Meet Deb Mallin

We recently connected with Deb Mallin and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Deb, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

I’ve come to realize that being “the only one in the room” is less about appearance and more about perspective. I’m often the only one in the room who identifies as a teacher first—before Founder, CEO, or EdTech innovator. I’m the one who shows up with gray hair, a sweater set, reading glasses, and yes, often a pencil in hand. I lead with head, heart, and wallet, though heart always comes first.
What sets me apart isn’t a barrier—it’s my advantage. I raised three now-adult sons in a household full of neurodiverse, risk-taking, testosterone-fueled energy. Surviving that (with humor intact!) taught me to be compassionately relentless. I’ve carried that grit, wit, and wisdom into classrooms for over three decades and now into boardrooms.
When I walk into spaces filled with investors, technologists, or executives, I bring the lived experience of children learning to read, write, and spell—not just theory or market trends. I bring stories of worry, wild adventure, and resilience that remind me why this work matters. Being the “only” has taught me that effectiveness doesn’t come from blending in—it comes from standing firm in who you are and using every lesson you’ve lived to make the world a little better for the children and families you serve.
A final note on appearance: while many people put on a costume when they’re preparing to enter a room, I save mine for Halloween. At my age and stage of life, what you see is what you get—and she wears a sweater set.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

A lifelong teacher turned founder of Mighty Doodle®, an AI-powered literacy platform built to ensure that every child learns to read, write, and spell. What makes Mighty Doodle® special is that it was designed first and foremost by a teacher with over 35 years of experience working with children—including my own son—who struggled with dyslexia and attention challenges. This isn’t just tech for tech’s sake; it’s evidence-based, Orton-Gillingham/ Science of Reading aligned, and rooted in joy (a little humor, too).

What excites me most is seeing children who once thought reading was out of reach suddenly light up with confidence. We’ve built Mighty Doodle® as a “virtual tutor” that adapts to each child’s pace, blending structured literacy with playful, game-like storytelling. Parents can see their child’s progress in real time, teachers can trust the science behind it, and children feel like they’re learning through play—not struggling.

We also live our values. For every subscription purchased, Mighty Doodle® gives one to a child who otherwise wouldn’t have access. Our mission is to close the literacy gap—one child, one family, one community at a time.
On the horizon, we’re expanding our partnerships with schools and family organizations, preparing for wider launch, and continuing to build tools that support not only emerging readers but also the parents and teachers guiding them. At this stage of my life and career, it’s deeply meaningful to create something that bridges my classroom experience, my family’s journey, and cutting-edge technology—because when children learn to read, their world opens, and so does ours.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

For me, three qualities have made all the difference:

1. Compassionately Relentlessness

I’ve spent more than three decades teaching children who struggle with reading and raising three neurodiverse sons of my own. That experience taught me that progress isn’t always linear—and you can’t give up. Compassion without relentlessness can stall, and relentlessness without compassion can crush. Together, they move mountains.

Advice: Start by identifying a mission or cause that matters deeply to you. When you care enough, persistence feels less like a burden and more like purpose.

2. Translating Lived Experience Into Innovation

I’m often the only teacher in a room full of CEOs, investors, or technologists. What makes me effective is translating classroom experience—the small victories, frustrations, and joys of children learning—into solutions that scale. That perspective is unique currency.

Advice: Don’t discount what feels ordinary in your life. Your lived experiences are often the very insights that others are missing. Learn to frame them as assets.

3. Humor and Humility

When you’re building something hard—whether it’s raising children or building a company—you need humor to keep going and humility to keep learning. I’ve had both tested many times, and they’re often what allowed me to stay the course.

Advice: Surround yourself with people who make you laugh and who tell you the truth. Both will keep you grounded.

Looking back, these qualities weren’t things I picked up in a single workshop or book—they were forged in classrooms, living rooms, and boardrooms. For anyone just starting out, remember: you don’t need to be everything at once. Focus on who you are, what you know, and what you care about most—that’s the strongest foundation you can build on.

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?

I’d spend it the way I’m spending my life now—teaching, creating, and giving—only with even greater urgency and joy. I’d pour myself into closing the literacy gap so that children everywhere, regardless of zip code or circumstance, can learn to read, write, and spell. Mighty Doodle® is my vehicle for that work, but the mission is bigger than any one company.

I’d also make time for family— my husband, two darling pups, and the three sons I raised, the adventures we still share, and the laughter that continues to carry us through. I’d spend more evenings around the table, more mornings walking in the quiet peace of the daybreak, and more moments noticing the beauty in the ordinary. And last but not least, I’d spend more time dancing, like no one is watching!

Of course, I’d continue mentoring, speaking, and writing so that when my decade was done, the next generation of teachers, parents, and leaders could carry the torch. In many ways, I already live as if time is precious, because it is. If I had only ten years left, I’d simply double down on what matters most: children first, compassionately relentless, and leaving behind something that outlives me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mightydoodle.com/
• Instagram: mightydoodle
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mightydoodle
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debmallin/