ASI SHARABI, CO-FOUNDER & CEO OF WONDERBLY,
ANSWERS MY CROISSANTS’ PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE
My Croissants speak to Asi Sharabi, Co-founder and CEO of Wonderbly, the world’s favourite personalised picture books startup with over 11 million books sold and now part of Penguin Random House.
In his answers, he reflects on Amor Towles, why inconsistency is not a character flaw, and the joy of hosting a party at home in London.
His answers are warm, reflective and occasionally playful, offering a glimpse into a founder who values conversation, storytelling and the people around him.
Each founder answers a different set of questions from the Proust questionnaire.
☉ What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Hosting a party. Size negotiable. The more the better.
△ What is the trait you most admire in others?
Eloquence. The ability to find exactly the right words at exactly the right moment, whether in a boardroom, a eulogy or an argument you’re losing.
▢ What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Consistency. The most interesting people I’ve encountered tend to be genuinely inconsistent in the best sense. They hold contradictory ideas simultaneously, they change positions, they surprise you. That’s not a character flaw, it’s intellectual honesty (or charming weirdness but still cool).
⬥ What words or phrases do you most overuse?
“For want of a better word,” which is ironic given that I apparently never find one.
◎ When and where were you happiest?
Here and now.
⬢ What is your most treasured possession?
Probably my Bose headphones. They’re the thing I’d grab in a fire.
◯ What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Ignorance. Specifically the wilful kind. Not knowing things is fine. Refusing to learn is something else entirely.
☰ Who are your favourite writers?
Amor Towles, Richard Powers, David Szalay, Kazuo Ishiguro. Writers who trust the reader, take their time, and believe that restraint is a form of generosity.
✦ What is your current state of mind?
Contemplative equanimity.
☽ How would you like to die?
I’d rather not but if I have to, make it quick and by surprise, no time to prepare.
— What is your motto?
Other people matter.
What is your favourite breakfast?
Shakshuka. Ideally made slowly, eaten unhurriedly, with good bread and someone worth talking to across the table.