2013 DIGIFAM SPEAKER: Chloe Gordon

This is a series of interviews with the speakers of Digital Family Summit 2013, October 11-13.
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Chloe Gordon is the 17 year old co-founder of Popcosmo.com, a lifestyle blog. She has been blogging since she was 13, first about triathlons, and now about fashion, DIY, and topics for teens, moms and everyone in-between since she blogs with her mom. Chloe handles all the graphics, the blog design, and most of the social media, including Instagram, Tumblr, YouTube, Twitter Chat (#ChicChat). Her success on Pinterest has been featured in a book, Huffington Post and Entrepreneur.com among other sites.

twitter: @popcosmo
website: http://www.popcosmo.com

How did you get involved with blogging?

When I started triathlons, one of my mom’s friends had a blog. She encouraged me to start my own blog to keep track of all of my races. Having my own little personal space on the internet was so cool, and I’m so happy that I am still blogging to this day!

What’s your favorite technology to help you blog/write/tweet/edit?

Does my computer count? If so then that’s my favorite thing, not only for blogging, but for everything. But since I’m not a great speller, I’d have to say spell-check!

What blogs do you read regularly?

Design Love Fest , one of my friends –Citrus&Style , and Best Friends for Frosting  are three of my top favorites. They all bring something different to the table, but they are all so creative and fresh. I know that every time I visit each of these blogs that I will be filled with creative inspiration.

Any advice for young bloggers?

I think that the main thing that you need to know when starting a blog is that it isn’t easy, and any one who tells you it is is lying. It takes time and effort to put your best foot forward, but it is 100% worth it. You’ll meet awesome people, have awesome opportunities, and figure yourself out at the same time. Whatever you do, don’t give up when stuff gets tough!

What do you think is the greatest opportunity for digital teens today?

There are so many awesome opportunities out there for people it’s hard to narrow it down. Personally, I have met some of the sweetest friends through blogging. It’s awesome to have a support group of people that have similar interests as you and it’s so fun to bond over these interest! You also always have a virtual shoulder to lean on or person to ask advice to!

What’s the biggest danger facing digital teens & their families today?

I think hate is something that is scary when it comes to putting yourself out there. You want everyone to like you, but trust me, not everyone will. Just forget about those people and focus on all of the positive people that are encouraging you! There are way more positive people out there than negative ones, so surround yourself with the positive people!

What’s next for you after the Digital Family Summit?

We will be featured on BuzzFeed and are excited about sharing a new DIY. But my focus is continually making Popcosmo the best it can be. I don’t have any other official plans right now though.

Who are your Creative Heroes?

Bri Emory from DesignLoveFest blog. She is so cool and everything that she does / makes puts an awesome twist on normal. She’s 100% original which I think is hard to come by these days. Ugh she’s perfect.

Do you have any hobbies other than digital media creation? What are you passionate about?

A few of my hobbies include golf, photography, crew, and reading John Green books multiple times.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Adam Gertsacov is the co-founder and co-organizer of Digital Family Summit.  He wears many hats, including those of a professional clown, an author and publisher, an artist/educator, a non-profit administrator, a P.T. Barnum impersonator, a flea circus impresario, and the esteemed hat of the Clown Laureate of Greenbelt, Maryland.