From Corporate Banking to Bilingual Books: One Mother’s Leap of Faith

Los Angeles, CA – Carinne Meyrignac wasn’t planning to become a children’s book publisher. A seasoned professional in the world of corporate banking, her life took an unexpected turn following the birth of her daughter and a subsequent return to the workforce that felt…wrong. What began as a personal quest to find engaging, culturally appropriate nursery rhymes for her child blossomed into Cali’s Books, a thriving independent publishing house now generating over $4.8 million in annual revenue.

A Gap in the Market, and a Mother’s Intuition

Meyrignac, originally from France, found herself missing the lyrical traditions of her homeland when she moved to Los Angeles. While she embraced American culture, she noticed a distinct difference in the tone and content of nursery rhymes. “Many French nursery rhymes are…surprising,” she explains. “One popular rhyme translates to something like, ‘I have some great tobacco, but I won’t share it with you.’ I certainly didn’t want to sing that to my baby!”

She appreciated the generally upbeat nature of English rhymes like “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Patty Cake,” even those that touched on heavier themes, like the historical context of “Ring Around the Rosie” – believed by some to reference the Great Plague. But when she returned to Paris for maternity leave with her first child, she discovered a vibrant tradition of singing books – books designed to be sung along with, fostering early language development and a love of music. Upon returning to the US, she found a void in the market.

“My daughter absolutely adored these singing books,” Meyrignac recalls. “They kept her engaged in a way that traditional board books didn’t. When we came back to America, I couldn’t find anything similar. That’s when the idea started to form.”

Taking the Plunge: From Savings to Self-Publishing

Meyrignac is a firm believer in acting on inspiration. Within months of identifying the gap in the market, she had a plan. In November 2016, she and her husband travelled to China – leveraging Meyrignac’s passable Mandarin skills – to connect with a printer. She’d previously worked in Asia and understood the manufacturing landscape.

The printer required a minimum order of 3,000 copies per title. Instead of using their savings for a new car, the couple invested it all into printing 6,000 books – two titles, “Twinkle Twinkle” and “Patty Cake.” “We figured we’d have presents covered for life,” Meyrignac laughs. But the initial investment quickly proved worthwhile. Local baby stores responded enthusiastically, and demand began to grow.

However, the financial realities of entrepreneurship soon set in. Meyrignac quickly calculated that she’d need to significantly increase revenue to leave her corporate banking job. “It wasn’t financially feasible at the time,” she admits.

An Unexpected Turning Point

Fate intervened during a second maternity leave in France. Upon her return, Meyrignac faced unexpected challenges at work. She found herself unable to reconcile the demands of her corporate role with her desire to prioritize her family and her burgeoning business. The situation culminated in a mediation process, resulting in a settlement.

“It was gratifying to have a court acknowledge that I had been treated unfairly,” Meyrignac says. “More importantly, the settlement provided the seed money I needed to truly launch Cali’s Books.” This experience underscored the growing need for supportive work-life balance policies for parents, a challenge many families face globally.

Building a Family Business, One Book at a Time

Meyrignac leveraged her organizational skills honed in the corporate world to scale Cali’s Books. The early days were challenging, particularly the shift from a regular paycheck to the unpredictable income of a startup. “There was a lot of pressure to provide for my family,” she admits. “It was sometimes scary.”

Between 2019 and 2021, the business experienced explosive growth. However, this success was bittersweet, coinciding with her mother’s cancer diagnosis. Owning her own business allowed Meyrignac to spend precious time with her mother in Europe during her final months – a gift she deeply cherishes.

In 2022, her husband joined the team, bringing his expertise to the growing operation. “I don’t pay him as much as his previous employer,” she acknowledges, “but now the whole family has flexibility.” And in 2023, Meyrignac finally began paying herself a salary.

Today, Cali’s Books boasts a catalog of over 50 titles and generated $4.8 million in revenue last year. Meyrignac is proud to have built a tangible legacy for her children and to have created a business that aligns with her values.

The story of Cali’s Books is a testament to the power of identifying a need, taking a leap of faith, and building a business around family and passion. It also highlights the increasing importance of entrepreneurship among women, with women owning and operating 37% of businesses globally, a figure that continues to rise.

“I appreciate the independence I have,” Meyrignac concludes. “And I’m proud to be building something I can leave to my children.”