Wanted: Inspirational Story Interviewees (long)

[Shaun @ Tru6]

For the past 6 months my partner and I have been working on launching G9Girl, originally just a line of tween-early teen apparel and accessories sold principally via direct sales (think Avon) "fashion parties" while also getting the line into boutiques, regional chains and the Nordstrom's of the world.

But the more research we did, the more it became clear that it needed to be so much more. Tweens and teen girls have so few positive role models, parents are working more than ever, media is bombarding them with terribly conflicting messages and studies show self-esteem takes a nose dive from 8 to 16.

With www.g9girl.com up and running and an inventory in-house, we now want to build an educational infrastructure that seeks to provide tween and teen girls with all the tools necessary to build self-esteem, leadership and business skills, have greater confidence in their abilities and raise their career aspirations all while making it fun and engaging with real ways they can "make a difference."

Our goal is that the mother-tween daughter teams essentially running their own small businesses will be a great vehicle to build a stronger mother-daughter role model bond while giving girls the above mentioned skills and experience in an environment with built in positive feedback loops, that is safe and fun for them, and shows them that "they can do it." They will also earn 25% commission on all sales too!

If you check out the web site, you will see that we are content-poor in providing inspirational stories about girls and women how have done something great. For example, we are interviewing a friend who came in 2nd going for the US Women's Olympic Team in Sculling. We also want to interview tweens and teens themselves who have done something that other girls will find inspirational. Lastly, we also want to find girls who will shape the site. Knowing that tweens and early teens want to make a difference and thrive on community, we are more and more considering that these same girls should shape the site, much like a huge class project, but something they can really call their own.

So, background down, do you have a daughter, niece, cousin, friend, wife of virtually any age that we can interview, have you send in a photo or two and get it up at the site?

And do you have an enterprising daughter who would want to help shape the content of the site, sort of like an Editor-in-Chief?

All comers welcome.

[RickM]

I'll bite here:
My niece is a highly respected Field Hockey (and Lacrosse) player for Lehigh U. Straight A student (4 year fully paid scholarship), very mature, well rounded and very pretty. I'll have her interning for me this coming summer. She continously amazes me as she balances her academic, sports and personal life (read boyfriend).
I'm very happy that my 7 year old daughter has her as one of her role models.
Our motto is to keep our kids so busy that they have no time to get in trouble.

Let me know if you'd like to know more.

[LeeH]

There was an article in a local parenting magazine about
http://www.jonnieandbrookie.com/
They sound like the next Mary Kate & Ashley.

[nostatic]

I'm a tween girl in chat rooms...does that count?

[bryanthompson]

yikes, nostatic... yikes

[nostatic]

hey, somebody's got to keep you guys entertained...

Shaun, I know some social anthropologists that work in this area. Depending on how commercial the site is, they might have some interest/insight.

[M.D. Holloway]

see the thread "Truely Beautiful and Inspiring - Must See".

[tabs]

How bout Mother....of course she now claims shes dead.....but I feel you can work around that....

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Lee, thanks for the link. These girls are exactly what we are looking for.

Nostatic, thanks, it is a blend of commercial and philanthropic. We are now creating an advisory board that will help us in planning out a curriculum as well as message for the site which will be blended with the voices of all the girls visiting. Knowing that tween girls love to take on projects and want to make a difference in the lives of others, we are considering ways for the site to be "built" by them. Balanced with that, we need experts to help massage the message so it is meaningful to the casual visitor and gets them engaged, and enters into a continuous feedback loop: the more they build and see the results (themselves or their writing and blogs and reaction to such at the site), the prouder they are of their achievement, the more they get involved, self-esteem increases, etc. Along the way, we want to gently guide them into the "math-science" direction which is ultimately a professional career direction.

Yeah, it would also be nice if I could give the vision to someone who has long-term involvement with this group, and knew how to write so our vision/mission would at least be coherent.

So, if you would be so kind as to pass this along, or have them check out the site and gauge their interest, either I can contact them or can be reached at shaun@g9girl.com or 617-864-9555.


Lube, will take a look. Did you get my email?

Tabs, huh?

[LeeH]

Originally posted by Shaun 84 Targa

So, if you would be so kind as to pass this along, or have them check out the site and gauge their interest, either I can contact them or can be reached at shaun@g9girl.com or 617-864-9555.

Shaun,

If you're responding to my post, I don't know these girls personally. I just saw the article in the local parenting mag and thought the sounded like who you're looking for. You'll have to do the contacting.

Lee

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally posted by LeeH
Shaun,

If you're responding to my post, I don't know these girls personally. I just saw the article in the local parenting mag and thought the sounded like who you're looking for. You'll have to do the contacting.

Lee

Hi Lee, no, I was asking Nostatic to have his anthrologist friends contact me. We'll contact the girls, thanks again for the link.

[LeeH]

Tell them to keep taking their singing lessons... PLEASE!

[tabs]

Just a joke I dare say....Mother would never be available for your project....It's difficult to keep appointments when you claim that your dead....

I shouldn't have despoiled your serious subject with my twisted ramblings...Your work is very worthy of every consideration...