Building Connection When Distance Is the Default:
The Story Behind My1stCall
By Monifa L. Bryant
Founder & CEO, My1stCall
Modern families are more global than ever. Military service, international careers, deployment cycles, and economic mobility increasingly require parents and caregivers to be physically separated from their infants during the most critical years of development. While technology has advanced rapidly to connect adults, infants have largely been an afterthought.
We assumed video chat was enough. Developmental science tells us otherwise.
The Problem No One Was Naming
Infants don’t bond by watching screens. They bond through responsive interaction—tone, rhythm, timing, and emotional mirroring. When those signals are inconsistent or delayed, something essential is lost. Researchers refer to this as the Video Deficit Effect, in which young children struggle to learn or emotionally engage through passive digital media.
Yet families facing separation are often told to “just FaceTime more.”
My1stCall was created to challenge that assumption.
A New Category: Responsive Play, Not Passive Screens
My1stCall is building what we call a digital village for the next generation—starting with infants in military and globally distributed families.
At the core of our work is Voice-Sync interaction, an AI-enabled protocol designed to support responsive play during early childhood. Instead of relying on visual attention, Voice-Sync focuses on what infants are biologically wired to respond to: familiar voices, emotional cadence, and real-time feedback loops.
Our first product, Ellie the Elephant, is not a screen, an app, or a novelty toy. It is a child-safe, AI-enabled companion designed to reinforce emotional connection when a caregiver cannot be physically present. The goal is not to replace parents—but to protect the bonding window when distance is unavoidable.
Why This Matters at Scale
Each year, more than 140 million infants are born globally. Millions of those children will experience prolonged caregiver separation due to military service, labor mobility, or global crises. These are not edge cases—they are structural realities of modern life.
From an investment and partnership perspective, My1stCall sits at the intersection of:
- Early childhood development
- Ethical and responsible AI
- Family and caregiver resilience
- Military and enterprise benefits infrastructure
Our business model reflects this reality: direct-to-family subscriptions paired with B2B partnerships through military and corporate benefits programs. This dual approach allows us to scale impact while maintaining accessibility for families who need support most.
Traction and the Road Ahead
To date, My1stCall has completed its technical mapping phase and validated early demand through pilot-stage engagement. We are preparing to launch a 100-family pilot at Fort Liberty, one of the largest military installations in the United States.
We are currently raising $150,000 to finalize Voice-Sync AI integration and support pilot deployment—prioritizing safety, responsiveness, and real-world family outcomes.
While I’ve been identified as a Top 0.1% Outlier by EWOR, My1stCall is not a solo effort. It is being built alongside advisors and collaborators who understand that technology touching children must meet a higher standard.
A Founder’s Perspective
As a founder, I believe the most important technologies of the next decade won’t merely optimize productivity—they will protect humanity. They will be designed with restraint, intention, and care.
My1stCall is proof that innovation does not have to come at the expense of emotional well-being. We can build technology that supports families, honors child development, and meets the realities of modern life head-on.
This journey is still early, but the mission is clear:
No child’s emotional foundation should be a casualty of distance.
