Caroline Pugh, Youthful Powerhouse, Hardware Enthusiast, and Entrepreneurial Advocate 

“Innovation” and “millennials” – two terms you naturally associate, like peanut butter and jelly.

So not surprisingly, I met young entrepreneur extraordinaire Caroline Pugh at an event orchestrated by Levo League and The Kairos Society, hosted at Quirky’s HQ, the invention incubator in New York (note: do check out the link to view the priceless sign at Quirky’s entryway telling ”suits” to “go away”).

The Kairos Society works with young entrepreneurs as they innovate, from idea to execution, to solve problems and scale impact, and Caroline is Director of Partnerships and President of the Washington D.C. Region for Kairos. Caroline is also co-founder and chief operating officer of VirtualU, a tech startup that, in her own words, “has developed the world’s first under-$10,000 human body scanner with millimeter precision, capable of producing highly realistic 3-D scans in less than 10 seconds.” Impressed yet?  ‘Cause wait, there’s more…she’s a contributor to The Huffington Post and Under30CEO, been named a CIT GAP 50 Awards winner and has pitched at the nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank The Milken Institute.

Wondering how she stays focused and gets it all done? Nespresso and saying “no.” Since Caroline is a leader in a digital, tech-enabled, entrepreneurial generation, it does not surprise me that she says “the worst” for her is when people complain about things they can do something about. For Caroline, it is all about the famous Gandhi-inspired mantra “be the change” — or start the venture to solve the problem. And for all of her love of tech, what I adore about Caroline is that she loves getting cards in the mail…! 

Who are your heroes?
My parents.

What is your current challenge?
Being okay with not going with the status quo.

What problem are you solving?
There currently is no standard, cost-effective or intuitive way to get biometric data. It’s crazy to me how you can log onto to Facebook or Twitter, and know exactly where your friends are or what their children look like, but not your own weight or body fat percentage.

What problem would you like solved?
Instilling confidence within young women to start companies, especially those in technology.

Biggest regret?
I have no regrets! 

What talent would you like to have?
To be able to teleport anywhere; I hate spending time in airports!

Best slap on the back you ever received?
I guess a jolt was when I realized that the world is not black and white. No one is ever going to make your dreams come true for you.  If you want something, go fight for it.

Your pitch in 140 characters?
“VirtualU integrates 3D human modeling technology into the fitness/healthcare space so that people can accurately track how their body changes as they work out and lose weight.” [note: she needed 177 characters, but who’s really counting?]

Your bio in 6 words?
“Co-founder of a 3D scanning company.”

The Twitter follower you can’t live without?
Don’t keep track of them.

Your nails-on-a-chalkboard moment?
Every time I’m late to a meeting, I feel like I’m doing something terribly wrong. I hate being late.

The J.O.B. you’d actually like?
I actually can’t imagine doing anything else! 

Biggest misconception about being an entrepreneur is?
That you can make your own schedule. Just because you don’t have a boss doesn’t mean you lose a sense of responsibility to your company, employees, investors and overall vision for where you want to be.

Inc. or Rolling Stone or…..? Which magazine cover?
Forbes.

What are you reading?
The Big Short [a book about the burst of the credit and housing bubble in the 21^st century, now optioned by Brad Pitt as a movie], by Michael Lewis.

What book is your must read?
Four Seasons: The Story of a Business Philosophy, by Isadore Sharp [the founder of the legendary hotel brand]. Isadore Sharp knows customer service and experience like the back of his hand. His humble story and his love of making others happy makes him a leader whom I’ll always find inspiring. I never read books twice…but I read this one four times.

What book did you read which would have been put to better use as a doorstop?
Any how-to book. There is no one exact way to get something done.

If I wanted to do what you’re doing…what’s your advice?
Learn how to master being both persistent and patient.

What conference would you like to keynote?
The Milken Institute. 

Short cut, long route, road less traveled? What’s your roadmap?
A roadmap with lots of scenic rest stops. 

One place in time you’d like to visit?
Machu Picchu. Anytime. 

One last thing (what’s the question I should be asking you)?
Why aren’t there more young women starting companies? (Interviewer’s note: good question —  and hopefully more young women will start their own ventures after reading Caroline’s interview.)