audiobook. An idea that would change everything.
When Jonas Tellander discovers Audible in New York in 2003, a vision is born: the world's first streaming service for audiobooks on mobile. But when the deal with the American publisher falls through, he's forced to build something entirely his own. With only three paying customers after six months, the company faces bankruptcy. Jonas cuts his salary by 80 percent and survives thanks to a desperate appearance on the TV show Dragon's Den.
But survival is only the beginning.
Over twenty years, Storytel grows from a dying startup to a global player that challenges traditional publishers and transforms how millions of people experience books. Jonas acquires publishers, launches internationally, and builds a corporate culture described as both family and cult. But success comes at a brutal price: stock market crashes, boardroom battles, and four CEO changes in quick succession. When external investors take control, Jonas himself is forced to leave the company he created.
Meanwhile, a quiet revolution is underway. In Iceland, one in four residents subscribes. In Turkey, the service explodes. But in Russia, Storytel is forced to shut down when the war begins, and in India, resources are spread too thin.
Behind the numbers are the people: authors who gain new opportunities, narrators who transform from amateurs to professionals, and readers whose everyday lives are changed forever.
Can you transform an entire industry while keeping your soul? And what happens when the founder's vision clashes with investors' demands?
