In the boardroom, representation matters — for your business and for your target demographic. Gabb, the Utah-based maker of safe phones and watches designed for kids, has taken this to heart.
For each of the past two years, Gabb has enlisted to serve as “CEO for the Day.” These CEOs, Nova and Michael, each led safe tech brainstorming sessions, implemented new policies and advised on product campaigns. “They left an indelible mark on our business,” says Lori Morency Kun, Gabb’s VP of community impact.
That pilot program was only the beginning of Gabb’s commitment to usher in kids’ voices, ideas and perspectives. Kun says the CEO for the Day program was eye-opening. “We thought, ‘What if we could scale that and listen to kids even more?’ So we decided to have a suite of kid executives.”
This year, Gabb debuted the program by launching the four-member Gabb Kids Advisory Council made up of middle schoolers. When Gabb called for candidates from its customer base, 459 kids applied. The company plans to increase these efforts in the next few years.
Real play, real feedback
To paraphrase the famous line in “Hamilton,” you want kids to be “in the room where it happens.”
“Kids need tech that is designed specifically for them from the start,” says Lance Black, interim CEO of Gabb. “This is why we continually listen to kids — and parents — to help us challenge tech norms and create a safer and better world.”
Kun, who helped organize the 2026 Gabb Kids Advisory Council, says, “Gabb was started in 2018, with the desire to build technology — phones and watches — that are specifically for kids, tweens and teens. And we grew over time.” The phone came first, then the watch. Today, Gabb offers three products: the Gabb Phone 4, intended for 9- to 14-year-olds; the Gabb Phone 4 Pro, for 13- to 18-year-olds; and the Gabb Watch 3e. In addition, Gabb produces apps like Gabb Music, and product accessories such as sport bands, screen protectors and chargers. Some accessories come in a half-dozen colors, so kids can customize as they please.
As Kun sees it, technology is not going away, and smartphones weren’t created with kids in mind. “We’re trying to protect childhood. We’re [cognizant] of the comparison culture and the algorithm-based nature of social media.” She recommends Jonathan Haidt’s book, “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness,” saying its a trove of information on the dangers of social media. Gabb products are not internet or social media accessible. “The internet connects them to the world, but also connects the world to them,” Kun says. “The amount of screen time that people are subjected to when they have a traditional smartphone is something we’re trying to mitigate, so kids can spend most of their time outside of the screen.”
One point the Gabb Kids Council stressed: tell everyone to “look up.” Kun says Gabb kids are spending more time outside and engaged in independent play than their smartphone peers. They tell each other to “touch grass,” Kun says. “I’m definitely outside more,” says Lila, one council member. “If I had social media, I would be inside all day.”
To Kun, the products strike a workable balance between protection and connection, encouraging face-to-face family conversations in real life. “Kids crave in-person connection,” she notes. “The whole company is about serving kids and parents.” The parents don’t see every message their kids receive, but Kun continues, “on the phone, for example, if there’s a conversation that strays and gets flagged, that would send a message to the parent, and then the parent and the child can discuss it.”
A new kind of expert
The highly motivated, tech-savvy quartet provided ideas and offered feedback from a kids’ perspective on new products, customer service, marketing, content and even strategy. Drawn from across the country, the four middle schoolers were flown into Utah in December 2025 for a three-day initiation of the Gabb Kids Advisory Council. Because the kids were already seasoned end users, they were able to hit the ground running; some of their time was spent leading meetings to remind everyone what it’s like to build phones and services for kids. “We just wanted to hear their authentic lived experience,” Kun says. They were also assigned to oversee designated projects in order to hone their leadership skills. The work will continue throughout 2026 as the council members participate in quarterly meetings, surveys and early product testing opportunities.
The council’s cast is both eclectic and accomplished. Nikoli, a seventh grader from Santa Rosa Valley, California, took on the role of VP of product design. Emma, another seventh grader from Louisville, Kentucky, used the Gabb watch for two years and now has a Gabb phone. She is in charge of customer support. Nikoli says Emma is really good at answering questions. Alex, a seventh grader from Middleton, New York, assumed the lead marketing role, creating scripts in addition to serving as Gabb’s current Kids VP of growth. Finally, Lila, a sixth grader and music aficionado who hails from Buckley, Arizona, was tapped to lead Gabb Music.
Kid-driven design
During their time at Gabb, the team brainstormed future product offerings, designed custom wallpapers for kids to enjoy, recorded customer service messages with jokes and riddles instead of hold music, curated a holiday playlist for the Gabb Music app called “Gabb Kids Merry Mix,” filmed and edited videos for parents’ social platforms and shared their experiences at a mock press conference.
Nikoli recalls his most challenging experiences were the rigors of idea creation, such as developing wallpaper, including designs based on dragons, Taylor Swift and even the viral “6-7” meme. He says his proudest moment was getting the call that he’d made the cut to be part of the council. “They came as strangers and left as friends — both the kids and the parents,” Kun says. “That was really powerful to see.” She observes that kids are better than adults at “cheering each other on” and fostering an environment of support.
“It’s a unique advantage to have a Gen Alpha addition to my team,” says Kerri Fox-Metoyer, Gabb head of entertainment. “Lila has so many ideas on how we are going to elevate Gabb Music in 2026.”
According to Eric Davis, Gabb’s senior product designer, “Collaborating with the council was inspiring. The kids brought creativity, honesty and excitement. Together, we turned their ideas into real product concepts and they reminded us who we’re designing for.”
The initiative resulted in an experience the kids will never forget. “It’s a kid’s dream,” Nikoli says. “The best grown-up job you could ever have.”