Author Juliette Brindak

Juliette Brindak, 21, is the co-founder and CEO of Miss O and Friends. Miss O and Friends is a lifestyle socialization brand for tween (8-14) girls. Through our website, www.missoandfriends.com, we aim to help young girls build self-esteem. Juliette, now a senior at Washington University in St. Louis, started Miss O and Friends as an act of play when she was ten years old. At age 10, Juliette tapped into her artistic creative side, drawing what she referred to as "cool girls." Along with the help of her sister, mom and other girls, after 5 years of just play, Miss O & Friends was formed -- the only lifestyle brand created "by girls...for girls" ages 8-12. Says Brindak, "We started with a website by girls, for girls, featuring real girls, including my sister, Olivia (Miss O), our Asian-American cousin Harlie, Justine, inspired by a local tween, Isabella, Olivia's friend, and me, Juliette." Hip (yet age appropriate), wholesome (but not Pollyanna-ish), Miss O & Friends fills the void for tween girls who have outgrown Barbie® and are not ready for Britney. Through www.missoandfriends.com, tweens can play, create, learn, exchange ideas, get help, compare experiences, get published and much more ... all within a safe, non-chat environment. Says Juliette, "Our goal is to help girls build a sense of self and self-esteem so girls will be less likely to fall prey to the pressures of fitting in and being popular. We want them be comfortable with who they are and to just be a girl." The company then grew organically over the years, with its official launch in April 2005. In 2006, The Proctor and Gamble Company became Miss O and Friends’ largest investor. Currently, Miss O and Friends is the #3 “Girls Only” website worldwide, and has over 500,000 unique visitors a month. In June 2010, Juliette was invited to the Youth International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia. Along with CEOs, politicians, and intellectual leaders from all over the world, Juliette invited to participate in this international business dialogue based on, the “ability to launch and implement projects that produce value for society, as well as their unwavering belief in constant self-development and freedom coupled with responsibility.” She also attended Astia’s “Doing it Right Program” in July. Doing it Right New York City is a program where exceptional entrepreneurs enhance their company's ability to attract funding and cultivated invaluable relationships.Through candid discussions led by local investors and seasoned entrepreneurs, Doing it Right increases participants' understanding of the current state of venture capital and angel investment. This November, Juliette was a global finalist in the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards, which was put on by the Entrepreneur Organization and hosted by The Kauffman Foundation. The GSEA's goals are to inspire students to adopt entrepreneurial endeavors by bringing global visibility to student business owners whose companies are innovative, profitable, socially responsible, and adhere to high ethical standards.The GSEA is a catalyst that inspires students and young people to start and grow entrepreneurial ventures. The Global Student Entrepreneur Awards are a program of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO). The GSEA operates as an international series of competitions for student entrepreneurs who are attending a recognized high school, college or university, who own a for-profit business, are principally responsible for its operation, and have been generating revenue for a minimum of six consecutive months. In addition to Juliette's responsibilities for Miss O & Friends, she is a reporter on "Tween Trends" for TDMonthly Magazine, is interviewed regularly in press, radio and TV, an invited speaker to audiences ranging from MBA students to underprivileged school children, as well as contributing writer to the Miss O & Friends books series, published by VNU (Watson-Guptill imprint). Juliette will also be a contributor to the New York Times article about YEO in December.