Dear mamas,
Before Momni was an app, before there was a single pin on the map, it was a story — a messy, faith-soaked, true story that I finally sat down and wrote. It's called Circle Up, and as we relaunch Momni 2.0, I want to put it back in your hands. Because the relaunch isn't really about technology. It's about a movement of mamas, and this book is where that movement says out loud what it believes.
What's actually inside
It opens with me alone in a hospital room, terrified, holding a newborn and a diaper I had no idea how to change — until a nurse laughed kindly and taught me the one skill that turned my panic into a small victory. She was my first Mama Mentor, and that's the whole idea of Momni in one moment: we are not meant to do this alone, and every skill a mama learns is a victory over her own inadequacy. We spiral up.
From there it's honest about the hard parts — the night I nearly died giving birth to our fifth, the years my husband and I white-knuckled our way out of financial crisis, the drive to Arizona in 2017 where the whole vision of "caresharing" and the elephant who circles up arrived all at once. It's the real origin of Momni, told the way I'd tell a friend at my kitchen table.
"We are surrounded by mama friends who are willing to help each other — we just haven't met yet."
Why it matters for the relaunch
Momni 1.0 reached more than 26,000 mamas across all 50 states before we paused through the pandemic. The thing that held all of those women together was never the software — it was this conviction that mothers, linked together, can solve a need the whole world has been quietly drowning in. Circle Up is that conviction in book form. If you've ever wondered why Momni exists, or you want to hand someone the heart of it before you invite them in, this is the thing to give them.
And the community didn't just read the book — they built it with me. The acknowledgements are pages long for a reason. The same mamas who lit up those first pins are the ones we're calling back now.
Circle Up
The #1 bestselling story of Momni — a mother of eight building a global movement to help solve the childcare crisis. Every copy supports the Momni Foundation.
Get it on Amazon Or through the Foundation →What readers are saying
★★★★★"I read your book! It's touching, elegant, inspirational, motivating and so close to my vision of work and life. I'm a passionate mom too! My world is made of spiritual things that create bonds of love in this challenged humanity. Thanks Karmel for what you are accomplishing day by day! I'm an artist and if there is anything I can do to help you, just let me know! Service is my must and pleasure! Much love!"
★★★★★"This book brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. From adopting, to Karmel's entrepreneurial struggles, to her spiritual experiences. A beautiful book was written by a beautiful woman called to change the world, and mothers the world over."
★★★★★"Karmel is a wonderful speaker and writer, but it's not her way with words that make this content so amazing. It is the stories and power of her words that resonate with everyone from 27-year-old startup founders looking to Momni for an example of success, to stay at home mothers of 9 kids who find value in their parenting and lifestyle. Read this book, listen to her podcast, watch her Livestream, or whatever you prefer. No matter what, Karmel's honest and powerful voice shines through to her audience in a way that makes you see the power of women and mothers and how amazingly powerful they are in society, home and the workforce. Hands down great read. Killer book. Buy it, read it, love it, or regret it."
About the author
A note on where your money goes
This part matters to me. Proceeds from Circle Up go to the Momni Foundation — our separate 501(c)(3) — to help fund care for mamas who have no options at all. It's the same promise that started everything: hour for hour, mama to mama. Momni, Inc. and the Momni Foundation are one heart with two separate wallets, and a book you buy lands squarely on the giving side.
Pour something warm, read it in the carpool line or after bedtime, and when you're ready — your pin is waiting on the map.