Mollie is the Founder and CEO of Perygee. Before starting Perygee, she was an Applied Research Mathematician at the Department of Defense where she specialized in network exploitation and machine learning. She is passionate about improving the security of IoT devices and actively contributes to defining the standards for medical IoT through the IEEE Clinical IoT Data and Device working group. Mollie holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and an M.S. in Engineering from Harvard University, where she was a Horace W Goldsmith Fellow for leadership in the nonprofit sector. She also holds a B.S. in Computer Science and Mathematics from Duke University.
Please tell us a little bit about your company – what is Perygee all about?
We are building a connected device management solution providing device-specific security, real-time visibility, and performance enhancement for the entire life cycle of new and legacy devices for enterprise customers. We make your connected devices visible to you whether you knew they were on your network or not, we automatically stop threats before they reach the device, and increase the device’s overall performance through tracking metrics such as availability and extending the overall life cycle of the device.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company.
Before starting Perygee, I designed the solution (and led a team of 7 people spanning 6 different offices) to strengthen the Department of Defense’s critical infrastructure. The solution improved the foundational security for DoD operations. I went on to lead the AI/ML portfolio at the Pentagon to modernize all military strategy and deployment. Perygee reflects the continued application of our deep domain expertise in network exploitation and machine learning.
What are your plans, and how do you plan to grow this company?
We are excited to be growing in every dimension: furthering product development, expanding the team, and scaling the number of end-users. HVAC and environmental controls are the optimal starting point to expand into the growing footprint of connected devices.
What were the top mistakes you made starting your business and what did you learn from it?
Back when I was in business school, I thought the best way to prepare myself for entrepreneurship was to take entrepreneurial classes. When I reflect back, I realize that while I did learn a lot in those classes, I learned other valuable lessons that apply to entrepreneurship from other business courses as well. The takeaway that I put into practice is that the best advice or resources out there for starting or running a business aren’t just confined to the books or blogs focused purely on startups. It is valuable to turn to other resources, books, or people working in different fields as you.
What is one thing that you do daily to grow as an entrepreneur?
I prefer to write all my notes when meeting with potential customers, investors, hires, etc. I find it helps keep the relationship more personal than separating the conversation with a screen or the sound of typing. That being said, my notes tend to be fragmented, unreadable, or get easily lost, so every night after my meetings are done I summarize all my meetings from the day into one document. I find that this is a time to reflect more on the conversation, on the business, and add in thoughts that I might have otherwise missed.
What are three books or courses you recommend for new entrepreneurs?
The most tactical book I have read is Sprint by Jake Knapp. I enjoyed how it broke down into just a few days away to make a lot of progress on a single idea. The other two are the “Hard Things about Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz. and “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight both of these touch on the more emotional side of being an entrepreneur.
If you only had $1000 dollars to start a new business, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
I would spend the first $500 building on a really nice landing page. I was surprised how often people started the conversation, no matter how early I was, with “I looked at your website…” The second-half I would spend going to an industry-specific conference and meeting as many people as possible. Even just one connection can make all the difference– I met someone who was influential in helping to focus our core market and is now an advisor to the company.
What is your favorite quote?
The quote attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt, “Do one thing that scares you every day” comes to mind immediately. I find my day-to-day is filled with many firsts that can sometimes feel scary or intimidating, this quote often serves as a helpful reminder that feeling challenged is something to embrace.
How can we get in touch with you?
The best way to reach me is by following the company and me on LinkedIn.
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