The Irresistible Charm Of My Little Paris
How a newsletter about recommendations turned into a globally beloved brand
In 2008 Fany Péchiodat decided to send an email about a secret drinking saloon in Paris to 50 of her friends. They liked her email tip so much that they began requesting more of her insights on where to go and what to do in the French capital. Then one thing led to another and those emails became largely popular. Fany realized she needed more help so she quit her day job and invited her friends Céline Orjubin and Anne-Flore Brunet to join her in her mission of bringing up hidden Parisian gems to the forefront and sharing them with whoever wants to know more in the form of an email digest. And that’s how My Little Paris was born.
This regular newsletter started gaining popularity and slowly became such an anticipated email by readers that only in the first 6 months their subscriber count sky rocketed from the modest amount of 50 to 10.000 people and today this number has risen to 4 million! Somewhere along the way, the My Little Paris personal newsletter evolved and turned into an actual media company. In 2013 this very same company was bought for 90 million dollars, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone given the authentic nature of their personal newsletter! Consequently, that pushed the founders to start experimenting with other things like their surprise boxes, mobile app and some other projects. So far, all of them have been an absolute success.
Same thing happened with the email digest. Even though the newsletter was only available in French for the longest time, in the beginning of 2017 the three aspiring women finally took the leap and started publishing the newsletter also in English. That is quite the understandable move on their part, given that at this point the company is based in a large factory which used to manufacture carousels and has over 130 employees. Oh, and did I mention that large brands like Dior for example are fighting tooth and nail to be featured in one of their issues?
So what is so special about My Little Paris? What made this newsletter stand out so much that eventually it became a powerhouse of its own?
Maybe it’s the ultimate french mantra that so many find enticing and want to live by? Specifically, the idea that one should enjoy pleasurable things without guilt. To a certain extent, the philosophy of My Little Paris is about enjoying the little things in life that actually make up the bigger picture. The personal newsletter is surely promoting this type of lifestyle with its content. And what’s not to like about that? The digest is not only granting its readers permission but it’s also encouraging them to indulge freely in the best of what life has to offer.
Or maybe it’s about the undying, somewhat secret desire of women to resemble Parisian women; to have that exclusive Parisian lifestyle even if they live halfway across the world in Missouri or Tokyo…or Toronto. Maybe it’s more about the Parisian mindset than anything else. I’m talking about this romanticized way of living that separates not just French women, but Parisian women from everyone else. But don’t get me wrong; the newsletter does not divide or separate. On the contrary, it levels out the differences between women and it provides them with tips, tricks and other resources that aim to empower and inspire them. It’s about unity before all else. My Little Paris boldly emphasizes on diversity, creativity and expression of the individual.
Or maybe the overwhelming success of My Little Paris is simply due to the charm and appeal of the newsletter. Given how many different topics and thoughts the authors regularly write about and discuss, it really makes up for one impressive digest that many can relate to. Everyone can find something interesting in their issues, even though the nature of the newsletter predominantly targets and resonates with women.
Some may also say that the secret of My Little Paris is hidden in the fact that everything they produce (first the newsletter and then the rest of their products-apps, boxes, etc.) are extremely personal. The key is in the intimate touch they add to absolutely everything they do. Fany, Céline and Anne-Flore proudly base their business on this essential element.
The three inspiring women summarize the nature of their newsletter best in their interview with Forbes magazine:
“Each email is like a sip of a really good wine: it puts a smile on your lips, makes you feel better, gives you the tiniest shot of confidence, perhaps adds some romance to your life. We try to fit the greatest amount of enjoyment into the fewest sentences possible.”
From whichever angle you look at it, the conclusion is clear. My Little Paris possesses an undeniable charm, a certain “je ne sais quoi” if you will, that won the hearts of many by arriving in their inbox on a regular basis. This is yet another entrepreneurial success story of a few people who pursued their passion and started off with a simple newsletter that later on became a well-recognized and beloved brand. And so it happens once again, it all began with pressing send for a single email. The rest is history.
