We were lucky to catch up with Sanjana Agarwal recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sanjana, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from overcoming fear and pushing beyond my perceived limits. At age 13, I started training competitively for track. I began by running the 400m and 800m. I recall the first time I ran the 400m; I wondered how I could possibly run the entire track and complete one whole lap while maintaining speed. My coach stood on the side, giving me and the other athletes no choice but to stand at the start line. He was strict, and I was more afraid of him than of passing out while I ran. “On your mark, go,” and off we went. After 100 meters, I wanted to start walking, but I visualized my coach’s stern and unfriendly face and the repercussions of giving up. To make a long story short, I was more scared of my coach’s reaction if I stopped than of passing out while racing. So I ran and managed to complete it out of fear. My mind was lying to me. This experience taught me that resilience is about not relying on my five senses to signal when I’m tired or what I can achieve. I just go. If one man or woman can do it, so can I. This mindset is where my resilience comes from.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am Sanjana, a senior at Babson College. When I was 18, I was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa. My struggle wasn’t just with weight—it was with a deep sense of insecurity about my appearance, driven by the unrealistic beauty standards I saw on social media and the dolls I grew up with. I used to restrict food, hoping to look like the images I saw online, but it only made me feel worse about myself. After recovery, I began volunteering at a helpline for an eating disorder organization. It broke my heart to hear girls as young as six saying, “I’m afraid of being fat” and “I don’t want to be ugly.” These words echoed my own fears and made me realize how early these insecurities take root. I realized that these standards were embedded in us from such a young age, starting with the toys we played with—Barbie, Bratz—dolls that looked nothing like me or the people I knew.
This realization struck me hard. It wasn’t just society’s ideals that were the problem; it was how I had internalized them and how they shaped my perception of myself. I knew I had to do something to change that narrative for the next generation, which is why I created ReflectMe dolls. These dolls are designed to look like the child who owns them, with all their unique features represented authentically.
I remember giving one of our first ReflectMe dolls to a 4-year-old named Cheyenne. When she looked at the doll, she said, “She’s pretty,” even though the doll looked exactly like her. Hearing that felt like a moment of healing for my younger self. It made me realize that if I could help just one girl see herself as beautiful, then all the struggle and pain I went through was worth something.
ReflectMe isn’t just a product to me; it’s deeply personal. It’s a way of fighting back against the unrealistic standards that nearly broke me and helping other girls grow up with the confidence that I lacked. Our mission is supported by child psychiatrists who believe in the power of play to shape a child’s self-image. I want every young girl to know that she doesn’t need to change a thing to be extraordinary. She already is. ReflectMe has not launched yet, but our TikTok and Instagram “@reflectmedolls” will keep you informed about the launch.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
-Open-mindedness: Question everything, including yourself. Open-mindedness comes from being self-aware that you don’t have all the answers and that your best guess is not always the right answer. Solving problems in business often involves a series of hypotheses. If your hypothesis isn’t working out, be open-minded enough to explore other approaches and don’t take things personally.
-Focus on End goal: Have a clear goal that you’re working toward and don’t stop until you’ve broken through the problem. What I mean is, don’t get too caught up in the process or the steps you’re taking—what matters is reaching your destination. People may offer you advice and share their methods, but organization and methodology can only get you so far. At the end of the day, it’s about having the burning desire to achieve your ultimate goal, rather than just focusing on checking off tasks from your to-do list.
-Consistency with a Feedback Loop: There’s no point in playing the guitar every day if you’re not able to produce sound. Consistency is critical, but not if you’re consistently doing things that don’t produce results. That’s why having a feedback loop is important—whether it’s through results, mentors, books, or even learning from experts online, constant feedback and iteration will help you grow.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
We are currently looking for collaborators who can help build a software solution for ReflectMe. Specifically, we need expertise in developing software that can convert facial images into 3D models, which will then be prepared for 3D printing. This collaboration is crucial for us to create a seamless and efficient process for customizing our ReflectMe dolls. If you have experience in 3D modeling, software development, or related fields and are passionate about empowering children through innovative technology, we would love to connect with you. Also if you are a 3d printing company that provides solutions in full color and multi color 3d printing we would love to chat!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reflectmedolls/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/reflectme
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjanaragarwal/
- Other: Tiktok- https://www.tiktok.com/@reflectmedolls
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
