Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Thao Tran. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Thao, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

In 2019, I was presented with two opportunities; a job offer in New York at a startup and a job offer to work in Qatar at the world’s best airline, Qatar Airways. Both roles were incredible, however, a few years before these opportunities presented themselves, I was once also given the opportunity to work in Qatar at a luxury hotel. Although the role fell through, I always wondered ‘what if’ I worked in Qatar and what living there would be like. It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live and work there.

A few years later, the opportunity to live and work in Qatar presented itself again. I knew it was an act of fate, a second chance. I decided to take the risk of dropping everything in Melbourne to live overseas to a place where I knew no one or anything about the country. Having said that, it was one of the best decisions of my life. Not only did I excel in my role in the Creative Services (Marketing & Advertising) department, I made some wonderful friendships with my colleagues and friends. I gained more independence and saw the world in a different way, travelled like never before, and discovered a whole new world.

If I hadn’t moved to Qatar, I wouldn’t have experienced new learnings, new friendships, and new beginnings.

It was an unforgettable experience, and I would not change that risk for the world.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Pronounced ‘Ta-ow’, I am an entrepreneur and music artist.

When smartphones launched, I started noticing changes in human behavior. People stopped reading magazines and newspapers, and instead took to their phones to read content. Then people started walking across the road, driving their cars and walking their prams whilst on their phones, which has lead to accidents. More children were on their devices more than ever, not eating their food due to screen addiction. Also during and after COVID, there has been increases in mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and diminished self-esteem, particularly among younger audiences who use technology. This is when I knew a major problem exists in digital and wellbeing. With a digital marketing background of over 15 years, where I earned my Bachelor of Business & Commerce degree from Monash University in 2015, I was personally always on my screens and wanted to find a way to help people scroll better on their devices.

That is why I founded Ditox.

Ditox is a wellness entertainment company that helps youths, families and businesses use technology in healthier ways. There is a need for innovative, engaging solutions within the wellness entertainment industry that leverage technology responsibly. Our vision at Ditox is to become the world’s leader in wellness entertainment for youths, families and businesses. Our mission is to close the technology health gap by reducing worldwide technology related health issues and advocate for positive digital content, culture and inclusion. Ditox uses a collaborative approach involving technology developers, mental health professionals, content creators, and wellness advocates to design experiences that are both enjoyable and beneficial to user well-being, setting a new standard for the future of digital wellness. Through engaging wellness workshops, programs and events, Ditox aims to co-create entertainment content with speakers, writers, producers, artists, and game programmers that educates, motivates, and advocates for positive social media and technology most impacted by poor mental health, physical health and generation gaps with technology. Businesses, schools and families see a significant uplift in staff wellbeing especially among remote workers who are most impacted by mental health issues, tech fatigue and isolation, leading to a more positive, productive and resilient community.

Existing digital literacy and digital wellbeing programs often focus on digital wellness and social media wellness programs as educational resources for schools, students and businesses. Ditox’s unique point of differentiation focuses on bridging digital and physical by blending brands. Instead of seeing other organisations as competitors, we see brands as aligned partners, to create a cohesive movement and community of wellness entertainment for us and the next generation. To date, I have presented Ditox at Google DevFest, Women Coders, numerous startup events and at The International Families & Fathers Conference in Los Angeles, California.

In my spare time, I am a music artist known as ‘tha0ie’, a pop-rap artist and songwriter who performs songs around wellbeing and relationships. I’ve performed at various venues in Australia including RIPE Hip Hop in St Kilda, at the South Asian Festival in Melbourne, Australia and Australian business events.

I love making music, exploring creativity and excelling in entrepreneurship. Through Ditox and music, I aim to become a ‘social artist’ to change lives and positively affect society.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Prior to COVID, our Ditox motto was to ‘scroll less and live more’. During COVID, we realized technology is never going away. We’ve had to pivot from holding small events (where we locked our phones away) to creating workshops, talks and larger scale events where technology and phones are used – and not locked away – to enhance the physical life. For example, people who attend our workshops are required to bring their phones/devices to complete digital decluttering and wellbeing activities.
Recently, we’ve pivoted from running an events company or creating online sshool programs, to a creative wellness entertainment organisation where we co-create digital wellness content with online collaborators.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Building my reputation within my market has helped by having a marketing background of over 15 years, working with students and youths, organising events for youths, and launching my own businesses.

As a marketing professional, I have worked in digital marketing and general marketing in both local and global brands. Working internationally in a multicultural country like Qatar, and working in diverse industries from health to education to beauty, has given me the breadth of how different brands and customers are perceived and also think.

I have also been an entrepreneur at a young age, where I worked as a private English and Mathematics tutor since I was 15 years old, teaching primary school students. During university, I expanded my expertise in tutoring by creating my own tuition school FreshMind Tutoring, where I hired excellent tutors to teach K-12 in interactive classroom settings (teaching indoors and outdoors with games and creative play when necessary) at Monash University and at a local Melbourne centre.

As I’ve always had the affinity to help youths at a young age, I held events for teenagers and young adults. My passion for digital and wellbeing have brought me to where I am today. By combining all these professional and personal experiences, I believe I have the ambition, tenacity, work ethic and passion for helping students, youths and families live better with technology.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thaovanessatran.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tha0ie
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ditoxco
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thaovtranofficial/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DitoxScrollBetter
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/tha0ie
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13611131/