An Interview with My Daughter Two Days Before She Turns 10

“Claude Actually Listens" Says Quinn.

My youngest interviewee is my own daughter. I have twin children. I have a boy, Trent, and a girl named Quinn. Trent is pretty popular, and spends a lot of time crushing it with his friends on Roblox and Minecraft. Quinn is more entrepreneurial, more athletic, and also has dyslexia. I'm trying to convince Trent to join us on the newsletter also, but he's got a lot going on. Quinn, on the other hand, has already tested the major AI models, identified her target market, and “mapped out” two startups. She also has a few notes on my parenting. Quinn has opinions. She shares them regularly.

This interview was conducted two days ago, however, today is the twins birthdays. She and Trent turn 10 today.

This article is in honor of that exciting celebration. Dear readers, I am trying to get Trent to chime in also. It is likely to take your urging as well. Feel free to add comments to this article requesting to hear from Trent.

Quinn is the kind of child who challenges my assumptions. She says the quiet part out loud. I have no idea where she gets that from. It must be her mother.

We’d talked before about entrepreneurship. This time, I wanted to go deeper: What does she actually want to build? Who’s the customer? How does she think about money? The answers were more sophisticated than I expected, and occasionally humbling.

What follows is a lightly edited transcript of our conversation.

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Let’s start where we left off. What is it about entrepreneurship that appeals to you?

I like doing business-related things. I want to design my own company. I’ve wanted to do it because I like technology a lot.

How did you get into technology?

I learn a lot from Hard Fork, the New York Times podcast. I’ve tested out all the AI models they talk about. ChatGPT, I don’t think it was very good, based on what I tried. Gemini was mid. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either. And then Claude? That’s the one I liked the most, because it actually listens. When I asked it things, it was always right about what I asked.

And those experiences inspired you to want to build something yourself?

Yeah. I want to help people who are falling for scams. That’s one thing. But I also want to start a company about ADHD and dyslexia, because I have both of those. People feel more comforted when someone else has what they have. And a lot of famous singers have ADHD and dyslexia, so people look up to them. It helps you not judge yourself for it.

Tell me more about that company. What does it actually do?

I might write articles — like, how having dyslexia and ADHD means you have differences, but you’re always great. Motivational essays. And content for parents too, so they understand. And I also want to build an AI chatbot, like what ChatGPT did, but designed specifically for kids who have ADHD and dyslexia.

Who is the customer?

People who want to learn about it. Parents. And kids, there would be a kid version.

What’s the main problem you’re solving?

The internet has a safer option for kids already, but it blocks things that kids actually need. I tried looking up a place, just a location, and it said it couldn’t be reached. I want to make something that’s actually safe, but doesn’t treat kids like they can’t handle information. It should teach boundaries, not just block everything.

That’s a real product gap. But here’s a hard question: your own parents let you on the regular internet. Do you think that was a mistake?

No. Because I wouldn’t have ever learned about AI. I would have been behind. Navigating the internet is a skill everyone should learn. It shouldn’t be taught that you shouldn’t use it. It should be taught that you have boundaries, but you stay in the safe parts, and you don’t go into the deep dark places.

So should that decision be left to parents?

Yes, the parents’ choice. But maybe wait until a little older than the kid’s actual age, especially for AI. Because they might not be ready. I would highly recommend it, but maybe a little older.

Fair. Now, if a parent is considering your product, why should they trust your company?

It would be free for everyone to try. No matter what.

How do you make money if it’s free?

…Sponsors?

Advertising could actually make the product more dangerous — advertisers become your real customer, and then you’re making decisions for them, not for the kids.

Oh. Seriously?

Seriously.

Okay. I haven’t thought that far. …Maybe a free trial, and then it’s not extremely expensive after that. You want to keep it accessible.

You’d make it up on volume. Which company does that remind you of?

Walmart. They sell a lot of things at a lower price, so they make more in total. Also, something I heard a lot of chefs who work at Michelin-star restaurants, their first job was at McDonald’s. Because you learn teamwork. That’s really important for companies.

Last question. What’s the most important thing a parent needs to know about why your company is the one they should trust?

That it would ensure safety. And that I’m building it because I have ADHD and dyslexia. People feel more comfortable when someone who has what they have is the one helping them. I know what it feels like. That’s the story.

Quinn is nine years old and has a lot of ideas. She is currently accepting no funding, but is an advisor (via her mom’s shares) in Ginko, a company that helps kids and families regulate their technology use.

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A note from the newsletter author: What strikes me most about this conversation isn’t Quinn’s business instincts. Those are real. It’s her instinct that lived experience is a form of credibility. “I have this too” is not a liability to disclose— it is a competitive advantage to lead with. In psychiatry, we spend years trying to teach that to clinicians. She arrived there on her own. She also arrived there having learned about AI from Hard Fork, which is either an endorsement of Kevin Roose and Casey Newton’s work or a sign that we should all be rethinking who we assume is in the audience. Or, more likely, both.

If this writing resonated with you, forward it to someone who works with kids, patients, or anyone thinking about how kids of her generation relate to technology.