2013 DIGIFAM SPEAKER: Gayatri Bhalla

This is a series of interviews with the speakers of Digital Family Summit 2013, October 11-13.
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Gayarti Bhalla (Ms. Twixt) is all about positive experiences for tween girls (ages 7-12). By day, Ms. Twixt runs a technology company and is mother to three tween-age girls and a boy. She writes under the pen name Ms. Twixt in an attempt to reduce the drama she causes for her tween daughters. Ms. Twixt is a blogger and online columnist.  She earned her MBA from Yale and for years advised Fortune 500 brands on social media and digital strategy. She previously owned a storefront in Washington, DC, that opened in 2007 to rave reviews and was selected in 2008 and 2009 as Nickelodeon’s Parents’ Pick for both “Best Kids Store” and as DC Living magazine’s “Best of 2008 Style.” She has worked with hundreds of tweens and their parents on issues such as digital literacy, cyberbullying, self-confidence, and girl power and is a thought-leader on all things tweens. Read more: http://technorati.com/people/MsTwixt#ixzz1XwDw3QRH.

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

How did you get involved with blogging?

I had three tween-age daughters and nowhere to turn for content, advice, etc. I ran into the same problem when it came to clothing the girls as they got older – there were tons of designers for girls’ clothes until they were size 6x – and then the options shrank to almost nothing. So I took matters into my own hands and started designing clothing for tweens that was fun, age-appropriate, affordable, and stylish. I’m proud so say that girls loved it as much as their parents. When I opened the store, Twixt, I started the blog.

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

By day, I am the COO of a big data/tech company in D.C. I’m a Girl Scout troop leader for three troops and the Little League Commissioner for Washington.

If you could travel back in time and send yourself a message, what would it be?

Perspective, perspective, perspective.

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

Come to our panel! No seriously: there is a digital divide often between parents and their kids from a tech adoption and management standpoint. Arming parents and schools with the tools to bridge that divide is a lot of what I speak about. Digital is fabulous for self-expression and exploration for kids, and especially to get girls involved in tech. We need to make parents more comfortable with this and help kids to on-ramp online in a savvy, safe, and critical/discerning way. But please do come to our panel!

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

come to our panel!

What are you going to talk about at the conference?

Crafting and maintaining a family technology policy that embraces the best in social media, mobile and digital content creation but doesn’t drive you and your kids crazy.

Who are your Creative Heroes?

Martha Stewart for sticking to her vision even when no one else did.

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.