Mom’s side hustle started in garage, makes $5 million per year

This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Carine “Callie” Merignac, 45, of Los Angeles, California. Founder of Meyrignac cali’s booksA certified minority and woman-owned children’s publishing house projects revenues to reach $5 million this year. Meyrignac launched the company out of his garage in 2016, and nearly a decade later, Calle’s Books has become a global, family business, with more than 50 titles under its belt and more than 500,000 copies sold worldwide. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

^{Image credit: Courtesy of Kelly Books. Carine Merignac.}

Want to read more stories like this? agree money makersOur free newsletter is full of creative side hustle ideas and successful strategies. Sign up here.

What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your job?
I started my career in finance in Singapore, then worked in Paris before moving to New York for a role in banking. When my husband relocated to Los Angeles, I decided to join him and interview at Disney. He asked me which vertical I would like to join, and as an avid reader, I chose publishing – without realizing at the time that, a few years later, I would be starting my own publishing company. After Disney, I went into risk management at Mitsubishi, and that’s where I was working when I started Kelly’s Books.

RELATED: Sisters’ Savory Side Hustle Averages $7,000 a Month: ‘The Reward We Didn’t Feel in a Corporate Job’

When did you start your side and where did you get the inspiration from?
I started in 2016, shortly after my daughter was born. I wanted him to love reading, but like most babies just a few months old, it was hard for him to concentrate. During my maternity leave in France, I discovered music books – they were magical in the way that they captured her attention and made reading fun.

When I came back to Los Angeles, I couldn’t find anything like it. The only alternative were heavy plastic books with buttons on the side, and they didn’t have the same charm. That’s when I realized there was an opportunity to create something beautiful and attractive for kids and parents like us.

What were the first steps you took to get your cause off the ground? How much money/investment did it take to launch?
The first step was to design the books. I wanted something interactive and enjoyable that would get kids excited about reading. To bring this idea to life, I traveled to China to meet with manufacturers and placed my first order of 6,000 books, an investment of approximately $30,000.

I kept things simple – working with freelancers I found on Fiverr and asking friends and family to help whenever possible. Looking back, it was a big leap, but I knew there was something special about these music books.

RELATED: This nurse with ‘no business background’ started a side hustle on Instagram. Now it is a multimillion-dollar brand.

Are there any free or paid resources that have been particularly helpful to you in getting this business up and running?
In the beginning, I relied heavily on freelancers I found through Fiverr, and I was lucky to have friends and family who were eager to help. I also created what I call my “imaginary advisory board” – a group of people I’ve never met but who inspire me in different ways. For example, Gwyneth Paltrow for her sense of glamour, Yvonne Chouinard for her morality and Serena Williams for her strength. Thinking about them helped me keep my focus and reminded me that it is possible to create something meaningful.

If you could go back in your business journey and change one process or approach, what would it be, and how do you wish you had done it differently?
In the early days, I invested a lot of energy in selling through physical stores. It was exciting to see books on the shelves, but margins were thin, payment terms were tough, and most importantly, I missed being able to talk directly to parents and grandparents. The thing I love most is helping families learn how books can become a part of their children’s daily lives – and this direct connection was only possible through online sales. Looking back, I would have gone straight to direct-to-consumer. This is where everything opened up: we could share our story, listen to feedback, and support families in making reading fun and engaging.

Now, with more experience and a stronger foundation, I have been able to start selling again in retail stores like Nordstrom. I love building this same type of relationship with our retailers – their feedback is always very valuable and helps us keep improving.

RELATED: Friends Side hustle sees ‘explosive growth’ and quickly reaches 8 figures: ‘Have to pinch yourself’

When it comes to this specific business, what is something that you have found particularly challenging and/or surprising that people who get into this type of work should be prepared for, but perhaps aren’t?
I was surprised by how emotional children’s books are for families – parents often tell me how our books became part of their bedtime routine or how a musical book was the first thing that kept their child engaged. This creates a huge responsibility, and when there is a problem, we need to fix it fast. In the beginning, I took every customer service call myself, and it was fascinating to hear directly from families. Their feedback shaped the business, and that’s why the first person I hired was for customer service – because earning and maintaining that trust was my priority.

Can you remember a specific example when something went horribly wrong? How did you fix it?
When we printed one of our Jewish books, the text was reflected in the Hebrew language. Since our quality control agents did not speak Hebrew, it passed our testing and was brought into production. As soon as we realized the mistake, we decided to recall all the books and destroy them. It was difficult, but it was the right thing to do to protect our customers’ trust. Since then, we have established new systems, including quality control agents who can review content in multiple languages. It was a hard lesson, but it made our processes stronger and made our commitment to families even clearer.

RELATED: I Turned a Side Job into $20,000 a Month – Working Part-Time Without a College Degree

How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? How much did Side Hustle make?
It took about three years to achieve consistent monthly revenue. At first, every sale felt like a small victory, and the growth was unexpected. The real change happened when I focused on direct-to-consumer. Building direct relationships with parents and grandparents gave us the feedback and confidence we needed to move forward. From there, the business gained momentum and in 2020, we surpassed $1 million in revenue. Since then, we have continued to grow at a steady, double-digit pace.

What do growth and revenues look like now?
We’ve sold nearly 700,000 books in the US alone, which shows how much parents are looking for ways to engage their children in reading. In 2024, our revenue reaches $5 million and we are growing at a strong double-digit pace. The numbers are exciting, but what’s most important is what they show: In the midst of a literacy crisis, families want tools that make reading fun, and we’re here to help.

What do you enjoy most about running this business?
I like the flexibility it gives me. I work a lot, but I can spend the summer in Europe with my family. The time difference means I’m working long hours, but I’m grateful to be able to give my kids that experience. The mission began with my own children: I wanted them to love reading, then learning, and discovering new cultures. Now we’re sharing this with many other families, and realizing that impact is one of the parts I love most about my job.

RELATED: Couple’s Side Hustle Quickly Surpasses $1,000 Per Day With ChatGPT Help

What is your best specific, actionable business advice?
Read, listen to podcasts and keep learning. like books hard things about hard things by Ben Horowitz or Construction Tony Fadell has shaped the way I think about challenges and creativity. I also listen to podcasts like to aspire with emma grade and how i made it With Guy Raz – He reminds me that there is always something new to learn from the journey of other entrepreneurs.

This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Carine “Callie” Merignac, 45, of Los Angeles, California. Founder of Meyrignac cali’s booksA certified minority and woman-owned children’s publishing house projects revenues to reach $5 million this year. Meyrignac launched the company out of his garage in 2016, and nearly a decade later, Calle’s Books has become a global, family business, with more than 50 titles under its belt and more than 500,000 copies sold worldwide. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.