Real Creative Magazine /Spring 2021

CARYN ANTONINI

The creator of the successful children’s language program , “Early Lingo” talked with RCM Editor Lon Levin and here ’s the interview.

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up? What were your influences?

As a child I was always very interested in different languages and cultures. My parents both traveled and had traveled extensively and brought those experiences to life in our home through food, art, music, stories and décor. Growing up, I was further influenced by the constant flow of international visitors in our home. They taught me about their languages, their countries and customs, and I desperately wanted to visit those countries if I hadn’t already. I was fortunate to be able to travel and study languages at a young age. I was often found with a children’s book in any given language and a dictionary to decode it.

Tell us how your background played a part in your choosing to be a children’s educational producer ?

As a child I was always looking for a product on the market that could teach me languages in a fun, engaging way. The only thing that my parents or I could find were cassettes and books for adult language learning, which I used, nonetheless. I finally discovered a specialty language shop in NYC but the materials were expensive and not always readily available. As a young adult, I still found nothing on the market that I found suitable for children so I created my own.

When did you first think about performing, writing and producing film as something you wanted to do? Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers and mentors?

The idea of Early Lingo first came to me after I had graduated Georgetown University. I had studied in the School of Languages and Linguistics, where one linguistics class in particular sparked my imagination for how I could create a program for very young children to learn foreign languages. I was actively encouraged by family members, faculty at the University and mentors.

Tell us a little about Early Lingo and where the idea came from? How has it performed over the years and did it reach your expectations as a learning tool??

Early Lingo has global distribution and is used in school systems in the U.S., Fiji, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. It is sold in over 70 countries. We started with DVDs then added a full curriculum, which included workbooks and flashcards. To date we have 65 products. In 2016 we introduced the Early Lingo Language Series App – our entire curriculum, including additional games, a written test section and lessons. In 2018 we launched the Jojo’s World App which teaches languages through play in a gaming format. My original idea for a language program was originally software based so the app has really proved to be an effective learning tool as it’s truly interactive and engaging.

What’s your process when you approach a project?

I am old school in the sense that whenever I begin a new project, I love to sit on a sofa with a pen and notebook and brainstorm. I literally carry small notebooks with me everywhere so if a thought pops up, I can write it down. I’ve also learned to make notes in my phone in case the book isn’t handy, lol. Planes and trains used to be the perfect haven for uninterrupted time where I could let my creative process flow. I then create a plan of how execute what I see. However, the key is being flexible because things may not happen the way you envision them or something may just work better, and you have to flex. I also look to see what is on the market, if anything, and how I can make it better and different if it does exist. Then I throw my energy into making it all happen.

Tell us about your new endeavor Cooking and Kids? Why did you choose that path?

I’m really excited about my new endeavor. My goal is to inspire people to cook and to enhance their lifestyle through small changes. I’m offering fast and easy recipes that save time and money as well as tips and ideas to make any occasion more festive – whether it’s a birthday, movie night, game night or even a weeknight dinner that you want to make special or different to change up the routine.

As a single mother, during lockdown I suddenly found myself without childcare and in a position where I had to do literally everything. I saw two choices – I could either stay in my sweatpants and pull the covers over my head and cry, OR I could embrace my love of cooking and creativity to create something positive for my children - and others. I found that cooking and creating little projects was incredibly therapeutic. I’ve always loved to cook, yet this time around I am more inspired and am constantly thinking up new ways to make things special, whether it’s cutting the veggies in a different way or introducing a new recipe. Lockdown felt like the movie Groundhog Day, and I realized that unless I made little changes here and there, we would all go crazy! For example, it was fun arranging a tray of goodies for movie night and immerse myself in the film with my kids. We could no longer escape to the movie theater, but I could still make it fun at home.

You have two sons now. Are they helping you with the new project? It seems like a natural fit??

My boys are ages 8 and 11 and both have been very involved with my new project. We’ve created everything from mock travel videos to kid’s projects to cooking segments, and it’s been great for them to be involved in the process and to learn what goes into creating a new business. Sometimes one will be my cameraman and the other will help edit or offer suggestions for my videos. Inside Edition called at 8:45pm one evening asking if I could contribute to their Mother’s Day show, which we would tape the following morning. My oldest son helped do the cutaway shots for that segment which was an amazing experience for him. I also listen to both of them as they’re the next generation and technology and attention spans move quickly!

How do you feel about being on camera now in your cooking show after being the person behind the scenes and co-ordinating everything for Early Lingo?

Years ago I was asked to appear on CNN/HLN for a segment about Early Lingo and language learning. I was so nervous beforehand but spent a lot of time prepping myself for the interview. When I arrived, the host could not have been more friendly, and I slowly felt more relaxed than nervous. And when the camera started rolling, it was like something clicked. The nerves went away and I realized that I loved being in front of the camera for a change. I was getting the opportunity to share my passion and my mission which was - and is - really important to me. Since then, I have appeared on all major networks across the country, I’m a regular contributor at a local station in CT and am pursuing more opportunities of this nature.

What kind of advice do you give people who want to pursue projects like you have?

No matter what kind of project you pursue, you must believe in yourself. You also have to do your research to see what is out there and how your unique talent and abilities make yours different. Run your idea by your friends and family, but also remember that what inspired you in the first place. You don’t have to take everyone’s advice, but it’s good to listen to others. If people start saying the same thing, then you may want to start doing some work in that area. Then jump in and don’t give up. Be resilient, don’t let a ‘no’ throw you off track. Oftentimes the ‘no’ leads you to something better that what you’d imagined. I also do a lot of visualization which helps me plan my projects and see them through.

What do or did you do to promote yourself? What other exciting projects are you working on now?

With Early Lingo, initially, word of mouth was really important to me. It helped that I was developing the series while I was pregnant and growing the business while my children were very, very young so that I could share the product with other parents, schools and educators. Social media has been a great way to spread the word about both my businesses and engage with my audience. Interviews (thank you, Lon), podcasts, print and digital media, television and ads have also been incredibly helpful, but social media and word of mouth is something that I engage in on a daily basis in between those larger opportunities. My other current project: I’m co-producing a show celebrating First Responders – and I am the chef! We start filming at the end of this month - more to come!

“It was like something clicked. The nerves went away and I realized that I loved being in front of the camera, for a change”

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